Studio-19

This project was filmed at the Ballet Edmonton rehearsal studio at the Ruth Carse Centre for dance in Edmonton, Alberta, during the pandemic of 2020/2021. It is a compilation of work we created this year. This film captures some of the challenges Ballet Edmonton encountered and highlighted the artists’ resilience and commitment to their art form.

The Wild Rose Opera Project is a series of four short operatic works that each explore mental health issues through characters with ties to the Alberta landscape. Librettist Royce Vavrek is collaborating with composers Ian Cusson, John Estacio, Vivian Fung and Bryce Kulak to create short works that will be filmed and streamed online.

Indians on Vacation by Ian Cusson
A micro-adaptation of Thomas King’s recent Indians on Vacation, the novel chronicles the Prague vacation of a contemporary Indigenous couple. The short opera uses three scenes to create a musical portrait of the protagonist, Bird, as he confronts his demons.

Farmer and Dog by John Estacio
A gay farmer deals with a depression born out of loneliness, but finds his outlook improve through the devotion of his beloved farm dog who watches as he comes to terms with his identity.

Grover and Friends & Alarm by Vivian Fung
An exploration of a family’s history dealing with the PTSD inherited from a history of genocide. Shown through a prism of a young woman who seeks context, but the pain (and truth) is concealed by the older members of her family.

Badlands by Bryce Kulak
A woman visits the Badlands and recalls childhood memories of her mother, now suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. An operatic portrait of generations of caregiving.

Availability:

• Indians on Vacation: Nov 19th to Apr 30, 2022
• Grover and Friends – Alarm: Nov 26th to Nov 26, 2023
• Farmer and Dog: Dec 3rd to Dec 3, 2022
• Badlands: Dec 10th to Dec 10, 2023

Teatro La Quindicina Presents…Teatro Film Fest!

Lost Lemoine: Part 1
A collection of short plays by Stewart Lemoine.
From the Alberta prairie to a Hungarian meadow to a ghastly mansion in Jotunheim, this hilarious medley of rarely seen miniature plays will take you on a riotous journey through the mind of our favourite playwright, stopping off for portentous pie along the way!

Lost Lemoine: Part 2
A Second Round of Seconds by Stewart Lemoine
In this vivacious one-act, a group of strangers are brought together in unconventional circumstances, and then propelled onto a frolicsome romantic journey with abundant hijinks and a ticking-down clock!

A Fit, Happy Life
Our third streaming production is a new play, built (like the Varscona Theatre itself) on the foundations of an old one. A Fit, Happy Life presents an unusually eventful morning in the career of a dedicated department store bed salesman. Mathew Hulshof portrays the earnest mattress expert Mike Brack, with Kristen Padayas returning to Teatro at full-tilt as a formidable array of customers. Stewart Lemoine and Belinda Cornish direct, and the stage manager is Rachel Rudd.

Featuring:

• Jocelyn Ahlf, Helen Belay, Oscar Derkx, Jesse Gervais, Andrea House, Mathew Hulshof, Mark Meer, Kristen Padayas, Josh Travnik, and Gianna Vacirca.
• Directed by Belinda Cornish and Stewart Lemoine
• Director of Photography: Adam Kidd
• Original music by Erik Mortimer
• Stage managers: Nancy Yuen and Rachel Rudd

“We at Teatro are always thrilled by a challenge – and what a challenge the past year has been! So we’re looking on the current pause of live theatre as an opportunity to explore new possibilities, and to pogo – yes, pogo! – with joyful abandon into a new medium through which we can share even more uproarious fun!”

Shumka and the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America present a virtual collaboration celebrating Ukrainian music and dance. Featuring footage of artists performing in landmark locations in Canada and the US.

After watching a virtual dance piece by Birmingham Ballet and its orchestra in January of this year, the Shumka Creative Team discussed the possibility of reuniting with a past collaborator – the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America = to bring a joint work called “Kozachok,” back to life in a un=que and far-reaching way. Utilizing clips of vocalists, bandurysty, and dancers in their “home cities” with interesting landmarks in sight, the concept is to bring the piece together in a unique and moving harmony —- not on a stage, but from miles apart and ultimately online for the world to see.

The project will begin in March of 2021 with rehearsals (over zoom), storyboarding of the final film, planning for filming in various landmark areas of North America (UBC members are from a number of different cities in Canada and the US) and in Edmonton (Shumka and a small group of UBC members are based in the Edmonton area). Choreography would be adapted for cohort sections and physical distancing. Filming would take place outdoors in May, editing in June, with distribution by early July.

The plan is to distribute the piece to a variety of festivals which will likely be forced to present in an online capacity once again this summer. From Ukrainian festivals to heritage festivals, celebrations of music and of dance, we feel this fresh, exciting and emotional content will be openly accepted. The marketing and distribution of the piece will be coordinated by Edmonton-based arts marketing company Bottom Line Productions.

Through these means we can explore identity, culture, and connections, and grow together as a community. Thank you to our funders, the Edmonton Arts Council, Edmonton Heritage Council, National Association of Japanese Canadians, and Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta.

Who is Gateway Chorus?
Gateway Chorus is an Acappella choir in Edmonton, Alberta. We specialize in producing that beautiful ringing sound you only hear in barbershop harmony.

Gateway was established as a chapter of Sweet Adelines International in 1961. A competitive performance chorus, we’ve had successes at both the regional and international levels. We’ve competed at Internationals six times: in Salt Lake City (1990), Nashville (2002, 2009), Indianapolis (2004), San Antonio (2007), and Seattle (2010). We qualified in a wild card spot for Internationals in Louisville, Kentucky, to compete a seventh time in October 2020, this was obviously cancelled due to COVID-19. We may be an internationally ranked chorus, but we welcome singers of all ages and experience levels, from long-time acapella fans to brand new converts! Want to get a better idea of what we do? Check out our media page or join a rehearsal. Our doors (or zoom) are always open!

After emerging from their respective hidden lairs across the world, Fringe favourites Jacob Banigan, Mark Meer, and Ron Pederson merge to form GORDON’S BIG BALD HEAD! Gordon’s Big Bald Head is a Fringe Festival favourite. Watch in awe as these comedy cutpurses pilfer somebody else’s intellectual property and improvise their own version!

This show was recorded in front of a live audience and will be soon available on FAVATV.

Pepper’d will be interviewing 4 artists on various different topics (listed below) The total program will be 1 hour and 40 minutes broken into 5 x 20 minute episodes. They will sit down with artists D’orjay the Singing Shaman, Nasra Adem, Mustafa Rafiq and Merlin Uwalaka to talk about Edmonton’s artists community and their experiences as blakc artists navigating education, artistic practices, collaboration and exhibitions. In addition to talking about local experience, we will have commentary on current pop culture, global trends in film and art.

TOPICS: 

Artist “Education”

Talking about post secondary arts education (BFA, Film school) compared to “cherry-picking” an education between classes hosted by community arts organizations and non-profits, seeking peer mentorship, experimenting with projects and self lead practices.

Pop Culture

From Donda to Adele’s new album to Billie Eillish dancing at a Meg the Stallion concert, Pepper’d has you covered. This section of the show will give the programming more relevance outside of Edmonton and offer a chance to bring some lighthearted humour into the conversation.

Film & Art 

Discussing trends and stereotype in film, past and current trending character archetypes, current and childhood favourites. Pepper’d will be giving interviewees the chance to shed light on their favourite films, directors, actors and productions house

We used to call blurring the lines between disciplines, audio, video and animation “experimental.” Today, it is a way of life to ensure our survival as storytellers. The Canada Council Digital Now initiative, provided Play the Fool theatre festival a wonderful window of opportunity for local filmmakers to clown around in our current environment and explore physical comedy in a safe and healthy way.

Promised Land features Shumka’s pioneer suite of dances from its Ancestors & Elders production filmed in situ at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village in Fall of 2021. Shot on location at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, the film will travel across decades examining the hardships and triumphs of the early Ukrainian pioneer experience.

Shumka was excited to work with Director of Photography Brett Manyluk and his crew on the project. This 10-minute film pays tribute to the 130th Anniversary of Ukrainian Immigration to Canada and will encourage our audiences to donate to national refugee associations to help current immigrants to our nation. In addition to live dance elements, Promised Land will be presented in theatre venues across Canada as part of Shumka’s national tour in Spring and Fall of 2022.

The ToneArt Collective is presenting a series of multi-disciplinary arts events in Edmonton through late July to mid-August: the ToneArt 2021 Summer Series. The events will be livestreamed from various outdoor and indoor venues across the city, and audiences are also encouraged to stop by in-person to experience the art in-the-flesh and even to participate if they desire.