SkirtsAfire herArts Festival: works by women

Women are traditionally marginalized in the arts. Sound one-sided?

Ask yourself how many women musicians headline music festivals? How many women conduct symphonies? How many women are artistic directors of theatre companies?

Too few.

After actor Annette Loiselle read The Professional Association of Canadian Theatre's 2008-2009 in-depth study on women's ghettoization in the industry, she was shocked at the low numbers.

Instead of whining, Loiselle contacted artists, filled out mind-numbing paperwork for a government grants and kickstarted SkirtsAfire herArts Festival, a pooling of diverse women's artistic visions.

Now in its fourth year, this cultural sisterhood is an opportunity to feast on theatre, music, dance, visual arts, film, storytelling and the spoken word – a potent symbol of the diversity in the area.

What may have at times seemed like an unattainable goal in 2013, has morphed into a four-day festival highlighting several hundred artists that showcase women's resilience and resourcefulness as well as their creative spirit.

“The biggest thing for me is to produce events that will stay with you for a few days,” says Loiselle. “This festival is going to entertain you and take you out of your ordinary life. It's going to move you to tears or laughter. It will allow you to learn new things. It brings a community of artists and volunteers together. The audience is invited in and it's a wonderful gathering of souls enjoying a shared experience.”

Taking place on Alberta Avenue on 118 Ave. between 91 and 95 streets from March 10 to 13, the festival hopes to inspire dialogue as it presents women's struggles, sacrifices and successes.

Gidion's Knot, one of the most powerful plays produced at the 2015 Edmonton Fringe Festival, is enjoying a remount at SkirtsAfire. In this two-hander, a mother and teacher claw their way through an interview as they come to terms with the mother's son Gidion's suicide.

It features Lianna Shannon (mother) and Amber Lewis (teacher) replacing Beth Graham who is performing in Alice Through the Looking Glass.

“Beth brought an understated brittleness to the role. Amber has this status. She brings an interesting dynamic to the role. Even their size is different. Beth is petite and Amber has more stature. There's an interesting power shift back and forth,” says director John Hudson.

Gidion's Knot runs at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall on March 9 and 11 at 7:45 p.m. and March 13 at 1 p.m.

A full schedule of events is listed below:

Thursday, March 10

• Opening Ceremonies, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Alberta Avenue Community Hall

Premier Rachel Notley, a fervent supporter since the festival's inception, cuts the ribbon with additional special performances and delicious food.

• A-Line Variety Show, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Alberta Avenue Community Hall Cabaret Space

Meet an all star lineup hosted by Jana O'Connor that features former St. Albert resident Beth Portman, Rapid Fire Theatre, Ainsley Hillyard, Andrea House, Les Trois Femmes, The Dirrty Show, VIVA Dance, Belle Voce, Giselle Lemire, Yana Loo, Secret Burlesque Society and Dwennimmen.

• Friday, March 11

• Justine Vandergrift, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sloppy Hoggs Roed Hus

Growing up belting out old church hymns was the preparatory polish for Justine Vandergrift, a folk-roots voice that just released her new album, Sailor, in November 2015.

• Words Unzipped, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Nina Haggerty Gallery

Five spoken word artists pair up with five performance poets for a unique collaboration of artistry.

• The Dirrty Show at Alberta Avenue Community Hall Cabaret Space

On the edgier side Kayla Williams and Melody Stang, two sexually empowered women, sing on double-R rated topics and transform catchy tidbits into melodic fun.

“It's a comedy act, but they are also musicians that happen to sing about sex. It's a bit shocking, but also tongue-in-cheek,” Loiselle notes.

Recommended for audiences 18+

• The Secretaries, 9:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. Alberta Avenue Community Hall Cabaret Space

Colleen Brown (vocals-bass), Any van Keeken (vocals-guitar) and Natasha Fryzuk (vocals-percussion) are in part a throwback to the '70s and in part raw punk rock, a fun band of girls rockin' out.

“This may be there last show here because Colleen is moving to Toronto.”

• Saturday, March 12

• Yoga in the Art, 9:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. at Nina Haggerty Gallery

Start the weekend with the gentle movements and deep breathing of three different yoga forms.

• The Key of She, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Carrot Café

Rock artist Kimberley McGregor, Morinville blues and pop singer-songwriter Celeigh Cardinal and folk-pop vocalist Adrianne Salmon serenade the crowds in this afternoon acoustic show.

• For When She Wakes, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Nina Haggerty Gallery

In this theatre for young audiences, For When She Wakes brings storybooks to life using simple props that can be made at home.

“Adults will laugh as hard as the children in these popular tongue-in-cheek children's stories. I brought them back because I felt they didn't get as much exposure as they deserved last year,” Loiselle says.

• A Place for Prose: Satellite Salon

Hosted by Audrey Witson and former St. Albert writer-poet Astrid Blodgett, this literary salon focuses on providing a platform for prose writers.

Blodgett originally started the salon about eight years ago hosting it in her home with Witson. The invitation only salons of both published and unpublished writers attracted voices from across Alberta.

“I noticed there were so many opportunities for poets to read, but if you were a writer of prose and creative non-fiction, there was very little,” said Blodgett describing the inspiration for the salon.

Loiselle was one of the writers invited. Last year, the festival founder invited the salon to extend itself to the festival and it was a hit.

This year Blodgett hosts readings with short story writer Alma Mancilla, playwright-screenwriter Conni Massing and Witson while large-scale-on-canvas artist Elsa Robinson paints an on-the-sport painting.

“This is one opportunity for people who normally don't have an opportunity to read.”

• Celeigh Cardinal, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Sloppy Hoggs Roed Hus

Deep and gentle or raunchy and gut-twisting, Cardinal's performances are soulful and heartfelt.

• Peep Show Unleased – Wellspring, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Nina Haggerty Centre

This show is a reading of Leslea Kroll's Wellspring, a story of three small town women and how hydraulic fracking affects their lives.

“It gives a full picture and lets the audience decide what they want,” Loiselle explains.

• Women's Choir Festival, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at St. Faith's Church

Ariose, Archbishop Jordan High School, Bella Voce Concordia and Chanteuses, part of the Edmonton Columbian Choirs, team up of for the inaugural Women's Choral Festival.

• Kimberley MacGregor with Tzadeka, 9:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Alberta Avenue Cabaret Space

Rock artist Kimberley MacGregor pairs up with Tazdeka (Maigan van der Giessen), a fusion artist that has pushed the boundaries of hip hop music since putting out her first album with hip hop collective Eshod ibn Wyza in 2003.

• Sunday, March 13

• Bellydancing, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Bedouin Beats

Time to learn the art of bellydancing with sass, sparkle and a love of performing.

• Peep Show Unleashed, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Nina Haggerty Gallery

This one-hour event provides a taste of four new plays under development. They include Mary Chartier's Fifty First Dates, Savanna Harvey's The Annotated Autobiography, Katherine Koller's Riverkeeper and Linda Wood Edward's Pearls and Perils on the Chilkoot Trail.

For complete information visit skirtsafire.com.