All in Artist Perspectives
Downstage Artistic Producer, Katherine Rawlinson, sat down with Bitch Sassidy, co-creator with Karla Marx, of GoGo Battles about Motel Theatre's upcoming one-of-a-kind experience you don't want to miss. This is a prime-time satirical feminist wrestling mini-series event for the ages!
DakhaBrakha burst onto the scene 20 years ago, redefining what the genre of world music could encompass with larger-than-life costumes, theatricality, and multimedia elements. They quickly became bold new ambassadors for Ukrainian culture, highlighting festivals around the world. This April 4, they come to the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons to demonstrate why they have made such an impact everywhere they’ve performed.
National Geographic Explorer and award-winning photographer Kiliii Yüyan illuminates the importance of human connection to the land and sea with two student presentations in the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons May 27 & 28 with Life on Thin Ice. Associate Director of Education at Arts Commons was able to travel to Yüyan’s hometown of Seattle, Washington to see him live this past January and it was a life-changing experience for her.
When people talk about Calgary and its arts scene, the story that often gets told is that emerging artists usually leave our city; they don’t choose to stay or move here to practice their art. There’s no support; they can’t make a living.
While that story may have had some truth to it at one time, it’s no longer accurate. Assistance for these artists has expanded significantly. Local organizations such as Arts Commons have created programs to provide educational and mentoring opportunities to accelerate emerging artists’ careers.
The most important part of the moniker "Black History Month" has to be the word "story". And there is nothing more reflective of the power of story telling than the musical art form known as "the blues". In preparation for BHM 2024, I got the chance to talk with two phenomenal blues singers in advance of their Calgary concert, at the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons on February 9th.
Hailed as “hysterically funny, brilliant, brutal” by Now Magazine, Beautiful Man makes its Alberta premiere in the Motel Theatre at Arts Commons. Written by the Hamilton-born Erin Shields who is known for her sharp lens interrogating the negative depictions of women in literature, Beautiful Man is a biting satire about the portrayal of women in film and television, co-produced by Downstage and Verb Theatre.
In 1975, in the heart of Venezuela, Maestro Jose Abreu initiated a groundbreaking program that would not only shape the lives of countless individuals but also revolutionize the approach to music education. This program, known as El Sistema, was designed to give kids a safe haven off of the streets, by providing them with the opportunity to learn music, play instruments, and cultivate their minds in multidisciplinary ways.
Alberta Theatre Projects (ATP) is thrilled to be bringing W.O. Mitchell’s hilarious smash-hit comedy, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon, to the Martha Cohen Theatre. Calgary will be heating up with incredible curling action and plenty of stories to share this February: the first week of the production coincides with the final week of the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
