“I can't recall any performing experience – ever – that was as thrilling as being on that stage – in your show! It was one of the great moments of my life.”
– Don Gray, Singer/Musician, Toronto
“It was indeed a tremendous thrill to be part of the celebration. You are to be commended for producing such a high-caliber celebration of the talent and vitality of a very significant percentage of our society.”
– Mary Musselman, Musician, Windsor
A
CELEBRATION OF AGE – Seniors’ Jubilee
COSAP was developed to meet the growing interest and demand generated from the enormous popularity of the Seniors Jubilee, a showcase of senior talent presented annually at Roy Thomson Hall. The Jubilee was conceived by artistic director Wayne Burnett and producer Glenda Richards, creators of COSAP. As the largest seniors' entertainment showcase in North America, the Seniors Jubilee is a celebration of seniors' achievements in the arts; this event inspires and enhances the lives of both the performers and the audiences they entertain.
Presented annually at the prestigious Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, the Jubilee is preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary to take place this coming August 12 - 15, 2008. Since its inception in 1989, the Jubilee has grown tremendously – from 2 shows, 400 performers and 4,000 audience members, to the present 5 shows, over 1,300 performers playing to capacity houses of more than 10,000. Over this span of time, entertainers have come from 190 communities within Ontario and beyond. Audiences to the Jubilee have originated from 440 communities throughout Canada and the United States – from British Columbia to Nova Scotia and from the U.S.A. and Europe.
For further information click here or contact us: info@cosap.ca or 416-806-4187
Jubilee tickets are available through the Roy Thomson
Hall box office. Please click
here to visit their site.
The Pauline McGibbon Life Achievement In The
Arts Award
A highlight of the Seniors' Jubilee is the recognition
of a distinguished senior in the performing arts – the onstage presentation
of the Pauline McGibbon Life Achievement in Arts Award. This award acknowledges
the lifetime achievements of a senior performer who has/or still is making
a significant contribution to society through the arts.
The former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Pauline McGibbon, was a long time supporter of the arts. Her enthusiasm and dedication continued long past what would be considered ‘retirement years.' To pay tribute to her contribution as Honourary Jubilee Patron and role model extraordinaire, the creators of the Jubilee initiated an award named in her honour.
Following, are the recipients of this prestigious award:
1991 Daisy Roe Moore, Ottawa
1992 Bruce Curry, Windsor
1993 Charles & Vi Ford, Mississauga
1994 Marshall Skinner, Windsor
1995 E.J. “Ted” Robbins, Jacksons Point
1996 Lorne Greenwood, Markdale
1997 Jack Hutton, Bala
1998 Adrianne Stewart, Whitby
1999 Bill McNeil, Toronto
2000 Jim Bibby, Oakville
2001 Wilma & Boyd Dolson, Orangeville
2001 Bill Hands, Toronto
2002 Frank King, Oakville
2003 Ada Lee, Peterborough
2004 Margaret Eggleton Kaye
2005 The Ontario Central Reservist Band of the Salvation Army
2006 Linda Fletcher, Oakville
2007 Kelly Walker, Stratford
2008 Mark DuBois, Orangeville
The producers of the Jubilee met regularly with the former Lieutenant-Governor to discuss what more they could do to raise awareness of the vitality and talents of seniors. Emanating from these meetings was the formulation of an idea whose goal it was to form an organization that would encourage artistic development for seniors year-round. This idea evolved to become the Canadian Organization of Senior Artists and Performers (COSAP) and was launched in Ms. McGibbon's honour.
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The former Lieutenant-Governor
of Ontario, the Honourable Pauline McGibbon with Bill McNeil, original
host of the CBC's “Fresh Air” and longtime Jubilee host. |
COMMUNITY
BASED PERFORMANCE EVENTS – Jubilations
In 1990 a program was initiated to bring the spirit and magic of the Jubilee
to regions across Ontario. With the production and marketing expertise
of COSAP, along side local seniors, this popular program called Jubilations
has presented 68 shows in communities across the province. The purpose
of the program is to train, nurture and feature local senior artists in
professionally produced productions.
Jubilations for 2005 included:
Windsor – the largest annual senior variety show event
in southwestern Ontario celebrated its 13th annual production with an
exciting show featuring over 100 performers. It played to a sold-out audience
of 1,200 in the city's major venue, the Chrysler Theatre.
Cast and crew of the 2005 Windsor Jubilations at the Chrysler Theatre
Sudbury – The third annual Jubilations in this
northern town was produced by the local Jubilations Committee in association
with COSAP. Presented as a dinner theatre entertainment in the impressive
Caruso Club, this multi-faceted event attracted a standing ovation from
a sell-out house.
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Congratulations on another great Jubilation
celebration in Sudbury. Your attention to detail and ability to
overcome the “wrinkles & sags” resulted in a most
memorable production. |
COSAP invites seniors’ leaders in communities
to join the Jubilations program.
Jubilations develops new talent and makes local funding opportunities
possible through box office and sponsorship. Jubilations also provides
older adults a chance to learn about concert production and gives performers
the opportunity to present their talents within a professionally structured
environment.
For further information, feel free to Contact Us.
Cast & Crew of Guelph Jubilations 2004 at the River
Run Centre
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“I wanted to thank you for the opportunity
of participating in the Guelph Jubilations show and for the time
you spent with me individually to help improve my performance.
It was a great experience for me and I appreciate even more the
tremendous organization that goes into such a production”. |
RESOURCES
– Manuals
In order to aid seniors in creating their very own productions in their
respective communities, COSAP has produced two informative guides, available
to individuals and organizations.
Jubilations – A step-by-step guide to producing your own performance event created in association with the local Windsor Jubilations producer. This model will assist others in the process of preparing their own Jubilations show in their community.
It's Your Show – A basic handbook for producing your own seniors' variety show created to offer a broader scope of theatre information, covering a wide range of activity relating to the show-producing process.
“Thank you (COSAP) for teaching me so
much about people, theatre and how to put on the best Jubilations
concerts.” |
Training
COSAP currently guides and trains older adults in preparation
for their appearance in both the RBC Seniors' Jubilee and Jubilations
events. Several hundred senior performers have benefited from this training
and have brought new confidence and performance skills back to their respective
communities.
"Wayne Burnett is an
extraordinary and incredible individual who puts his heart, soul,
and passion into developing artists. He has a terrific positive
energy and he is so very gentle in his approach to helping people.
I left our rehearsal session feeling very confident; he tapped
a creative part of me I never knew I had. I learned more in that
afternoon than I had learned in years of voice training. COSAP
has an incredible leader in this man; he is a mentor and an inspiration
to us all. I look forward to joining this organization." |
Workshops
If you are a group wanting guidance on a particular aspect of
performance, inquire about having us provide a COSAP workshop designed
specifically for you.
“Wayne visited the Village by the Arboretum
(Guelph) and conducted a workshop on stage movement for our theatre
group. Everyone was excited by his comments, and left with a feeling
of greater confidence in their performance abilities. We look
forward with great enthusiasm to future workshops with COSAP.” |
Contact Us, for further information.
COSAP
PREMIER ONTARIO TOUR
COSAP's premiere
tour shone the spotlight on popular stage veterans as they took their
talents “on the road”, demonstrating that active participation
in the arts at any age is not only possible but is exciting and inspirational
as well.
COSAP’s inaugural provincial tour featured an ensemble of wonderfully talented senior performers. Billed as Don Harron & Friends, this musical variety show was featured in sixteen Ontario communities. The show presented a talented and accomplished cast headlined by veteran actor/comedian/writer Don Harron and included charming chanteuse Claudette, versatile folk singer and story teller Don Gray, multi-talented instrumentalist Florence Hansen; award winning ballroom dancers Walter & Veronica Sliva, vibrant dancer Bonnie Johnstone and blues singer extraordinaire Jay Douglas.
COSAP has developed an extensive roster of talented seniors through its' unique programmes and therefore has the capability of presenting professional touring productions appropriate for both large & small theatres. For more information about our traveling shows, please Contact Us.
“Let me say how much we enjoyed the
whole show! It was great to laugh so much...haven't laughed out
loud in one entertainment evening in ages . . . I was moved by
Claudette, tickled by the 2 Dons, enchanted by the tango and floated
on the waves of nostalgia by Armstrong, Rawls and Marley……” |
Northern Ontario Tour
Don Harron & Friends was received
enthusiastically in September playing to capacity houses in Geraldton,
Fort Frances, Atikokan, Kenora,
Dryden, Sioux Lookout and Thunder
Bay.
Southern Ontario Tour
Don Harron & Friends traveled southern Ontario to venues in St.
Catharines, Sarnia, Chatham,
Markham, Kitchener, North Bay,
Windsor and Oakville.
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“The show was fabulous. How wonderful
to see top quality Canadian entertainers perform with the enthusiasm
and energy of people half their age. There was something for everyone
and the afternoon just flew by! They were all very gracious after
the performance when they came out to sign autographs too”.
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COSAP
NETWORKS WITH SENIORS THEMSELVES – Community
COSAP encourages participation in the performing arts by seniors across
Ontario and raises awareness of seniors' accomplishments. To achieve these
goals, COSAP networks extensively with seniors themselves: individuals,
groups and organizations; community leaders; national and local media.
Some of the associations to date that COSAP has worked with over the years
include:
- Chinese Mandarin Senior Dancers, Woodgreen Community Centre
- Forever Young Magazine
- HiFuMi Dance Troupe, Japanese Cultural Centre
- IDA Drug Stores
- Obnova, Ukranian Choir
- The Older Adult Centres Association of Ontario (OACAO)
- Ontario Office for Seniors Issues
- Royal Canadian Legion
- Second Mile Club
- Task Force of the Toronto Mayor's Committee on Aging (TMCA)
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- United Senior Citizens of Ontario (USCO)
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Gloria Bond, Hawaiian Dancer, Toronto |
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