Theatre Beyond Words is an internationally renowned physical theatre company that has played to over 2 million people since its inception in 1977, delighting audiences from New York to Madrid and Toronto to Tokyo with its unique style of visual theatre.

The ensemble develops original works for both young and general audiences, garnering international acclaim for its artistic and entertaining performances that transcend language barriers with the innovative uses of mask, puppetry, mime and music.

Theatre Beyond Words created a unique style of theatre with the Potato People, a series of 12 non-verbal larval mask plays for intergenerational audiences. This original form of visual storytelling inspired a generation of artists across the country and won the hearts of audiences around the world. In 1987 the Potato People (a theatrical cartoon) received a Citation of Excellence Award in the Art of Puppetry from UNIMA-USA. In 2006-7 TBW mentored the young company Sprouts, the next generation of Potato People.

Theatre Beyond Words operates a studio year-round with rehearsal, office and storage space in a heritage building in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The company hosts a play development program called The Wednesday Salon for new and emerging as well as established artists to read or walk through their work in a nurturing environment. The ensemble also gives intensive workshops in mask, clown and physical theatre.

   
Legal Mandate (1977)
    To produce and exhibit to the public theatrical performances and entertainments of all kinds, in particular non-verbal, mime, physical, visual or image-based theatre. To encourage, promote and educate people in theatrical and dramatic arts of all kinds.

Mission (2007)
  • To create original image-based plays, adaptations or co-productions for intergenerational audiences.
  • To maintain an active repertoire of work and tour it regionally, nationally and internationally.
  • To educate students, emerging artists and the general public in visual literacy through performances, performance-related workshops and special events.
  • To be inclusive of and accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community, as well as the multicultural and English as a second language communities.
  • To archive the repertoire as part of the company's artistic legacy.
   

Brief Summary
(1977 - 2007)

  • Founded in 1977, Theatre Beyond Words remains a pioneer in the development of mask, mime and image-based theatre in Canada.

  • Was chosen to represent Canada for the celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations with Japan, and was the first Canadian theatre company to perform at the National Theatre of Japan.

  • Created Potato People, a series of 12 larval mask plays for family audiences.

  • Received the UNIMA Citation of Excellence Award for Potato People in 1987.

  • Created 18 general audience plays in various styles - verbal and nonverbal, with and without masks - and retains many of them in the touring repertoire.


  • Is Resident Theatre Company at Brock University where Artistic Committee Members have taught and designed courses, premiered new work, showcased repertoire, consulted on shows since 1982.

  • Is a Professional Affiliate of the School of Fine and Performing Arts at Brock University.

  • Toured original Canadian visual plays for intergenerational audiences to theatres throughout Canada, USA, Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Australia, Russia, Latvia, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldavia, Azerbaijan, and most recently, Argentina.

  • Wrote and produced the first English translation of the Galician (Spanish) play, Silly Old Men Ought Not to Fall in Love (2001-2005).

  • Co-produced Imaginarius with Omar Alvarez Puppet Company, Argentina (2003-2007) and will continue to tour the show in the next two seasons.

  • Celebrated its 30th Anniversary in June 2007.

  • Is researching the potential of a resource centre that will contain archival materials as well as videos and books on physical theatre.

  • Will workshop an original adaptation of Oscar Wilde's Canterville Ghost with the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake in October 2007.

  • Offers intensive workshops in mask, clown and physical theatre at its studio and performance-related workshops on tour.


   
Artistic Committee
Harro Maskow
Artistic Director Emeritus

Hailed as "one of Canada's most brilliant comic actors", Harro studied visual art and photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Hamburg, Germany and physical theatre at Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France. He then toured Europe with the renowned Comedie de Bourges.

After emigrating to Canada in 1966, he performed in Montreal at Expo '67 and taught at the National Theatre School. He was Associate Director of the Canadian Mime Theatre for eight years and received the Queen's Jubilee Silver Medal for achievement in theatre in 1977.

A founding member of Theatre Beyond Words, Harro has toured with the company for 30 years performing his unique style of gibberish pantomime, solo mime sketches and hilarious masked and unmasked characters. He was Artistic Director from the company's inception to 2006 and remains Artistic Director Emeritus as well as an active member of the Artistic Committee.

He gives workshops on masks and improvisation; makes, repairs and occasionally designs the company's larval masks. He was part of the design team for Imaginarius (2004-2007); was featured in Silly Old Men Ought Not to Fall in Love (2003-2005); and performs in Journey Behind the Mask (2005-2007).

Harro recently developed a new artistic passion and the attendant skills for video editing Theatre Beyond Words archival material.


Terry Judd
Co-Artistic Director

A graduate of Wilfred Laurier U. in Waterloo, Ontario, Terry is a founding member of Theatre Beyond Words and has performed, written and directed for the company from its inception to the present.

Terry teaches credit courses in mime, mask and physical theatre at Brock U, St. Catharines, On and Niagara U, Niagara Falls, NY. Terry's theatre credits prior to the formation of TBW include the Stratford Festival where he won the Chalmer's Apprentice Award, the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Neptune Theatre, the National Arts Centre and the Shaw Festival. He was also one of the original members of the Gryphon Theatre Company in Barrie.

During the past four years Terry has performed with Carousel Players in productions of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Patty's Cake and George and Martha; and with Odyssey Theatre in Ottawa in the commedia dell'arte productions of The Wedding and Bungsu and The Big Snake.

Most recently for Theatre Beyond Words, he performed in Silly Old Men Ought Not to Fall in Love (2003-2005); was part of the creative team and performed in the Canadian tour of the Argentinean co-production Imaginarius (2004-2007); and continues to perform in the 30th Anniversary lecture-demonstration Journey Behind the Mask.


Robin Patterson
Artistic Director

Robin graduated from Simon Fraser U, Vancouver, BC and Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris, France. She was the first woman soloist, writer and director with the Canadian Mime Theatre, touring nationally and internationally with the company for 4 years.

Robin is a founding member of Theatre Beyond Words. She conceived the Potato People series; wrote and directed many of the plays; and performed most of the female characters. Specializing in mask, clown and commedia techniques Robin teaches physical theatre at Brock U, ON and Niagara U, NF, NY.

Advocating visual theatre and movement literacy, she has given lecture/demos for community groups such as the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Rotary Club and Hospice Niagara. She wrote 5 episodes of the children's TV series Polka Dot Shorts; choreographed The Raven for Odyssey Theatre and George and Martha for Carousel Players; and directed a modern version of Godspell for Niagara U.

Most recently for TBW Robin choreographed the Argentinean co-production Imaginarius; adapted and directed the Galician play Silly Old Men Ought Not to Fall in Love; continues to perform in Journey Behind the Mask; and is leading the change in company management structure. In May 2007 Robin received a Women of Distinction Award in the field of Arts and Culture from the Niagara Region YWCA.

   



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