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Showing October 19 is Open Pit Theatre’s Radio Silence, a fictional tale that takes place in Dawson City, in the 1920s and 1940s, on the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in. The play features signature masks by the Wonderheads, original music by Calla Kinglit, and visuals by Rosemary Scanlon and Vashti Etzel. Finally, on October 23, the YAC stage will be graced by Toronto’s The Great Lake Swimmers. Featuring a blend of acoustic instruments, rural soundscapes, and wistful vocals, the indie-folk group is led by song- writer/vocalist Tony Dekker, with a revolving backing band.

“We endeavor to partner with as many local and regional organizations as possible, making the series more inclusive,” said Prescott. “As an example, we are partnering this summer with DCMF, Queer Yukon and Junction Arts and Music. But, at the same time, we are also trying to find shows that intrigue community members who have never attended a YAC event. So, we must also aim to create

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With support from: a season that has something for everyone, which can be difficult when we only have a limited number of dates to work with.”

To Prescott, the best part of any season at the YAC is all of the surprises that come with a string of shows.

“Seeing audiences discover something new and get really caught up in the moment is really the best thing about live events,” he said. “They can be unpredictable and fun in unanticipated ways.”

The YAC is a staple of the Yukon’s artistic and cultural communities, but it’s not immune to challenges, and in the current economy, the difficulties can stack up. It takes work, but the YAC team is dedicated to finding ways to continue to present live performances of all kinds to Yukoners.

“I think the biggest challenge currently is inflation,” Prescott explained. “Costs are going up across the board and we have to work very proactively to find the most-efficient, clever ways to stretch our dollars to bring Yukoners the best-possible arts experience.”

Though many things in our daily lives have more or less gone back to normal since the pandemic, Prescott admits that in the Yukon and across Canada, a portion of the pre-pandemic audiences still has not returned to live theatre.

“We continue to work on helping these audiences rediscover the joy of attending a live event,” he said.

According to Prescott, to have such a well-equipped facility as the YAC, in a small community like Whitehorse, is a gift. The YAC has the capacity to welcome artists and companies from around the world, and also serves as a wonderful stage for local artists and producers to dream big for their shows, he elaborated. Whether it’s local or travelling shows being presented, though, having a plan amongst the YAC team is crucial.

“It’s all about teamwork and planning,” said Prescott. “Every show has a different wrinkle to solve, and it is always fun to find the path towards a great performance.”

In addition to the planning, teamwork, overcoming cost obstacles, and showcasing the diversity of arts and culture within the Yukon, some key components of running a successful season at the YAC involve making sure there is enough of a mixed bag of different performances to avoid repetition, and being mindful of what other events are happening on any given night, so as not to have to compete all the time.

“Whitehorse has a pretty busy calendar, with lots of exciting events year-round, so it can be tricky to strike the right balance,” said Prescott. ■

September 13-14

Comic Strippers yukonartscentre.com/events/the-comic-strippers

October 11

Moontricks yukonartscentre.com/events/moontricks

October 19

Open Pit Theatre’s Radio Silence yukonartscentre.com/events/opent-pit-theatre-radio-silence

October 24

Great Lake Swimmers yukonartscentre.com/events/the-great-lake-swimmers

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