IGNITE! 2008
Calgary's Festival for Emerging Artists

Presented in partnership with the Pumphouse Theatres and led by Festival Director Adrienne Smook, IGNITE! provides professional development and showcase opportunities for Calgary's up and coming artists.

Theatre. Music. Art. Dance.
IGNITE! 2008, running June 12th-14th at the Pumphouse Theatres, will be a whirlwind weekend featuring work from playwrights, directors, actors, designers, stage managers, visual artists, musicians and dancers in the early stage of their careers.

A festival pass is only $25 and grants you admission to all the events in this diverse, exciting, and edgy festival.

This year's festival will showcase five one-act theatrical works:

* Die, Mrs. Veenstra, Because You Are Old by Jeff Kubik, directed by Matt Dewald
Welcome to high school's cold war between teacher and student. Welcome to a battle of wits, wills, and balloon heads. Welcome to the battlefield.
* Fire Ally by Georgina Beaty, directed by Kathryn Waters
Ally is a typical farm girl except that her farm's sole crop is onions and a hug from her mom sets her skin on fire. How do we behave when the end of the world comes?
* the god of ordinary things, by Jonathan Chapman, directed by Amy Dettling
Brighton Gordon is an actor at the end of his rope. When Meg Lamont appears one evening and saves his show, he must chart a new course between madness and inspiration.
* Unknown Pleasures by Jonathan Seinen, directed by Anton deGroot
A sexy play that offers few answers, Unknown Pleasures dives bravely into the search for love and happiness, asking, "Is desire a slippery thing, or the heart of our personality?"
* The Year of Falling Down by Meg Braem, directed by Jamie Dunsdon
We have been born into a world of infinite possibilities. We are limitless. We can do anything, be anything and go anywhere... So why does all this choice feel like hell?

and a double bill:

* Molly, by Andrea Boyd, directed by Erin Flasch
Molly is a journey of love. Kate and Michael try to come to terms with devastating loss, and discover that the beginning of that trail lies with each other.
The Truth About Fairytales by Kristy Lannan, directed by Carla Ritchie
Amy seems to have it made. A successful book, a promising career... but will a demanding publisher and a crush on a mysterious delivery boy keep her from writing her masterpiece?

Other IGNITE! attractions:
* The Shorts Program, featuring work by Tim Ford, Ryan Hughes, Ashley Humphreys, Jennifer Roberts, Jacqueline Russell and Mike Unrau. Get ready for a whirlwind of new works: a love poem, a physical parable of archetypes, two blocked screenwriters preparing for the Big Pitch, social isolation and dying bees, onstage teeth flossing, and more! Curated by David Owen, co-directed by Tanille Geib and Karmen Rodmar and performed by our Shorts Ensemble.
* The IGNITE! Dance Series, curated by Tina Guthrie and featuring work choreographed by Aviva Fleising (Nature of Things), Barbara Kozicki (Astrid Calling) and Linda Turnbull (MaskedMemory).
* An on-site Art Gallery, curated by Heather Close and featuring work by Suzanne Piechotta, Chelsey Tellier, Gwen Kroon-Tellier and Caitlin Venditti.
* Our Midnight Music Series, with performances every night at the Pumphouse Theatres, curated by Anton deGroot.
* The Readings Series, curated by Ethan Cole, featuring two staged readings and an excerpt from a brand-new collective creation.

... and more!

Click on show titles to see more information on each show as well as show times & artist bios!