Alberta Theatre Projects Revises 2018/2019 Season To Promote Diversity in Theatre

Alberta Theatre Projects is reprogramming the fifth and final production of its 2018/19 season with THE NEW CANADIAN CURLING CLUB, a hilarious and inspiring story by Canadian playwright Mark Crawford about community, humility, and understanding our differences. The play is scheduled to run March 5 - 23, 2019 in the Martha Cohen Theatre at Arts Commons.

The New Canadian Curling Club tells the story of a Chinese physician, a Jamaican Tim Horton's manager, a South Asian father, and a 17-year old Syrian refugee who live in a rural Canadian town. In an effort to welcome newcomers to Canada, the community decides to offer a free, "Learn to Curl" program. But when its organizer slips on the ice and breaks her hip, the rink's ice custodian and former champion curler Stuart MacPhail is forced to step in as head coach. Trouble is, Stuart has some strong opinions about immigrants-opinions he has trouble keeping to himself. What follows is the hilarious and inspiring story of a group of unlikely athletes who face off against local prejudice and become a true team. A comedy that "is funny, very funny... profound and diverse and encouraging" (London Fuse), The New Canadian Curling Club is a laugh-out-loud, heart-warming reminder of what it means to be Canadian. The World Premiere production is currently playing to sold-out houses at The Blyth Festival. ATP's production will be the Western Canadian Premiere.

This change is ATP Executive and Artistic Director Darcy Evans' first step towards a new vision for ATP that is built on telling stories that are representative of Calgary's diverse population. "Calgary is now the third most diverse city in Canada and I'm passionate about reflecting this on our stage. It's a big part of what drew me to this position," said Evans.

After careful consideration, ATP has made the difficult decision to replace WROL (Without Rule of Law) by Michaela Jeffery with The New Canadian Curling Club. "Jeffery is an important new voice in the Canadian theatre and we hope to continue our association with her and the rest of the artists attached to the project. We did not make this decision lightly. We have met with the artists and company members involved in this production to ensure they had a full understanding of our decision."

2018/19 season subscribers as well as single ticket holders for WROL (Without Rule of Law) will be contacted directly by ATP's box office regarding how these season changes impact their subscription and/or tickets.

Auditions for The New Canadian Curling Club will be announced later this summer. ATP will be reaching out to the community in an extensive search for new and existing artists to embody this diverse group of characters.

Single tickets for The New Canadian Curling Club ($30 - $76) can be purchased by calling (403) 294-7402.

ABOUT ALBERTA THEATRE PROJECTS

Alberta Theatre Projects is a Calgary-based, not-for-profit, professional theatre company that celebrates the art of live theatre. From its home in The Martha Cohen Theatre at Arts Commons, the company produces world-calibre shows with a focus on idea-driven new works, plays by Canadian playwrights, and contemporary theatre from around the world. It is also a national leader in new play development and dramaturgy.

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