Welcome to the Nightwood Shadow Residencies! This program is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the theatre industry and ignite lasting professional connections by integrating them in Nightwood’s operational ongoings and productions. Through hands-on experience and mentorship, participants will hone their craft while collaborating with industry professionals and peers.

A key component of the Shadow Residencies is the opportunity to shadow a position within Nightwood Theatre’s core operations or a current production. These positions aim to offer a maximum of 100 hours of experiential learning and mentorship to ignite a lasting personal and professional relationship with each other and Nightwood Theatre, Canada’s preeminent feminist theatre company.

This program is open to women and gender-expansive people. This includes cis and trans women, trans men, as well as non-binary, 2-Spirit, genderfluid, and gender non-conforming folks. We accept applications from early career theatre artists and/or arts workers who are aged 18+. The program will run from July 2025 to the end of June 2026 and will be held in-person in Toronto. 

APPLICATION TIMELINE:

July 11 at 11:59pm EDT: Application Deadline

July 12 – 20: Applications being read and Interviews being scheduled

Week of July 21: Applicant Interviews

Week of July 28: Final decisions, all participants notified. 

If you need an extension for the application deadline, please email Jade at jade@nightwoodtheatre.net. 

PROGRAM INCLUDES:

– Practical experience in the area of the participant’s choice through our shadow position placements

– A one-on-one session with Artistic Director Andrea Donaldson

– A one-on-one consultation with Artistic Associate Jade Silman (can be used to discuss current projects, dramaturgy, producing, career mentorship, etc)

– Free access to workshops available to the broader community led by Nightwood staff and guest artists on topics of interest for the cohort and the community

– Invitations to first-day table reads and dress rehearsals/performances for Nightwood’s mainstage programming*

– Observing a Write From The Hip new play development workshop before it is publicly shared at the Groundswell Festival

– Access to Nightwood staff for consultation

– A $2,400 (CAD) honourarium for participation in your shadow position

*When possible, given Nightwood’s partnerships with other companies

TIME COMMITMENT

The Nightwood Shadow Residencies will run from July 2025 to June 2026, with particular busy periods identified next to each position below. 

The bulk of the hours spent will be over the course of the shadow position with a maximum of 100 hours of practical learning. Please consult the shadow roles below to choose positions that most urgently respond to your areas of desired growth and fit into your general schedule (you and your mentor will work together to determine how best to use your time). There will also be a handful of group check-ins over the year, which will be scheduled at least 2 weeks in advance. Other activities such as professional development workshops, one-on-ones, and dress rehearsal invitations will have encouraged, but optional attendance. 

To view the questions prior to filling out the form, click here.

This season’s opportunities include shadowing in the following areas (view show descriptions): 

• Costume Design  – Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs (Jul – Oct)

• Directing – a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun) (Sept – Nov)

• Production Management – Enormity, Girl, and the Earthquake in Her Lungs (Jul – Oct)

If you have any questions about the program and want to talk through your application, please contact Jade at jade@nightwoodtheatre.net