2006 – 07 Play Creation Instructor at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Toronto
A graduating class of three Indigenous students worked with me two times per week to create scripted works. The showcase happened in March 2007, wherein students performed the new works, concluding the course.
2006 – 20013 Mentor playwright for Animikiig at Native Earth
I was an artistic associate when then AD Yvette Nolan founded this program to train up new playwrights. (Initially it was named “Young Voices” and was later changed to honour late Elder in Residence Helen Thundercloud. “Animikiig” is Anishnaabe mowin for “The beginning rumblings of thunder.”) Nolan invited professsionals into the meetings and found pairings between new and experienced playwrights. I had the great honour of later running this program with co-artistic associate Falen Johnson. Artists I mentored included Michaela Washburn, Waawaate Fobister, Garret C. Smith, Keith Barker and more.
2007 Mentor for Big Soul Productions Project One Generation, Toronto
with Herbie Barnes (Ojibwe) and Michaela Washburn (Métis)
We three established artists worked with a group of 12 – 14 teenaged students to create and produce televised Public Service Announcements which later aired on APTN. We worked with perceptions of Indigenous peoples in the media, investigated sociological issues effecting the youth, and passed on practical skills training in text analysis, improvisation, directing, acting, make-up for camera, and camera operation. We proudly learned our year had the highest retention rate for participating students.
2008 Glenforest Secondary School (TDSB) Etobicoke
In partnership with SummerWorks Theatre Festival, I worked for one day on dramaturgy/directing consultation for the Sears One Act Festival participants, grades ten through twelve.
2008 – 09 Play Creation Instructor at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre
This work was with four students in their second year. The shape was a weeklong intensive, generating material to begin solo works.
2009 Facilitator for Cahoots Theatre’s March break program, “Crossing Gibraltar: Your Land, My Land, Our Land.” Toronto
I coordinated three trainee artist mentors to work with eighteen New Canadian students, ages
12 to 16. We worked as a team, imparting skills unto the recent emmigrants. The young
Indigenous mentors were Waawaate Fobister (Anishnaabe), Cliff Cardinal (Métis, Pine
Ridge) and Melinda Stepanowich (Métis/Dene.)
2009 George Brown College women’s group Pontiac’s Daughters, Toronto
A one day workshop entitled “Speaking with Confidence” at the Native Women’s Resource Centre with eight female FNMI students. Group leader Shandra Spears approached Native Earth Performing Arts, who hired me to coordinate and facilitate with actors Gail Maurice (Métis) and Falen Johnson (Mohawk/Tuscarora.)
2009 Journeys Into Tomorrow Transition House, Coldwater Band B.C.
Youth workshop co-host with Michaela Washburn. Basics of public speaking, improv and sketch comedy over the course of a weekend.
2010 Mentor playwright for Diaspora Dialogues, Toronto
I was partnered with three emerging playwrights, to help them come to full drafts of new works. Participating playwrights included acclaimed indie phenom Kat Sandler and actor/musician/playwright Rebecca Applebaum.
2009 – 10 Solo Play Creation co-Instructor at the Centre for Indigenous
Theatre with Marion de Vries.
A graduating class of two students focused on solo creation works. I formed the syllabus, and taught with de Vries. Again, the showcase happened in March 2010, concluding the course.
2014 Workshop leader, inFORMING content, Volcano Theatre, Toronto
I worked with seven emerging artists exploring identity, stereotypes and context of place/space to create an interactive performative offering.
2015 Gwaandak Theatre, “Writing Home” with Andy Moro, Whitehorse
ARTICLE 11, as a company, worked with seven emerging adult playwrights to discuss the possibilities of design, and the way it can liberate a piece when one does not think with the producer hat on. We worked with these writers the way in which our company works – considering all creative elements in confluence.
2015 Playwrights Workshop Montreal, “Writing Home: finding story in bloodlines” An exploration of how the personal is political, and how the theatrical forum is ideal for this way of telling. The sessions were framed by Beagan’s belief that the work must have a vitality, a theatricality, and be of import. Art costs the creator while creating. The basis of this is finding the core of a story that is important to the writer/creator. Offering this personal historical story through theatre makes the presence of the creator and audience essential and powerful.
Visiting Instructor / University Readings:
University of Guelph Ric Knowles 2011 & 2013
York University Michael Greyeyes 2011
Queen’s University with Daniel David Moses & Armand Ruffo 2011, 2013 & 2014
University of Regina with Spy Denommé-Welch 2015
Western University with Kim Solga 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, [and over skype in 2014 & 2015]
Public Readings/ Lectures/Keynotes:
2011 Joy Kogawa House
2013 Lafontaine-Baldwin Symposium in Stratford, ON, “Adopting One’s Culture”
with Thomas King, Graham Greene, John Ralston Saul & Adrienne Clarkson.
2013 Keynote speaker LMDA conference in Vancouver, B.C.
2014 Berton House Residency readings, Whitehorse Public Library & Dawson City Library
2015 Saskatchewan Writer’s Guild
2016 Windsor International Writer’s Conference
tara beagan 