Jim Plaxton's guest appearances

Jim Plaxton

The Title Block

Steve Lucas

Scott Miller

Mary Kerr

Michael Laird

Kevin Fraser

Conor Moore

Ronnie Burkett

Rachel Forbes

Julie Fox

Ken Macdonald

Susan Benson

Richard Feren

Lorenzo Savoini

Allan Stichbury

Shawn Kerwin

OwlTail

Show NotesThis is the second half of my chat with Toronto-based production designer Jim Plaxton, and we cover his introduction of cardboard into theatre design in Toronto through Michael Hollingsworth's Strawberry Fields, his monumental work on Videocaberet's History of the Village of Small Huts and his retirement from theatre.One small correction, it appears as if there was a small confusion regarding the first time use of cardboard by Jim.  It is not very clear in the interview, but Jim speaks about a 40' (actually 36') cardboard bridge he had designed in 1981 for Picnic in the Drift by Tanya Mars and Rina Fraticelli which, according to Scenography in Canada, consisted of cardboard glued together to a thickness of 6" and supported by two vertical truss towers.  The bridge supported both artists and furniture during the production.  The drawbridge, designed in 1973 for Hollingsworth's first play, Strawberry Fields, had been his first foray into the use of cardboard.LinksStrawberry Fields, Michael HollingsworthBill LaneCardboard ScenaryVideocaberetMichael HollingsworthThe Hummer Sisters run for Mayor in 1982History of the Village of Small HutsBeamStopAstrid JansenShadowlandNative Earth Performing ArtsThe Global Village TheatreElizabeth Swerdlow (nee Szathmary) Robert SwerdlowMichelle DuBarry played in Facade (gay caberet/ drag troupe at The Global Village Theatre)Associated Designers of CanadaNothing Sacred

<h3>Show Notes</h3>This is the second half of my chat with Toronto-based production designer Jim Plaxton, and we cover his introduction of cardboard into theatre design in Toronto through Michael Hollingsworth's Strawberry Fields, his monumental work on Videocaberet's History of the Village of Small Huts and his retirement from theatre.One small correction, it appears as if there was a small confusion regarding the first time use of cardboard by Jim.  It is not very clear in the interview, but Jim speaks about a 40' (actually 36') cardboard bridge he had designed in 1981 for Picnic in the Drift by Tanya Mars and Rina Fraticelli which, according to <a href="http://books.google.ca/books?id=rleOtrzoi9IC&amp;pg=PA179&amp;lpg=PA179&amp;dq=michael+hollingsworth+strawberry+fields+jim+plaxton&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=VyHozUwHm9&amp;sig=9U3j-QMtUgU7UuDWnul1Hsjdqlw&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=KblFVJ_ILYSFyQS77IHwBw&amp;ved=0CCMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=michael%20hollingsworth%20strawberry%20fields%20jim%20plaxton&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scenography in Canada</a>, consisted of cardboard glued together to a thickness of 6" and supported by two vertical truss towers.  The bridge supported both artists and furniture during the production.  The drawbridge, designed in 1973 for Hollingsworth's first play, Strawberry Fields, had been his first foray into the use of cardboard.<h3>Links</h3><a href="http://books.google.ca/books?id=L8G9SgAACAAJ&amp;dq=michael+hollingsworth+strawberry+fields&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=XLtFVJS5IOmD8QHfl4GYDw&amp;ved=0CCUQ6AEwAg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Strawberry Fields, Michael Hollingsworth</a><a href="http://northroad.ca/billlane" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bill Lane</a><a href="http://www.cortecscenery.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cardboard </a>Scenary<a href="http://www.videocab.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Videocaberet</a><a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/michael-hollingsworth/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Hollingsworth</a><a href="http://vimeo.com/29689919" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Hummer Sisters run for Mayor in 1982</a><a href="http://journals.hil.unb.ca/index.php/tric/article/view/7196/8255" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">History of the Village of Small Huts</a><a href="http://everything2.com/title/Sky+hooks+and+other+theatre+necessities" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BeamStop</a><a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/astrid-dora-janson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Astrid Jansen</a><a href="http://www.shadowlandtheatre.ca/what-we-do.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shadowland</a><a href="http://www.nativeearth.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Native Earth Performing Arts</a><a href="http://ccca.concordia.ca/resources/searches/event_detail.html?languagePref=en&amp;vk=7842" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Global Village Theatre</a><a href="http://www.stephenmcneill.com/pdfs/elizabeth-szathmary-story.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elizabeth Swerdlow (nee Szathmary) </a><a href="http://www.edcmtl.com/en/school/team/robert-swerdlow" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Robert Swerdlow</a>Michelle DuBarry played in <a href="http://dailyxtra.com/toronto/michelle-dubarry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facade (gay caberet/ drag troupe at The Global Village Theatre)</a><a href="http://www.designers.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Associated Designers of Canada</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_Sacred_(play)" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nothing Sacred</a>

#12 Jim Plaxton Part 2

This episode features Toronto based designer Jim Plaxton.  Jim's 30 year career oversaw the start of many important Toronto theatre companies, including Toronto Workshop Productions, Theatre Passe Muraille as well as the start of Toronto Dance Theatre.  In this first half we speak about Jim's early career in architecture and his transition first to film and then to dance and live performance.  We also speak about his influence on the renovations of Theatre Passe Muraille in 1982-3 and his stint there as its co-artistic director with Layne Coleman and Clark Rogers.Moody and Moore ArchitectsWartime Housing by WimpeyCinecity Theatre and Film CanadaCanadian Filmmakers Distribution CentreWillem PoolmanLorne MichaelsFilm Co-opsLIFTToronto Dance TheatrePeter RendazzoDavid EarlePatricia BeattyToronto Workshop ProductionsGérard PelletierSchool of Toronto Dance TheatreTheatre Passe MurailleO.D on ParadiseHrant AlianakI Love You Baby Blue and Paul ThompsonBaby Blue IILucky StrikeThe BluesLayne ColemanClarke Rogers - could find nothing - please send links!Crackwalker and Judith Thompson

This episode features Toronto based designer Jim Plaxton.  Jim's 30 year career oversaw the start of many important Toronto theatre companies, including Toronto Workshop Productions, Theatre Passe Muraille as well as the start of Toronto Dance Theatre.  In this first half we speak about Jim's early career in architecture and his transition first to film and then to dance and live performance.  We also speak about his influence on the renovations of Theatre Passe Muraille in 1982-3 and his stint there as its co-artistic director with Layne Coleman and Clark Rogers.<a href="http://www.mmparchitects.com/history/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moody and Moore Architects</a><a href="http://www.rafupwood.co.uk/constructionbywimpeybyLes.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wartime Housing by Wimpey</a><a href="http://www.super8porter.ca/Toronto4969.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cinecity Theatre and Film Canada</a><a href="http://www.cfmdc.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre</a><a href="http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Deaths.20090611.93198526/BDAStory/BDA/deaths" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Willem Poolman</a><a href="http://www.biography.com/people/lorne-michaels-16242370" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lorne Michaels</a><a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/film-co-operatives/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Film Co-ops</a><a href="http://lift.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LIFT</a><a href="http://www.tdt.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toronto Dance Theatre</a><a href="http://www.thedancecurrent.com/video/forms-movement-peter-randazzo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter Rendazzo</a><a href="http://www.dtde.ca/index.php/biography/david-earle/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">David Earle</a><a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/patricia-beatty/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patricia Beatty</a><a href="http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict.pl?term=Toronto%20Workshop%20Productions%2FTWP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toronto Workshop Productions</a><a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/gerard-pelletier/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gérard Pelletier</a><a href="http://www.schooloftdt.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">School of Toronto Dance Theatre</a><a href="http://passemuraille.ca/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Theatre Passe Muraille</a><a href="http://www.lindagriffiths.ca/index.php?mpage=past&amp;pid=11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">O.D on Paradise</a><a href="http://www.hrantalianak.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hrant Alianak</a><a href="http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/theatre-passe-muraille/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I Love You Baby Blue</a> and <a href="http://ggpaa.ca/GGPAA/MediaLibrary/GGPAA/Nominations%20files/Sample-biography.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paul Thompson</a><a href="http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/alianak-hrant.htmlhttp://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/alianak-hrant.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Baby Blue II</a><a href="http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/alianak-hrant.htmlhttp://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/alianak-hrant.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lucky Strike</a><a href="http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/alianak-hrant.htmlhttp://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsA/alianak-hrant.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Blues</a><a href="http://tapa.ca/files/2007_STA_Layne-Coleman.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Layne Coleman</a>Clarke Rogers - could find nothing - please send links!<a href="http://books.google.ca/books/about/Crackwalker.html?id=dpKEcgAACAAJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Crackwalker and Judith Thompson</a>

#11 Jim Plaxton Part 1