Firefly Theatre raises to new heights

When Annie Dugan and John Ullyatt founded Firefly Theatre, they took circus skills out of the big top and decked them in dramatic cirque glamour.

More importantly, they created a new theatre movement that went a long way into revitalizing the local performance genre.

Once the public received glimpses of their shows, they kept demanding more physical bang for their buck. And Firefly delivered using strong narrative, brilliant choreography and innovative music and song.

The stories, whether personal, whimsical or heart stopping, were risky. Yet, at the same time they were more intimate, just as diverse and certainly less expensive than the large, slick cirques dominating the Las Vegas scene.

A crowd favourite is the February variety show blending circus, magic, music and flying girls. Now in its fifth and last incarnation, Up To Here runs one-night only this evening at La Citie Francophone.

“We’ve decided to do away with the February variety show. Over the years, so much time and effort has gone into it. To do it for one or two shows is not worth the resources,” Dugan explains.

“Next year instead we’ll be doing aerials and things — something with more of a through line,” she adds.

Dugan performs in the spectacular finale, a 10-minute piece she choreographed for the 2010 Grey Cup Spirit of Edmonton. Inspired by the eight CFL teams, she combined the artistry of acrobats, contortionists, pyramids, silks and hoola hoops into a ‘60s spy theme using the pop soundtracks of Secret Agent Man and Goldfinger to name a few.

“It’s quite the monster,” says former St. Albert resident Meghan Watson who climbs the silks to showcase a couple of stunning drops.

The 90-minute performance brings together Kevin Ouellette as a buffo Cirque du Soleil styled Blue Clown and the comical Darrin Hagen singing a duet with the bubbly Linda Karenko. “Darrin sounds like Billy Ray Cyrus on a bad night,” laughs Dugan.

Also on the bill is master magician Gia Felicitas who specializes in straightjacket escapes, card tricks and mentalism, as well as the unforgettable ukulele cover band the Be Arthurs. “They have such heavenly harmonies.”

The program also includes the amazing Kim Precht as Spider Girl.

“She has these great toes that allow her to climb the rope with her feet. She’s in a piece where bugs are trapped in amber and there’s only one that escapes — Spider Girl.”

“It’s going to be astonishing and fun. This is serious contemporary circus and our skill level is going up leaps and bounds.”