Awesome Music, Fearless Storytelling: 6 Reasons to see Ivan Coyote and Tomboy Survival Guide at FemFest2017

1. They are an incredible talent

Tomboy Survival Guide is the explosive live music and story-driven collaboration of Ivan Coyote, Sal Zori, Pebbles Willekes and Alison Gorman. It’s been described by NAC Backstage as “a rousing and unforgettable night of stories and anthems that pry the lid off the gender boxes we find ourselves in and illuminate some of the deepest wishes of tomboys and gender transgressors…” Tomboy Survival Guide is also the title of Ivan’s 11^th book. This award-winning storyteller has produced four short films and released three albums.

photo by Robin Toma

2. They are an institution

Ivan’s books are used as teaching material in Gender Studies classes at Universities across the world.

“Ivan Coyote is a favourite of my GWS students. Since my hire in 2013, I have taught their work and shown videos of their performances in my classes.
Tomboy Survival Guide tells heartwarming and heart-wrenching stories about the social construction and consequences of strict and binary gender roles. Tomboys, like sissy femmes, and other “gender outlaws” to use Kate Bornstein’s phrase, are representative of a systemic culture that aims to concretize sex/gender binaries, but ultimately, fails to do so. What emerges from such a culture is the resiliency, humour, and kindness of someone like Ivan.
More than anything, seeing Ivan Coyote in person will give trans, gender nonconforming, and Two Spirit students a real-life representation of gender queerness unavailable in Brandon. Furthermore, access to 2SLGBTIQA* role models and representations is essential for 2SLGBTIQA* student’s gender and sexuality affirmation.”
– Corinne L. Mason, PhD, Brandon University

photo by Jourdan Tymkow

3. Their words will stay with you

“You don’t realize how much you are slotted into your gender box by the world until you don’t or won’t or can’t fit into one”- Ivan Coyote.

Along with being named one of the Top TED Talks of 2016, Ivan has toured Universities and elementary schools alike sharing their experience navigating life outside of society’s gender boxes.

4. Fans of Ivan Coyote and Tomboy Survival Guide are fans for life

“I really liked Tomboy Survival Guide because it was funny but heartfelt.  You get a couple different perspectives on what it’s like to grow up being a tomboy. The music is great! Go see them!” – Wren Brian

5. They are in demand

Ivan has toured all over the world. After playing one night only in Winnipeg, Ivan and their band take off to the Dublin Festival. Sunday Sept. 17 is a rare opportunity to see the band live!

photo by Fubar

6. They will not disappoint

Tomboy Survival Guide is a high-energy live performance that will have you out of your seat singing out loud. This all-tomboy band asks the audience to join them as they navigate the narrow halls of public washrooms, skirt the threat of being picked to be a flower girl at their aunt’s wedding, triumph over tying a double Windsor knot, and discover the power and beauty in realizing they were handsome all along.

Come and experience this incredible performance at FemFest2017.

Saturday, Sept 16 you have a chance for more intimate experience as Ivan reads from their work at 4pm at the Asper Centre for Theatre and Film. Queer youth and allies welcome!

 

Getting to know the Band behind Tomboy Survival Guide

photo by Robin Toma

On stage Ivan Coyote, Sal Zori, Pebbles Willekes and Alison Gorman are known for rousing audiences from their seats with a high-energy story-driven performance that will leave you breathless. Off stage this fantastic four have a lot of interesting hobbies and strong feelings about fishing. Get to know the talented collaborators of Tomboy Survival Guide in this week’s blog. As a special feature we’ve been asking all FemFest artists about their childhood after all our theme this year is Coming of Age!

Ivan Coyote
Writer/Lead Vocals

Ivan Coyote Then

Ivan Coyote (photo by Jourdan Tymkow)

• third generation Yukoner now based in Vancouver
• author of eleven books, creator of four short films, six full-length live shows, and three albums
• will be given a Honorary Doctorate of Laws at Simon Fraser University for their writing and activism
• if Ivan wasn’t doing this they would be an electrician
• as a child they would play the saxophone and write stories and go fishing

Sal Zori
Drummer/Percussionist

Sal Zori Then

Sal Zori Now

• born in Iraq and grew up moving back and forth between the United Arab Emirates and Canada
• for a brief time was the percussionist for Aretha Franklin
• DIY-er, tennis player, videographer, barista
• playing tennis was a favourite past-time as a child
• hates karaoke
• If you could go back in time, where would you go and why? “1920’s. The music.”

Pebbles Willekes
Bass

Pebbles Willekes Then

Pebbles Willekes Now

• born and raised in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• Graphic designer, WordPress nerd, avid gardener & cook of vegetarian food
• has fantasized about running a small farm
• “I spend most of my childhood outside, in the West side of Amsterdam, riding my bike, building huts in the dense butterfly bushes. Roasting potatoes over a campfire.  Making up stories about how me and my best friend were stranded on an island and had to survive.  Started playing music (punk rock) when I was 14, then most time was spent inside.”
  
• go-to karaoke song? Rebel Rebel – David Bowie
• If you could go back in time, where would you go and why? “I’d probably go back to the late 60’s, early 70’s, to see a young Bowie in concert”

Alison Gorman
Trumpet

Allison Gorman Then

Allison Gorman Now

• “ I eat a troubling amount of olives.”
• go-to Karaoke song – Runaround Sue
• “My brother used to take me fishing at the crack of dawn every weekend. I hated fishing, but liked hanging out with him. (He still thinks I like fishing).”
• “If I weren’t in music. Jeez. I had a brief, failed attempt at an air traffic control career. Packing groceries in bins, I suppose.”
• If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why? “Vancouver 1990’s? I’d buy up all that real estate, yo.”
• Alison directs the band Queer As Funk [link], Vancouver’s own LGBTQ Motown, soul and funk band – they play weddings!

See Tomboy Survival Guide at FemFest 2017 one-night-only SEPT 17 at the West End Cultural Centre. Tickets on sale now.

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!