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LETTER FROM HEATHER
Happy New Year and welcome to The Cultch in 2010! I wanted to remind you of a couple of amazing shows that are coming up fast from extraordinarily innovative theatre companies. They are guaranteed to sell out, and offer the most memorable & unique theatre experience you may ever have. Truly!
Our Micro-Theatre Series: Only 24 spots/night and five nights of performances
Looking for a rare and unique theatre experience? Ever wanted to order your theatre choice from a menu and be the sole audience member at a show designed and performed just for you? That's the premise of Intimate History, one of three shows in our exciting and innovative micro-theatre series. Continuing the tradition of installation & micro theatre that began five seasons ago with British Installation Theatre Week and Each... and Every Inch, The Cultch presents three very special theatre companies with a growing reputation on the experimental theatre circuit.
There are only 24 spots available per night, and only five nights of performances (Feb 1 - 6). Tickets are going fast so we encourage you to book yours as soon as possible. One ticket/voucher gets you in to see all three performances. Call The Cultch Box Office at 604-251-1363 to book today. For more info, click here.
Best Before: A video game for 200 people!
Make it an evening of alternative theatre and add on tickets to see Best Before (we can schedule your micro-theatre shows around this performance). Best Before pulls the multi-player video game out of the virtual realm and plugs it into an intimate theatre setting. A simulated city evolves as each of the 200 spectators add their personal touch, game controller in hand. At first you are an anonymous avatar but then you take on human dimensions as audience members clash, collaborate and negotiate the forces that shape reality here in the third millennium. Presented with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, these tickets are being scooped up quickly! For more info click here.
Hope to see you at The Cultch soon!
Heather Redfern
Executive Director |
COMING UP AT THE CULTCH FOR JANUARY & FEBRUARY:
Dec 27 - Jan 17: Blackbird Theatre Society presents Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Jan 19 & 20, 28 - 30: Star9Productions presents Japanglish
Jan 21 - Feb 6: The Cultch presents Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Jan 24: The Cultch's Curator-in-Residence Brendan McLeod presents The Fugitives
Jan 29 - Feb 6: The Cultch, Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, and PuSh present Best Before
Feb 1 - 6: The Cultch presents a Micro-Theatre Series
Feb 9 - 14: The Cultch & Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad present Fear of Flight
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CATALYST THEATRE AND THE CULTCH: PAST & PRESENT
by Heather Redfern, Executive Director of The Cultch
 Making the decision to program a particular show can be a complex process. Weighing the artistic merit, financial viability, suitability of the venue, interest the audience might have, and how the production will fit with the other shows in the season are all a part of programming. However, there are other factors that are more elusive: the relationship and history a particular company or artist has to The Cultch and our audiences, the role a company plays in the broader context of professional theatre, dance or music in Canada, and the role we as a presenter play in positioning those companies for future touring both nationally and internationally.
So how did I come to program Nevermore? I have a long history with Catalyst Theatre. I was the Artistic Producer for the company for eight years and oversaw the beginning of its touring activities. I know the work intimately and I know the care and precision that has gone into creating it. I know it will be of the highest artistic interest and quality, and that it will engage an audience on a visual, aural and intellectual level. The Cultch has been Catalyst Theatre's Vancouver home as much as it has been for Ronnie Burkett, The Holy Body Tattoo, Kidd Pivot, and many others. By bringing back an artist or company every couple of years we build a local audience base. This then allows me to bring in new projects by these artists knowing there will be a public who is interested in seeing it.
 Over the past seven years The Cultch has presented three productions by the company- The House of Pootsie Plunket, Carmen Angel and Frankenstein - so bringing in Nevermore was a no-brainer. But there was an issue; one that anyone who tried and failed to get into our sold-out run of Frankenstein can attest to. As Catalyst Theatre has become increasingly more successful, their work has grown in size and complexity. Nevermore was simply not going to "fit" on The Cultch stage. The show was more expensive and the audience demand had outgrown the seating capacity at The Cultch. We needed partners to be able to bring this fabulous show to Vancouver.
I saw Nevermore as an opportunity to continue our foray into other venues - something we did last year when our venue was closed, which serendipitously connected Cultch audiences to a larger artistic community. I approached VANOC with the project, and then Norman Armour at PuSh approached The Arts Club. And a 4-way partnership was born. Some people will think Nevermore is an Arts Club show, others a PuSh or Cultural Olympiad presentation, and some people will think it is a Cultch show; but none of that matters. The most important thing is that you have the opportunity to experience the remarkable journey that Nevermore will take you on. Without each partner bringing their piece of the puzzle to the table, Nevermore would not be showing in Vancouver. See you there!
Nevermore plays at the Arts Club Theatre Company's Granville Island Stage from Jan 21 - Feb 6th. For tickets, visit www.artsclub.com.
THE COMPANY BEHIND BEST BEFORE
by PuSh Festival Executive Director Norman Armour and Senior Curator Sherrie Johnson
In keeping with our curatorial vision to nurture creativity, foster innovation and stimulate dialogue and exchange, PuSh commissioned the German company Rimini Protokoll to embark on a new creation for its 2010 Festival with the simple premise that the work embody the notion of futurism.
Rimini Protokoll (www.rimini-protokoll.de) is the label given to a unique triumvirate of directors: Helgard Haug, Stephan Kaegi and Daniel Wetzel. Founded in 2000, this internationally acclaimed group has created over 20 new works of theatre - all sharing a very distinct house style. Having studied together at the Institute of Applied Theatre Studies, Justus Liebig-Universität Gießen (Giessen, Germany), and working in various combinations, the three artists behind Rimini Protokoll devise new work out of the material provided by real life. They have become the central figures in a documentary movement that has taken centre stage in German theatres over the last few years.
 Rimini Protokoll has a distinct vision of the world, but what stands out in their productions is their belief in the impact of their work on society. They tackle major social issues with their innovative and visionary productions - works that redefine the very boundaries of theatre. Rimini Protokoll are the change-makers in our field; they themselves represent a contemporary futurism as leaders in the documentary theatre movement. They bring new insights, ideas and approaches to the artistic milieu within which we work, as well as offering a deeper understanding of the world-at-large to our audiences.
Each and every Rimini project is developed out of a concrete situation, for a specific location and on the basis of exhaustive research. Collaborating with other professional artists, the work is conceived and created with non-professionals who, in turn, play themselves in the drama on stage. Haug, Wetzel and Kaegi refer to these found actors as "specialists," or "experts in daily life." In the group's work, reality and fiction are difficult things to separate, as the actual and the imaginary shift, interact and overlap. The theatre of Rimini Protokoll does not simply take pleasure in a clever sleight of hand; their aim is to explore what constitutes reality in all its facets, as a way of enabling the audience to then interrogate it. With empathy, humour and curiosity, ideas and people are brought together in work that is both sophisticated and highly theatrical.
 PuSh has chosen to commission Rimini Protokoll as an inspiring counterpoint to several artistic trends within our region. Representation, history, identity and place have all been recurring thematics of contemporary practice in British Columbia over the past 20 years. In the independent theatre scene, verbatim and documentary approaches have also been a significant impulse for the creation of new work. Rimini Protokoll shares these concerns and approaches, but in very distinct and provocative ways. The sheer audacity and range of their work also exhibits a remarkably fluid approach to crisscrossing disciplinary boundaries.
Best Before is as ambitious as anything the PuSh Festival has embarked upon. It's been a long journey. To arrive here now has meant traveling across continents, an ocean and several cultural divides. Now home, the trip feels well worth the effort. We think you'll agree.
Best Before is part of the 2010 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and is presented with Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and The Cultch. January 29- February 6, 2010 at 7pm (weekend matinees Sat 2pm and Sun 4pm), The Cultch. Click here for full details.
THE CULTCH'S CURATOR-IN-RESIDENCE BRENDAN MCLEOD PRESENTS
THE FUGITIVES
WHEN: Sunday, January 24th
WHERE: THE CULTCH'S VANCITY CULTURE LAB (1895 Venables Street)
The Fugitives are the combined talents of Vancouver artists Adrian Glynn, Barbara Adler, Brendan McLeod, and Steve Charles. A group of multi-instrumentalists, songwriters, poets and novelists, each with their own burgeoning solo career, they've won individual accolades as diverse as the Canadian SLAM poetry championship, CBC poet laureate, and a place in the Peak performance songwriting series. But their primary focus lies in banding together to integrate their sensibilities into a dynamic mix of modern folk.
Kids! If you missed out on the Biltmore show last December, The Cultch (for all its shows) lets youth 12-19 into shows for just $2. So for the love of God, go pick up a ticket - it costs less than a coffee. Adults, you have to pay more. But you're an adult and you're finished puberty, so be grateful.
Due to limited seating, the show will sell out, so get tickets here:
NOT SURE WHAT FEAR OF FLIGHT IS ABOUT? Check out this beautiful video, which says it all.
THE CULTCH'S WINTER SERIES PACKAGE: ONE STAGE. FOUR GOLD MEDAL PERFORMANCES. ONLY $79!
The Cultch is thrilled to partner with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad to present four fabulous productions this season. For only $79, this package includes tickets to each of the following four shows. Click on the show title for more information on each production.
- Best Before by Rimini Protokoll (Jan 29 - Feb 6)
"They smuggle art, not bombs into reality, and observe the audience observing the explosion." - Die Zeit, Germany
Each spectator in Best Before is a single pixel or anonymous avatar in the creation of a virtual city. Over the course of the performance, a simulated city begins to emerge as the audience controls the fate of the 200 people gathered in the theatre. Presented with the PuSh Festival. - Fear of Flight by Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland (Feb 9 - 14)
"Bursting with invention...some of the best ensemble acting and singing I've seen in a long time." - CBC Radio
Combining monologues, choral text and movement, and an ensemble of singing travelers, Fear of Flight is a trans-Canadian affair, with three partnering theatre companies from across the country, and original writing from some of the nation's most prominent and lauded playwrights. - BASH'd: A Gay Rap Opera (Feb 16 - 20)
"BASH'd is a triumph...relentless...in all senses, a deeply moving shout-out." - Village Voice
Rapping Troubadours Feminem and T-Bag tell a tale of star-crossed Romeos as they skewer stereotypes against a pulsing club beat. Performed and written by Edmonton's Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow. - Elephant Wake by Globe Theatre (Mar 16 - 20)
"...a remarkable piece of character driven visual theatre." - The Stage
An extraordinary one-man play, written by and starring Joey Tremblay, breathes life into the last inhabitant of a Francophone Saskatchewan village as he struggles to maintain the relevance of his culture, family and town.
To purchase, call The Cultch Box Office at 604-251-1363. |
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THE CULTCH'S CAFE / WINE BAR IS NOW OPEN!
We are most excited to announce that The Cultch's cafe/wine bar is now officially open. Featuring a selection of delicious wines and a menu of light gourmet meals, the cafe is open 1 hr prior to evening show times as well as post-show. Make plans to meet your friends at the cafe prior to seeing a show and make an evening out of it! More details to come soon.
SINGLE TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR Underneath the Lintel
The Cultch's co-presentation with the Chutzpah! Festival brings you a "cosmic puzzle that makes 'The Dav Vinci Code' seem like a game of hide and seek" (Variety). A book initially checked out 113 years ago is anonymously returned, launching a librarian's quest to find the borrower. Funny, touching and surprising, the adventure of Underneath the Lintel is storytelling at its best. For more info, click here.
"An arresting performance that's easily one of the finest of this year's Fringe." - EYE WEEKLY, Toronto
Tickets can now be purchased through Chutzpah's box office: 604-257-5145.
 FACEBOOK TIP: Sign up as a fan of The Cultch on Facebook and become eligible for our exclusive Facebook ticket giveaways and last minute deals!
THE CULTCH BOX OFFICE
PHONE: 604-251-1363.
There are no online ticket sales at this time.
Holiday Box Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 12pm - 6pm
Saturday: 12 - 4pm
Sunday: Closed
Our box office will always be open 1 hour prior to any performance. Normal box office hours will resume Monday, January 18th, 2010
GETTING TO THE CULTCH DURING WINTER 2010
Worried about getting to a show on time during Winter 2010 Games? Be sure to check out the following websites and plan ahead for your trip! http://travelsmart2010.ca/
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SEASON IS YOU
When you make a donation to The Cultch, you directly impact our ability
to keep ticket prices low, and enable us to continue to bring
unforgettable performances by local, national and international artists
and companies to East Vancouver. Considering that only 40% of our
budget is covered by ticket sales, rentals and concessions, your
support makes an extraordinary difference.
Becoming a supporter of The Cultch is easy. Just click here.
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