Radioheaded 2: A Listening Party
W.O. Mitchell Prize Beakerhead revealed and a Radioheaded 2 remount
Calgary writer Tyler Trafford is the recipient of the 2013 W.O. Mitchell Prize for his book Almost a Great Escape: A Found Story about a son who discovers his mother’s secret Second World War romance when he finds some hidden letters following her death. The letters were from a Norwegian fighter pilot who later became famous as one of the architects of “the Great Escape” — and one of only three prisoners to make it home. The prize awarded by the City of Calgary and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta was presented June 11.
Denise Clark voted one of Calgary’s best actors in our Best of Calgary readers’ survey has been behind the scenes and on the stage for many memorable performances over the years including both Radioheaded and its followup Radioheaded 2 . As part of Sled Island that followup will have a remount Radioheaded 2: A Listening Party . Directed by Clark the performance is described as a “bedroom dance party” in which the audience will imagine Radiohead’s 2007 album In Rainbows on in and through the bodies of 20 talented young artists. The two performances run June 18 and 19 at Big Secret Theatre ( oyr.org ).
Following last year’s successful Beakerhead debut you’d think people would have a better idea of what to expect this year but the surprises just keep coming. The five-day extravaganza of arts science and engineering has revealed its plans for September 10 to 14 which includes a new installation called Little Big Street that will feature a human-sized nest a plastic bubble meeting room a 90-square-foot home an inflatable giant lotus and other interactive structures — all in a miniature neighbourhood with a fire-breathing gnome and sensor garden. On top of that there will be a ferris wheel that serves molecular gastronomy meals a Giant Walkthrough Brain and plenty of science buskers speakers and strange and wonderful creations popping up in different locations around the city. The events are presented in collaboration with 90 different organizations representing arts science technology post-secondary schools communities and more ( beakerhead.org ).
Award-winning author Colette Maitlind will be at Shelf Life Books on Thursday June 12 at 7 p.m. to read from her latest book Riel Street a realistic portrayal of a military family told from different points of view during the period between Canada’s centennial celebrations and the murder of Quebec politician Pierre LaPorte by members of the FLQ. Mailtlind will be joined by Shirlee Smith Matheson author of A Royal Balance: The Life and Times of Hal Wyatt and Dymphny Dronyk editor of The Calgary Project: A City Map in Verse and Visual .
Lunchbox Theatre is workshopping eight new works and one old one starting this week as part of its Suncor Energy Stage One Festival of New Work ( lunchboxtheatre.com ). This event is for those who want to see what’s in the works for potential new lunchtime shows and maybe give their two cents on what would make them better. That way as they’re watching one of the new one-act plays while chowing down on a sandwich next season or the next they’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that they saw it first. Read about this year’s Stage One Festival lineup online at ffwdweekly.com .
