There’s a flower bed against the front of my house and in it sits the stump of an old cedar tree; this summer I decided to dig it out. The deeper I dug, the more I realized how far down those cedar roots ran — beneath the peonies, spirea bushes, and irises I had planted, and intertwining with the roots of a birch tree 15 feet from the stump. It amazes me how deep those cedar roots go, twisting into all the other growth happening underground …

Canada’s own theatre roots are extensive. Our country grows an abundance of strong and unique artists whose individual and collective growth is interconnected — like an underground root system. We may not see it happening before our eyes, but somewhere deep down we enrich one another’s growth through the art and experiences we share. Showing our roots.

This year we are thrilled to welcome the award-winning and internationally renowned Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor. We thank The Arden Theatre in St. Albert for their support of PlayWorks Ink. We are equally excited to host a masterclass with Edmonton’s Catalyst Theatre, led by Artistic Director Jonathan Christenson. Our program is full of Alberta talent, an homage to the abundance of outstanding theatre artists in our own backyard.

It’s a fitting year for PlayWorks Ink to return to the EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts — the heart of Calgary’s theatre community. Join us for this weekend of workshops, play readings, discussions, and socials; let’s make this a weekend for showing our roots, celebrating them, and cultivating new ones.

That old cedar stump still sits in the flower bed but tiny green shoots have appeared on its surface. Something new is sprouting …

Lora Brovold
Programmer
Theatre Alberta

Keri Ekberg
Executive Director
Theatre Alberta

Trevor Rueger
Executive Director
Alberta Playwrights’ Network