SNEAK PEEK PROVIDES A HINT OF WHAT’S TO COME

The Magnetic North Theatre Festival is coming to Vancouver June 4-14, 2008, hosted by Vancouver’s professional theatre community and post-secondary educational institutions. Select details of its programming were announced at a special Sneak Peek event Tuesday, December 11, 2007, at 9am at the Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street, Vancouver. The Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts Stan Hagen was in attendance with a special announcement. Vice-Chair, Ian Forsyth was our gracious MC for the event with Managing Director Ann Connors Brophy and Artistic Director Ken Cameron also speaking.

“We are thrilled to host this must-see Canadian theatre festival in Vancouver,” said Hagen. “The festival’s impact on the Canadian cultural scene has grown tremendously over the years, and Vancouver will no doubt continue this trend. This significant event will boost tourism and enhance arts and culture in B.C.” Hagen announced funding to the sum of $150,000 to include the festival, specifically its presentation of HIVE2, in the 150th anniversary celebrations of the province.

Hardsell
By Rick Miller and Daniel Brooks
Necessary Angel Theatre Company
Toronto, ON
Co-produced by Magnetic North Theatre Festival

Artistic Director Ken Cameron announced Hardsell, the hotly anticipated new work from Toronto sensations Rick Miller and Daniel Brooks produced by Necessary Angel Theatre and Wyrd Productions and has been commissioned by Magnetic North specifically to premiere in Vancouver. Vancouver audiences will remember Rick and Daniel from their monster hit Bigger Than Jesus which played at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre in 2006 and in the 2006 Festival in St. John’s to great acclaim. Hardsell is a multi-media extravaganza that explores the absolute commodification of everything.

blood.claat
By d’bi.young.anitafrika
Theatre Passe Muraille
Toronto, ON

Magnetic North has always been a forum for new voices and for the next wave of Canada’s stunning talent.  Jamaican-Canadian dub poet d’bi.young.anitafrika is one of those voices.  She was named Toronto’s emerging artist of the year just a few months ago, and her 2006 breakout play blood.claat took the Toronto scene by storm.  Produced by Toronto’s Theatre Passe Muraille blood.claat explores violence, bloodshed, familial bloodlines and the power of menstruation in a ferocious solo work.

Hive 2
Progress Lab
Vancouver, BC
Commissioned by Magnetic North Theatre Festival

Hive is produced by the Progress Lab, a tightly-knit coalition of 11 theatre companies: Boca del Lupo, Electric Company, neworldtheatre, Felix Culpa, The Only Animal, Radix Theatre, Theatre Conspiracy, Theatre Replacement, Leaky Heaven Circus, Rumble Productions and Theatre SKAM from Victoria have been commissioned by Magnetic North to create HIVE 2.  HIVE2 continues to expand the mega-scale exploration of inter-organizational and artistic collaboration in a site-specific environment of the original.  Dynamic, innovative and extraordinarily collaborative, the Progress Lab epitomizes the phrase “plays well with others”.  HIVE so captivated the Vancouver audiences in 2006 that the entire run was sold out before it even opened.  So get your tickets early.

Magnetic Madness: The Party!

In support of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival coming to Vancouver, the Magnetic North Vancouver Advisory is having a party! Wine, beer, martinis, food, awesome décor, party host John Murphy, live music by The Tomorrows, dj Adrian Buckley, dancing, prizes and Fun! Fun! Fun!

Saturday, January 12, 2008
7 pm to 1 am
Performance Works
1215 Cartwright St., Granville Island
Tickets in advance: $20
At the door: $25

Please call 604-251-1363 or email magneticnorth@vecc.bc.ca or approach someone on the Magnetic North Vancouver Advisory!

Come early, stay late!

Seasons Greetings from the staff at Magnetic North Theatre Festival.  We wish you a safe and festive holiday season!