Laura Power
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 19, 2007

IQALUIT - After four years in operation, the Iqaluit-based theatre group Part Time Players is launching a series of workshops for the first time.

Andrew Kerr and Valmai Goggin act in a previous short film. Both are members of the Iqaluit theatre group Part Time Players. - photo courtesy of John Robertson

The workshops, which will replace the fall and winter plays, will run at least once a week throughout the winter except during the holiday season, according to John Robertson, a member of the organization.

"We'll be trying to go every Thursday and then we will start casting for the spring plays," he said.

There are several purposes for the workshops, he said. First, it's an opportunity for people in the community to practise or learn new skills in various areas of acting. It also allows the organization to extend its reach into the community and find more talent.

Robertson said it's less scary for someone with less experience to come to this sort of session than it is to try out for a play.

"We think that it'll help bridge the gap for people that are interested in theatre but don't know where to begin," he said.

He said that since the city's population is very transient, there is a small core of about half a dozen people who tend to organize events and a few others in the community who join in when they can.