meet the apprentices | paige louter

Every season we introduce you to a new set of apprentices. You know them as the people who process your subsection, answer the box office phone, and run the front of house, but that's only a tiny portion of what they do! Our apprentices are all graduates from theatre training programs, on the verger of launching their professional careers. Now is your chance to meet them! Up first, Paige Louter!

About Paige:

I was born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. I started acting when I was six and got to see tons of theatre as she was growing up (my dad is a theatre professor). I’m done with school for now, and I’m excited to continue transitioning into the world of professional theatre!

What were you doing before the apprenticeship?

This past year I was in Ireland working on my MA in Drama and Theatre. I worked on a mixture of academic writing, playwriting and reviewing, performance, and theatre business.

What are your favourite shows you've worked on so far?

My favourite show so far has been a production of Dylan Thomas’s UNDER MILK WOOD during my undergrad. I helped paint the set, made the programme, and played six or seven characters. It was an incredible experience of an ensemble pulling together to create magic. I also really enjoyed the challenge of performing in a show called GHOSTS, which was an all-female physical theatre/dance piece loosely based on Dante’s Inferno.

What is your non-theatrical specialty?

My non-theatrical specialty would be creative writing (not playwriting, which I am still learning not to be terrified by). I particularly love writing short stories and creative nonfiction.

What is the number one thing you are excited about doing during your apprenticeship?

I don’t think I can pick just one thing to be excited about! I’m excited to be busy like crazy for next ten months doing what I love.

Where did you train in theatre?

So far my theatre training has been undertaken through my BA at Redeemer University College and my MA at the National University of Ireland Galway.

What was your favourite part of your training?

The best part of my theatre training has been learning to trust my own instincts and to push myself as far as I can go. Unfortunately, no one is going to make it easy for you to make a life in theatre, so learning how to be a self-starter has been crucial. It’s also been incredibly good to take ownership of my own body and voice and to learn to care for them.

Is there anything coming up in the apprenticeship that will be totally new to you?

What will be new about this year for me is getting the perspective of a theatre company’s operations over the course of a full season. I’ve done little bits of most things related to theatre, but I’m really looking forward to getting that overall experience.

What would your top three categories in Trivial Pursuit be? (Invented or real)

My top three categories from the normal game would be Arts and Literature, History, and Entertainment. But if there was a category specifically for The Lord of the Rings I’d definitely be winning every time.

If you received $1 000 000 and couldn’t keep it for yourself, what would you do with it?

I would donate it to the City of Hamilton to convert an unused building into a theatre space!