Canada’s only provincial theatre magazine is published in Alberta.
In fact, Theatre Alberta publishes it – it’s called All Stages. It is dedicated to all aspects of theatre creation, performance, technical production, education and development. It features stories about theatre professionals, emerging artists and hidden gems. (… Speaking of which, our latest edition features a profile an absolute gem of an artist: Jake Tckazyk, an 18-year-old that seems to be building an entire theatre industry in Beaver, Alberta by himself. You can read about Jake online here.)
We distribute All Stages three times a year – fall, winter and spring – to a mailing list consisting of Theatre Alberta members, stakeholders and other interested parties. If you’d like to receive copies of All Stages, just become a member of Theatre Alberta – click here to join!
I’m not actually writing to hawk our magazine, though. This actually a roundabout way to talk about a really exciting theatre production that’s coming to the Greater Edmonton Area this week: Ghost River Theatre’s The Highest Step in the World playing at the Arden Theatre in St. Albert. It’s only here for two nights: January 27 & 28 (that’s this Friday and Saturday).
How exciting? When I was living in Toronto (2007-11), I was invited to attend a Masterclass on multi-media production design and video projection for theatre, part of the Canadian Stage’s Festival of Ideas and Creation. The class was led by Ben Chaisson, who was currently working a video projection design for a new work premiering in Calgary as part of Alberta Theatre Projects’ Enbridge playRites Festival. Of course, the production was The Highest Step in the World.
Again and again while I was in Ontario, the word on the street was that the most exciting and innovative theatre in the country was being created and presented in Alberta; that Toronto was in danger of being eclipsed as the centre of new English Canadian theatre by Edmonton and Calgary. And here, in the largest non-profit English theatre in the country, Toronto artists were being instructed on a cutting edge new production written by Albertans, for an Albertan Festival, on an Albertan stage.
The Highest Step in the World won 2010 Betty Mitchell Awards for Outstanding Production of a Play and Outstanding Choreography, and was nominated for Best New Play, Best Actor and Best Sound Design. It has been touring ever since.
Essentially, this is a pretty sure bet for a good night out.
Now – what does this have to do with All Stages? The magazine editor is David van Belle – co-author, producer and star of The Highest Step in the World. And I can personally vouch that this guy is one of the coolest around. So check it out, this weekend at the Arden Theatre in St. Albert (7:30 p.m. start both nights). Tix are available at 780-459-1542 or online.
Here’s a preview:
