It’s the most wonderful time of Inglewood’s year when the Fringe tents are pitched and colourfully clad show patrons dart from show venue to show venue, lighting up 9th Avenue.
Calgary Fringe 2013 promises eight days of "Uncensored, Unexpected, Unforgettable" performances from August 2nd to 10th. GayCalgary Magazine is happy to be standing behind ten of those shows, highlighted here for your consideration.
Visit the Calgary Fringe website for more information on, and tickets to, any show.
"Ludwig&Lohengrin" by Kyall Rakoz
Uh yes, King Ludwig II, was the handsome eccentric who reigned over Bavaria, Germany from 1864 to 1886, until he was found mysteriously drowned with the psychologist rumoured also to be his lover.
In Kyall Rakoz’s show the famously gay King and designer of Germany’s most fanciful castles is brought back to life.
"Interestingly, homosexuality had been de-criminalized in Bavaria by Ludwig’s father – a respite that would not last through the Nazi regime – but as a devout Catholic Ludwig struggled personally to reconcile his homosexuality with his religious beliefs; a struggle as relevant in 2013 as it was in the 19th Century," Rakoz says. "From the eyes of his loyal followers and insane family I seek to delve into the fantastic life and mysterious death of Ludwig in this one man show."
In ode to the King’s real-life obsession with fairy tales and art, Rakoz seeks to create a fairytale performance.
"It is my wish to take my audience on an imaginative journey of mythical proportions, enveloping them in the world of Ludwig," he says. "Just as his life, the production will be equal parts comedy, tragedy, and romance."
This will be Rakoz’s first time performing at the Calgary Fringe and first time creating and performing a solo show. Rakoz was part of the Third Street Theatre’s Queer Theatre Creation Ensemble that wrote and performed This is How I Left.
"As a resident of Calgary and graduate from the U of C I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share such impassioned and personal work with my hometown," he says. "I hope [Ludwig&Lohengrin] will be a theatrically exciting story that connects us to our history, our inner child, and our sense of wonder."
"Teacher in the House" by Susan Jeremy (Watson Arts)
Susan Jeremy is becoming a household name at the Calgary Fringe, having brought shows to the festival since 2006. These have included P.S 69 and Brazil Nuts, which was centered on a lesbian couples’ green card wedding.
"This new show deals with teaching, overcoming an illness, and recreating very funny households in NYC," says the Brooklyn-based actress who co-wrote the show with Mary Fulham.
The plotline, which centers on teachers who instruct in people’s homes, is based on a true story and won Best of Fest in Winnipeg last year. Jeremy will be playing ten different characters throughout.
"Calgary fringe is supportive, small and fun," she says. "I hope your readers will see the show."
Teacher in the House will be performed in Lolita’s Lounge.
"Dynamis Lost" by Nicola Wanless (Sword in a Jar)
While coming out stories and same-sex couples are more frequently seen in mainstream media, Dynamis Lost emphasizes that just as important as the dramatic stories are the everyday ones too.
Nicola Wanless wrote and directed a comedic show centered on Stella and Amanda, a totally normal couple.
"Although I think having a lot of mainstream media deal with coming out stories and homophobia is really important, it’s also important to have stories where two female people or two male people are dating and that’s it," Wanless says. "They’re just a normal couple, and they’re treated as such."
A refreshing concept from such a young director; Wanless is still attending high school in Calgary. Dynamis Lost will mark her Fringe debut, though she has volunteered for the event previously.
"I’m excited for the chance to get to do theatre in a more professional way than I ever have before," she says. "I think it’s a very unique experience for someone my age."
Wanless’s production offers show times from early afternoon to late evening at Festival Hall.
"Wild Abandon" by Maren Hanna (Pinned Pompadour Theatre)
Come to this show before your third Village brew; if you don’t pay attention you may miss the subtle "queer between the lines".
Wild Abandon is a one-man show about Steve, "a man who believes he is alone in the world." Prominent gay Canadian theatre artist Daniel MacIvor wrote the script.
"The text deeply resonated with myself, and performer Clayton Robinson, when we were the only out queer kids in our high school drama program," Director Maren Hanna says. "It’s smart and funny but it is also intensely personal and we found we could really relate to it."
Hanna and Robinson decided to approach the text from a queer perspective and "to coax out as much of that subtext as possible" while creating "an environment that is a safe and collaborative space for young queer artists" within their rehearsal space.
The show "is about feeling alone; about who you are and how you got that way and why it matters," Hanna says. "It’s about abandonment... human connection... growing up... freedom... feeling comfortable in your body... dancing... lust."
"Wild Abandon deeply resonated with us as queer twenty-somethings and we hope it resonates with our audience as well," he continues.
This will be the Pinned Pompadour group’s first time at Calgary Fringe, though the entire company is comprised of emerging Calgarian artists.
The show offers evening and matinee performances at Artpoint Gallery.
"Wilf" by James Wade (Red Phone Theatre)
If an absurdly sexual love triangle comedy is in your taste, Wilf should not be missed. Here’s a rousing story about a pair of friends, a gay woman and a straight man, in competitive, hot pursuit of a woman who was raised by wolves.
"I hope the audience will enjoy a comedic look at the complicated relationship between uncontrollable desire and the polite civility society expects," playwright James Wade says. "I would love them to think about how much we cover and disguise our own nature," and to ask, "how can we reconcile these opposing sides of ourselves?"
This will be another Fringe first for the mainly Calgarian Red Phone Theatre group. The group entered the festival lottery with "a title and a vague notion" of what they would perform, and upon selection got to work on creating a show "worthy of the festival."
"...we are excited to take part in the Fringe largely because we are all emerging artists and Fringe offers a place where we can experiment with the weirder side of our artistic voices and really take some bold risks," says Wade.
Wilf will be performed at the Alexandra Centre.
"FRUITCAKE - Ten Commandments from the Psych Ward" by Rob Gee
In an effort to "debunk the idea that the experience of psychiatric illness somehow makes you a homicidal maniac or a creative genius" or that it’s something that "happens to other people" playwright and performer Rob Gee created Fruitcake, a comedic spoken word poetry performance.
The show takes viewers to a night shift on an acute psychiatric ward where a jaded nurse is delivered ten benevolent commandments to help him through his shift – and more importantly life – by a kindly, Rastafarian God.
Coming all the way from Leicester, UK, Gee is a full-fledged international Fringer but has never done the Calgary festival before.
"...fellow performers have always raved about Calgary," he says. "It’s long overdue."
After performing in the Edinburgh Fringe seven years Gee discovered that "the Canadians did fringes across their whole country" and says he’s "never looked back."
Fruitcake garnished four and half stars in Winnipeg and Victoria and four stars in Edmonton and Toronto. It plays at the Artpoint Gallery.
"Borderland" by Izad Etemadi
Growing up gay anywhere can be difficult, but in Iran it could get you killed. Borderland is the story of a young gay Iranian who seeks to escape his personal battles and in so flees to a secret place of refuge.
"My show will take GayCalgary readers on a truly original journey of a young boy named Navid who is struggling to find acceptance in a cruel, intolerant and hateful world," Etemadi says. "I really hope my audience will learn something about Iran and what life is like over there. I know I sure have."
From Victoria, BC, the playwright/actor had never actually been to Iran, but through extensive research came to some horrifying realizations about the situation for the LGBT community there.
"My show brings up a lot of discussion about international gay rights, and that is exactly what I want," he says. "I’d also like my audience to gain a deeper gratitude and appreciation for where we live! We are so lucky to live in a country where we are accepted, socially and legally, for who we are, and even if people are not accepting we are still allowed to express ourselves without fearing persecution (within reason of course)."
Etemadi is excited to be performing his show at the beautiful Lantern Community Church, where he has also been given the opportunity to perform during their Sunday service on August 3rd.
"This is a huge opportunity to continue to spread my message with a new audience," he says.
"Fat Sex! – Steve Larkin’s body ... of poems and songs!" by Steve Larkin
A natural born comedian, Steve Larkin says he became a Fringe artist "by virtue of failure in real life", and performs Fat Sex with the aim of giving his audience an orgasmic experience.
On the surface, his act may look like a bizarre transsexual drag show, but Larkin’s overtly masculine head atop an overtly female body is actually "a poem/song about women’s magazines and body fascism."
This will be the actor’s first time at the Calgary Fringe, and as such he says he is a bit daunted by the city’s reputation as being the "Texas of Canada" (*shudder*).
"... I worry that my rather leftist, liberal, vege-lesbian, full-on, bawdy, rib tickling style of performance might upset a few too many gun slinging, iron pumping, beer swigging, oil guzzling, rib chomping cowboy types," he says.
The internationally respected spoken word artist/poet/performer/musician and educator hails from Leeds, UK and currently calls Oxford his home.
"But wherever there’s a strong culture there’s a strong counter culture – right?" he asks. "It can’t all be Stampedes and bloody steaks can it?! Please tell me I won’t get hung from a tree!"
Oh Steve. If only you knew.
Fat Sex plays evenings at Lolita’s Lounge.
"Rel8Shun" by Amanda Cutting (Artists’ Collective Theatre)
What would you be willing to sacrifice to sustain an important relationship in your life? That is the question that lies at the heart of Amanda Cutting and Jason Issac Kooy’s dramatic comedy Rel8Shun.
"Our show deals with many subjects, but one of them is an estranged relationship between a brother and his younger sister, which is amplified by a difference of opinion on religious beliefs and how they apply to one who is of same sex orientation," says Cutting.
Performing for the first time at Fringe, the Calgary-based Artists’ Collective Theatre has already toured the show extensively, raking in rave reviews in British Columbia and receiving five CAT Award nominations.
There is even talk that the five-cast play could be turned into a new Canadian TV series.
"The show is sort of like the Big Bang TV show, although one of the characters is gay," Cutting says. "Many times in plays a stereotype of GLBT community is portrayed and we tried really hard to allow the person to show – not the stereotype."
Rel8Shunwill play at the Alexandra Centre.
"More Power to Your Knitting, Nell!" by Melanie Gall (Sisterscene)
From New York City comes a musical cabaret that takes us back in time to 1942. As war is ravaging Europe Sadie Goldstein (Melanie Gall) is granted her dream to become a radio star as Knitting Nell.
Through a mixed labour of needle stitches and song, Sadie lends her own style to the war effort.
The show will be performed every night of Fringe at Stash Needle Art Lounge.