TRANS ARTISTS, VOICES, AND PERSPECTIVES IN THEATRE
Citadel Theatre is grateful to support Theatre Alberta’s upcoming Webinar by Request, as part of our ongoing Exchange Series. Colonialism and the gender binary are intrinsically linked and their duet can force traditional knowledge underground. Join these artists in a conversation about the reclamation work found in their arts practices and beyond.
DATE: JUNE 17, 2021
PANEL: COLE ALVIS (SHE/HER) FACILITATES AN EMBODIED PANEL THAT EXPLORES THE INTERSECTIONS OF 2 SPIRIT, TRANS AND NON-BINARY IDENTITIES, FEATURING JESSE DEL FIERRO (THEY/THEM/SIYA), SYRUS MARCUS WARE (HE/HIM), AND SIMONE A. MEDINA POLO (SHE/HER).
ANTI-FAT BIAS IN CREATIVE PROCESS
This session featured four theatre & film practitioners in conversation about anti-fat bias in audience accessibility, casting, hiring processes, rehearsals, dressing room/backstage safety, post-secondary training, costume, and set design. A special presentation on related findings from April MacDonald Killins’ report, Stories to Action: Co-creating Inclusive Pathways to Professional Theatre in Edmonton, was shared as part of the session.
DATE: MAY 26, 2021
PANEL: ANDREA BEÇA, KESHIA CHEESMAN, BIANCA MIRANDA AND MIEKO OUCHI, WITH APRIL MACDONALD KILLINS
REPRESENTATION & ACCESS: BRIDGING THE GAP IN THEATRE PRACTICE
The evening included a community conversation with four theatre practitioners, each of whom shared their own journey with disability and how they advocate for themselves and others in artistic processes or creative spaces: Kristi Hansen (actor and producer), Christopher Imbrosciano (advocate and actor in Citadel Theatre’s Cost of Living), Carly Neis (actor and playwright), and Teal Sherer (writer, advocate, and actor in Citadel Theatre’s Cost of Living). Topics included real and perceived ableism, representation on stage (selecting or creating productions, creative team curation, casting), proactive measures producers and creators can take to ensure accessibility for artists (short term for specific projects, and long term for equity in all projects), acceptable language and “labels,” and accessible spaces and policies for audience members.
DATE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2020
PANEL: KRISTI HANSEN, CHRISTOPHER IMBROSCIANO, CARLY NEIS, AND TEAL SHERER
CREATING SAFE AND WELCOME WORKSPACES
The evening included a panel of Edmonton professional theatre practitioners, each of whom shared their own practices and how they create welcoming workspaces for artists, or how they advocate for themselves and others to ensure physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are being met throughout a creative process.
DATE: FEBRUARY 11, 2019
PANEL: KELSIE ACTON, DARYL CLORAN, CHRISTINE SOKAYMOH FREDERICK, GINA PUNTIL, AND VANESSA SABOURIN.
MODERATED BY: MIEKO OUCHI.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONCRETE THEATRE.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
A chance to connect with peers socially to continue the conversation.
DATE: MAY 14, 2018
FACILITATOR: WADE KING (DIRECTOR, SAFE DISCLOSURE AND HUMAN RIGHTS, UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA)
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE ARTS
The panel shared their voice and perspective on the different points in their careers and unique positions on diversity.
DATE: OCTOBER 2, 2017
EVENT PARTNERS: ALBERTA ABORIGINAL ARTS, ALBERTA WORKERS’ HEALTH CENTRE, AZIMUTH THEATRE, AND THE MAGGIE TREE
KEYNOTE SPEECH: JOVANNI SY, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF RICHMOND’S GATEWAY THEATRE
DISCUSSION PANEL: NASRA ADEM, MARIAN BRANT, HUNTER CARDINAL, CHRIS DODD, JULIE FERGUSON, CHRISTINE FREDERICK, AND MIEKO OUCHI
MODERATOR: GINA PUNTIL
TERRITORY WELCOME AND BLESSING: LEWIS CARDINAL