Soulful Jazz with a Vintage Feel and a Modern Twist

Rich, Sultry, and Sweet - Alberta’s Own Ellen Doty performs at Horizon Stage - Friday, February 24

Ellen Doty is a soulful Canadian vocalist and songwriter with a world-class voice. Her nostalgic sound is rooted in jazz, but seamlessly incorporates elements of other genres including folk and pop and adds a modern twist as well. A true storyteller whose works are intimate and personal, Ellen’s immense talent for lyrics is complemented by her stunning vocals. Rich, sultry, and sweet, Ellen’s voice draws listeners in and takes them on an unforgettable journey. Horizon Stage is pleased to present Ellen Doty on Friday, February 24, at 7:30 p.m.

Originally from Okotoks, Alberta, Ellen has been performing since age five. She studied jazz at Carleton University before taking a detour to the University of Calgary where, thinking that she should “probably have a real job”, she decided to take geology. But geology didn’t pan out and Ellen left school in her third year to return to a career in music - and she’s thankful she did as she now can’t imagine doing anything else.

Since returning to music Ellen has had the opportunity to work with many of her jazz heroes including Al Kay, Pat Labarbera, Bobby Shew, Dave Mancini and PJ Perry. In 2013, she received the ‘Outstanding Soloist’ award from the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho and she completed an artist residency for Collaborative Song-Writing at the prestigious Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. After releasing two singles, “Live at the Station” (2012) and “That's Love” (2013), she received an album production grant in May 2013 from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

Ellen’s first full-length album, Gold, broke the top ten on several Canadian jazz charts and received critical acclaim. The media called it “an immediate, handmade, warm-hearted statement” and “sweet ’n’ sunny crossover jazz-pop” and said that her “voice honey-coats every word it sings.” The record featured ten of Ellen's original compositions, and a piece by Toronto songwriter Kyle Zavitz. Co-writers also included Oliver Miguel, Josh Crowhurst, Conrad Good, and Danny Michel.

After considerable support from fans and an overwhelming response to a crowd-funding campaign, Ellen embarked on a thirty city, forty-six stop cross-Canada tour from Sydney, Nova Scotia to Victoria, BC. She thoroughly enchanted audiences across the country with her show stopping performances. After opening for Grammy-winner Gregory Porter at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary in 2016, she has been touring with award-winning saxophonist Eli Bennett and her long-time collaborator Josh Crowhurst.

Ellen released an emotional single titled "Just So You Know" in April 2015 after the loss of a dear friend. She is currently working on her sophomore album which is set for release in 2017. She has had the opportunity to collaborate and song-write with a number of noteworthy artists for the project including Juno-winner Justin Rutledge, Danny Vacon, Andy Stochansky, and Davide Direnzo.

With an honesty and warmth that sets her apart, Ellen Doty is clearly an emerging Canadian talent. Catch her at Horizon Stage on Friday, February 24 so that you can someday say “I saw her when…” Tickets are $35 for Adults and $30 for Students and Seniors and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through ticketpro.ca.

A Story About Family, Figuring Out Where You Come From, And Finding Your Way

Award-Winning Author Ivan Coyote presents Kraft Singles for Everyone at Horizon Stage on February 22

Ivan Coyote’s Kraft Singles for Everyone is a heart-felt and heartbreaking performance about figuring out where you come from and finding your way. It touches on subjects such as being an ex-Catholic queer and the dynamics of small town big families, and leaves us asking ourselves what we truly inherit from the blood that runs in our veins. Horizon Stage is excited to present Kraft Singles for Everyone on Wednesday, February 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Born and raised in a large Irish Catholic family in Whitehorse, Ivan Coyote learned the craft of storytelling while gathering around their grandmother’s kitchen table on long northern winter nights. Ivan’s work tackles the difficult subjects of family, class, gender identity, and social justice with the silver tongue of a master storyteller, an eye for the beauty found in what makes us all human, and an ear for the hilarity of life and love. Ivan’s first love is telling stories to a live audience, and they have become an audience favourite at writers’, storytelling, poetry, spoken word, and music festivals from Anchorage to Amsterdam.

Ivan began performing spoken word in 1992. They are the award-winning author of nine collections of short stories, one novel, a collection of essays, three screenplays and three CDs including the 2007 ReLit Award winning Bow Grip, a short story collection for young adults called One In Every Crowd, and 2016’s Tomboy’s Guide to Survival.  Coyote regularly combines storytelling and music and has worked with a number of musicians including Veda Hille, Dan Mangan and Rae Spoon. Coyote has been a columnist for the gay magazines Xtra! and Xtra! West for a number of years and a writer-in-residence at numerous organizations.

In November 2015 Coyote did a TED talk in Vancouver entitled "We All Need a Safe Place to Pee," where they discussed the need for gender neutral bathrooms in all public places. In 2016, they delivered the Florence Bird Lecture at Carleton University titled "Neither, Nor: How to Circumnavigate the Gender Binary in Seven Thousand Easy Steps". Ivan also visits schools and has been doing so for fifteen years - telling stories that encourage talking and motivating students and staff to take action to foster safety and social justice in hallways, gymnasiums, and classrooms.

Spend an evening Up Close and Personal with Ivan Coyote on Wednesday, February 22. Seating is general admission with the lobby opening at 6:30 p.m., theatre doors at 7:15 p.m. and the performance starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $25 for all ages and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online at ticketpro.ca.

Revolutionary and Innovative Illusions Performed By Master Magicians

OUTERBRIDGE: Clockwork Mysteries "Grand Masters of Illusions” Will Wow Audience at Horizon Stage on February 11

A professionally orchestrated theatrical production with over twenty custom-designed illusions and world-class lighting and set design, OUTERBRIDGE: Clockwork Mysteries “Grand Masters of Illusion” is a high-energy magical adventure for both adult and family audiences. Recognized as one of the most creative and dynamic shows of its kind, critics have hailed Ted and Marion Outerbridge as “the most successful magicians in Canada” and “champions of magic”. Now these expert magicians are bringing their groundbreaking illusions back to Horizon Stage on Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 p.m.

As the largest and most successful touring illusion show in the country, Clockwork Mysteries has received both the 2011 Award of Excellence from Ontario Contact and the 2010 Touring Artist of the Year award from the B.C. Touring Council. This innovative production takes its audience on a bizarre and fascinating journey through time. Within seconds of taking the stage, the Outerbridges fuse their revolutionary illusions with split-second artistry and hold viewers spellbound.

With the help of an elaborate Victorian time machine, performers and spectators travel back in time together. The audience is invited into a mysterious clock tower equipped with a variety of timekeeping devices. They become part of a race against time, experience time accelerating and slowing down, and participate in predicting the contents of a time capsule. Keeping their audience enthralled from the first astonishing illusion to the spectacular finale, the Outerbridges create an experience that far exceeds the expectations of the observer.

Performing professionally since 1982, Ted Outerbridge has done everything from materializing Fortune 500 executives, to consulting for Cirque du Soleil, to creating the magic for the movie Switching Channels starring Kathleen Turner and Christopher Reeve. He has made over 100 television appearances, from Much Music to The Discovery Channel’s Mystery Hunters, and on his own TV special Magic with Ted Outerbridge. Ted’s dry sense of humor has resulted in return bookings at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, his charisma has led to repeat appearances on Princess Cruise ships, and his mastery of the art of grand illusion has enabled him to perform at the SkyDome in Toronto as well as on televised pre-game shows for the National Hockey League.

Marion joined Ted’s show as a dancer and lead assistant in 1999. She quickly became an integral part of the production, eventually becoming Ted’s partner, on and off the stage, when they married in 2006. Marion has performed the world over and speaks five languages fluently. A dancer in constant demand, she has performed in numerous North American productions from Nostalgie to We’ve Got Magic and Country 2000. In 1999 Marion made her film debut in The Whole Nine Yards with Bruce Willis and has since appeared in numerous film and television productions including Barney’s Version with Dustin Hoffman and White House Down with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx.

The Outerbridges last wowed audiences at Horizon Stage in 2010 with Magical Moments in Time. Prepare to be taken on another magical journey through time by these “Grand Masters of Illusion” on Saturday, February 11. Tickets are $35 for Adults and $30 for Students and Seniors and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through ticketpro.ca. Fun for everyone - we recommend this show for anyone age six or older who is ready to be mystified, amazed, and astounded

Wiggle and Giggle with Saskatchewan’s Queen of the Swing-Set Scene

Singing with Sylvia Will Charm Toddlers, Preschoolers, Kindergartners, and Their Adults on January 23

Sylvia Chave says that she started singing the day she was born. She’s all grown up now (with four grown-up children of her own) and she is thrilled to be able to share her music with youngsters all over the country.  Sylvia’s original songs stick in your head like bubble gum in your hair. Her lyrics offer an enlightening kid’s-eye view on significant issues of this day and age such as: blankie blues, napaphobia, snoring fathers, and cookie-cutting techniques. She answers age-old questions like: Why do bees go buzz? Is it possible to be quiet while your baby brother naps? and, How is it that Mama always knows best? If you have a child in your life who is under the age of six then you simply cannot miss Singing with Sylvia at Horizon Stage on Monday, January 23 at 10 a.m.

A concert by Sylvia is energetic and interactive. She has a knack for keeping little ones on their feet and dancing to the beat. With more costume changes than a toilet-training toddler Sylvia can go from pretty princess to bearded pirate in 4.5 seconds. Her travelling “Transformation Station” is jam-packed with vibrant creations that transport her, and her audiences, into a colourful world of make-believe. Whether dressed as a tropical calypso dancer with a tutti-frutti hat or a polka-dancing bohemian with a pizza on her head, Sylvia’s performances are fresh and funny!

Sylvia’s offbeat characters and unbridled love of performing weaves a special magic that allows her to create an amazing rapport with her young audiences.  Of course, the fact that she is just a tad off-center herself is a real bonus, because when she’s on stage, you’re never quite sure where this journey of laughter will take you.  Sylvia’s voice is an amazing instrument that she uses to create the haunting howls of a ghost, the gruff bark of a no nonsense pirate, the high pitched cackle of a chatty crow, and other wonderful characters.  Exuberant, original, and engaging, she leads her audiences in loud raucous choruses then hushes them with whisper and soothes them with the smooth liquid tones of a lullaby.

Born in Ontario, Sylvia moved to Saskatchewan after earning a degree in English from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. As she raised her family she ran a daycare, was a librarian and a Teacher’s Assistant. But the performing bug nipped at her heels, and as her children grew older she began to follow her dream, first with the children’s duo Prairie Patch in the 1990s and now on her own. She pulls many of her song ideas from her own childhood and her children’s childhoods.

Two out of three people with peanut butter and jelly moustaches agree that Sylvia Chave is a superstar. So get ready to wiggle, giggle, and have some fun with a room full of little ones at Horizon Stage’s 2017 Munchkin Matinee - Singing with Sylvia - on Monday, January 23. Tickets are just $12 for adults and $6 for children and seniors, and group discounts are available for daycares, preschools, playschools, and kindergarten classes. Tickets may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through Ticketpro.ca

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Vancouver’s Axis Theatre Company Reinvents a Classic Fairy Tale

Hamelin, A New Fable, Teaches Kids About Keeping Promises, Courage, and Cooperation   

Some modern children are so plugged in, busy, or programmed that they miss out on other valuable life experiences. Horizon Stage’s Family Matinee Series offers quality entertainment for 4 - 12 year olds that the adults in their life will enjoy as well. And the second performance in their 16/17 Family Series is no exception. Axis Theatre’s Hamelin, A New Fable on Sunday, January 22, is full of catchy tunes, funny jokes, and it teaches important life lessons to boot!

In 13th century Germany, Medieval Hamelin Town is way too big for its lederhosen. Governed by a spoiled Mayor, his Mommy, and stuffy corporate types who have no interest in its hard-working townsfolk, the town is primed to learn some significant lessons in life from 10-year-old twins Celeste and Ralph. When it seems that no one, other than their Opa Johannes, ever keeps their word, our heroes come up with a plan to make the grown-ups wake up and smell the strudel. After ridiculous new taxes render their tight-knit family homeless and desperate for help, they encounter a hapless “Minstrel”, a flute that has seen better days and of course, lots and lots of rats! With surprising plot twists,Hamelin, A New Fable, is a comedic, heart-tugging musical retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, using masks and puppets in Axis Theatre’s unique physical theatre style.          

Vancouver’s Axis Theatre Company has been performing in theatres and schools across North America and around the world for 40+ years. Enriching curriculum and drawing children into stories, they encourage young people to explore and appreciate shared community values and ideas in new and interesting ways. Their 57 original works have earned 17 Jessie Richardson Awards, A Betty Mitchell Award, and a Drama Desk Nomination for Unique Theatrical Experience.

Winner of a 2015 Jessie Richardson Award for Design Concept and Execution, Hamelin, A New Fable teaches kids about keeping promises versus breaking them, bullying and greed, courage, cooperation, and honor. The themes in the production support an understanding of the importance of contributing to community, solving problems in a peaceful way, defending human rights, and exercising democratic rights and responsibilities.

So spend a cozy afternoon soaking in some valuable culture with your family at Horizon Stage on Sunday, January 22. Free pre-show crafts and activities start at 1 p.m. and the hour-long performance starts at 2 p.m. Tickets are an affordable $12 for all ages and may be purchased at the City Hall Ticket Centre (315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, and online through Ticketpro.ca.