Who Are We Now? is an initiative from Theatre Alberta that brings you editorial perspectives from a variety of Albertan artists, educators, administrators, and technicians about the ever-changing world of live theatre. We hope you’ll find them useful as you process your own evolving reality.
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Kijo Eunice Gatama
Curiosity Liberated The Cat Kijo Eunice Gatama Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, I think it actually liberated it and gave it the satisfaction of learning
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Simone A. Medina Polo
The Artwork and Its Compassions Simone A. Medina Polo When I had an opportunity to write the first essay for this year’s run of Who
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Savanna Harvey
Three years ago, I started writing a show called Wastelands. In creating that piece, I studied the plastic waste and climate crises. I went in feeling that we were in trouble, that was the reason for writing the show, but as an artist I didn’t see what I could do. This was a job for policy-makers, scientists, and industry. My skills weren’t useful here.
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Nikki Loach
I feel like I have experienced a sort of winter in our industry. Where some things must die so that new growth can emerge. I saw the sudden death of my frantic schedule. A full stop that was pleasant at first, but soon challenged our ‘the show must go on’ sensibility to ‘I guess the show doesn’t have to go on… can’t go on” sobriety
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Lauren Hawkeye
I was directing Five Women Wearing the Same Dress by Alan Ball for Canmore’s Pine Tree Players when the second round of COVID restrictions hit Alberta. Even though there were bigger-picture things to get worked up about, I was upset.
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Amena Shehab
We are children of the wind, we are children of the water, the fire, and the light. These are the things that make us who we are. Our voices sing the memories. The sound of mahbash – coffee ground by a father’s hand and the smell of khubz – bread kneaded with a mother’s heart.
Who Are We Now? Theatre Alberta Essay Series – Sofia Aguilar
The following essay was brought to our attention by University of Calgary School of Performing Arts Sessional Instructor Léda Davies. We’re thrilled to get this
Who Are We Now? Essays From a New World – Chris Dodd
MOVING TO A BIGGER STAGE – Chris Dodd Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one
Who Are We Now? Essays From a New World – Kathryn Smith
WHAT I WOULD LEAVE AND WHAT I WOULD KEEP I’m a designer during a pandemic. I’ve been trying to write an essay about the experience
Who Are We Now? Essays From a New World – Luay Eljamal
LOOKING TO THE PAST TO SEE THE FUTURE: A LEBANESE-CANADIAN MANIFESTO – Luay Eljamal The following essay pulls from research I conducted in 2016 for
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Suzanne Hermary
FORGING A NEW PATH – Suzanne Hermary The thoughts herein are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations with whom
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World – Lebogang Disele
WHO ARE WE NOW, AND WHERE ARE WE GOING – Lebogang Disele Pandemic Round 1: NextFest goes online. I submit my performance in the form
Who Are We Now? Essays From a New World – Sue Goberdhan
FACING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK A Letter To (and From) Sue Goberdhan, for you Well Homeslice, we made it. 28. Holy shit. Almost don’t have the
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World – Simone A. Medina Polo
IT IS NOT JUST TO HAVE A MESTIZO TRANS WOMAN IN POWER – Simone A. Medina Polo At the beginning of October 2020, I took
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World – Jacquelyn Cardinal
FROM THE DESK OF AN APOCALYPSE DOULA – Jacquelyn Cardinal One of the clearest varieties of memory I have of my childhood were the nights
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Jenna Shummoogum
TURNING TOWARDS – Jenna Shummoogum As I look around at what appears to be the second wave, the highest numbers of COVID cases in
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World – Makram Ayache
THE BEST MAN FOR THE JOB – Makram Ayache When a friend of mine shared the news of the new Alberta Artist in Residence on
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World – Makambe K Simamba
21 QUESTIONS FOR THE WHITE MAN IN PONOKA – Makambe K Simamba It was the summer, and I’d found myself at the County Fair of
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World – Nalyn Tindall
COVID-19 AT 17 – Nalyn Tindall When schools across the country were put on hold last March, I had no idea that this is what
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Daryl Cloran
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE – Daryl Cloran The numbers don’t lie. At the Citadel Theatre we spent the summer collecting data on the composition
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Inside Out Theatre
Our next essay comes to us courtesy Inside Out Theatre’s Point of View Ensemble with contributions from Meighan Wong, Jennifer Stewart, Mike Keir, and Damon
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Tai Amy Grauman
ONE YEAR AGO – Tai Amy Grauman Exactly one year ago I was in Paris, getting on a train that was Edinburgh bound. Funny
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Deanne Bertsch
COVID has undoubtedly marked our work indelibly, both in terms of practice and philosophy. This new, short-term initiative from Theatre Alberta brings you editorial perspectives
Who Are We Now? Essays From A New World – Natércia Napoleão
2020: YEAR OF THE ICONOCLAST – Natércia Napoleão In February of this year, I flew to Vancouver to attend Coyuntura 2020, an international theatre gathering where Latinx theatre artists
Who Are We Now? Essays from a New World–Mac Brock
TAKE A SHOT ON US – Mac Brock If I may be so bold: shit is pretty fucked right now. (I would offer that we
