Redefining 'community': The elusive legacy of the dramatists' co-op of Nova Scotia

By many indications, playwriting in the Canadian Maritime provinces (Nova S cotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) has never been more accompl ished, diverse, and energetic. At the same time, however, many dramatists i n this region experience a distinct and, for some, defining sense of isolat ion and disconnection from the rest of the country, particularly in terms o f production opportunities beyond the East Coast. Aware of the limitations of local production, however enthusiastic the support of regional theatre c ompanies and groups, a significant number of Maritimes playwrights lament t he absence of vehicles--such as publication with national distribution--tha t may lead to increased profile for Maritimes drama within this country and internationally. At this juncture, it is particularly intriguing to consid er the precedent of the Dramatists' Co-op of Nova Scotia. A boisterous offs pring of the Nova Scotia Writers Federation, the Co-op took upon itself the challenge to foster, promote, distribute, and generally champion Nova Scot ian and, ultimately, Atlantic Canadian (including Newfoundland) drama for t wo decades following its inception in 1976. A fundamental difference betwee n the dominant (although not exclusive) philosophy of Co-op members and the ir contemporary counterparts, however, is in the definition of the concept of 'community'. For, unlike the distinctly national and international inter ests regularly expressed int he current context, the Co-op placed a signifi cant (although, again, not exclusive) emphasis on the establishment of a lo cal community of theatre artists and, even more fundamental, of local theat re audiences. The contrast, while neither simple nor absolute, provides a p roductive point of entry into the complex reality of contemporary Maritimes dramatic practice.