The Power of FemFest

Just three days left to feel the power of FemFest2017. Audiences have been blown away by this year’s performances.  Come and experience it for yourself before it’s too late!

“Thank you for continuing to offer amazing meaningful theatre experiences to our community” – Teela Tomassetti

“Great evening !!!” – Francesca Cotroneo

Don’t miss the opening of Watching Glory Die by Judith Thompson produced by Mulgrave Road Theatre on Thursday SEPT 21 at 2:30 pm and again at 9pm. There will be a special Coffee Talk following the 7pm performance on Friday SEPT 22 with playwright Judith Thompson, director Emmy Alcorn and special guest Senator Kim Pate. Senator Pate is a nationally renowned advocate who has spent the last 35 years working in and around the legal and penal systems of Canada, with and on behalf of some of the most marginalized, victimized, criminalized and institutionalized — particularly imprisoned youth, men and women. Senator Pate continues to advocate for reform in solitary confinement and treatment of prisoners with mental health issues in Canadian prisons, two central issues in Watching Glory Die.  We are honoured to welcome the Senator to FemFest as a Coffee Talk speaker.

Senator Kim Pate Gives a Voice to Women in Prison – The Globe and Mail

Judith Thompson

We are thrilled to announce that there will be a Coffee Talk following every 7pm performance! Head to Two Indians tonight at 7pm and stay for a Coffee Talk with Two Indians director Sonya Ballantyne and consultant Marsha Knight.

Facilitator Marsha Knight

Catch a sneak peek of our latest community-based theatre project: New Beginnings on Saturday SEPT 23 at 4pm. Admission is by donation.

Be among the first to hear brand new work by Winnipeg’s most celebrated female playwrights at the One Night Stand on the closing night of the festival. Special guest Judith Thompson joins us to share brand new work. Enjoy a toast to 15 years in the lobby following the event.

Check out some of the great articles and interviews about FemFest and the incredible artists involved.

FemFest Marks 15 Years of Celebrating Diverse Talent – Global Breakfast Television

Youth will be Served by Randall King, Winnipeg Free Press

BUNNY on CTV News

Two Indians preview with CJNU

 

Up Close and Personal with Judith Thompson

Not only is legendary Canadian playwright Judith Thompson coming all the way to Winnipeg  to celebrate 15 years of FemFest, she is fully embracing all that the festival has to offer!

Two-time recipient of the Governor General’s Literary Awards for Drama and an Officer in the Order of Canada, Thompson was awarded the prestigious Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts in 2007. In 2008 she was honoured with the Susan Smith Blackburn Award and the Dora Mavor Moore Outstanding New Play Award for Palace of the End, which was also awarded the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award. Thompson has written a number of classic Canadian plays, including White Biting Dog, Lion in the Streets, I Am Yours, Such Creatures, The Thrill, and Watching Glory Die.

Despite her well-earned recognition as a playwright, Judith attributes her ability to continue writing to the stability offered by a teaching position at the University of Guelph. Were it not for this stability, she says she would have gone into social work, which won’t come as a surprise to avid Thompson fans. Thompson has made an impact on audiences around the world by amplifying voices of those who are not often heard. Her work in the arts is driven by her desire to see beyond the surface of an issue and her recent play Watching Glory Die is no exception.

Most recently, Thompson has focused on working with people of exceptionality, including those who are differently abled.  Experiences with her daughter, who lives with auto-immune deficiency, lead Thompson to work with youth living with chronic disorders.  Her focus now is on how to use any clout she has to give life to stories from those who may not otherwise be heard. When asked what her title would be if she were a book, Thompson said, ‘Nothing about us without us – using my art to amplify voices’.

Thompson brings a unique perspective to playwriting, and perhaps that is why she’s been able to write plays that leave such an impact. In an interview with the Georgia Straight, Thompson said, “I haven’t suffered the way that many people have, but I think that it [the epilepsy] gave me some kind of lens. And it’s the combination: I have enough sense of entitlement as a person, with the privileges I’ve had, to write a play, and to think that anybody would listen; but then I also was—I think I would say lucky enough to go through the epilepsy, and a couple of rough years in school, to have an understanding.” Multiple award-winning playwright, mother of 5 now in the 60’s, she feels she has proven, despite naysayers, that she can have everything and do it all as a woman.

This September, FemFest brings you many opportunities to get to know Judith Thompson. Throughout Sept 16-23 you can learn from her at a free public lecture, study with her in a playwriting masterclass, hear her read from new work in development, sit down across from her for a one-on-one conversation and of course, see the FemFest production of Thompson’s recent play Watching Glory Die.

REAL THING LECTURE (free)

Judith Thompson speaks as part of this series of exciting and informative lectures by guest speakers from the ‘real world’ of theatre and film. An important opportunity to hear about the reality of having a career in the arts.

PLAYWRITING MASTERCLASS

An opportunity to work with one of Canada’s most studied playwrights. The focus will be on writing by impulse, discovering moments of transformation that are worthy of the theatrical medium and digging deep in to conflict and character. This masterclass is intended for playwrights who are actively writing.

WATCHING GLORY DIE by Judith Thompson
Produced by Mulgrave Road Theatre

“Politically charged and some of Thompson’s best story-telling”
-HALIFAX BLOGGERS

Watching Glory Die is inspired by the true story of New Brunswick teen Ashley Smith. Deliberately fictionalized, a riveting and deeply compassionate portrait of three women – Glory, incarcerated for minor offences at age 14; Rosellen, the girl’s adoptive mother desperately trying to remain connected to her daughter; Gail, a prison guard, walking the line between her ‘orders’ and her conscience.

HUMAN LIBRARY (free)

Readers will be able to borrow from an amazing line-up of Human Books for up to 30 minutes of one-on-one conversation.  Thompson looks forward to sharing how arts can be used by all to increase understanding. Check-out details for reserving books.

ONE NIGHT STAND AND A TOAST TO 15 YEARS!

Judith Thompson joins five of Winnipeg’s own most celebrated playwrights to toast 15 years with readings of new work in development. Do not miss this closing night event!

FemFest Celebrates 15 Years!

Our beloved festival in support of women playwrights turns 15 this year! We are celebrating with the theme Coming of Age and a line-up that will blow you away.

We are ecstatic to be bringing in one of the most highly regarded playwright’s in Canadian history, two-time Governor General award-winning playwright Judith Thompson!  Thompson will join us for Mulgrave Road Theatre’s production of her play Watching Glory Die,  a harrowing play based on the true story of Ashley Smith. She will also teach a playwriting master class (September 20, 21 and 22 from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.) give a Real Thing lecture and be part of the Human Library ™.

Watching Glory Die

Judith Thompson

Tomboy Survival Guide is a live stage experience that defies genre and gender boxes with fearless truth-telling and compassionate defiance. Ivan Coyote and an all-tomboy band take the audience on a musical journey navigating the narrow halls of public washrooms, skirting the childhood threat of being picked to be a flower girl, triumphing over tying a double Windsor knot, and discovering the beauty in being handsome, not pretty, all along. This is also our first time taking FemFest to the West End Cultural Centre!

We focus our in-house attention on producing Two Indians by Falen Johnson directed by Sonya Ballantyne. After years apart two cousins meet in a Toronto alley to recreate a ceremony from their childhood, but can they remember how? When the words missing and murdered, truth and reconciliation, occupation and resistance are everywhere, how do two Mohawk women stand their ground?

We’ll share a workshop preview of New Beginnings, a work in development created with the Winnipeg newcomer and refugee community.  Come and see a preview of this exciting culmination of story and dance from around the world.

As a company dedicated to transforming society through theatre, we’ve witnessed the impact  that story-sharing can have on breaking down stereotypes and prejudices. This year we are thrilled to present a Human Library ™ as part of FemFest.  In partnership with the Millennium Library, Sarasvàti Productions has curated an incredible line up of Human Books that you can ‘take out’ for a one-of-a-kind learning experience.

The beloved Bake-Off is back! This FemFest favourite challenges 5 local female playwrights to write a scene in 8-hours using three key top-secret ingredients. Scenes will be performed as part of the Festival on Sept. 18.
Winner of the FemFest 2016 Bake-Off, Jessy Ardern presents a reading of her play in progress, Kit and Joe.

For ages 6 and up, Castlemoon Theatre presents Grounded Heroes. 10 year old Jess loves Lego, but her friends think it’s childish and weird. While researching a class assignment, Jess encounters three girls from history who were also a little bit weird for their time, and together they discover what it means to be true to yourself.

And you definitely won’t want to miss our closing night! This season, we brought our classic One Night Stand play reading series back with a vengeance. In honour of Winnipeg’s own celebrated female playwrights we’re curating a special One Night Stand dedicated to showcasing works in progress by some of these prolific writers who will be joined by Judith Thompson.

Workshops, readings and a dynamite Opening Cabaret will be a staple again this year. Get your passes now and celebrate 15 years of FemFest!

Back with a Vengeance – the One Night Stand makes a triumphant return

The ensemble cast and Director, Kim Kakegamic take a bow

Six short plays, a responsive audience and valuable feedback! We were excited to offer our re-boot of the One Night Stand Series on February 2nd thanks to the support of PTE Theatre and Film School. Under the guidance of event producer Tatiana Carnevale, seven actors brought to life the works on progress with director Kim Kakegamic. The series is designed to give an enticing taste of new theatre and leave audiences wanting more. In just over an hour everyone enjoyed a taste of comedy, suspense, and wit. By the end of the evening, there was definitely food for thought and some new favourite artists to look out for!

“It was a great chance to see work by novice and experienced playwrights.”
– Andrea Geary, audience member.

Adrianna Koller and Rachel Smith read ‘Cherries’, an adaptation of Chekov’s “The Cherry Orchard”, written by Per Brask

After the event playwrights were provided with audience feedback so they can continue their work on the pieces. Hearing dialogue out loud and seeing how audiences is respond is integral to the writing process.

“Amazing job, everyone! And for those involved in [my piece], thank you so much for helping me bring that world to life… Truly an inspirational night!” – Marjorie Roden, a featured playwright in last Tuesday’s One Night Stand.

“It was a great evening of theatre with so much variety and imaginative stories!”
– Craig Russell, featured playwright.

Erica Wilson and Braiden Houle perform “Life in a Fishbowl’ by Marjorie Rooden

Mingling after the show.

The audience pours in!

Join us for the next One Night Stand, March 2nd 7:30pm at the Colin Jackson Studio.
The theme is Student Night: presenting stand-out work by students from PTE Theatre and Film School, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. Stay tuned for the announcement of this formidable line-up!

“Thanks for a fun, fabulous, very satisfying One Night Stand everyone!! What a great evening.” – Kimberly Kakegamic, Director

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