New Translation Canada
Celebrating great Canadian theatre in both official languages.
New Translation Development
Discover the leading new works of anglophone and francophone Canada, meet the playwrights and their translators, and play a part in the new translation process.
Towards a truly national theatre in both official languages.
Every three years, four or five Canadian playwrights in both official languages (French & English) are nominated for the Siminovitch Prize, Canada’s top theatre award. Each of these playwrights represents a leading voice in Canadian playwriting as nominated by their peers.
This independent project was born from a discovery that the works of the playwrights nominated for the 2020 Siminovitch Prize and their contributions to Canadian culture were not available in both official languages. We imagine a truly national theatre community where the works of anglophone and francophone artists are available and promoted to audiences in both official languages.
free as injuns by Tara Beagun, Native Earth (2012) | Photo: Juan Camilo Palacio
THE PRIX SIMINOVITCH PRIZE PLAYWRIGHT
NEW TRANSLATION PROJECT
ColoniséEs by Annick Lefebvre, Centre du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui (2019) | Photo: Valérie Remise
Meet the Playwrights
Each work is a unique voice, approach to form, and view on the Canadian experience.
The playwrights nominated for the 2020 Siminovitch Prize are Carmen Aguirre (Vancouver), Tara Beagan (Calgary), Martin Bellemare (Montreal), Karen Hines (Calgary), and Annick Lefebvre (Montreal).
We contacted each of the playwrights who shared our excitement for this vision. They each selected 1 piece from their body of work for translation. These works represent a diversity of leading Canadian playwrights from different regions, lived experiences, cultural and linguistic heritages and draw from across their careers–from early noted works to recent creations.
All Canadians deserve access to these works.
Each work represents a unique voice, unique approach to form, and a unique view on the Canadian experience. We believe all Canadians deserve access to these works.
These award nominated and winning plays selected by their playwrights for translation are: Anywhere But Here by Carmen Aguirre with Raps Created With Shad Kabango; ColoniséEs by Annick Lefebvre; Crawlspace by Karen Hines, free as injuns by Tara Beagan and Moule Robert by Martin Bellemare.
Moule Robert by Martin Bellemare, Théâtre de Belleville (2019) | Photo: Samuel Rubio
About
the plays
Anywhere But Here by Carmen Aguirre, The Electric Company (2020) | Photo: Emily Cooper.
Crawlspace created and performed by Karen Hines (2017)
TRANSLATION FOR THEATRE
“A different language is a different vision of life.” – Federico Fellini
The theatre translation process is sometimes misunderstood. Professionally, it’s classed as “Creative Translation.” Rather than a word-for-word substitution, the source text is a point of reference to create an equally compelling work in the new language.
With many choices beyond words, the creative translator draws on a wide knowledge of the performing arts and a deep understanding of the target culture. In addition to new rhythms, poetic structures, and metaphors, it’s not uncommon for new scenes, scenarios, and text to be created. It is a uniquely collaborative art; one where the collaborators are the cultures and languages of the original and target population as embodied by the artists involved.
Our Creative Translation team is gathered from leading theatre makers in both official languages from across the nation.
Projects:
QColoniséEs
By Annick Lefebvre
Translated to English
by Johanna Nutter
July 29, 2024
N’importe où sauf ici
By Carmen Aguirre | Raps created with Shad Kabango
Translated to French by Emmanuelle Jimenez
February 9, 2024
libre comme des sauvages
By Tara Beagan
Translated to French
by Charles Bender
April 16, 2023
Robert Moule
By Martin Bellemare
Translated to English
by Jack Paterson
October 8, 2022
Crawlspace
By Karen Hines
Translated to French
by Mishka Lavigne
June 19, 2022
Le Centre des auteurs dramatique & New Translation Canada
La Salle des machines:
Shinning a light on new translation
Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui (Montreal)
November 17, 2022
News:
N’importe où sauf ici Workshop & Reading
By Carmen Aguirre | Raps created with Shad Kabango
Translated to French by Emmanuelle Jimenez
Dramaturgy by Maryse Warda
In association with CEAD
International New Translation Workshop: Robert Moule
International New Translation Workshop
Dec. 15, 2023
With British Equity (London, UK)
Our success is measured by the success of the artists we work with
CRAWLSPACE
By Karen Hines | Translated to French by Mishka Lavigne
Sept. 11 to 16 2023
ZONES THÉÂTRALES
NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE (Ottawa)
A THÉÂTRE FRANÇAIS DE TORONTO CREATION
LIBRE COMME DES SAUVAGES Digital Workshop
By Tara Beagan
Translated to French by Charles Bender
Translated from free as injuns
Join a team from across Canada in the process of translating this award-winning Canadian play.
Our success is measured by the success of the artists we work with
French Language Premiere of
CRAWLSPACE
By Karen Hines | Translated to French by Mishka Lavigne
April 19 to 23, 2023
Théâtre français de Toronto Studio
21 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2B3
A Théâtre Français de Toronto production
Shinning a light on new translation
LA SALLE DES MACHINES:
From the Source to the Target
Thursday, November 17, 5 p.m.
Salle Jean-Claude-Germain du Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui
3900 Saint-Denis, Montreal, H2W 2M2 Canada
Who we are
A team of independent theatre makers and administrators from coast to coast.
Yolanda Ferrato
Co-Founder
(Nova Scotia)
Johanna Nutter
C0-Founder & Creative Producer
(Quebec)
Jack Paterson
Co-Founder & Creative Producer
(British Columbia)
Arts Across Canada
celebrating great canadian theatre in both official languages
We gratefully acknowledge the support of
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Activities related to this project take place on the traditional unceded territories of several First Nations and Indigenous groups in the territory now known as Canada. These include: the Coast Salish peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations (Vancouver, British Columbia), Kanien’kehá:ka Nation (Montreal, Quebec), Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), Tsuut’ina Nation, Nakoda Island First Nations and Métis Nation (Region 3) (Treaty 7 Territory, Calgary, Alberta), Anishinaabe-Algonquin Nation (Ottawa, Ontario) and Mi’kmaq Nation (Nova Scotia). We recognize and honour the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation commission and acknowledge the importance of Indigenous sovereignty on this unceded territory.
*A territorial or land acknowledgement is an act of reconciliation that involves making a statement recognizing the traditional territory of the Indigenous people who called the land home before the arrival of settlers, and in many cases still do call it home.
For more information on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada click here.