UNews - Empress

Bringing alive the world of Fantastica

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:33:02 +0000

The world of Fantastica is doomed and on the brink of being enveloped by the Nothingness! Atreyu, a young hero in Fantastica, and Bastien, a boy in the real world, must stop the darkness from taking hold by saving the Childlike Empress.

The adventures of these boys and a company of wondrous characters play out on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre stage, Feb. 12-16 at 7 p.m. nightly. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende and adapted by David. S. Craig is perfect for anyone who has read a book so good they did not want it to end.

Director Andrew Legg mimics the emotion of one of the many puppet figures that will be used in the stage production.

Creating the magical world of Fantastica for the stage is no small task. From the creepy crawly characters in the form of imaginative puppets, to a set that transforms between Fantastica and the real world, audiences of all ages are in for a spellbinding experience.

Set Designer, Vicki Moser (BA '12) explains the delicate balance of creating a set that easily shifts between the real world and Fantastica.

"Part of the director's concept is to have everything in the imaginary world of Fantastica linked to something we have seen in the real world that Bastian inhabits," she says. "Our set incorporates pieces we have in the real world that transform into something else in Fantastica – everything shifts and morphs and moves, literally, as Bastian's imagination comes to life on stage."

Director Andrew Legg (MFA candidate) chose to direct The Neverending Story as part of the requirements for his MFA degree because the movie had such an impact on him as a child.

"It's a story for all ages, because I think we all identify and cheer for the underdog. I remember watching the film and immediately connecting with both Atreyu and Bastien," says Legg. "The Neverending Story is a great hero's adventure, with wonderfully fantastic characters. I'm thrilled to see it all come to life on stage."

Recommended for ages 10 and up, tickets for The Neverending Story are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office, Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., or by calling 403-329-2616. Individual tickets are priced at $15 regular, $10 seniors/students and children. Regular tickets are also available online at www.uleth.ca/tickets.

This story first appeared in the February 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Whitehead gift gets creative juices flowing

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:09:32 +0000

Thanks to generous ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumnus, Terry Whitehead (BA '94), students have the opportunity to flex their creative writing muscles and possibly win fame and fortune.

Whitehead provides $5,000 in prize money to support the annual Play Right Prize and Striking Prose competition to encourage excellence and development in student playwriting and short story writing.

When the 2012 winners were asked why they participated in this competition they all answered the same way – because they love to write.

Pictured here are the winners from the Play Right Prize and Striking Prose competition. Back row from left are Cole Olson and Christopher Wallace. Front from left are Lori-Ann Steward, Kristine Saretsky, Makambe Simamba and Chelsea Woolley.

The first place prize in the Striking Prose category went to English major Kristine Saretsky for her short story The Persephone Games. The three member jury, made up of Department of English faculty, Dr. Kiki Benzon, Dr. Maureen Hawkins and Dr. Jay Gamble, conclude Saretsky's story is a moving read that is part mystery, part dream and entirely entrancing. What is left unsaid defines the story and is most terrifying.

First place for the Play Right Prize went to Makambe Simamba, a BFA Drama major, for her play MUD, which speaks to contemporary Canadian issues in a powerful and poetic way. The jury included Meg Braem, an award-winning playwright and drama faculty member; alumni Andy Jenkins (BFA '07), Empress Theatre's summer program director; and Estelle Shook, the former artistic director of British Columbia's nationally acclaimed Caravan Farm Theatre. With a record number of submissions, the jurors were impressed with the high degree of imagination demonstrated by the student playwrights.

Both first prize winners receive $1,500 and the opportunity to share their winning entries at a public reading on Thursday, Mar. 15 at 7 p.m. in the David Spinks Theatre. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. The evening includes a reception and cash bar.

Second place in the Play Right competition went to Chelsea Woolley for her script 1000 Names, which had rich, vivid characters and timeless potent themes. Third place went to Cole Olson for his play Patriarch, a work that takes a personal and intimate approach to the classic family drama. They receive awards of $750 and $250 respectively.

Because the quality was so high, this year's Striking Prose jurors found it too hard to decide on a second and third place story, so two second prize awards were presented to Christopher Wallace for his story Alex and to Lori-Ann Steward for her submission Marionette.

Wallace and Steward split the second and third prize awards and each receive $500.

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Recital hall to host Windy Mountain Festival

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:42:55 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Recital Hall will welcome a bona fide "festival" when the Windy Mountain Music Festival kicks off its concert series here, Thursday, May 28.

Celebrating works by composers of the past and executed by musicians and performers of the present, Windy Mountain promises a variety of music and musicians across a variety of locations.

The Recital Hall is a new venue this year, hosting the first concert of the series. A pre-concert talk begins at 7:15 p.m. with the concert to follow at 8 p.m. An opportunity to meet the musicians follows the concert.

"We chose the U of L Recital Hall for the first performance for two reasons," says Gerard Gibbs, general manager, Windy Mountain Music Festival. "It is the finest recital space in the city of Lethbridge and it's also home to the Faculty of Fine Arts, a new partner in the music festival. The hall holds 200 guests, and we are sure you will agree it is a great fit to showcase the hard work and dedication of the performers featured at the festival."

The concert in the Recital Hall is entitled Glass Reflections and includes music from Italian composer Nino Rota, a work by American composer Phillip Glass (performed by special guests the Smith Quartet), a Rondeau for Glass Harmonica, violins, viola, cello and bass and music by Schubert.

The second and third concerts in the series allow patrons to take a step back in time, as they will be held in Fort Macleod's Empress Theatre.

"This venue is the province's oldest operating theatre, and is at the heart of Fort Macleod," says Gibbs. "Be sure to notice many of the original features from the past exhibited throughout the building while enjoying works performed by the wonderful guest performers of today."

The fourth concert, at the Anglican Christ Church of Fort Macleod, honours the rich history of southern Alberta with an inspirational piece written as a tribute to the life of Jerry Potts by composer Allen Bell. Throughout the performance, author Fred Stenson will also recite segments from his written work on the life of Jerry Potts.

The festival closes at a third new venue, Christ Church Elbow Park in Calgary.

"As a member of the Calgary classical music community, I've had the opportunity to perform in Christ Church Elbow Park numerous times and I'm very pleased we were able to add this as our final venue of the festival. Aside from being one of the most outstanding acoustic spaces in the city, it is located in a serene neighborhood that you might think is an extension of our customary rural settings," says Gibbs.

A Festival Pass for all five concerts is priced at $98, while tickets for individual performances are $26 for regular admission and $12 for students. To purchase tickets, call toll free 800-540-9229, or locally 403-553-4404 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.windymountain.ca

UNews - Empress

Bringing alive the world of Fantastica

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Whitehead gift gets creative juices flowing

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Recital hall to host Windy Mountain Festival

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