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THEATRE OUEST END WORKSHOPS

 ​"Through our writing workshops, our goal is to bring unheard voices together to break the isolation of each of these communities." ​
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Writers Collective of Canada

​ Theatre Ouest End and our facilitators are members of The Writers Collective of Canada (WCC). Finding its original inspiration in the groundbreaking work of the Amherst Writers and Artist Method with its 40-year track record of transformational writing, the WCC has developed a technique that “celebrates authentic voice—the innate creative genius in every person—through exploratory writing in community.” 

We believe that we all have stories to tell and that every one of us deserves to be heard.  To that end, our workshops offer an opportunity for participants to come together in a safe and welcoming environment where all can write and discover the value of their own stories in an atmosphere of dignity, respect, and acceptance. 
​
Our writing groups are small, between 6 -10 people, and sessions occur once a week for an 8-10 week period. If you are interested in participating, but feel you cannot commit to all sessions, please join us when you can. We just ask that you let us know ahead of time if you are coming. 

Our 2-hour writing sessions are open to everyone and are free of charge!

Upcoming Virtual Writing Workshops

Although we could not hold on-site workshops during the pandemic, during the past 2 years we have held weekly online Zoom workshops. Because these workshops have been virtual, we’ve been able to open them up to participants living outside Montreal.  To date, we’ve welcomed folks from: Hudson, Oka, Chisasibi, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Germany, France, Denmark and the United States.   While we are very hopeful about being able to offer on-site workshops during the fall of 2022, we will continue with our international Thursday afternoon Zoom workshop.  
 
If you’d like to know more about our upcoming writing workshops, please contact us at: theatreouestend@gmail.com
For more information about the Writers Collective of Canada: https://wcc-cec.org
 
Congratulations to Anissah Vanhorn and Caroline Spintzyk who have since completing their facilitator training last fall, been featured co-facilitators of our virtual workshop. Anissah has continued to assist in those workshops, and Caroline has been facilitating workshops in Germany. 

Testimonials

Theatre Ouest End’s writing workshop offers its participants a safe, and utterly civilized platform in which to express, and share creative energy that otherwise may get snuffed out by isolation, loneliness, and tv. It is a welcome respite from the mundane world, and affords a kind of social gathering where everyone’s voice is welcome, and even cherished. A wonderfully, unexpectedly refreshing boon of a pastime in this whole Covid experience. Wholeheartedly recommend it! 

PS This workshop’s participants are multi-generational, international, and from all manner of backgrounds. It’is not only absolutely free of charge, but also completely free of any/all other tensions that might seemingly arise among a group of strangers; largely due to the expert skills of the animators, and the nature & structure of the workshop itself. Brilliantly constructed & conducted.

- Maila Shanks
(International Writing Workshop)
What a wonderful, unexpected  boon this workshop has been during this long period of pandemic isolation! I have always enjoyed the poems chosen to inspire us before the thought provoking prompts. Some days I have not felt like writing or I didn't feel like sharing what I wrote, but every session I looked forward to hearing what the others wrote. These ten minute morsels of writing somehow become whole stories that touch you, move  you, stimulate or amuse you. How do people do it? People from my Montreal neighbourhood, from up north in Quebec and from across the Atlantic in Europe - thank you, Zoom! - are full of experiences and perspectives I want to hear about. And when they're finished their ten minute stories, I want to hear more.

We are encouraged and kindly guided by our able facilitators who are positive in a lovely, comfortable way. I find myself mesmerized by their voices and their sweet faces, which brings me to an unexpected side-effect of these workshops: I think they can be therapeutic. I think they know this because their website declares these truths:

Everyone needs to tell a story.
Everyone wants to be asked about their lives.
Everyone wants to be seen and heard.
​

All this would be enough to justify any workshop, but there's more. Part of the experience is the opportunity we're given to give each other feedback about our writing, something I find hard to do, especially in the time available. I find that I have been learning from my fellow participants, who are perceptive, enthusiastic and beautifully articulate when giving their feedback. 
I feel very fortunate to be a part of this.


- Zsuzsanna Kapas (International Writing Workshop)
Dear Ann and Laura:
I will turn 85 very soon...and just when I thought it would be hard to challenge and move me, along comes your offer to take part in a writing workshop.

I’m not sure what my expectations were. But I certainly didn’t expect to find a group of seniors I would connect with so quickly. Our backgrounds were so different. Through the magic of words, our own stories were quietly revealed, sometimes directly, at times through metaphor, because we felt so safe.
As leaders you explained each step and then participated as equals.

I sincerely hope your technique will be repeated for many groups so that the benefit I deeply feel can be shared with others.
Thank you

- 
Arlene ​(85 years old; 1st Workshop Participant)
Dear Ann and Laura,
This was my first writing workshop and it surpassed all my expectations. Each one of us felt valued and appreciated in a totally safe environment where we were free and able to express very personal and deep stories. The fact that the participants were all “seniors” added to the feeling of friendly complicity in the room: we all had stories to share and a welcome understanding of the impact of the passing of time. It will be wonderful to relive this experience with seniors and teenagers intermingled and to see how our very different experiences can inform one another in our writing.

Bravo to Ann and Laura for their hard work and preparation ! 

-
Pepita (1st Workshop Participant)
I have been involved in a number of writer's groups, and have been a writer for my entire adult life. I found the workshop conducted by Ann and Laura to be excellent, one of the best I have ever attended. It helped me get a grip on the back story of a couple of characters for a play I am starting to write, and the leaders were both insightful and supportive.
                                                                                                                                                               - Margaret (1st Workshop Participant)​
The TOE workshop sessions I have attended have been a delight and a surprise. Not only have I found myself writing a wide variety of short stories and tales that I never expected to write, I find the supportive atmosphere and community of a group of far flung writers of all ages brought together over the internet, has created a bond between us that I will miss when the sessions end. The workshop attendees, including the facilitators, are requested only to comment on 'what is strong and powerful' in the stories read aloud and believe you me...there is always something strong, powerful and at times deeply moving. You don't have to share your work if you don't wish to, but most end up doing so because we all surprise, and even amaze ourselves at the words that tumble out onto the page in response to the shared prompts. I look forward each week to the camaraderie, humour, pathos and sheer unexpected fun and yes, the bonding that has taken place. Long live TOE. Come with an open mind, try out the format and you may well find you are hooked as I have been. 

- Wanda Potrykus 
(International Writing Workshop)
 When I was asked by a friend if I wanted to join an online writing workshop run out of Canada, I was a bit hesitant. I like to write, but have never done it regularly or in a structured way – at least not since college. But, open for a new experience, I agreed – hallelujah! The workshops facilitated by these two wonderful, talented and experienced women have been a major discovery. They are conducted professionally and with warmth and appreciation for every participant. Ann and Laura created an atmosphere in which, right from the first session, I felt comfortable enough to write and above all, share my writing, in a safe space. The supportive feedback creates a desire to do more. And listening to the amazing and often profound writings of the other participants is an integral part of the experience. I also love the mix of participants. I am joining from Germany in the evenings and there were three further European participants, joining those from the “other side of the pond”. It was really enjoyable hearing from different life perspectives yet also discovering how much we all have in common.

I am so happy that, in the midst of Covid 19, this gem appeared on my virtual doorstep! Please continue your online offering for us “out-of-towners”, it is such a joy!”

- Caroline Spintzyk  (International Writing Workshop)
I've loved participating in these workshops. They are stimulating, challenging and fun!
​

It's a wonderful way to connect with other writers from afar during this time of Covid isolation. The animators are excellent - encouraging and insightful - and the group members are always interesting and enthusiastic. I have participated in two four-week sessions, so far, and have registered for a third. I look forward to every encounter with the group and miss them between sessions. I would recommend this to anyone who would like to do a bit of spontaneous writing, listen to how others respond to the same prompts and receive some positive feedback.”
​

- Felicity Fanjoy 
(International Writing Workshop)
It was just great to be part of the workshop.  As a senior who wants to write, I finally found a marvelous milieu, and the beginning of a sense of community.   The group was supportive, the exercises stimulating, the participants inspiring. 
Heartfelt thanks to Ann and Laura. 
​

- Marlyn (1st Workshop Participant)​​

Dear Ann and Laura, ​The Theatre Ouest End,
This writing group was led by two of most gifted published popular longstanding professors, Ann and Laura. Cathartic and liberating. Surprisingly healing and exhilarating in expressing oneself through writing. Peace. Joy. Generous time given. Beyond expectations. Warmth and kindness permeated our weekly sessions. Thank you so much in sharing your amazing expertise with us!

Imperative this group continues to meet!
​
PS. Thanks for giving us amazing pastries and tea  at the end of each group. Thanks so much for extending our course from one and a half hours to two hours, what generosity!

Have a wonderful summer as well.
​

- Elizabeth Vak Van (1st Workshop Participant)
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