KORDA’S 2026 SEASON CONTINUES WITH WINDSOR PREMIERE OF “THE SHARK IS BROKEN” INSPIRED BY JAWS

Korda Artistic Productions’ 2026 season of Things That Go Bump in the Night… in the Heart… in the Mind continues with a hilarious new play celebrating movie history and peeking at the choppy waters behind Hollywood’s first blockbuster – JAWS.

Step aboard the iconic and infamous Orca and into THE SHARK IS BROKEN – a “profound dive behind the scenes of the making of JAWS” (The Daily Telegraph, ★★★★), written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon.

FADE IN: The open ocean, 1974. Filming is delayed… again. The lead actors – theatre veteran Robert Shaw and young Hollywood hotshots Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider – are crammed into a too-small boat, entirely at the mercy of foul weather and a faulty mechanical co-star. Alcohol flows, egos collide, and tempers flare on a chaotic voyage that just might lead to cinematic magic… if it doesn’t sink them all.

This Olivier Award-nominated new play is “hilariously brilliant and pure genius” raves the Sunday Express (★★★★★). Short tempers. Short circuits. The script’s co-writer, Ian Shaw, is the son of JAWS star Robert Shaw.

“Telling a story like this is complicated, for sure,” says Director Rachel Hillis. “You want it to be funny but not too goofy, serious but not too maudlin, and you want to pay respect to its deeply personal nature without being beholden to it. By leaning into the aspects of the play that resonate more universally, I think we’ve struck that balance, and I hope audiences will think so too.”

The Shark is Broken runs April 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, and May 1 & 2, 2026, at 8 p.m., and April 19, 2026, at 2 p.m. All performances are at The KordaZone Theatre, at 2520 Seminole. Tickets are available at the door an hour ahead of the show, or in advance online. Tickets are $25 for General Admission and $20 for students and seniors.

The Shark is Broken was selected as part of Korda’s second public call for production proposals and is directed by Rachel Hillis, a frequent player at The KordaZone Theatre. Korda Founder Tracey B. Atin provides direction support, and Joey Wright serves as producer. Hannah Gault and Narvin Fazlaliserkani serve as stage managers.

The talented cast tackling the iconic blockbuster roles includes Jim Reid as Robert Shaw, Brandon Chappus as Roy Scheider, and Joey Wright as Richard Dreyfuss.

Eric Droski designed the set, with construction overseen by Eric Tulp and set decorating by Gault and Ren Brownlie. Noah Ball handles lighting and sound design, with Gault operating lights, and Fazlaliserkani operating sound. Fight choreography is by Wright, Reid, and Gault, with additional voices provided by Ball, Brownlie, Abbey Lee Hallett and Tim Maitland. Christopher Lawrence Menard designed the production’s poster and artwork and oversees promotions, with support from Hope Forman and Gault, and Jen Gurniak Theatre Photography will photograph the production.

The Shark is Broken is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, and in support from Windsor Improve Theatre and Denise and Peter Hrastovec.

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Post Productions Announces Winner of the 2025 Windsor-Essex Playwriting Contest

After months of intense deliberation, while fending off queries and speculations, Post Productions can finally reveal the winner of the 2025 Windsor-Essex Playwriting Contest: The Pet by Shane Nelson. The Pet is an eerie and atmospheric psychological horror that tells the story of ‘The Caretaker’ and ‘The Pet’, who attempt to co-exist in a co-dependent, secluded relationship under impossible circumstances.

The same love and trust that binds them traps them in a relationship that reaches its limits when a third party threatens their established routines.

As secrets of the Pet’s past are revealed, and the Caretaker flirts with the possibility of a different life, the challenges of attachment, caregiver fatigue, the burdens of responsibility, and the implications of societal waste exact a twisted toll. The Pet will provide an exhilarating and emotional experience for audiences during the 2026 Halloween season.

“For years we’ve been blunt about the fact that we’d like playwrights to submit romance and horror stories. Shane Nelson’s script was a finalist last year. So we were delighted when he submitted it again to the 2025 contest – and thrilled that he’d taken it from good to great.” – Post Productions Managing Director and contest coordinator Michael K. Potter

Nelson’s script is the tenth winner of the Windsor-Essex Playwriting Contest, which has been organized annually since 2018. Now the budding playwright holds the honour of having written the first horror script to ever win this prestigious contest. This is consistent with the playwright’s goals. “I want to be a part of a new age of horror theatre. That’s what this is: new horror theatre that brings in some elements from films like the ones produced by A-24.” Another of Nelson’s goals, realized in The Pet, is to leave as much as possible open to cast and crew. “I wanted to write a script with characters that could be played by people of any race, colour, creed, or gender – giving the director and actors room to breathe, so they can have more freedom.”

Although Nelson has submitted scripts to many contests and festivals, “This is the first time any of my writing has taken a first-place prize. I’m incredibly grateful to be the winner of this year’s contest. Theatre is something that is close to my heart and a massive part of my life. Over the last couple years I’ve mostly been working in film and television so I’ve had to step away from the stage and this is a major opportunity to get back to the place where I started.”

According to Nelson, the Windsor-Essex Playwriting Contest “is the most in-depth writing competition I’ve been a part of. I’ve submitted screenplays in the past to competitions, and you get feedback, but it’s nowhere near as detailed and done with as much care.” He has advice for those who may feel timid about submitting a script to next year’s Windsor-Essex Playwriting Contest: “Even if it’s not finished or to its highest potential submit because Post Productions will help you get it there. They’ll help you understand your work better.”

The Pet will make its world premiere at The Shadowbox Theatre in October 2026. Nelson is confident it will leave a lasting impression: “The Pet was written to be a theatrical experience unlike any you’ve seen before. A memorable experience. One that stays with you. I would like people to leave with a stronger sense of empathy.”

Shane Nelson is an actor and screenwriter from Windsor, Ontario. He is the son of a journalist from Niagara Falls, New York and an auto-worker from Amherstburg, Ontario, making him a dual citizen of Canada and the US. Shane began studying theatre as a teenager in Windsor at the Walkerville Center for the Creative Arts and went on to attain his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He has also trained internationally at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia, walking the same halls that founders Konstantin Stanislavski and Anton Chekhov once walked.

As a writer Shane has created award winning short films and has recently launched a 15-minute work titled The Zone, based on the Tarkovsky sci-fi masterpiece Stalker (1979) and the novel Roadside Picnic. Shane also directed, produced, and stars in the short which is now making the rounds at festivals across the globe.

These last few years of pursuing his passion for film have brought some distance from his formative theatre years. Which is why this opportunity to collaborate with Post-Productions on his winning play “THE PET” means a great deal. It’s an opportunity to get back to a place he has missed dearly, and to create something brand new with experts of the craft.

Post Productions provides intimately-staged entertaining theatrical experiences that arouse the heart and fuel the mind, drawing patrons into lives quite unlike their own to help them understand the world, other people, and themselves with fresh insight. As a unique brand of theatre, Post Productions complements the Windsor-Essex scene by staging provocative productions for audiences that want more for their dollar.

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City of Windsor Launches Musician Call for Live at The Square

The City of Windsor, with generous funding through Enbridge Fueling Futures, has launched a call for musicians for the new weekly music series Live at The Square. Running every Friday from July through October 2025, the series will bring local music and energy to the newly completed City Hall Square plaza, transforming the public gathering space into a welcoming venue for community celebration.

This initiative supports the City’s continued investment in inclusive and accessible cultural programming while also aligning with the Strengthen the Core: Downtown Windsor Revitalization Plan’s goals of place-making and creating a vibrant district to attract new residents, visitors, businesses, and investments to the city core.

Through Enbridge’s support, the City can offer this free series and feature a diverse lineup of performers representing the rich creativity of Windsor and the surrounding region.

“Live at The Square is exactly the kind of initiative that supports all efforts to Strengthen the Core in downtown Windsor, to the benefit of the entire community across Windsor and the surrounding region. This amazing new space will be an iconic part of the landscape of the city’s core and will attract many performances, events, and activations to help revitalize the downtown. Our continuous focus on the core is having positive ripple effects across the entire community, and I thank Mayor Dilkens; City Council; Enbridge; and every partner, sponsor, stakeholder, performer, and attendee who will be part of what we’re creating here at the new City Hall Square. Thank you for sharing a passion for downtown Windsor and for working together to build a vibrant community.” – Councillor Renaldo Agostino, Ward 3

Local musicians are invited to apply. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Individual performers must be based in Windsor-Essex.
• Duos must include at least one local artist.
• Groups must be at least 50% local.
• All performance content must be respectful, inclusive, and suitable for an all-ages public audience.

Artists selected to perform will receive an honorarium starting at $300 per two-hour set, with additional compensation available for up to five performers.

Applications are open beginning Friday, June 27, 2025, and will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

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Six Windsor Essex Artists Recognized for their Commitment and Support of Local Art 

Six local Windsor Essex artists and supporters of local art were recognized on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Lakeshore’s 2024 Mayor’s Art Awards ceremony at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre (447 Renaud Line Road). 

The awards celebrate and recognize outstanding artistic talent and honour those who have contributed to the arts in Lakeshore. 

“These awards don’t just celebrate these talented individuals and organizations, but also reaffirm our commitment to fostering the arts in Lakeshore’s communities,” said Mayor Tracey Bailey. “The arts are an investment in the life and energy of public spaces, parks, and the places we gather. On behalf of Council, and our residents, congratulations and thank you to all our award winners.”

The event featured brief remarks by Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey, followed by presentations of awards to six recipients in the following categories:  

• Two artists under 21 were honoured with the Student Artist Award for outstanding promise and commitment to the arts.

o   Kristen Alexander has been doing art from an early age. She creates paintings, using watercolors and acrylics that convey emotion while inspiring and helping others to pursue art.

o   Hailey Cassidy is an elite dancer with an extensive resume of awards and experience. She studies aerials, acro, ballet, hip hop, jazz, lyrical, pointe, and tap dancing and represents Lakeshore, both locally and internationally.

• Justin Jewell was awarded the Emerging Artist Award, which is given to an emerging artist with two to seven years of professional experience. Jewell has been a frequent performer around Lakeshore and Windsor-Essex region. He teaches music and sings, plays guitar, harmonica, and piano, has produced and written two original albums, and is working on his next single release.
• Stephanie Kriza was awarded the Creative Entrepreneur Award, which is given to a business, organization or individual with a demonstrated impact on Lakeshore’s arts community. Kriza studied many art disciplines including painting, drawing and pottery from an early age while attending school in Belle River. In 2013 she started teaching art classes in her home studio and now runs painting party classes throughout Essex County. 
• Christian Vegh was awarded the Artistic Excellence Award, given to an artist who has demonstrated artistic excellence in their field through a body of work, public performance, or exhibitions. Vegh is an indie artist, singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist who has been performing and volunteering in the music field for the past ten years. He has created four albums and performed in Canada, the United States and Europe, winning numerous awards, including the Biz X magazine Artist of the Year award.
• Laurie D’Alessandro was awarded the Patron of the Arts Leadership Award, which is given to a volunteer, educator, supporter, or business that volunteers or supports the arts in Lakeshore. Laurie served as Chair of the Lakeshore Arts Advisory Committee and the Mayor’s Art Awards Committee and has been instrumental in developing arts support and recognition in Lakeshore. Beyond her work in Lakeshore, she has served as a Director on the Windsor Endowment for the Arts Board, demonstrating her commitment to the arts throughout the region.

Each award had a $1,000 cash prize, except the Patron of the Arts Award, which was provided a $1,000 donation to a charity or non-profit organization. Nominations for the awards were accepted in late 2023, with committee members recommending the slate of winners endorsed by the Mayor.

The ceremony also featured a special presentation by former Arts Advisory Committee member,Laurie D’Alessandro. D’Alessandro presented a copy of The Seven Hearts for Lakeshore artist book. The book features images of a public art project undertaken by the committee during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The project is dedicated to the residents of Lakeshore, our healthcare workers, those who tended our elderly, and the workers who ensured food was available to us during the darkest days of the pandemic and the artists who reached out to them,” said D’Alessandro. “My hope is that future generations will know the fears, and hope of our pandemic journey and the resilience of our community.”

D’Alessandro also thanked fellow committee members Renee Marentette, Councillor Kelsey Santarossa, Melisa Fontana, Councillor Linda McKinlay, Melanie Masse, and Frank Jeney.

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Windsor Endowment for the Arts and Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards Seek Nominations/Applications for 2024 Awards

The Windsor Endowment for the Arts (WEA) and the City of Windsor are partnering once again to deliver the 2024 WEA awards and grants celebration as well as the Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards (WMAA). The biennial awards and grants were last presented in 2022. This year, WEA and the City will present the awards on Friday, May 31, 2024, at Mackenzie Hall in Sandwich Town. Details of that celebration are still being worked out between the partners and will be shared closer to the event date.

Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards 2024

The WMAA celebrate and recognize those individuals and organizations that support locally developed arts – providing exciting, surprising and meaningful opportunities to strengthen Windsor’s creative community. Only Windsor residents are eligible for the WMAA. Applications/nominations for the WMAA will be accepted from Monday, February 5, to Sunday, March 31, 2024. Visit the City’s website to apply for the Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards. There are three categories for the WMAA:

Individual Artist – $1,000, plus a keepsake award. Presented to an individual artist engaged in a broad spectrum of activities having to do with creating, practicing or demonstrating art. Art is broadly conceived to include all genres and disciplines, including performance, visual, literary, media, and design.
Arts Organization – $1,000, plus a keepsake award. Presented to an arts organization that demonstrates a clear commitment to creating, practicing and demonstrating art within the community.
Arts Volunteer – $500, plus a keepsake award. Presented to an individual that supports the arts by providing their own time and services without receiving payment for their volunteer work.

Windsor Endowment for the Arts Awards and Grants 2024

Launched in 2010, the Windsor Endowment for the Arts (WEA) Arts Awards and Grants program is a biennial granting program offered to recognize and support creative projects from a diverse range of homegrown talent from Windsor-Essex.

Any resident of Windsor and Essex County is eligible for the WEA awards and grants. WEA welcomes applications via their WEA online application portals from Monday, February 5, until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 31, 2024, for one of their 11 art grants totalling $31,000 (up from $29,000 in 2022); or for nominations for one of their 4 Art Leadership Awards of merit.

“The Windsor Mayor’s Arts Awards program is one of many components of Council’s overall significant investment in arts, culture and heritage in Windsor. I am pleased to once again partner with WEA to present our awards together in a meaningful way that celebrates a broad spectrum of artists, arts organizations and creatives. These programs provide a further opportunity to support, encourage and recognize our local artists while building on Windsor’s proud history of investment in our creative community. I encourage folks to apply for this recognition, and to join us later in May when we celebrate together once again.”

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens

The WEA Arts Awards and Grants available for 2024 are as follows:

• Arts Leadership Awards – Four awards of merit are presented to recognize and celebrate outstanding individuals, philanthropists, businesses and/or organizations devoted to the arts in the following areas: Community Arts, Literary Arts, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts.
• Emerging Artist Grants – $3,000 each. Four grants are presented to support the professional and creative development of emerging artists with 2 to 7 years of professional arts practice. These grants include Emerging Artist in Film Arts Grant, Emerging Artist in Literary Arts Grant, Emerging Artist in Performing Arts Grant, and the Lois Smedick Emerging Artist in Visual Arts Grant.
• Arts Infrastructure Grants – $3,000 each. Four grants are presented to individual professional artists/arts professionals, ad hoc groups, collectives, organizations and businesses dedicated to developing the arts. These grants include Community Arts Grant, Performing Arts Music Infrastructure Grant (new), Performing Arts Theatre Infrastructure Grant (new), and the Carolyne Rourke Visual Arts Infrastructure Grant.
• Elizabeth Havelock Grant in the Arts – $3,000. One grant is presented to foster and support the artistic excellence of a mid-career artist with 7 to 15 years of professional arts practice in any artistic discipline. This grant has been increased by $1,000 this year.
• The Morris and Beverly Baker Foundation Youth Grant in the Arts – $2,000. One grant is presented to a graduating high school student who will pursue visual art studies at the post-secondary level.
• The Eric Jackman Youth Grant in the Arts – $2,000. One grant is presented to a graduating high school student who will pursue performing art studies (Music or Theatre) at the post-secondary level. This grant has been increased by $1,000 this year.

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