NextFest showcases more than 400 artists

For the past 14 years, NextFest has given young emerging artists a platform to exhibit their edgy artistry and vision. It’s provided young grassroots talent venues to demonstrate their work and hear invaluable feedback.

Once again curator Steve Pirot gears up for another lively, no holds barred, 11-day festival. More than 50 events with 400 artists take part in theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts and play readings.

Morinville’s own Thea Green has choreographed Four Corners for the Safety Dance component playing at the Roxy Theatre on June 11, 17 and 21.

Four Corners is a contemporary work fashioned with dancers’ input and a cardboard box used as a gift prop.

“I’m a mother of three small boys. I do a lot of thinking about small things in life. And life is such a beautiful gift. What we do is meant to be shared and is a gift to the audience,” says Green.

The theatre component introduces several St. Albert ambassadors including Louise Casemore directing False Start: Beginning of a Fool on June 13, 17, 19 and 21 at The Living Room Play House. In this Joel Bazin script, a baby clown provides some fresh insights into his world through the use of puppetry, mask and clowning.

There are 11 other main stage productions dealing with relevant pop culture topics on video game culture, death, magic, violence towards gays, dating and skipping school.

In addition, St. Albert Catholic High School graduate Sarah Sharkey, well known in University of Alberta theatre circles, is doing a play reading of Cadaver. Also on the play reading list is film/theatre star Matt Alden with Edmund. The Paul Kane High School alumnus delves into the mind of Edmund, a perpetually indecisive individual heading for disaster. Both readings are at Conrad’s Sugar Bowl on Saturday, June 20 at 1 p.m.

The music showcase coalesces with a wealth of talent from raunchy blues and heartbreak ballads to fiddling and sweet jazz. In the Songwriters Circle: U22 Showcase, two local folk singers are featured. Paul Kane’s Robert Mulder and St. Albert Farmers’ Market favourite busker Joe Nolan come out swinging full throttle at the Roxy on Sunday, June 14 at 2 p.m.

And finally, the film fest exhibition has two local representatives. Sarah Sharkey stars in Wellcolm, a tale about a man who runs out of gas at the edge of a small ghost town, and resident Elyse Dussault is in Clowning Around, a movie trailer spoofing cheesy, low-budget horrors.

A complete list of events is available in a brochure or by visiting www.nextfest.ca