Magnetic North theatre festival coming to Whitehorse this summer
The annual festival alternates between Ottawa and a new Canadian city every second year
Whitehorse is setting the stage for the Magnetic North theatre festival, coming to the city for the first time ever this summer.
The festival will bring national acts to the Yukon and feature a number of local acts as well.
"The Yukon Arts Centre chose to be a partner in presenting the festival because we believe that what is going to happen this summer is going to be game-changing for the performance community in Yukon," said Al Cushing, CEO of the Yukon Arts Centre.
The festival, now in its 14th year, alternates its home between Ottawa and a new Canadian city, every second year.
Networking and making connections
The festival will bring industry sessions to Whitehorse, offering a rare opportunity for local and visiting artists to network and develop connections with theatre industry leaders and presenters from across the country and the globe.
"We typically attract between 150 to 200 national presenters, and 15 to 20 international presenters," said Hazel Venzon, who's organizing the industry sessions at the festival.
"We will also be bringing in over 100 artists and crew members from across the country, who will participate in festival performances."
International presenters are coming from Australia, Austria, England, Finland, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Norway, Scotland, the United States and Wales.
The festival's theme this year is about seeking new experiences or "Navigating New Dimensions".
It will feature local creations such as Nakai Theatre's Dogtown: the Musical, based on the life and fate of Trevor the dog, Gwaandak Theatre's newest project called Map of the Land, Map of the Stars, about Yukon's rivers, trails and the people who travel them, and Ramshackle Theatre's interactive Theatre in the Bush, set in the Yukon's boreal forest.
The Magnetic North festival will run from June 9 to 18.