Four reasons why you should not miss our TD Amplify Cabarets this Spring
The complex grace of Black femininity, the healing balm of love and compassion, a convergence of beauty and bravery from the African and Afro-Caribbean Diaspora all the way to our home on Treaty 7 land, and all-inclusive celebration of radical performances - now Queerer than ever! That is what you can expect from a cabaret at Arts Commons. TD Amplify Cabarets are back for 2021, bigger and better, and streaming straight to your homes.
Pour your favourite drink, ease into a comfy seat, and get ready to join us!
Reason 1: You can be an early adopter of some of the best talent Calgary has to offer
“This is one of the best ways to discover your next favourite artist. Calgary is home to so many talented folks and this a chance to check them out before Vice gets ahold of them,” says Joshua Dalledonne, Associate Director of Social Impact, and TD Amplify Cabaret Producer at Arts Commons.
Recorded at its usual venue – the Engineered Air Theatre at Arts Commons – and curated by a slate of new and returning creatives, the cabaret lineups are filled with talented local performers. For Josh, one of the greatest things about working with the curators is that they always seem to be one step ahead. Last February, the We Gon Be Alright: a Black History Month Cabaret was curated by Mel Vee X, who focused the cabaret on resilience and the calls for justice that Black communities have been agitating for since the civil rights movement. Its premiere came just months before the death of George Floyd ignited the world and re-galvanized Black Lives Matter protests around the world.
As a series, the cabarets are a perennial joy for Arts Commons – and Josh – as they provide an opportunity to support new artists in sharing their vision while returning curators continue developing theirs - all for the benefit of those curious enough to join in as an audience member.
Reason 2: You can join a watch party from the comfort of your home
The cabarets will be offered as a pre-recorded stream for everyone to enjoy safely at home, and as a nod to the true cabaret feel we’re all keen to return to, each of the events will feature a watch party with hosts, performers, and audience members.
“The cast and the creatives watch the show together with the audience on that night. It is one of the silver linings of a pre-recorded stream because as a performer, you spend all this time building the show and camaraderie with your fellow performers, but you never get to actually see the show you’ve worked so hard on because you’re backstage waiting for your cue to go on! This is another reasons we’re keen on a watch party – so we can all finally take in the show together” says Josh.
During the watch parties, guests will have access to a chat where reactions, comments and questions can be posted real-time, giving everyone the chance to participate.
Reason 3: You can feed your inner cultural omnivore a feast from the buffet of the Arts
A cabaret by its definition is a show consisting of a variety of performances, from dance to comedy, music and spoken word. According to Josh you can’t go wrong when experiencing the cabarets.
“It’s a buffet, and I’m always excited to invite my friends to tune in because there’s so much variety that there is bound to be something they will enjoy. Whether that’s music, monologue, comedy... and with each show being different there’s always something new to try. It’s beautiful chaos, because the one and only thing that’s consistent between each of the shows in the series is the form - cabaret.”
The format lends itself to discovery is highly accessible – not only because there’s no ticket price, but also because each of the acts is bite-size, 5-10 minutes max. “You get everything in one meal. It's the buffet of the art world!” says Josh.
In these performances, there is always an element of unpredictability and the way they are shot and delivered to audiences should maintain that same feel.
“I am always drawn back to the cabaret format because it needs to be a bit wild. You cannot plan these as cleanly and as organized as a big theatrical production. Cabarets need to have a bit of life and they move at their own speed – we plan as much as we can, but there’s always room for them to move and shake,” adds Josh.
Reason 4: Celebrate Black History Month, in April? Why not?
Due to the pandemic, we changed the delivery method for all Arts Commons cabarets - including the TD Amplify Cabarets as well as our Black History Month cabaret, Strawberries & Peaches - from a live performance to a pre-recorded film, and COVID-19 restrictions further delayed access to the theatre for filming. So, instead of resorting to recording at-home performances, the teams behind the cabarets chose to delay production and filming until they could safely perform on the Arts Commons stage with the full support of our technical team.
“Our approach to the filming is to keep it as close to the live experience as possible. We chose to delay filming so we could film it in our spaces and guarantee the quality audiences - and artists – expect from us. We want these artists to be seen in the best possible conditions, and for us that means gaining access to our facilities so we could provide the video, lighting, and sound support that these performers deserve.”
Delaying production meant that the Black History Month cabaret is now happening in April, which was a decision made by the curator, artists, Arts Commons and the supporting sponsor TD. “It was an easy decision for everyone involved,” says Josh. “We need to be celebrating and elevating Black excellence every month, so although we weren’t able to offer this cabaret as part of the inspiring swell of Black History Month events, we’re all confident it was worth the wait, but ultimately that’s for the audience to decide, and we can’t wait to hear what people have to say.”
Join Arts Commons Presents for four fantastic cabarets, starting with Strawberries & Peaches: A Black History Month Cabaret, on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 7pm. Tickets are free, but you must register in advance. Click to learn more about Arts Commons Presents: Strawberries & Peaches!
Don’t miss a cabaret!
Strawberries and Peaches: A Black History Month Cabaret
Premiere / watch-party: Sun Apr 11, 7:00pm
Love Notes Cabaret
Premiere / watch-party: Sun Apr 25, 7:00pm
Braving Beauty Cabaret
Premiere / watch-party: Sun May 9, 7:00pm
Sissy Fit Cabaret
Premiere / watch-party: Sun Jun 13, 7:00pm
Follow the hashtag #BHMCabaret on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and updates about this cabaret!
Special thanks to TD Bank Group as Presenting Sponsor of the TD Amplify Series as well as their support as Supporting Sponsor of Black History Month Cabaret
