Arts·Art Post Outpost

A Come From Away movie is on its way and more arts stories you might have missed

Your weekly roundup of the best arts stories from across the CBC network.

In this week's Art Post Outpost, the acclaimed Canadian musical is being made into a feature film

Actors take part in a rehearsal for the play "Come from Away" in this undated handout photo. (The Canadian Press)

Here at CBC Arts, you won't just find our original content — we also bring you the best art posts from across the entire CBC network.

These are the week's can't-miss stories:

Canadian theatre creators Irene Sankoff and David Hein speak in New York on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, after the married duo's hit musical Come From Away earned 7 Tony Award nominations. (CBC)

Canada's Broadway smash Come From Away set for movie adaptation (CBC News)

"The hit homegrown musical Come From Away is getting the big-screen treatment. The Mark Gordon Company says it will produce and finance a feature film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning show. Canadian husband-and-wife writing duo Irene Sankoff and David Hein — who penned the book, music and lyrics — will also adapt the feature screenplay. The show is set in Gander, N.L., in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. The remote town provided refuge to 6,579 passengers and crew from 38 planes that were diverted when U.S. air space was closed."

(The Hunt/Danis Goulet )

How Indigenous and black artists are using science fiction to imagine a better future (The Current)

"Alien invasions are a common trope in science fiction writing, and according to author Drew Hayden Taylor, they're also an apt metaphor for Indigenous life in Canada. 'I don't know of another culture in North America that can really relate [to] the experience of strangers suddenly showing up and taking over everything and imposing their will on the people,' Taylor tells The Current's host Anna Maria Tremonti. The award-winning playwright, novelist, journalist and filmmaker from Ontario's Curve Lake First Nation is the author of Take Us To Your Chief and Other Stories, a collection of Indigenous-themed science-fiction short stories."

Indiginerd Sonya Ballantyne creates superhero films starring Indigenous female characters with superpowers. (Submitted by Sonya Ballantyne)

What would Superman look like if he was a Cree girl? (Unreserved)

"Indigenous filmmaker Sonya Ballantyne has always been drawn to the stories of superheroes because she sees parallels between their stories and the experiences of Indigenous people. 'Batman lost his parents at a young age and was raised by another person. Superman lost his family and was being raised in another culture. Wonder Woman had to leave her original home to find her purpose in life,' said Ballantyne. 'So I always thought, why aren't there Native people in these stories? We have such similar backgrounds.' Drawing inspiration from Superman and Batman, Ballantyne has created short films that feature female First Nations characters with superpowers."

A PADS puppy in training sits quietly at a rehearsal performance of Blockbusters You Know and Love by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. (Monty Kruger/CBC)

Calgary puppies in training head to the orchestra (CBC Calgary)

"Puppies as young as 11 weeks old were treated to a special concert by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Wednesday. The canines are being trained to become certified assistance dogs with the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society. By exposing the puppies to loud and diverse social environments early in life, trainers hope to instill in the dogs the ability to be steady companions for their partners as they go about their day-to-day activities."

Steve Sxwithul’txw is a First Nations filmmaker and television producer based out of Victoria. His idea to create an Indigenous Walk of Fame aims to acknowledge the Aboriginal narrative and the industry's Indigenous artists. (Warrior Games blog)

Victoria could be home to first Indigenous Walk of Fame thanks to local filmmaker (CBC British Columbia)

"A Victoria-based filmmaker wants the city to establish an Indigenous Walk of Fame to acknowledge Aboriginal storytellers and actors in the industry. Steve Sxwithul'txw has been part of the film and television industry for about 10 years. While traveling the continent, Sxwithul'txw was shocked to see the lack of acknowledgement of Indigenous people in film. But he sees the landscape changing. 'You'll see more storylines changing to embrace the Indigenous outlook, ways of being, themes, those kind of things,' he said. 'We're seeing that starting to take over and more of our actors are starting to get involved in these types of films and television projects.'"

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