A Year at the Theatre
Plays that took centre stage

BY BOB CLARK AND STEPHEN HUNT, CALGARY HERALD DECEMBER 29, 2011

It might be a digital era, but is there anything better, more intimate and human than a magical moment of live theatre?

Whether it's two savvy legends like Eric Peterson and John Gray revisiting the leg-end of Billy Bishop, or Caley Suliak narrating the details of her Summer of Amazing Luck, or Melanie Jones turning St. Patrick's Island into her very own lush, green summer stage in ENDURE!, every year spent experiencing Calgary's vibrant and occasionally audacious theatre scene produces lots of them.

Space doesn't allow for us to mention them all, but here are our 11 Memorable Theatre Moments of 2011, in no particular order.

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Theatres Offer 2011 Highlights

By: Stephanie McKay AND Jeanette Stewart
DECEMBER 13, 2011

In the days leading up to Christmas (or at least until Dec. 23), the StarPhoenix Arts & Life department is stuffing your figurative stocking with holiday cheer. Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas-themed recap of the year in entertainment. Here's our fourth instalment:

On the fourth day of Christmas, 2011 gave to me, four theatre triumphs:

1. Nevermore, October, Persephone Theatre

This nightmarish, musical take on Edgar Allen Poe's life was the best play staged in Saskatoon in 2011, period. Nevermore, a production by Edmonton's Catalyst Theatre, was a gruesome delight. It was like something picked from the brain of the dark author himself, with wild costumes Tim Burton would applaud. The cast worked like a well-oiled machine but the emotion, even in such an exaggerated setting, was honest.

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Musical Poe-try

By: Mike Thompson
Published Thursday October 6, 01:17 pm

PERSEPHONE PLAY OFFERS AN OTHERWORLDLY LOOK AT ICONIC AUTHOR'S LIFE
WEDNESDAY 19-NOVEMBER 2

Chances are, you've heard of Edgar Allan Poe: perhaps you've read The Raven, seen one of the many old movies made out of his works, or studied TheTell-Tale Heart in school (or at least seen The Simpsons' episode with the dioramas—Diorama-rama Day!). But while Poe is undoubtedly a cultural touchstone, what do you actually know about the man himself?

If the answer is "not much," don't feel too bad — you're not alone.

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PERSEPHONE THEATRE PRESENTS

Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and the Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Runs now through Nov. 2
Frank & Ellen Remai Arts Centre
Box office: 384-7727 or persephonetheatre.org

Two years ago, a brilliant and beautiful Frankenstein lumbered through Saskatoon as part of Persephone Theatre's 2008-09 season. Now, Catalyst Theatre is back with another Gothic fairytale, this time inspired by the life and work of a famously mysterious author.

Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, references the American Romantic era author in a wild, dreamlike night of musical theatre.

Co-creator and production designer Bretta Gerecke is a fan of Poe and said his writing style perfectly suits the kind of musical Catalyst creates.

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