Gosh, we miss you! But let’s stay the course, shall we?

We can do this by supporting one another, being kind and being
generous. All from a distance! For now, our newsletter and social media will serve to keep us as close as possible; sharing the stories of community members, artists, patrons and volunteers and providing a platform for us to
virtually connect.

This is a great opportunity to share stories of some of the remarkable artists in our community!

We’d like to start with Emily Solstice Tait who will be working with TPM as our Indigenous Arts Leadership Fellow.  We are so pleased to have her creative spirit on the team! Here’s Emily’s story in her own words….

Photo Credit:
Erik Zennstrom
Company:
Raven Spirit Dance

I am excited to be starting my fellowship with Theatre Projects Manitoba. The arts is a place where connections are born, where lessons are passed on from one another, and where healing laughter lives. I feel encouraged in my work as an artist because of the Winnipeg Art Councils Indigenous Arts Leaders Fellowship.  TPM has held this space for decades and I am excited to connect further with the Winnipeg arts community through the stories they bring forward. Like last year’s production of Dragonfly by Lara Rae, which I loved!

Production: Dragonfly by Lara Rae
Photo Credit: Leif Norman
Pictured: Eric Blais and Sarah Constible
Production Design: Hugh Conacher Costume Design: Maureen Petkau

This year my work as an independent artist has taken me on a few adventures. I was invited to a Stratford workshop of Pawâkan Macbeth at the Banff Centre working with Michael Greyeyes and Santee Smith. I love all forms of storytelling, but this experience was monumental as it was both very physically demanding and it was the first time I had the chance to learn and work with the Cree language. This year also brought me to the Talking Stick Festival where I got to dance in Raven Spirit Dance tech residency of Confluence. An intergenerational and ongoing exploration of the Indigenous voice in the arts. Attending this festival brought me a large view of the Indigenous art that is happening across Turtle Island and I am excited to bring these connections and inspirations to my work with TPM.

Photo Credit: Erik Zennstrom
Company: Raven Spirit Dance

Theatre Projects Manitoba’s approach to story building is one I have admired for some time. First as an audience member and then as a student representative. Watching shows like Patrick Friesen’s A Short History of Crazy Bone inspired me by offering new ways that I can think about my contemporary dance practice to tell stories. TPM even caught me by surprise by bringing me closer to my own sister!  I was asked if I would perform alongside my singer-songwriter sister, Ila Barker, at a salon. This was a first for us sisters and it was so rewarding to do. I have a feeling that it was only the beginning of Ila and my creation journey together. Being innovative about the way we tell our own stories is necessary today more than ever and I am ready to dive into the learning of all the moving parts that make Theatre Projects Manitoba come to life.

Friends,

We sincerely hope that you are well and maintaining an island of calm during this turbulent and unnerving time. As COVID -19 impacts our whole world, we are concerned for the well-being of you, our community – the audiences, artists, donors and stakeholders who give us purpose, focus and keep our hearts wide open. Please take good care of yourselves and follow all the excellent advice of our health authorities. We agree their advice to washing your hands frequently and thoroughly and to embrace social distancing is our best hope of containing the spread of the virus. For critical information, there are links below – you can also sign up to receive updates from the MB government to keep in the loop.

We are saddened to announce that we will not be proceeding with the world premiere of Rick Chafe’s new play Five Moments in our 2019/20 season. The play was scheduled for April 23rd – May 3rd, 2020. We hope to reschedule in the coming months but do not have specific dates at this time.

This is a hard one for TPM. New plays are special and this spring our community lost three shows that were poised to meet audiences for the first time; WJT’s production of Narrow Bridge by Daniel Thau-Eleff and PTE’s Gingerbread Girl by Sharon Bajer. The loss to Manitoba artists, technicians and administrators is unprecedented.  We stand in solidarity with all those in our industry – here in Manitoba – and the entire Canadian Theatre community who have shuttered their seasons to help keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.

We will be reaching out in the coming weeks. TPM has amazing community of partners and supporters. Some of you are season pass holders and some of you have purchased tickets to Five Moments – we appreciate your patience while we sort this out and be assured we are doing our utmost to look after our community; audience, artists, crew, staff and each other.

We will also share some of the creative projects and initiatives happening online. We will provide information to support our community’s artists. We will keep thinking of you all, and keep sending the best thoughts your way.

Our office is closed to the public but we are online and working from home.  Email is the fastest way to reach us: [email protected] but phone messages can be left at 204-989-2400. We are grateful that technology continues to connect us and keep us social.

Till soon, take care.

Love,
TPM

Helpful Tips

This COVID 19 primer was sent to us by our fabulous tech sponsor, Seerx. All helpful and concise – we are passing it along:

The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has touched us all. And we have a ways to go yet. But we will get through this. Mostly, by helping each other.

By keeping that magical social distance of 2m between ourselves and other people until the pandemic is deemed over. Why its our best tool in this fight.
By using proper hygiene when coughing and/or sneezing.
By properly washing our hands and trying not to touch our faces. Here is the why.
By going out only if necessary currently, to keep the possibility of being infected as low as possible.
By following a general quarantine when the government tells us we all must stay home to try to eradicate the virus by separating infected patients from healthy individuals for a long enough time until the virus is no longer transmissible.
By doing a COVID-19 self assessment to see if you qualify for getting yourself tested at one of the government COVID-19 testing sites in our province.
By calling Health Links to get an appointment to be tested if you qualify after doing the COVID-19 self assessment.
By keeping up to date with what our provincial government has to say.

We are thrilled to share news that Emily Solstice Tait has joined Theatre Projects for 2020 as the newest Indigenous Arts Leader Fellow through a partnership with the Winnipeg Arts Council. Here is the media release and some information about the program and about Emily!

We are excited to have her on the team and look forward to you all meeting her soon!

Here’s a little more about Emily…

Emily Solstice Tait is of mixed settler and Ojibway heritage, living in Treaty 1 Territory, Winnipeg, Manitoba whose works floats between fantasy and advocacy. She is a 2019 graduate of the Professional Program at the School of Contemporary Dancers and a multidisciplinary artist with her practice crossing into theatre, devising, choreography, and stage management. Past projects include performing with Odette Heyn-Projects/ Indian City & Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, WCD’s Actualize (Ming Hon) and Calibrations of Flux (Jolene Bailie), Théâtre Cercle Molière Marathon De Crèation (Miguel Fortier), Stephanie Ballard and Dancers, Sarasvati Productions, Theatre New Brunswick/ Confederation Centre for the Arts (PEI), Raven Spirit Dance & Vines Art Festival (Vancouver), Rouge-gorge/ New Dance Horizons (Regina), New Blue Emerging Dance (Toronto), and in Creando Lazos a Través de la Danza (Léon & Guanajuato, México).