a life
show about the one thing we all have in common
Performed by elena belyea directed by kathryn smith
FEATURING LIVE MUSIC BY MOTHER COURAGE
Welcome! We are so excited to bring audiences to Theatre 1308 to see this life affirming show by Young Jean Lee.
As the incoming Artistic Director of Verb Theatre, this season has been very full of new learnings to discover how best to serve the community and continue bringing audiences work that is exciting and thought provoking. This year has also been full of gratitude for the incredible support we have received. Thank you!
Imustgiveaspecialthanksto outgoingArtisticDirectorand founderofVerbTheatre:Jamie Dunsdon.Jamiesupportedme tremendouslyinearlydaysof leadership,andsheeven suggestedplaywrightsandshows tolookinto.
One of those shows was Young Jean Lee's We're Gonna Die.
This piece leapt off the page and instantly excited me. It captures the simple but complex nature of what it means to be alive and I believe it will resonate with everyone in some way or another.
The stories you will hear today have a common theme of failure, loss, and grief. Which are so painful in the moment but in retrospect so necessary. Before rehearsals started for this show, I was feeling like many people in my life were experiencing extraordinary circumstances of pain and loss. Working on this show over the past few weeks has reminded me that yes, horrible things happen all the time, and that's okay.
Young Jean Lee's work encourages us to endure. To keep going and to keep asking questions. I believe that is why she defines this script as 'life affirming'.
I'm incredibly proud of the artists involved in making this show a reality. They are thoughtful, kind, and joyful creators on and off stage. Always encouraging, asking questions, and enduring.
We hope you enjoy the show. And now: We're gonna die.
Kathryn Smith, Directoron stage
Singer-ElenaBelyea "MotherCourage"
Guitar-SachaCrow
Bass-CaleighCrow
Drums-GusRendell
Kathryn Smith - Director
Millie Winzinowich - Stage Manager
Miranda Martini - Music Director
Hanne Loosen - Production Designer
Jason Eckenroth - Production Manager & Sound Engineer
Sam Jeffery - Mental Health Consultant
special thanks
Bianca Miranda, Morpheus Theatre, Lara Schmitz, Vertigo Theatre, Graham
Neumann, Geoffrey Simon Brown, Gianna Vacirca, Mac Brock, Adrianne
Salmon, Jamie Dunsdon, Calgary Young Peoples Theatre, Christopher Hunt
super special thanks
Brianne Jang, Promo Image Photographer
bbcollective.com
Kathryn Smith - Artistic Director
Camille Pavlenko - Artistic Associate Board of Directors
Ian Chitwood - President
Samantha Lemna - Vice-President
Philippe Begin - Treasurer
Sarah Waseem - Secretary
Ruvimbo Chinake - Director
Ishkirat Kaur - Director
Audience Advisory: Loud music.
Discussions of death, loss, and grief.
*Earplugs are available at the back of the theatre.
Elena Belyea (they/she) is a queer/non-binary playwright, performer, producer, arts educator, and Artistic Director of Tiny Bear Jaws. She was born and raised in Amiskwaciwaskahikan (colonially known as Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory and have had work produced across Turtle Island and internationally (including Hungary, Austria, Berlin, New York, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Quebec, and Wells). They're also one half of queer sketch duo Gender? I Hardly Know Them (on Tiktok + Instagram at @genderihardlyknowthem). Her solo show, "Miss Katelyn’s Grade Threes Prepare for the Inevitable" first opened in 2015 and has had over 75 performances since its premiere. Their new musical play "I Don't Even Miss You" (a dystopian pop reflection) premiered last year as part of the Common Ground Arts Society's 2022 RISER project
Caleigh Crow is a queer Metis theatre artist from Mohkinstsis. She is the co-founder and Artistic Lead of Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre. Previous playwriting topics include: a talking crow and a grocery clerk, the mass coronal ejection of 1859, the Antifa Supersoldier, the intersection between 12th century Franciscan nuns and Britney Spears, remote viewing, witch revenge, SETI and a landlord musical. Most recently she directed antigone lives* for WhyNot Theatre's RiserX project. She is also a sometime actor.
Caleigh is so damn excited to be playing bass again with the love of her life, Sacha, and the drummer powerhouse that is Gus. She is an Elena Eli Belyea #1 original old school superfan from way back in the day. And proud of it! Shout out Kathryn for bringing us all together <3 and leading us so well.
Sacha has been writing music since 2007 and has performed in a variety of bands around the country and abroad. Currently you can catch him fronting the poppy garage punk band Pope Joan. His first time working in live theatre was on Thumbs Up, Good Works’s production of The Born Again Crow. Recently Sacha worked as the Musical Director for Making Treaty 7’s production of O’kosi.
gus rendell - Drums
Gus Rendell (drummer/percussionist): Gus is thrilled to be making his debut working for Verb Theatre on the production of We’re Gonna Die. He most recently worked with Making Treaty 7 as a composer, musician and actor on the production of O’Kosi in September/October 2022. He has worked for over a decade in various bands as a multi-disciplinary musician and artist based in Mohkinstsis. He currently writes and performs as both a singer/guitarist/synthesist in the band Cheer and as a drummer/singer in the band Brain Bent, with music available on Bandcamp and streaming services. Gus spends his free time dedicated to his friends, family and the joy of music.
MIRANDA MARTINI (she/her) is a musician, writer and composer. She co-wrote music for John Ware Reimagined, a musical about the life and impact of Alberta cowboy John Ware, which had its third production in 2022 at the Blyth Theatre Festival in Ontario. Her music and face can also be seen and heard in the NFB documentary John Ware Reclaimed. Miranda was the music dramaturg for the world premiere of I Don't Even Miss You as part of RISER Edmonton in 2022, and co-music director of Lunchbox Theatre's recent production of Countries Shaped Like Stars. In March, she concluded a ten-month stint on tour as the musical guest with queer sketch comedy Gender? I Hardly Know Them at the Expanse theatre festival in Edmonton. Miranda is currently working on a sci-fi musical as part of Chromatic Theatre’s 20222023 Playwrights Unit.
Kathryn Smith (they/them) is a director, designer, and creator who has worked across western Canada. Their focus lies in collective creation, queer stories, puppetry, basic theatre magic, and the ecology of ensemble. They are the Artistic Director of Verb Theatre and a member of the Mudfoot Theatre Collective. Select directing credits: USS Artemis (Boathaus Studios); Murder In the Studio, The American/The Hitchhiker (Vertigo Theatre); inVISIBLE, A Chitenge Story (Handsome Alice Theatre); Safe Site Sessions, Bottle Picker Monologues (Downstage Theatre); Brave Girl, Care Takers, Countries Shaped Like Stars (Lunchbox Theatre). Select design credits: Between Us (Handsome Alice Theatre); The F Word, Benefit (Downstage Theatre); The Democratic Set (Inside Out Theatre); Secret Garden, Merry Wives of Windsor (Theatre Calgary); Million Dollar Quartet (New West Theatre); Amahl & the Night Visitors (Calgary Opera). Kathryn is also an award winning singer songwriter/sound designer under the name KP Smith. All the love to Lara and Scout (the GSD). Follow for more art adventures: @heyits.kpsmith
Millie Winzinowich (She/Her) is a truly groovy cat who has been stage managing since she first ordered people around during her kindergarten recital. She is very excited to be working on her first show with Verb Theatre! She got her BFA in Stage Management from the University of Alberta in 2018 and has been lurking around professional theatres ever since. Her previous credits include The Extractionist, Whispers in the Dark, Might as Well be Dead: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (Vertigo Theatre), The Ballad of Peach Tree Rose (Workshop West Theatre), The Tempest, Hammered Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing (The Shakespeare Company), Shakespeare’s Will (Thou Art Here Theatre). She would like to thank her cats Romeo and Wednesday and her partner Jamie for their love and support. They really are the best.
Camille (she/her) is a playwright and actor. Recent projects include real boi: The Tragedie of Pinocchio in Five Comedic Acts (Calgary Young Peoples’ Theatre), These Moments of Shine (Lunchbox Theatre Stage One & Two), The Hitchhiker (Vertigo Theatre), Go for Gold, Audrey Pham (Lunchbox Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects), and USS ARTEMIS (co-created with Ali DeRegt), a sci-fi radio play that uses binaural audio to create an immersive experience, available at www.USSARTEMIS.ca. Acting highlights include Noises Off (Theatre Calgary), The Outsider (Stage West), and Blackbird (Verb Theatre—Betty Award Nomination). This summer, she will be taking part in the Caravan Farm Theatre’s National Playwrights Retreat. Camille is also the Artistic Associate at Verb Theatre and getting pretty OK at Mario Kart 8 for Nintendo Switch. Thanks to BG for all the love, support, and drifting lessons. See more of her work at www.camillepavlenko.com
millie winzinowich - stage manager
Kathryn Smith - Director
camille pavlenko - artistic associate, gallery curator
Hanne is super excited to be working with Kathryn for the first time and to be back with Verb Theatre. Previous collaborations with Verb Theatre include A More Sparkling Version of Ourselves and Sextet. With the help of Verb Theatre and Vertigo Theatre she realized a design-led Experiment Lab with her installation piece For Design’s Sake during the pandemic. Hanne has worked in this vibrant city as a set and costume designer with Theatre Calgary, Calgary Opera, Alberta Theatre Projects, Vertigo Theatre, The Shakespeare Company, Rosebud Theatre and others. She has also been fortunate to spend some time at the Shaw Festival and to design some shows there as well. Her design credits can be found on her website: www.hanneloosen.com
Jason Eckenroth has been an artist, circus person and performance tech professional across most of North America for some 20 years, and is proud to have recently been able to legally call Canada and Calgary home. They are the proud parent of cats Freckle and Paprika, and dream of a world where we just take care of each other.
Sam Jeffery - Mental Health Consultancy
Sam Jeffery (she/her) is a certified intimacy director & coordinator, award-nominated fight director, actor, and educator born and raised in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory. A graduate of the University of Alberta's BFA Acting program, she has been co-AD of StoneMarrow Theatre, a Sterling Award juror, and most recently the instructor of Intimacy for the Actor at Vancouver Film School. Select intimacy credits include: Smoke (Tiny Bear Jaws); Batwoman S3 (The CW); Dooja Ghar (The Other House) (Monsoon Festival); Bunny (The Search Party); Michael Mysterious (Pyretic Productions). Samjeffery.com
Jason eckenroth - production manager & Sound engineer
we are delighted to present a curated series from four visual artists, all of whom are based across the prairies to the west coast.
We asked them to select pieces that are tied to the themes and experience of young jean lee's play, "we're gonna die".
special thanks to the incredible artists involved:
Mike Hooves, Alex Pavlenko, Elisa shigehiro, and Bri strong.
Mike Hooves
Mike Hooves is a prairie queer working in illustration, animation and murals in Treaty 7 - Calgary.
Mike uses simple shapes, saturated colour, and gestural linework to create playful and engaging imagery that utilises queer aesthetics and signifiers.
Alex pavlenko
Alex is a Ukrainian Canadian painter, sculptor, and inventor who has been creating art across Western Canada for over 50 years. He has been commissioned by institutions, including the Vancouver International Airport and the Galt Museum, as well as private collectors across the prairies, California, Hawaii, and Hong Kong. You can find his outdoor murals in the town of High River and throughout downtown Lethbridge He currently resides in Southern Alberta, where he builds kinetic wind sculptures and tends to his 60-odd tomato plants.
Both “Passage” and “The Dinner Party” were created in the 1990s during his Biomorphic Phantasmagoria period, where he explored combining traditional methods of painting with airbrush The tabletop in “Maternity’s Bastion” was created with layers of resin in order for the effect to separate the different painted elements. It is hearty, steadfast, functional, and hopefully a little bit terrifying to look at. Please don’t put your drink on it.
alex.pavlenko.ca
Elisa Shigehiro is a Japanese Canadian painter and tattoo artist. She is currently a full time tattooer specializing in illustrative black work fine line at Jade & Dagger Tattoo in Calgary, Alberta. For tattoo work, see @spinster.tattoo on Instagram; for painting/illustration work, see @elisashigehiro.
Bri Strong (they/them) is of settler ancestry, namely Icelandic, Hungarian, German and English. They are living as an uninvited guest within the ancestral and unceded territory of the Hul’qumi’num and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples. They have a reverence and deep gratitude for the Tsawout First Nation and their ongoing stewardship of the land.
Bri's life is governed by queer love and a protectiveness over people’s creative lives The activities that help counter a persistent existential concern include artmaking, world-building and community care. Their favourite playgrounds are art + design, transdisciplinary collaborations and writing circles.
They are an Alberta University of the Arts alum in Moh’kinstsis and currently leads a creative agency that they co-founded with their twin. Over the past decade, Bri has helped start autonomous collectives, test new frameworks for learning + teaching, and worked as an exhibiting artist. They continue to learn from and collaborate with some of the most exciting people on the planet
Bri’s hope is to accidentally illuminate something meaningful to someone through drawing or writing one day. For now, they live with an acute awareness that they are a future earth snack. So, they spend their free time getting the garden ready
@elisashigehiroFebruary 29 - March 10, 2024
Co-Produced by:
Downstage Theatre, Handsome Alice Theatre, & Verb Theatre
In this biting satire about the portrayal of women in film and television, three friends take us on a whirlwind tour of a world where women rule society as politicians, hunters, queens and policewomen - all while gazing at the semi-nude Beautiful Man. This comedy joyfully exposes the insidious and toxic aspects of popular culture with a sense of playful audacity. You"ll never watch your favourite binge-worthy shows the same way again.
