Presented by Eastern Front Theatre, Stages Theatre Festival packs it in June 17-28, with six full productions, family friendly events, work from new and established artists and play-readings.
Artistic producer Charlie Rhindress curated the festival and stayed true to the name. Showing plays at different stages in their development, by artists at different stages in their careers on a variety of stages across the city.
Fill your dance card now with the lineup:
Stranger to Hard Work
Written and performed by Cathy Jones
June 17 & 19-21 - 7:00pm - $20
Neptune Studio Theatre, 1593 Argyle St.
Canadian cultural icon, comedienne and one of the funniest women on television, Cathy Jones returns to the stage with her third one woman show, Stranger To Hard Work. In this new show Cathy shares her unique perspective on a variety of topics from food to money and the troublesome people in her life. It's a funny, thought provoking look at what she's learned so far. (80 mins)
Let’s Not Beat Each Other to Death (a work-in-progress)
Written and performed by Stewart Legere (a work-in-progress)
Director - Christian Barry (appears with the permission of Canadian Actors' Equity Association)
June 17-20 - 9:00pm - $15
The Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen St.
Let’s Not Beat Each Other To Death is a play/memorial/electro-pop dance party. Beginning as a reaction to violence against the queer community in Nova Scotia, its scope expands outward and becomes a search for explanation, compassion, and catharsis on a global scale. It’s a participatory event that asks audiences to remember, celebrate, think, and dance. (75 mins)
LANDLINE: A Game Of Unlikely Rendezvous
By Dustin Harvey and Adrienne Wong
Produced by Secret Theatre and Neworld Theatre
June 27 & 28 - 2:00pm - $10
LANDLINE is a performance taking place at once in two places. Participants walk city streets, listening to an audio guide and conversing in real time with a stranger in a different city using text messaging. As the experience unfolds, individuals are prompted simultaneously to share stories, memories, and secrets. You are both audience and performer engaged in a game of unlikely rendezvous. The project largely takes place outside, using the urban landscape as backdrop for the relationship forming between two strangers. LANDLINE offers participants a curious exposure to the feeling of being alone together. Email [email protected] for reservation details. (75 mins)
Let’s Try This Standing
Created and performed by Gillian Clark
Directed by Anthony Black (appears with the permission of Canadian Actors' Equity Association)
Produced by Keep Good (Theatre) Company
June 25-27 - 7:00pm - $10
The Living Room, 2353 Agricola St.
Gillian Clark’s work-in-progress production of Let’s Try This Standing, tells funny, intimate, and strange stories about everything that has happened since she was hit by an SUV in 2010. Dealing with recovery as an ongoing process, the show creates a space where, together, we can be honest about how okay we are. (60 mins)
Halifax Theatre for Young People and Eastern Front Theatre present these family-friendly productions:
God’s Middle Name
Written by Jennifer Overton
Directed by Tessa Mendel
Produced by Halifax Theatre for Young People
June 18 & 19 - 10:30am
June 20 & 21 - 4:00pm
Adults $10, Students $7
Neptune Studio Theatre, 1593 Argyle St.
God’s Middle Name is the poignant true story of a mother’s journey to accept her son’s autism and the multiple challenges of living with autism. This new version of the award winning show has been crafted to help young people gain a deeper understanding of how the world is experienced for people with autism and those who are part of their lives. (60 mins)
The Queen of Paradise's Garden
Written and performed by Andy Jones
June 24 & 26 - 7:00pm
June 27 & 28 - 4:00pm
Adults $10, Students $7
Neptune Studio Theatre, 1593 Argyle St.
Told with the humour, warmth and sly wit that has made Andy Jones one of Newfoundland’s finest and best-loved storytellers, The Queen of Paradise's Garden follows Jack, the delightful, mischievous, big-hearted hero of so many island tales. Using puppets, Jones performs the story of Jack’s search for a magical fruit that will make his parents young again. (40 mins)
Ten-Minute Play Contest
Sunday, June 28 - 2:00pm - $5 suggested donation at the door
Neptune Studio Theatre, 1593 Argyle St.
Written by young people in Grades 10-12 and workshopped by professional theatre artists, four short plays will be presented in association with the Imperial Oil Foundation, Theatre Nova Scotia, and the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre.
Play-Readings for Young Audiences
Saturday, June 27 - 2:00pm - $5 suggested donation at the door
The Living Room, 2353 Agricola St.
In partnership with Eastern Front Theatre, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC), and Theatre Nova Scotia, Halifax Theatre for Young People will offer back-to-back readings of two great new plays for young audiences.
The Blue Dot
By Evan Wade Brown
The Pale Blue Dot is about the relationships we have with space and time, dreams, and science. The play, by local playwright, performer, technician and designer Evan Brown, will take us through fantastic places of possibility in the dreaming landscape of a woman who feels a tremendous connection to the fate of the Voyager 1, which captured an image of earth as a small, pale, blue dot.
The Amazing Melvins
By Lindsay Wilson
The Amazing Melvins, uses illusion as its central conceit - both as a theatrical device and a way to express how difficult it is to grow up under society’s expectations of gender. Now resident in Halifax, Lindsay Wilson is a graduate of the Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto, Ontario and completed her M.A. in Creative Writing at Concordia University.
Special events, all pay what you can, suggested donation $5 at the door.
DEMOSTAGE 6
Produced by Secret Theatre
Thursday, June 18 - 6:30pm
The Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen St.
DEMOSTAGE is a curated platform of projects in development by emerging and established Nova Scotian artists. Presenters show what they’ve been working on and then the audience asks questions and offers feedback. Everyone is always encouraged to stick around and interact further. (60 mins)
Keeping Up With The Joneses
Wednesday, June 24 - 8:00pm
Neptune Studio Theatre, 1593 Argyle St.
In the Studio with Charlie is a live talk show hosted by our Artistic Producer, the very funny writer and performer, Charlie Rhindress. In the Studio celebrates prominent Atlantic Canadian artists and for Stages we have two of Canada’s funniest performers, siblings Cathy and Andy Jones. Talking about growing up in Newfoundland, CODCO, and where they are now it promises to be a lively, thought provoking conversation, live on stage. (60 mins)
Playwright’s Unit in Performance
Friday, June 26 - 8:30pm
The Living Room, 2353 Agricola St.
Eastern Front Theatre’s Playwrights Unit is a group of Halifax based writers who meet to share their progress on current works and receive feedback from their peers. Stages will feature staged readings in The Living Room from works in progress by these talented individuals. (60 mins)
Staging Film: A Variety Show of Nova Scotia Filmmakers
Saturday, June 27 - 8:00pm
Neptune Studio Theatre, 1593 Argyle St.
Known for their diverse creative talent, Nova Scotian artists have long made a living in a variety of disciplines. Given the interdependence across numerous creative sectors, professional artists from across the province have stood up to voice their support and need for a healthy film-making industry in Nova Scotia. This variety show will shine a positive spotlight on the talented film-workers who strive to brighten not only our screens, but our musical and theatrical institutions as well. Proceeds from this event will go to support Screen NS and the Actors’ Fund of Canada. (90 mins)
For tickets call 902-429-7070, online at easternfronttheatre.com, or in person at the Neptune Theatre Box Office, 1593 Argyle Street. Taxes and service charges extra.
