Recently our intrepid Artistic Director, Sarah Phillips, took a mad, full tour of some of our western-most cities with an eye to finding work to bring to our part of the world. Without a doubt it was a buffet of the most satisfying kind (and pretty low-cal as buffets go!) and discussions are in the works with a couple of companies to see about bringing their incredible shows to us. Presenting extant work from elsewhere in Canada is an exciting way to get great plays onto our stage and to treat us to voices and aesthetics “from away”. 

Just a couple of highlights from the High Performance Rodeo in Calgary, the Canoe Festival in Edmonton and the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival in Vancouver:

Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allen Poe by Catalyst Theatre (Edmonton)A most magical, delicious show. A feast replete with grand costumes and puppets, fab music and most memorable voices and performances. This show needs to come East!

In The Wake by Downstage Theatre (Calgary)
2010 Betty Mitchell Award Winner for Outstanding New Play. Mesmerizing, highly imaginative, physical and lyrical. A brilliant examination of some timely issues in a genuinely engaging and theatrical performance.

Bash’d: A Gay Rap Opera by Craddock and Cruckow (Edmonton)
So clever, moving, rough and ready, and heartfelt.  A tour-de-force for two star-crossed Romeos. Audiences everywhere, from Edmonton to Off-Broadway, are loving this show.  Sarah did too.

Floating by Hoipolloi (the inimitable Hugh Hughes) from Wales (Yes – a non-Canadian entry on our favourites list!) Hughes and his compatriot Sioned Rowlands delighted the audience with a piece that surprised us all.  Imagine if Wales came unattached, physically, actually, from England and floated around the Atlantic. Fanciful, poignant, expertly executed. Hughes is genius.

Podplays: The Quartet by Neworld Theatre and PTC (Vancouver)
The audience is taken on a journey through downtown Vancouver… literally. While listening via portable audio devices, the audience walks and listens, absorbing and observing and moving through four stories linked to the journey itself. Absolutely amazing. Look for an audio/environmental experience from Festival Players in the future.

Bringing outstanding new Canadian work to the County is part of our goal and commitment to our audiences. Tempting Providence by Theatre Newfoundland Labrador, as seen in the 2010 season, was our first foray into presenting work produced by companies across the country, and we plan to do much more of the same. Keep an eye out for more info.