By Cathi Grandfield 

​Theatre is one of the most communal of art forms. It is created only in community, by and for groups of people together. You can read a book, view a painting, listen to recorded music or watch a film in solitude, but when you experience a play, there are other living, breathing people in the space with you. Performers and audience share sound waves, brain waves. We make eye contact. Theatre impacts our thoughts and emotions by shaping our actual physical environment.
 
For centuries, communities have challenged and clarified communal values through theatre. It is one of the oldest art forms, dating from time immemorial when folks acted out stories around the campfire: stories of adventure, danger, hilarity, or romance. The art of theatre invites us to consider how we treat each other, how we choose to make peace or war.  Together, we create a safe place to address our differences and disagreements through imagination.  It is a place to challenge our assumptions, to deconstruct and reconstruct community values. It is an art for neighbourhoods.
 
How exciting to see new works of theatre created and performed by members of our own community in Thunder Bay! The annual 10x10 Play Showcase, sponsored in part by NOWW and the Ontario Arts Council, features ten new plays each year by local and regional playwrights, stories which challenge our common values and spur vibrant conversations, deep thoughts, and plenty of laughter. Last year, over 75 artists worked together to produce two sold-out shows...

Read the full article here:  10 Playwrights. 10 Plays. 10 Minutes Each.