Short, Sharp, Original Shows Feature Empowered And Energized Female Voices
Vancouver, BC / Mon, April 25, 2016 — SHIFT Theatre is back with its 9th annual innovative theatre series, the 1-Act Festival. This year, the festival focuses on female-created work, while also expanding its scope to include musical guests and workshops for a more festival-type of atmosphere.
SHIFT Theatre’s annual signature event, the 1-Act Festival invites local theatre-makers to submit a one-act work to be reviewed by a jury. This year’s panel drew from 20 submissions to present stagings of three exciting new and developing pieces linked by their atypical, thought-provoking portrayals of women.
“As a proponent of a ‘make it happen’ mentality, I am proud to present original, locally-developed works, as a feminist theatre-maker, I am fist-pumping about the wealth of female playwrights represented,” SHIFT Artistic Director Nicole “Coco” Roberge says. “I’m ecstatic to work with Festival Co-ordinator and Production Manager Anthony Liam Kearns, and the collaborative people at the Firehall Arts Centre. As an audience member, I am looking forward to three evenings (and one matinee) of short, sharp shows back to back to back.”
Roberge is also looking forward to welcoming theatre-goers to a more party-like atmosphere for this year’s event, which has moved from its previous digs at the Cultch’s Culture Lab to the Firehall Arts Centre. Along with nightly presentations of the three one-act plays, the festival is presenting a matinee with free childcare, live music before and after the evening shows, a special interlude piece, a Saturday workshop, and readings of two more brand new plays by emerging female playwrights.
Swan Song (Written and performed by Stephanie Izsak, directed by Nicole “Coco” Roberge)
With Swan Song, SHIFT shifts into musical theatre mode for the first time. Developed by Vancouver-based performer/playwright Stephanie Izsak and supported by the SHIFTLab program and acclaimed mentor Lori Triolo, Swan Song is a darkly comic and poignant exploration of human culpability in the shape of a musical visit to “the other side.” Izsak is the featured performer in a suite of six songs arranged by Nico Rhodes and featuring Matt Grinke on piano accompaniment. Of inspiration, Izsak says she “has spent many years trying to be bad which has only led to a passionate belief in the good.”
Almost a Stepmom (Written and performed by Keara Barnes, directed by Michael David Stewart)
Almost a Stepmom debuted to great acclaim at the 2015 Victoria Fringe Festival. The one-woman show draws from Vancouver-born-and-raised theatre grad Keara Barnes’ relationships during three formative years she spent living and working in Dublin, Ireland. From falling in love to navigating new and reimagined relationships, Almost a Stepmom is about making difficult decisions and listening to your gut.
Fall-Out Picnic (Written by Mily Mumford, Performed by Mily Mumford and Sean Harris Oliver, directed by Jessica Nelson)
Two young people attempt an everyday activity in an extraordinary setting. Writer/performer Mily Mumford plays Sydney, who encourages her friend London (Sean Harris Oliver) “to live a little” – in the face of everything falling apart around them. Developed as an outdoor site-specific work for Victoria’s Theatre Skam, this “eco-pocalyptic” comedy was inspired by the climate nightmare we may be leaving our grandchildren.
In addition, each night of SHIFT 1-Act Festival 9 will include Dream Interlude. Created and performed by Bailey Soleil Creed, who was recently seen in Cinderella: An East Van Panto (directed by Amiel Gladstone), the brief, interactive piece applies to everyone who’s ever been afraid of anything.
Selections for SHIFT 1-Act Festival 9 were made by a jury that included David Mann (Performing Arts Manager at Evergreen Cultural Centre and Artistic Director of Theatre One in Nanaimo), Anton Lipovetsky (local innovator, award-winner and SHIFT 1-Act Fest alum), and Dani Fecko (Fascinator Management, International Society for the Performing Arts).
