PHOTO: Pompières et Pyromanes at FTA – by Maiko Yamamoto

TR’s Artistic Director Maiko Yamamoto and Operations Director Chelsea MacDonald were in Montréal last week to attend the 40th edition of Festival TransAmériques. It was an energizing week of shows, talks and gatherings and ended on a stirring note with Martine Delvaux + Bureau de l’APA’s Pompières et Pyromanes (Firefighters and Arsonists), a show which takes Delvaux’s essay of the same name, and places it on stage, amongst the fires, chaos and mess of humanity. It’s a love letter to her daughter, who is also on stage, along with an incredible ensemble of artists, women, parents and non-parents between the ages of 14 to 66. At a time in the world where we, as artists, are constantly asking ourselves — why does what we do matter? What can we do? This show (and the festival, really) felt like a catalyst, and awakened feelings of urgency, grief, curiosity and activation in the audience.

It was also wonderful to see old friends and to make some new ones, and to learn more about the exciting work they are doing around the world. Happy Birthday FTA, and merci!

From the (messy) desk of Creative Producer Intern, Amanda Sum :)

PHOTO: Amanda’s desk by Amanda Sum

And now, a message from the desk of TR’s Creative Producer Intern, Amanda Sum:

Hi from my messy desk! I’m HALFWAY through my year-long internship as TR’s Creative Producer Intern. About time for an update.

I’m sifting through my notebook where I’ve written down some “Mentorship Moments” that I’d like to share with you. A lot of them are just keyboard shortcuts (COMMAND SHIFT X — strike-through; OPTION SHIFT DASH — long dash). I’ve also written; “put a blankie on a baby and they become a beast,” though I’m sad to say I have no idea what the context for that is. 

My most frequently visited site on this desktop computer is: the Simplified Order Form at eastvangraphics.ca. Being here at TR, through a multitude of production tasks for HOLD ON LET GO, New Age Attitudes: Live in Concert, Town Choir for the VAG’s Art Party and more, the office has seen me amass what I call my ‘boyfriends’, all the printing spots in East Vancouver (East Van Graphics, Print and Save, Staples, Jukebox — and my newest cutie — GAMMA on the Drive). 

I love doing these little design tasks, but I’ve also loved being involved in TR’s operations and helping to produce the many programs and shows in the company’s season. Some highlights for me include helping to pull together the incredible singers for Town Choir Art Party; ordering triangle shaped foods and being a part of the team for HOLD ON LET GO; and sitting in on End of Greatness rehearsals with Veda and Maiko. Seeing the scope of work that this small and mighty team does is truly inspiring.

As Creative Producer Intern, part of my role includes developing and co-producing my own artistic work. Earlier this year, we toured New Age Attitudes: Live in Concert to the Belfry Theatre in Victoria. Revisiting this show, while also being in the early stages of developing my next live performance work is exciting! I’m in this in-between space — looking back while also dreaming forward — and it feels creative and generative. I’m starting to see how these two projects express my artistic intentions and start to energize around forming a body of work. This is something that TR knows so much about, and I’m learning a lot.

Looking ahead, I’m in creative development for the new show — writing and gathering and meeting with Maiko, and planning for a workshop in the fall with more collaborators. I’ll also be assisting on more new works from TR, AND I’m returning to teach music at PantoLand + PantoTown, which is coming up in July. 

That’s all I’ll say for now! Chelsea says I have to clean my desk. See you around!

XO Amanda 

Go see Sloth Canon!

PHOTO: Sloth Canon – by Crispian Chan

Our good friends at Company 605 are premiering a new work this week, co-produced and created with Singaporean company, The Human Expression (T.H.E) as part of The Dance Centre’s Global Dance Connections Series.

Envisioned and choreographed by Anthea Seah (T.H.E) and Josh Martin (Company 605), Sloth Canon brings together performers and collaborators from both cities to seek out what it means to build and to break.

A fragmented team of five is determined to “keep it together” as their bodies are propelled by unnatural momentum, and their bubble of fantasy drifts towards the spike of reality. What happens when imagination exceeds capacity? When ambitions threaten to burst under their own weight? When the sin of slowness collides with the pressure to produce? Sloth Canon is hellbent on building forward — while simultaneously falling apart.

June 5, 6 | 8pm
June 7 | 2pm + 8pm

Scotiabank Dance Centre
677 Davie Street

You can also listen to Lisa Mariko Gelley and Josh Martin of Company 605 speak about the work on The Dance Centre’s podcast. There’s still a few more chances to catch the show — click the button below to get tickets!

Congratulations to Sunset Visitor on the Peabody win!

A big congratulations to Sunset Visitor studios and the entire team behind the incredible adventure video game 1000XRESIST for winning a Peabody Award in the Immersive & Interactive category! Created by some of Vancouver’s most beloved performance makers, the project also features the voice talents of SO many locals, including TR’s own AD Maiko Yamamoto, Creative Producer Intern, Amanda Sum and Operations Director, Chelsea MacDonald! If you haven’t played this game yet, go check it out!

Thanks for reading this.

Team TR
Maiko, Chelsea, JK + Amanda