50 YEARS OF FIRST DRAFTS – Heidi Taylor
Every PTC artist has a story of their “first” with the company.
To kick things off, an origin tale from AED Heidi Taylor, who started as Associate Dramaturg in 2005.
When I think back to the year that I joined PTC, it feels like a different world.
It was 2005, and I was directing, dramaturgy, teaching, and trying to find my way in the Vancouver theatre community. I started doing some dramaturgical reports for then Literary Manager and Executive Director, Martin Kinch. I was invited to the LMDA conference in Austin that year, which included an opportunity to make a new performance piece, so I said yes immediately. With no grant funding in sight, I clutched my credit card and couchsurfed with the very welcoming Austin playwrights. I was suffering from a terrible cold/flu, which made talking a challenge, and kind of embarrassing as my vocal timbre approached a kind of Tom Waits rasp. Martin was also at the conference, and also had a cold, with his voice reaching Minnie Mouse territory. We found ourselves squeaking together frequently between sessions. He told me to come see him when we got back to Vancouver as he was thinking about hiring an associate dramaturg.
By that November, I had joined the company part time, on a steep learning curve from my background as an indie producer, now dealing with Equity contracts and the privilege of fully-funded processes. I had no idea that the company would become the centre of my working life, or the transformations that PTC would see in the coming 18 years. Martin is still my dear friend and mentor, and it still feels like a fresh dramaturgical challenge every day.
Do you have an anniversary story you’d like to share? Email us at anniversary@playwrightstheatre.com.