Encyclopedia News; May 24, 2001

[Gaetan Charlebois]

Hello All

Something that used to get me really ticked off now gives me a little smile
(it must be age or the fuzziness of being in the process of giving up
smoking...). What used to enrage me is finding the Encyclopedia's
fingerprints in a newspaper article written by someone who had never
mentioned, in print or in passing, the Encyclopedia's existence. I see this
happening in the work of critics of big-city papers and weekly rags. I would
ask them to cover this exciting project and it was always, "Sure thing"
and...nothing. In a couple of cases, I actually got e-mail or a phone call
from someone at a major paper asking for help from the project or the papers
that went into creating it. I'd always give it and when I'd say, "Hey, maybe
you should write about the Encyclopedia!" they'd always say, "You know,
you're right!" and...nothing.

So here's a game: next time you read an obituary of a famous Canadian
theatre artist, take it to your computer, open the Encyclopedia to the
profile on that person, and see how much of it has been pilfered. I get a
little glow when I can see the tracks because hundreds of people, books,
articles and what not have gone into creating the Encyclopedia of Canadian
Theatre on the WWW and if all this is useful to someone, I get giddy.

But this, to be honest, throws a light on the hundreds of profiles in the
Encyclopedia still requiring source-lists and footnotes. This is the focus
of the present phase of the project: going through the hundreds of items I
have accumulated and adding their titles to the bottom of the profile(s)
they have helped create. It has already begun, as you can see at the bottom
of some profiles.

I have jumped up the dumping of the National Theatre Calendar from end of
June to now. This was the only example, in the entire project, of people
taking advantage of a feature and utterly disregarding the quid pro quo.
Companies who were inscribed were expected to put a single line of text in
their program "www.canadiantheatre.com"; not much to ask. To date, one or
two of the 100 or so companies who inscribed 250 or so productions sent me
proof that they did it (and of the two there was that one that did it
wrong!). I began to hate the work this feature caused and am glad to see the
damn thing dead, frankly.

For the rest, things go well. More and more people commit to helping this
site and the people who hopped on long ago, thankfully, stay committed. So
though the work is sometimes mind-numbingly tedious, it is, too (and often)
very rewarding.

Cheers.

New profiles:
Nardi, Tony (Actor) http://www.canadiantheatre.com/n/nardit.html
Teesri Duniya Theatre (Company)
http://www.canadiantheatre.com/t/teesriduniyatheatre.html
Silver, Phillip (Designer)
http://www.canadiantheatre.com/s/silverp.html
Dunsmore, Rosemary (Actor) http://www.canadiantheatre.com/d/dunsmorer.html

Updates (P=Photo added):
REMOVED - National Theatre Calendar and Registry (NATHCARE); Cardinal, Marie
(Death of); Reviews (23 added); Masthead; Jackson, A.; Gold, M.; Surette,
R.; Leyshon, G.; British Columbia; Dykstra, T.; Lebeau, P.; Shuster, F. (P);
Wayne, J. (P); Maillet, A. (P); "La Sagouine" (P); Frye, N. (P); Gelinas, G.
(P); "Bousille et les justes" (P); "Titcoq" (P); "Hier, les enfants
dansaient" (P); Lord Bessborough (P);  Dominion Drama Festival (P); Dalpe,
J. (P); Standjofski, H.; Hidalgo, C.; Prairie, L.; Dinning, J.; Black
Theatre Workshop; Lefebvre, P.; Rolland, F.; Vancouver Playhouse; Theatre de
l'Opsis; "Lion in the Streets"; Janson, A.; Maraden, M.; Munro, J.; Tweed,
T.;  Vajda, S.; Vermeulen, B.; Theatre le Clou; Reddy, F.; Gadouas, D.;
Hyndman, J.; Cadieux, A.; Haentjens, B.; Lepage, Robert; Festival de Theatre
des Ameriques; Criticism; Levesque, R.; Carbone 14; Maheu, G.; Madore, J.;
Proteau, R.; de Vasconcelos, P.; Pigeons International; Ronfard, J.;
Ronfard, A.; Varma, R.; Pomrenski, J.; Miller, J.; Standjofski, H.; "Counter
Offence"; Sherman, J.; Ethnic Theatre; Mouawad, W.; Quebec; Designing; Dora
Mavor Moore Awards; Sterling Awards; Phillips, R.; Guinand, L.; Stratford
Festival; "Something Red"

If you would like a copy of the entire list of profiles, I can send it to
you by e-mail (there is no charge for this service).

Register your link too (at no charge)!
(http://www.canadiantheatre.com/links/linksguidelines.html)

Gaetan L. Charlebois (Editor, The Encyclopedia of Canadian Theatre on the
WWW) http://www.canadiantheatre.com
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