That’s a Wrap on FemFest 2018!

Another FemFest has come and gone! This past weekend, we wrapped up our 16^th festival featuring life-changing theatre for everyone. FemFest 2018: Staging Resistance saw touring shows from across Canada and the world, including a bilingual production coming all the way in from Morocco! Here are some of the highlights from this year’s festival.

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We kicked the festival off with a bang, starting with a reading of last year’s Bake-Off winner “OUR HOME and native land” by Jo MacDonald and a preview of our latest school tour, Home 2.0! Opening Night saw an eclectic cabaret featuring an incredible range of artists including comedy, spoken word, dance, music, and visual art. The night included Elissa Kixen and Dione C. Haynes of WOKE Comedy Hour tickling our funny bones, Maribeth Tabanera and Tracy Tomchuk unleashing a powerful hip-hop dance performance, and The Patriarchy opened the show with their hilarious brand of a capella comedy. Thank you to the night’s host and coordinator, Alexa Potashnik for all her hard work! We also had a great opening reception with sponsorship from Garbanzo’s Pizza Pub UofW Anx and The Winehouse.

Thank you so much to Hope McIntyre and @Sarasvati_Wpg for FemFest 2018:Staging Resistance! Cannot wait to see what you have in store next year!

— Matthew Paris-Irvine (@MattIrvine_) September 23, 2018

This year we partnered with local Indian dance company Manohar Performing Arts for our in-house production of The Game! This show featured a beautiful blend of traditional Indian dance with scripted theatre, playing to packed houses and a sold-out final show.

Glad we had the opportunity to see "The Game" today. Powerful and beautiful! @Sarasvati_Wpg https://t.co/0KQ3ID9ycN

— Mary Horodyski (@MaryHorodyski) September 23, 2018

Alissa Watson and Cairn Moore

Annual FemFest staple The Bake-Off gave five fearless playwrights just eight hours – and three secret ingredients – to create an all-new scene! Alissa Watson took home the Janet Taylor Bake-Off Playwriting Award for her scene, The Switch, which featured a drone, children’s laughter, and the Nellie McClung quote “democracy for women”. You can catch what happens next when The Switch gets its own reading at FemFest 2019!

 

“Thanks so much for all the love Sarasvàti Productions – I am so honoured to receive this award. A Big Shout Out to all the fantastic playwrights this year. So many great starts to future plays! Now we all have to figure out that happens next!” – Alissa Watson via Facebook, Bake-Off Winner

Our touring shows featured an incredible range of stories, including life at Burning Man in Norah Paton’s Burnt, growing up in a white man’s high school in Darla Contois’ White Man’s Indian, and Donna-Michelle St. Bernard speaking truth to power in Sound of the Beast. We also partnered with Théâtre Cercle Molière to bring in La civilisation, ma mère!…, from Morocco, featuring performances in both French and Arabic!

Ok I don't know if the entire point of Burnt at #FemFest @Sarasvati_Wpg was to make me want to go to burning man but like mission accomplished?
But seriously it's a beautiful piece of work with great characterization and damn I love devised theatre. #wpg #wpgtheatre #burnt

— reba t (@rebajesse) September 19, 2018

SHORTS cast: Hera Nalam, Ivan Henwood, and Gisele Charr

Audiences who stuck around between shows also got to take in our SHORTS series directed by Megan Andres! The series featured short works from playwrights Colleen Wagner, Tyler White, Vicki Zhang, Jen McDonald, Alexandria Haber, and Sara Arenson, offering a great sample platter of Canadian theatre.

 

Winnipeg audiences braved the chilly weather to take in our all-new Walking Art Tour, featuring artists across disciplines performing in some of downtown Winnipeg’s hidden gems. The tour saw Emilie Lemay live-painting outside Wesley Hall, Tiana Northage’s powerful spoken word at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Alexandra Elliott and Hilary Anne Crist transforming Hudson’s Bay into a stark doctor’s office, Dawn Lavand performing her unique mix of stand-up and drumming inside Portage Place, and singer-songwriter waNda wilsoN serenading us from Saigon Park. Huge thank-you to Downtown Winnipeg Biz and the Host It program for their support, and to Heather Witherden for hosting!

“It was great! Some sights in Winnipeg that I’d never seen, plus some extremely talented artists. Win-win.” – Audience Member, Walking Art Tour

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We closed out the festival with our One Night Stand series, giving playwrights the opportunity to present their work and gain valuable audience feedback. We invited both local and touring playwrights to participate, including Leigh-Anne Kehler, Frances Koncan, Jo MacDonald, Cairn Moore, and Donna-Michelle St. Bernard!

Bravo @Sarasvati_Wpg #FemFest! We saw Sound of the Beast & 1Night Stand.Powerful stories that make you more aware of our individual responsibilities to make our world a better place.Definitely transformative theatre &a wonderful way to showcase local talent #WpgTheatre #Winnipeg pic.twitter.com/Knf8d6ejAa

— Michelle H 👩🏻‍🔬🐰❤️️🇨🇦 (@michelle373737) September 23, 2018

Huge thank-you as always to our incredible staff, amazing performers, hard-working crew, and the team of volunteers that made this year’s festival possible. Want to be a part of FemFest 2019? We’re already looking for submissions! See you next year for FemFest 2019: All the World’s a Stage, running September 14-21!

 

Five Must-See Events at FemFest!

Hard to believe we’re more than halfway through FemFest 2018: Staging Resistance! It’s been an incredible week of theatre already… Saturday saw an eclectic Opening Cabaret with musicians, comedians, and spoken word artists from across Winnipeg! On Monday, we crowned Alissa Watson as our Bake-Off winner with her scene The Switch, which will get its own reading at FemFest 2019. We also premiered some incredible touring shows from around the world, including Burnt and La civilisation, ma mère! As the festival comes to a close, here are some events you won’t want to miss.

 

1.  Sound of the Beast

This solo piece by two-time Governor General’s Award Nominee Donna-Michelle St. Bernard (aka Belladonna the Blest) speaks truth to power using spoken word, storytelling and hip-hop. The show highlights St. Bernard’s quick wit and quicker rhymes in a performance that reflects on identity, oppression and what happens when authority is questioned. We’ll be hosting a talkback discussion after today’s matinee at 1PM, facilitated by Tamika Krush of QPOC Winnipeg. Don’t miss your chance to experience this powerful production for yourself!

 

2.  White Man’s Indian

Darla Contois takes on the ensemble of characters that make up this transformative work, focusing on the story of Eva, a Cree teenage girl, and her journey through the maze of a White Man’s high school. Following the opening performance on September 18^th, we hosted a panel with Darla, Matt B. Shorting of Onashowewin Justice Circle, and Gabrielle Fiddler of Ndinawe Youth Resource Centre to talk about the issues presented by the play, as well as the larger topic of Indigenous representation on stage. There are two more chances to take in this incredible one-woman show: tonight at 9PM and Friday at 7PM!

 

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3.  Walking Art Tour

Be one of the select few who will get to experience this brand-new event! We’ve brought in an incredible team of artists who will be performing at some of Downtown Winnipeg’s hidden gems. The tour is hosted by local comedienne Heather Witherden and features Emilie Lemay (visual art), Tiana Northage (spoken word), Alexandra Elliott and Hilary Anne Crist of Art Holm (movement), Dawn Lavand (stand-up comedy), and waNda wilsoN (music). Just twenty people will get to take part in this unique event: book your spot today so you don’t miss out! The tour wraps up September 22^nd at 2PM.

 

4.  ASL-Interpreted Performances

After responding to requests to make theatre more accessible to our community, we’re proud to announce that we’ll be offering ASL interpretation for three shows in this year’s festival! Come see Burnt tonight at 7PM, White Man’s Indian Friday at 7PM, or Sound of the Beast Saturday also at 7PM. Tickets start at $15 – get yours today!

 

5.  One Night Stand

Join us on the closing night of the festival as we toast to 16 successful years! We’ll be featuring sneak peeks of new work from celebrated female playwrights, including Leigh-Anne Kehler, Frances Koncan, Jo MacDonald, Cairn Moore, and Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. The series is coordinated by Tatiana Carnevale and features performances by Melanee Deschambeault, Katie German, Kim Kakegamic, Glenn Odero, Matthew Paris-Irvine, and Erica Wilson.

The festival is running until Saturday, September 22^nd with all performances taking place at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film (400 Colony St) unless otherwise noted. With so much to take in, you won’t want to miss a thing! Make sure to check out our full FemFest schedule for all our upcoming events.

Our Downtown is Made for Walking

We’re introducing something new to the FemFest line-up this year: a brand-new Walking Art Tour! The tour will explore parts of Winnipeg’s downtown area, shining a light on some of our city’s hidden gems. The tour will feature a mix of spoken word, comedy, visual art, movement, and music as audiences tour the downtown area, spanning Memorial Boulevard to Ellice Avenue.

Get to know the incredible artists taking part in this year’s tour!

 

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How would you describe yourself to a stranger?

• Daphne Finlayson, Coordinator: I am but a simple pun enthusiast who loves dogs and terrible jokes.
• Dawn Lavand, Stand-Up Comic: A daydreamer without enough sleep.
• Emilie Lemay, Visual Artist: French-Canadian painter inspired by extraordinary prairie skies.
• Tiana Northage, Spoken Word Poet: What you see, is what you get – but good luck keeping track of what you see. This Winnipeg poet is a living chameleon, and her wardrobe’s a mood-ring. This package is fragile – please handle with care.
• Wanda Wilson, Musician: Depends, I could say, “I’m the one with the hat”. Or “I’m kind of like a turtle”.
• Heather Witherden, Host: Heather is a fun Mom-aged lady living her best life as a burlesque emcee by night and receptionist by day!

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

• Alexandra Elliott, Movement Performer/Art Holm Curator: “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole.
• Daphne: Oh gosh… it oscillates between classic 80’s chart-toppers and ambitious solos from Broadway musicals. Right now I’d have to say either “Limelight” by Rush or “More than a Feeling” by Boston.
• Emilie: “Mamma Mia” by ABBA. I have even sung it a cappella once. Now my daughter sings it with me as a duet!
• Tiana: “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows is an absolute BOP and I refuse to hear otherwise. You can catch me yelling “CUT UP MARIA” at The Good Will any Wednesday of the month.
• Wanda: “Fight for Your Right” by The Beastie Boys.
• Heather: “Baby Got Back”, no question.

Why should people be excited about your piece at FemFest?

• Alexandra: Because the main prop is a doctor’s medical exam table and as of this current moment, I have no idea what will happen. But there will be two women clad in purple hospital gowns doing contemporary dance.
• Daphne: Winnipeg’s Downtown Area is such a cool space, full of hidden gems and cool little spots waiting to be discovered. What I’m hoping to do with this tour is shine a light on just a few of these spots, combining art with architecture to showcase the beauty lurking under the surface of our city.
• Dawn: Laughter is medicine. I can be hilarious – come get a dose, community-style.
• Emilie: People will get to see a painting created live in the heart of the city and they will be a part of its creation story.
• Tiana: Coming to see my performances is like getting a live diary reading. I’m letting you in on the sad scary thoughts you thought only you had. Together we can ride the emotions out, and leave with a sense of not being so alone.

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Also featured in the tour is fellow Art Holm curator Hilary Anne Crist. No stranger to performing in unconventional locations, Art Holm is a semi-annual performance series that showcases artists of different disciplines. She’ll be joining Alexandra as they preview a piece from their upcoming performance series titled Scooch Forward. Singer-songwriter waNda wilsoN will be serenading audiences from Saigon Park across the street from the University of Winnipeg. Wanda plays an eclectic mix of raw and sweet material, expressing strength, humour, hope and pain in her own alternative way.

You have two chances to check out this incredible line-up of artists: September 19^th at 5:30PM and September 22^nd at 2PM. The tour starts at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film (400 Colony St at the U of W). Space is limited – be sure to book your spot today! A total of just 40 audience members will get to experience this unique initiative.

Meet the New Batch of Bake-Off Playwrights!

We’re bringing back an audience favourite at FemFest: our annual Bake-Off! Each year, we challenge five fearless playwrights to cook up a scene using the secret ingredients of our choosing – in just eight hours. From there, the scenes are rehearsed with our fabulous team of actors, directed by coordinator Cairn Moore, and put to the test with an audience vote for the winner! The winning playwright will then get the chance to have their scene turned into a one-act play which will have a reading at FemFest 2019. This year’s mandatory ingredients included a drone, children’s laughter, and the Nellie McClung quote “democracy for women”.

#bakeoff @Sarasvati_Wpg #femfest2018

Clock starts in five pic.twitter.com/cPzoS8RmZk

— Ntara Curry (@ntara_curry) August 17, 2018

Get to know the new batch of incredible writers behind this year’s Bake-Off!

Ntara Curry

Ntara Curry is a multi-disciplinary artist, working primarily in professional theatre as a stage hand, stage manager, and actor.  She is delighted to also be bringing her skills as dancer and writer to FemFest 2018.  You can also catch Ntara in our co-production of The Game with Manohar Performing Arts of Canada!

 

 

 

Jo MacDonald

After winning last year’s Bake-Off with OUR HOME & native land, Jo MacDonald is back to defend her title! Jo is Anishinaabe, a mom, theatre fan, writer, and an educator. She gave up dreams of super-villainy as it wasn’t as lucrative as depicted at the job fairs (false advertising… but then again what can you expect from an evil genius job pitch). She received her BA and B.Ed. from the University of Winnipeg.  You can catch a reading of last year’s winning Bake-Off script September 15^th and also get a glimpse of Jo’s latest work at our One Night Stand series on September 22^nd!

 

Allison Stier

New to the Bake-Off is Allison Stier. Allison is a fledgling playwright who prefers the eating of baked goods rather than the mixing and kneading and baking. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she has loved putting words into delicious arrangements for the greater part of her existence. She is quite thankful that the ingredients for this Bake-Off are of the word variety, which in most cases, don’t result in a sink full of dirty dishes.

 

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And it begins… hopefully. . Send creative vibes my way folks! I'm one of five playwrights currently parked in front of a computer screen for this year's FemFest Bake-Off. We have 8 hours to write a scene using three special ingredients. The scenes will then be performed at the fest on September 17th and the audience will vote for their favourite. So no pressure or anything 😨 My time is running though, so I should get writing! . . #FemFest2018 #BakeOff @sarasvati_wpg #writing #underpressure #yay!

A post shared by Ally // (@allystier) on Aug 17, 2018 at 9:31am PDT

 

Alissa Watson

As a Winnipeg born actress, educator, and now writer, Alissa Watson has studied theatre at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England, the Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance, and is an alumna of the Professional Training Ensemble (PTE@PTE). Alissa is a member of the sweet and cheeky Fu Fu Chi Chi Choir, the all-female Bouffon ensemble The Talentless Lumps, and co-founder of The Red Nose Diaries.

 

Pamela Wolk

Last up is Pamela Wolk. Pamela completed a BA Honours in Theatre Studies from the University of Regina with stars in her eyes of life on the stage. Funny how plans change.  She was swept off her feet by a military man and followed him from posting to posting.  Twenty years later she is back on the theatre scene, most recently acting in Jo MacDonald’s Fringe comedy Mother’s Little Secret.

 

Cairn Moore

Returning as director for her third year in a row is Cairn Moore. Cairn is a director and playwright and teaches first year performance at the University of Winnipeg. Her award winning play SHIKSA premiered with Winnipeg Jewish Theatre in 2016. Breaking Through, co-written with Hope McIntyre, premiered in May 2017 with Sarasvàti Productions. With the generous support of the Manitoba Arts Council, Cairn is currently re-writing her first play HABsolute Perfection. Catch a sneak peak at the One Night Stand series!

 

Bringing the scenes to life are local performers Grant Burr, Jane Burpee, Karam Daoud, Simba Meng, and Taesia Scratch. Come see the results of an eight-hour playwriting pressure cooker Monday, September 17^th at 7PM at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film (400 Colony St at the U of W). Get your tickets today and vote to select the winner!