Western Ontario Drama League
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                ABOUT The Western Ontario Drama League


                Welcome to a community of people with a passion for theatre!

                Theatre has played an important role in communities for centuries.  The call to entertain is a very strong one; the call to be entertained is stronger still.  WODL supports and encourages those who entertain.


                What is WODL?


                The Western Ontario Drama League was established by D. Park Jamieson in 1932 to unite community theatre groups in Western Ontario.  It covers an area from Burlington west to Sarnia and Welland, and north to Tobermory and has over two dozen member groups.


                The Western Ontario Drama League exists to:

                •  encourage, assist and promote Community Theatre
                •  convene an annual Theatre Festival
                •  to provide education in Theatre Arts 


                The Western Ontario Drama League also:

                •  Supports the development of high quality training for member groups.

                •  Celebrates the best of Community Theatre through the annual WODL Theatre Festival, which is adjudicated by a professional adjudicator.

                •  Engages a professional adjudicator to travel throughout the Region from October to February each year, adjudicating member group productions as requested, and selecting the productions which will appear in the annual Theatre Festival.

                •  Develops and supports training for directors, actors and technicians through the annual Minifest weekend.

                •  Facilitates communication and access to resources through its association with Ontario Theatre and other professional theatres.

                •  Issues a newsletter "Cue Sheet” every few months to keep their membership informed about the activities of member groups, Annual Festival and Minifest information, workshops in the Region, and information from other Regions.

                •  Maintains a web site with information on all member groups, as well as WODL programs, festivals etc .


                WODL is managed by an elected board of directors, who are members of one of the member groups.

                The Executive Officers of WODL include a Past President, President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.  The board also consists of Area Vice-Presidents as well as a number of standing committees, each of which has an appointed chair.

                There is an Area Vice President for each of the following areas:

                Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk;

                Bruce-Grey;

                Elgin-Middlesex-Perth;

                Essex-Lambton-Kent;

                Lincoln-Wentworth;

                Oxford;

                Waterloo-Wellington. 


                Area Vice Presidents provide a liaison between the groups in their area and the WODL Board, attend adjudications of groups in their area and assist as required.

                Board of Directors, Appointed Positions, Area Representatives

                For a printable pdf of this information -External link opens in new tab or windowclick here.


                Board Executive



                 
                President
                Linda Lloyd-McKenzie
                External link opens in new tab or windowpresident@wodl.on.ca
                1st Vice PresidentTerri Graham
                External link opens in new tab or windowterri@wodl.on.ca
                2nd Vice PresidentSue Garner
                External link opens in new tab or windowsue@wodl.on.ca
                SecretaryPam Niesiobedzki-Curtis
                External link opens in new tab or windowsecretary@wodl.on.ca
                TreasurerPeter Busby
                External link opens in new tab or windowtreasurer@wodl.on.ca
                Past PresidentMona Brennan-Coles
                External link opens in new tab or windowmona@wodl.on.ca


                Appointed Positions and Committee Chairs


                Adjudications Chair
                External link opens in new tab or windowadjudications@wodl.on.ca
                Communications Chair
                Tricia Ward
                External link opens in new tab or windowExternal link opens in new tab or windowcommunications@wodl.on.ca
                Awards Chair
                Andre Paradis
                External link opens in new tab or windowExternal link opens in new tab or windowawards@wodl.on.ca
                Constitution and Policy
                Denise Gismondi
                External link opens in new tab or windowExternal link opens in new tab or windowconstitution@wodl.on.ca
                Membership and Development
                Sam Hillier
                External link opens in new tab or windowExternal link opens in new tab or windowmembership@wodl.on.ca
                Webmaster

                Mary Jane Walzak
                External link opens in new tab or windowwebmaster@wodl.on.ca

                Ontario Theatre Liaison
                Shirley Bieman
                External link opens in new tab or windowExternal link opens in new tab or windowshirley@wodl.on.ca
                Life Members Chair
                Sue Perkins
                External link opens in new tab or windowExternal link opens in new tab or windowlifemembers@wodl.on.ca

                 
                 



                Area Vice-Presidents




                 
                 


                Essex-Lambton-Kent

                Theatre Kent
                Theatre Sarina
                Windsor Light Music
                Ghost Light Theatre
                The Bank Theatre
                 

                Renata Solski

                External link opens in new tab or windowrenata@wodl.on.ca


                Waterloo-Wellington

                Elmira Theatre Company
                Elora Community Theatre
                Cambridge Community Players
                Guelph Little Theatre
                Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre
                Theatre Wellesley

                Bev Dietrich

                bev@wodl.on.ca


                Elgin-Middlesex-Perth-Oxford

                Aylmer Community Theatre
                Ingersoll Theatre of the Performing Arts (ITOPA)
                Thistle Theatre - Embro
                London Community Players
                St. Marys Community Players
                 

                Rob Coles

                rob@wodl.on.ca


                Lincoln-Wentworth

                Binbrook Little Theatre
                Peninsula Players
                Players Guild of  Hamilton
                Theatre Burlington

                Michelle Spanik

                michelle@wodl.on.ca


                Bruce-Grey- Huron

                Kincardine Theatre Guild Inc
                Owen Sound Little Theatre
                Hanover Community Players

                Shirley Bieman

                External link opens in new tab or windowshirley@wodl.on.ca


                Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk-Oxford

                Paris Performers Theatre Inc.
                Simcoe Little Theatre
                Theatre Tillsonburg
                Theatre Woodstock

                Dianne Clarke

                External link opens in new tab or windowdianne@wodl.on.ca

                WODL Life Members

                Present Life Members

                Name

                Joined WODL

                Made Life Member

                 
                Faye Bonanno19711996

                Made Honorary Life President 2000

                Sue Perkins19942010 
                Anne Mooney19862013 
                Bill Meaden19992012 
                Mark Mooney19972015 
                Ken Menzies19972015 
                Michelle Spanik19962015 
                April Chappell20022016 
                Bev Dietrich 2018 
                Shirley Bieman 2019
                 
                External link opens in new tab or windowBrandon Moore
                 2021Honorary Life Member



                Deceased Life Members

                Name

                Joined WODL

                Made Life Member

                Deceased

                 
                Lawrence Bonanno196719952019

                Made Honorary Life President 2000

                Sam Hunter196819882010 
                John Jenkins19711988  
                Velma Mitges197219881992 
                Isabel Draper197319962002 
                Anne Wilson197419952014

                Made Honorary Life President 2000

                Armond LaPointe197720042007 
                Norma Hunter197719882003 
                Steve Repuski198520122012 
                Inez Hayes198520032012 
                Vince Mathewson198619952002 
                Fred Hadley198920062014 
                Val Hadley199520032013 
                John L'Heureux 20192020 

                Benefits of Membership

                 

                •  Free posting of playbills on WODL’s web site as well as other opportunities via Area VP’s to promote your group to WODL.
                •  Receive our newsletter "Cue Sheet” every few months, with information on the activities of member groups, the annual Theatre Festival and Minifest information, workshops in the Region, and information from other Regions.  We also publish the adjudication dates of all those who chose to have a production adjudicated.
                •  Subsidization of the actual costs of the adjudication fees and ability to participate in adjudication process and Festival.
                • Opportunity to vote on major decisions put out by the WODL executive at delegates meetings (you are entitled to name two Delegates). These are held in October and February, and the AGM is held in July, immediately following Minifest (Minifest is currently on HOLD).

                • Representation at delegates meetings where we discuss various aspects of theatre.  You gain:  a) Shared awareness of what other theatres are doing.  b) Advanced notice of theatre seasons from other groups  c) New Thoughts, New Ideas  d) Access to mentors and  e) an opportunity to network.


                • Eligible to apply for financial assistance to host workshops.
                • Eligible to enter in our annual Minifest - see Minifest tab under Festivals
                • Unified advocacy – over a score of theatres can speak louder than individual theatres. Issues that directly affect theatre in South Western Ontario can be addressed and WODL is a recognized organization that has high standards and respectability amongst the theatrical world.
                • Invitation to President of your theatre group to Gala opening ceremonies of WODL’s annual Theatre Festival.
                • Access to information in WODL data bank.


                How to join WODL

                To be eligible for membership, a group must have been in existence for a minimum of one year and performed at least two full-length productions and have a board of directors.  An application along with the membership fee is needed in order to become a member group.  Once this is received and a review done on your theatre group, the application will be processed before the group is accepted.  Groups must be located in one of the following counties or former counties: Essex, Kent, Lambton, Elgin, Middlesex, Huron, Perth, Oxford, Brant, Norfolk, Waterloo, Wellington, Grey, Bruce, Wentworth, Lincoln, Haldimand, the Regional Municipality of Niagara, or the City of Burlington.  The Board of WODL determines fees for Active Membership and to receive adjudication annually.  The appropriate annual fees are due early each fall.  Before becoming a Member Group, the interested theatre group needs to fill out an application for membership.  WODL membership is also possible on an individual basis. You need to be a member in good standing to apply for adjudication.


                Membership Application Form - External link opens in new tab or windowClick Here




                Get In Touch
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                EMAIL: President@wodl.on.ca


                WEBMASTER: Webmaster@wodl.on.ca


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