Our merry band of artists have left Winnipeg to explore another fabulous area in the Interlake! While they are out on the road we have our Chautauqua documentarian, Chris Sousa, bringing you letters from ‘up the 6’!

Dear Winnipeg:

Leaving the Moosehorn area late Sunday evening, we all felt a sense of belonging and accomplishment. The first week of tour did so many things for our group, as well as the community we inhabited. After a week filled with eclectic programming, we discovered that we had a second family in Ashen and Steep Rock.  As we left on that snowy evening we all had love in our hearts from the small dedicated towns, and ambition in our minds for the weeks to come. A day off came and passed on Monday and Tuesday we gathered again and set sail back up the Six; a happy new routine.

Heading into Lundar we could tell that this town had its own unique personality. Our first stop was Lundar School. This was the setting for the second school performance of Mary’s Wedding. After our time there, we left for Eriksdale. There we meet with our crew for a group lunch at the best restaurant in town known simply as the “The New Horizons Club”. This was clearly the it place to be in town. After our group meal, I took the opportunity to explore the town of Eriksdale. I walked through the streets and bushiness’ and discovered this town had a persona all its own. The trees, roads, and homes seemed peaceful and untouched, like it had always been there. Every community member we have met has welcomed us like we were close friends & family.

These two towns are proving to be unique and prosperous in their own way, and this tour is proving to be an experience worth remembering. With week # One in the books and week # Two moving steadily along, we look forward to the adventures and discoveries we will uncover in the coming days.  I hope you are enjoying these stories as much as we are living them. Well, as always Winnipeg, its been nice. See you in a week!

-Chris Sousa

Right Between the Lakes

Interesting fact about Eriksdale:

They have the only creamery museum in Manitoba!for more information on this historical landmark follow the link (below) for more info!

Check out the Eriksdale Museum HERE! 

Don’t Miss – FREE Events!

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19
Community Salon 

7:00-9:00pm, Sabados’ Greenhouse

An evening of local stories & performances featuring community members and the artists of the Interlake Chautauqua tour. All ages are welcome!

With a Film screening by Erika MacPherson and performances by the newly formed Eriksdale Chautauqua Community Choir!

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25

A Song for John Ramsay

Film Premiere and concert
featuring William Prince, Scott Nolan
and Duncan Mercredi

Riverton, MB
7:00-9:00pm, Riverton Hall

Gimli filmmaker Andy Blicq premieres his newest work- a “Song for John Ramsay” featuring Juno Award Winning songwriter William Prince (Peguis). Discover this rich local history of early Icelandic settlers and their friendship with local Indigenous man John Ramsay- right in Riverton near where it all began. The film will be followed by performances featuring special guests William Prince, Scott Nolan and Duncan Mercredi.

A Song for John Ramsay was commissioned by the New Iceland Heritage Museum as part of their newest exhibit that focuses on the legend of John Ramsay, and was created in the spirit of Reconciliation to highlight early stories of partnership and friendship between Icelandic Settlers and the Indigenous people in the New Iceland area. We thank them for their integral part in making this story and artwork come to life.

Many thanks to our community partners and hosts and our generous sponsors!

Community Sponsor: Teulon

Advertising Sponsors

Artist Sponsors

IT’S BEGUN! The Chautauqua / tour of the in Interlake successfully hit the road on Tuesday! While our merry band of artists are out on the road we have our Chautauqua documentarian, Chris Sousa, bringing you letters from ‘up the 6’!

Dear Winnipeg:

It was noon in Winnipeg when we all met up, packed, and set sail for the 6 (the highway that is). The prairie roads held many a cow and plenty of flat land. After many 80’s songs, laughs, roadkill, and  a few pit stops later and we had arrived in Moosehorn. This was the spot of our first group meal. We met up at a small diner before heading into town. Our server seemed delighted to seat us as she exclaimed “I was only vacuuming chairs before you arrived”. It was a humbling experience having a table of talented artists sitting together about to embark on a journey the likes of which we had never seen before.

Our next stop was the Steep Rock Community Hall. There we met with locals and listened to their stories over coffee, tea, and great cupcakes, possibly the best cupcakes. From there we all went our separate ways ready to embark on tomorrow.

The following day it became official- the first full day of tour and the opening of Mary’s Wedding. Our tour started with setting up the stage, lights, and equipment, all in Ashern Central School: “home of the cobras”.  Watching from the outside looking in it became a surreal experience for me. As I watched the world of Mary’s Wedding come to life in a small high school gym, it became clear why this tour was important. As a team we’re bringing a story and a team together that could breathe life into a community that has faced many challenges over the years. For example the flooding in 2011 caused many a heart ache and many a tragedy that to this day have not fully been resolved. This tour represented more than just a show, it represents the Interlake and the resilience that it holds. Our Interlake Chautauqua is helping to rejuvenate a Manitoba wide arts scene. But this show isn’t all we’re doing on this tour!

Later we began our workshop series. Tonight’s workshop focused on storytelling with more than a dozen community members participating. Tomorrow’s will be songwriting and Fridays’s will branch into theatre.

This entry is one of many. I plan to write to you with updates and gentle facts about the areas we will explore. I will send you weekly “letters from the road”, if you will. Each entry will be filled with stories, heart, and updates on what the Chautauqua team is up to in the Interlake. Well Winnipeg, it’s been nice. See you in a week!

-Chris Sousa

Our merry band of artists

Theatre Projects Manitoba is presenting a four-day workshop on object theatre from November 26 to November 29, 1 pm to 5 pm. The Workshop will be led by Grant Guy along with contributions by Olivier Ducas and Francis Monty of Théâtre de la Pire Espèce, who are in Winnipeg performing Villes at Théâtre Cercle Moliere.

The workshop will introduce students to the art of object theatre. The participants will learn about different object theatre styles, its current history and development, characterization, manipulation techniques and body/object language (the biomechanics of the actor and object and their correspondence), and the actor and the object. Grant Guy will illustrate the methodology he used in the sixteen years at the helm of Adhere + Deny. This will be his methodology and will act as a launching point for the participants to begin the process to find their own. Greater effort will be placed on practical performance aspects. To do so the participants will select a scene from Alfred Jarry’s play Ubu Roi offering the participants opportunities to design, construct and manipulate their own puppets.

Ducas and Monty will join on November 26^th to discuss their process, how they explore and determine what objects they use, and demonstrate the movement and characterization of the object. They will provide a brief overview and history of Théâtre de la Pire Espèce.

Introductory Topics to be discussed:

• History, Theory and Exploration of the Object as a Performer
• Text and Puppet Correspondence
• Puppet as Rebel, as Symbol, as Character
• Directing Manipulation of the Object
• Biomechanics of the Object and Manipulator

On the last day the participants will showcase their discoveries. Constructive feedback will be exchanged.

Space is limited. Participants will work in pairs. When enrolling participants can enroll as a duo, otherwise Grant Guy and Theatre Projects Manitoba will pair up participants.

The early bird cost of the workshop is $175 for participants who book by: November 1st. The cost increases to $225 after November 1st.

Ubu on the Table

On November 27 at the Theatre Projects Manitoba’s Salon, co-presented by Théâtre Cercle Moliere, Olivier Ducas and Francis Monty will mount their Ubu on the Table!