What is so special about FemFest?! Well we can’t just list one thing. Here are the top 10 reasons to check out this year’s festival of life-changing theatre by women for everyone.
1.Plays in Elevators! When else would you be able to see not one but two plays in an elevator. We are super excited to welcome Theatre Yes to town, for their National Elevator Project. Their team will be working with local actors to produce two ten-minute plays that take place in elevators. The shows will have slots from September 12-15 allowing about 8 people at a time to get in and then starting again every 15 minutes with new viewers.
2.World Premiere – When extremely talented emerging artist Frances Koncan is established and winning multiple awards, you can say I saw her early work! This year we are pleased to produce the world premiere of her new play The Dance-Off of Conscious Uncoupling. With a great local cast, irreverent humour, a title inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow plus the fact that it was chosen by last year’s Bake-Off audience as the play they wanted to see – you really don’t want to miss it.
3.5 New Works in 8 hours – Speaking of the Bake-Off, this year we are honoured to inaugurate the Janet Taylor Bake-Off Award. The prize to support the development of the winning play attracted a quality number of playwrights to this year’s Bake-Off. They will be under the pressure cooker as they take 3 ingredients and 8 hours to cook up a ten-minute script. The readings of the resulting work are always a highlight plus the audience gets to choose the winner of the cash prize and the FemFest 2016 slot.
4.Acclaimed Artists – Our Artistic Director saw A Side of Dreams two years ago at Summerworks and has been working ever since to bring it to Winnipeg. Writer/performer Jani Lauzon is an amazing talent. The show incorporates puppetry, aerial hoop work and projections. It is a beautiful journey towards celebrating one’s identity. Lauzon will also be facilitating a workshop for actors while in town!
5.Hear Stories that are Forbidden – We sometimes take for granted the ability to tell our stories, but this is an activity that can put someone’s life at risk in other parts of the world. Monirah Hashemi has gathered the stories of three Afghan women in Sitaraha – The Stars, some told to her through prison bars. She will also be giving a lecture at the University of Winnipeg.
6.Kimmy Zee – She is a Winnipeg Fringe favourite and we’re happy to host the encore presentation of Mittelschmerz. Many missed its sold out run at the Fringe or loved it so much they want to catch it again. There are just two chances on September 12 and 19.
7.Affordable – We work hard to keep theatre accessible. See a show for just ten bucks or works in development by donation. A full festival pass to see it all is only $50! We know Winnipeggers love a deal.
8.Dance, Song and Art – Cabarets! We have an amazing line-up for both our opening and closing. Plus free food from Nick’s on Broadway and Bronuts.
9.Learn new skills – If you are an artist there are opportunities to develop your craft and business savvy through our skill-development workshops.
10.100 people are involved in shows over 8 days!! It’s more than a festival it is phenomenon.
When I began exploring A Side of Dreams I envisioned a simple one-woman show that spoke to loss of culture and how generational trauma can silence the best of us. But as I allowed the story to guide me the journey of writing the central character became that of the playwright: an exercise in trust, faith and allowing my ancestors and the story to guide me.
And so it began, as most things do, with spiritual guidance. In A Side of Dreams, Spiderwoman weaves her web so that Haisa, a troubled and silent Métis mother, can awaken the spirit of the Dreamcatcher. It became clear that using an aerial hoop would provide the perfect dramaturgical framework for Haisa, to fall into the world of the Dreamcatcher. John Turner brought in aerial hoop artist/choreographer Jessica Barrera who subsequently has joined the production as a performer.
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