2026 Introduction to Professional Theatre Production Practice (July 4 - 19 / 6 sessions in total)

Service Description

Founded by Joyce Cheung, a Hong Kong-based professional artist with experience spanning theater, film, music, and publishing, CantoLive Culture leverages over thirty years of expertise and practical experience to cultivate a professional environment for bringing Hong Kong performing arts culture to the Vancouver community. This course, organized by CantoLive Culture, aims to preserve Hong Kong's Cantonese performing arts culture and share years of accumulated production experience and professional thinking from Hong Kong theaters with those in Vancouver who love theater arts. This course also includes a special "Introduction to Stage Management" session, taught by Satina, a professional stage manager from Hong Kong, practicing seamless collaboration in administration and production. Whether you're looking to organize play readings, black box performances of selected plays, drama book clubs, form your own theater company, enhance your performing arts project curation skills in your current job, or find your place in the theater world, this course is designed for you. 🏆 Course Features 🏆 Complete and Systematic Learning: From the history of Chinese and Western theater to the contemporary theater ecosystem, this course explores cultural policies from both ancient and modern times, establishing a comprehensive understanding of artistic aesthetics and administrative structures. Practical Application: The course covers budget preparation, time management, contract negotiation, and project proposal writing. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Gain in-depth understanding of the working models of directors, actors, and design teams, and learn from experienced stage managers who share their collaborative experiences. 📆 Course Dates / ⏰ Times Session 1 Date and Time: July 4, 2026 (Sat) 8pm to 9:30pm (1.5 hours) ✧ Understanding the Diverse Roles of Theatre Producers ✧ Starting with the Essence of Drama: Dramatic Theory and Archetypes (From Ancient Greek Tragedy to Ancient Eastern Drama) ✧ A Quick Overview of theatrical Styles and Aesthetics from Ancient and Modern Times Session 2 Date and Time: July 5, 2026 (Sun) 8pm to 9:30pm (1.5 hours) ✧ An Overview of Important Cultural Policies and Industry Ecosystems Throughout History ✧ Professional Division of Labor and Collaboration Models among the Scriptwriting, Directing, Acting, Design, and Production Departments Third Session Date and Time: July 11, 2026 (Sat) 8pm to 9:30pm (1.5 hours) ✧ Understanding the Scope and Professional Position of a Stage Supervisor ✧ The Role of a Stage Supervisor in Each Production Stage (Pre-production, Rehearsal, Technical/Rehearsal, Performance, Post-production) ✧ Essential Skills and Tools ✧ Differences in Working Styles between Hong Kong and American Theatre Cultures ✧ Real-Life Case Studies Fourth Session Date and Time: July 12, 2026 (Sun) 8pm to 9:30pm (1.5 hours) ✧ Deconstructing the Main Stages and Timeline of a Stage Production ✧ Collaboration Models and Communication Essentials for the Administration, Publicity, and Ticketing Teams ✧ How to Create an Effective Marketing Strategy with Limited Resources Lesson 5 Date and Time: July 18, 2026 (Sat) 8pm to 9:30pm (1.5 hours) ✧ Understanding Different Types of Stage Spaces and Their Technical Characteristics ✧ Commonly Used Theatre Department Terminology and Its Practical Application ✧ Practical Skills for Negotiating Collaboration Agreements with the Team ✧ Developing an Overall Timeline Throughout the Production ✧ Production Practice and Marketing: Performance Proposal Writing, Budgeting, Publicity Strategies, Ticketing Management, and Crisis Management Introduction Lesson 6 Date and Time: July 19, 2026 (Sun) 8pm to 9:30pm (1.5 hours) ✧ The fundamental skills of a well-rounded producer ✧ Basic concepts of budgeting and the "break-even" ✧ Preparing a program from scratch: from idea to execution ✧ The multiple identities and role switching of a theater producer ✧ Practical applications of document and accounting software ✧ How to effectively utilize AI (including prompt strategies) to assist in daily administrative and production work Location: Zoom online class (link and instructions will be sent via email before the class) Eligibility: No restrictions on educational background or work experience; individuals of different backgrounds and ages are welcome to participate. Registration Deadline: July 1, 2026, 6:00 AM Language: Cantonese (with necessary Chinese and English proper nouns) Tuition Fees Adult Regular Price: CA$150.00 (6 sessions / approximately CA$25 per session) "Joyful Culture" Member Early Bird Discount: Register before June 14, 2026, and enjoy a 20% discount with the discount code (listed in the website members' area): CA$120.00 (6 sessions / approximately CA$20 per session) Payment Methods Credit card or eTransfer available 🏆 Scholarship Place (Full tuition waiver – 2 places) Designed specifically for Hong Kong new immigrants aged 30 or under who have recently moved to Canada. Application and award criteria include: ➨ Completion of registration and full payment of tuition fees ➨ 100% class attendance ➨ Submission of a learning reflection of no less than 500 words within one week of course completion ➨ Two most inspiring and interesting articles will be selected by the two instructors. Winners will be notified individually, and their tuition fees will be fully refunded. 🎤 Instructor Introduction 👩🏻‍🏫 Joyce Cheung (Course Designer and Instructor) Founder of "Joyful Culture" and "Shenxi Theater" / Senior Theater Producer / Book Editor Script Copyright Agent Graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Acting from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, later earning a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) majoring in Directing and a Master of Arts (Comparative and Public History) from the Department of History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. With over thirty years of experience in the performing arts and cultural fields, her expertise spans radio, film, theatre, and publishing, encompassing production, distribution, promotion, administration, editing, and writing. She is a versatile theatre and cultural professional with experience both on and off stage, in administration, curating, and creative work. Former Executive Director of the Hong Kong Film Awards Association, Chairman of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Alumni Association, and Drama Arts Advisor to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council; producer or planner of stage plays including Emperor Entertainment's *The Red Boat in the Rain* and *Du Lao Zhi*; Project Roundabout *Kissing Leanin*; the novel-based theatre production *Forever and Ever*; and all works by Shenxi Theatre, including *Equus the Horse*, *Crazy Couple*, *ART*, *Polar Mystery*, and *The Mantis Stalks the Cicada*. 👩🏻‍🏫 Satina Shum (Guest Lecturer) Senior Stage Supervisor Graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the Unive