Announcing ON Criticism: The 2025/26 Theatre Critics Lab
Following the success of What Writing Can Do: The 2025 Musical Theatre Critics Lab, four southern Ontario theatres — the Grand Theatre (London), Talk is Free Theatre (Barrie), Tarragon Theatre (Toronto), and Theatre Aquarius (Hamilton) — are collaborating with Intermission Magazine to continue advancing the field of theatre criticism in the province.
Co-led by Intermission editorial advisor Karen Fricker and senior editor Liam Donovan, ON Criticism: The 2025/26 Theatre Critics Lab will bring together six Ontario writers to develop their theatre criticism skills, in collaboration with the Grand, Talk is Free, Tarragon, and Aquarius. The program is open both to writers who have not yet written theatre criticism and those with experience in the field. It aims to equip the next wave of theatre critics with the tools to write and produce meaningful criticism, using traditional and non-traditional approaches.
ON Criticism runs from the week of October 20, 2025 through March 2026. Exact dates and times of sessions will be scheduled through discussion and mutual agreement between the cohort and program leaders.
The program will primarily focus on one production in each of the collaborating theatres’ seasons:
- Twelve Dinners (Talk is Free Theatre)
- Primary Trust (Grand Theatre, a co-production with Crow’s Theatre)
- It’s a Good Life if You Don’t Weaken (Theatre Aquarius, in partnership with Thousand Islands Playhouse)
- Mischief (Tarragon Theatre, a co-production with Native Earth Performing Arts and Neptune Theatre)
Activities will include two Zoom sessions a month — one about the focus productions listed above and different aspects of theatre programming, the other a hands-on writing workshop. Guest speakers will provide expertise about the focus productions and about building skills and professional competencies in theatre criticism.
As part of the Lab, and with the support of Intermission’s editorial team, each participant will create one or two articles for Intermission, and leave with those published pieces in their portfolio.
Applicants must be based in Ontario, and the program aims to recruit at least one participant in each of Barrie, Hamilton, London, and Toronto. Former participants in the 2025 What Writing Can Do program are welcome to apply; current participants in the 2025-27 Page Turn program are not eligible to apply.
Participants will receive a $700 honorarium for participating in the Lab.
How to Apply
Applications are now open: Please click here to access the application form. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 15, 2025.
Intermission Magazine, the Grand Theatre, Talk is Free Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, and Theatre Aquarius are committed to creating and practicing company cultures that ensure accessible, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming spaces. We actively encourage the participation of artists, writers, and editors who self-identify as being part of underserved communities. It is our mission to reflect the diversity of our community on and off our stages, and in and behind the scenes of our coverage.
Comments
Leave a Comment
iPhoto caption: Members of the North American touring company of 'MJ.' Photo by Matthew Murphy.
Review of MJ: The Musical among winners at the 2025 Nathan Cohen Awards
The Canadian Theatre Critics Association has announced the winners of the 2025 Nathan Cohen Awards for Excellence in Critical Writing. This year’s prizes for outstanding review and critical essay were adjudicated by Natasha Tripney, international editor of the Stage.
iPhoto caption: Members of the company of 'Some Like It Hot.' Photo by Matthew Murphy.
REVIEW: Inventive choreography powers delightful Some Like It Hot at Mirvish
The gears of Casey Nicholaw’s production are well-oiled. Despite Art Deco set design and plenty of era-appropriate choreography, the show moves with contemporary fluidity.
iPhoto caption: Mike Nadajewski in 'All the Cows Are Dead.' Photo by Dahlia Katz.
REVIEW: Two critics compare reactions to TIFT’s new musical All the Cows Are Dead
Liam wrote about observing the production's rehearsal process. Shivani viewed the musical without any insider knowledge. On the way home from seeing the show in Barrie, they discuss.
iPhoto caption: Louise Pitre in 'Kimberly Akimbo.' Photo by Emelia Hellman.
REVIEW: Mirvish’s well-cast Kimberly Akimbo never stops surprising
The simple and the unconventional meld radiantly throughout Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire's Tony Award-dominating 2021 musical.
iPhoto caption: Athena So, Mike Nadajewski, Taylor Garwood, and Ben Page in rehearsal for 'All the Cows Are Dead.' Photo by Dahlia Katz.
What I discovered at rehearsals for TIFT’s world premiere musical All the Cows Are Dead
I’m sure most new musicals have interesting rehearsal processes — but it helped my excitement level that All the Cows Are Dead is a site-specific, existential two-hander from one of Ontario’s most risk-taking companies. There'll also be countless balloons.
iPhoto caption: L to R, top to bottom: 'The 39 Steps' (photo by Raph Nogal), 'Benevolence' (photo by Jae Yang), 'The Born-Again Crow' (photo by Jeremy Mimnagh), 'Dimanche' (photo by Thomas Müller), 'Last Landscape' (photo by Fran Chudnoff), 'The Merchant of Venice' (photo by Kyle Purcell), 'Slave Play' (photo by Dahlia Katz), 'Waiting for Godot' (photo by Elana Emer), 'The Welkin' (photo by Dahlia Katz).
Twelve indelible moments of performance from 2025
With the lights fading on another year of fleeting thrills in dark rooms, we asked 12 Ontario performing arts writers to reflect on a moment that stayed with them. The results mainly stem from Toronto theatre productions, but there are a few surprises weaved in.
Hello,
My name is Daphne Gordon. Today I submitted an application to the Critic’s Lab. Super excited!
But … I did not get a confirmation that my Google Form was submitted, so I’m worried that something went wrong.
Could you please confirm that you received my application? If not, I’ll resubmit.
Thank you!
Daphne