Working the Stage
Mentorship pair Ari Weinberg and Jessica McGlynn took part in our Professional Mentorship Program in directing for the theatre. Ari was able to work with Jessica on the ins and outs of directing and of being an Artistic Director of a theatre. Jessica was also able to join Ari in the room while he directed and Jessica assistant directed “The Secret Garden” for Manitoba Theatre for Young People’s Musical Theatre Company.
Jessica McGlynn
Theatre is used to reflect our world back at us, and as a queer Metis actress Jessica McGlynn understands the importance of the performing arts reflecting all of society. She is a Winnipeg based artist and a graduate of the University of Winnipeg’s Honours Acting program. Her practice focuses on compassion and creating safe working environments to encourage artists to create challenging work, and both on and off stage she uses her art to help guide and challenge the audience’s perception of our current society.
Ari Weinberg
Ari Weinberg is the Artistic and Managing Director of Winnipeg Jewish Theatre. Directing credits include: Dear Jack, Dear Louise, After Jerusalem, Tribes, The Whipping Man, Another Way Home, Shiksa, Stars of David (WJT), Frankenstein (University of Winnipeg), Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Knavish Hedgehogs at Winnipeg Fringe), Hugh and I (Toronto Fringe), and Godspell (Theatre Sheridan). Acting Credits include: Falsettos (WJT/Dry Cold Productions), A Year With Frog and Toad, A Charlie Brown Double Bill (MTYP), South Pacific (Rainbow Stage/WSO), Romeo and Juliet (RMTC), Peter Pan (Stratford Festival), Hana’s Suitcase (Magnus Theatre).
Ari Weinberg (left) and mentee, Jessica McGlynn (right).
“Being able to work with someone like Ari through this program really helped me gain confidence in myself as a theatre artist.”
- Jessica, on her mentorship experience
What have been your most positive takeaways from this mentorship session? Any favourite results or moments?
Being able to work with someone like Ari through this program really helped me gain confidence in myself as a theatre artist in every aspect of my practice. It also helped me refocus and organize myself after dealing with the last two years and find out what I really wanted to do with theatre.
