Join us at Magnetic Encounters, where the audience meets the artists – where you can be a part of the festival program.
Our Magnetic Encounters program aims to be more than your average post-show going-through-the-motions. We want you to get personal and intimate with some of the hottest artists in Canadian theatre. And we want to provide you with the chance to spread your artistic wings and engage your creative spirit. Encounters takes you behind the scenes in intimate and surprising ways!
Join a conversation with the creators of the Drowsy Chaperone: then the next day gather around the piano and become a performer! HINTERVIEW WITH DON McKELLAR AND GREG MORRISON Peter Hinton interviews Don McKellar and Greg Morrison, co-creators of the Fringe-to-Broadway hit musical The Drowsy Chaperone. Co-presented by Magnetic North Theatre Festival and the NAC English Theatre.
JUNE 5, 5PM | National Arts Centre, Le Salon at 53 Elgin Street
CHOIR PRACTICE
Stand up and sing! Join Greg Morrison, Don McKellar and students and graduates of Canterbury High School as we learn songs from The Drowsy Chaperone and belt out some numbers from this favourite Canadian musical.
JUNE 6 at 12:30PM | Glebe St. James United Church, 650 Lyon Street
Participate in the temporary transformation of Ottawa’s streets and make the city our stage! Z’S BY THE C
Eric Moschopedis and Mia Rushton want you to reconsider your leisure and time in this site-specific performance art project. Let the city pass you by as you handcraft a sleep mask and indulge in a midday nap. Presented in association with SAW Gallery. Patch portion of Z’s by the C was initiated by Truck Gallery.
JUNE 5, 11am-4PM | Steps by the National Arts Centre
JUNE 6, 11am-4PM | Byward Market, George Street
JUNE 7, 11am-4PM | Byward Market
PORTAGE
Terrance Houle and Trevor Freeman wear spandex underneath ‘traditional costumes’, pose for photos, buy souvenir moccasins and traverse a canoe across Ottawa in this humorous and political look at Canada’s most iconic mode of transport. Presented in association with SAW Gallery with support from Trailhead.
June 9, 12-4pm | Starting at SAW Gallery. Check website to download the predicted route map.
Portage and Z’s by the C will happen rain or shine. Please dress appropriately.
Give yourself another Jake’s Gift by meeting someone who was there. WITNESS TO HISTORY
Reflect on the impact of Jake’s Gift and Canadians at war and join this conversation with a veteran of the Second World War. This special Witness to History is part of an ongoing program hosted by our partner, the Canadian War Museum.
JUNE 7, 3:30PM | Canadian War Museum following the performance of Jake’s Gift.
Have a burning question? Want to see more of your favourite performer? Want to know what the creators really think? TEA WITH THE ARTIST Sarah Stanley gets right to the heart of the creative process in these intimate artist interviews, where every day is a different flavour. A festival favourite!
Afternoons at Ottawa Little Theatre from 3-4PM
JUNE 5 | Nevermore
JUNE 6 | Skydive
JUNE 8 | Letters from my Grandmother / Pyaasa
JUNE 11 | Trudeau Stories
JUNE 12 | Fear of Flight
JUNE 13 | The Rideau Project / Projet Rideau
POST-PERFORMANCE TALKBACKS
Stick around, lend your ear and contribute your thoughts to the conversations and interviews onstage after selected shows.
JUNE 4 | Nevermore
JUNE 5 | Skydive and The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan
JUNE 6 | Don’t Blame the Bedouins
JUNE 8 | Jake’s Gift
JUNE 9 | Letters to my Grandma / Pyaasa
JUNE 10 | Eternal Hydra
JUNE 11 | Fear of Flight
JUNE 12 | Trudeau Stories
FESTIVAL BAR AT CLUB SAW JUNE 3-13, 5PM – 2AM
The heart of our festival, the Festival Bar at Club SAW is more than just an insider’s hang-out. We welcome every audience member to join us post-show where companies, artists, visitors and audience members meet new friends, make new connections and digest the day’s events.
This year, Magnetic North teams up with some of the trendsetters and leaders in Ottawa’s independent theatre scene to co-host our festival bar. Not only will you be able to engage with these local artists, you’ll also be able to sample a collection of their short works, installations, interventions and demonstrations especially made for the Festival Bar at Club SAW. Companies include mutatis mutandis, The Absinthe Collective, Ottawa Little Theatre, Gruppo Rubato, Evolution Theatre and ¡MI CASA!.
PERFORMANCES INTO THE WEE HOURS!
Magnetic North artists are more than triple threats: several of them have full-fledged bands on the side, and they’re teaming up to bring us some great concerts too!
JUNE 6 at 10:30PM | Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir with Glenn
Nuotio, $10 at the door only, no reservations in advance.
Featuring members of Calgary’s Old Trout Puppet Workshop, The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir bring their wild and ornate folk-rock to Magnetic North for a special show. Their latest album Ten Thousand sold out its first pressing in two months.
JUNE 10 at 10:30PM | Bob Wiseman in concert | FREE
Bob Wiseman is an unusual performance artist - he makes super 8 films about his songs and accompanies them live on accordion, guitar or with an altered miniature casio.
JUNE 13 at 10:30PM | Musical Guests from Fear of Flight | FREE
Watch Bob Wiseman perform:
Don’t miss our closing night party. We aim to wind up the festival with a final night that celebrates the many artists who have graced our stages, and the more than 150 volunteers who are the very backbone of the festival. Musical guests from Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland’s Fear of Flight, give the night a Newfoundland feel.
All Encounters events are pay-what-you-will at the door. If you would like to be guaranteed a seat at our indoor events, you can pre-reserve yourself a place for just $15.
