Unexpected Spectacles in Macaulay Point Park
Free art in Esquimalt: Fri 23 - Sun 25 AUG 2024
Show description
SNAFU returns to Macaulay Point Park - the site of 2023's immersive adventure New Earth Bandits - with a free experimental festival: Unexpected Spectacles in Macaulay Point Park.
Audiences roam the park from 3-7pm and encounter live music, puppetry, dance, and interactive workshops from artists including Hank Pine, Tony Adams, Boss Saint B, Kathleen O’Reilly, Loreto Espinoza and Alectoria Productions.
You can visit the info booth at the base of the tunnel to find out what’s happening where, including opportunities to join a choir or help paint a large-scale puppet for the Esquimalt Lantern Festival.
Unexpected Spectacles concludes with a Closing Ceremony at one of the park’s iconic battlements from 5-7pm on Sunday, August 25th. Spectators are invited to DRESS AS THEIR FAVOURITE BIRD, bring a folding chair, or find a spot on the lookout point to enjoy free performances from some of Victoria’s most exciting artists.
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VENUE
Macaulay Point Park
Free Parking at Fleming Beach Boat Launch, 1101 Munro Street.
ACCESS
Wheelchair accessible, dirt trails.
WEATHER
The show will happen come RAIN OR SHINE! It gets windy by the ocean, so dress for all weather and wear comfortable shoes for walking the trails. The temperature drops quickly. Bring layers! We wanna see your costumes! We encourage you to come dressed as your favourite bird.
GETTING THERE
Macaulay Point Park is 5km from Downtown Victoria. It’s a 10-minute drive by car and 20-25 minutes by bus or bike.
WASHROOM
The washroom is in the parking lot at 1101 Munro Street. It's a 10-minute walk from the main performance site, so we recommend using the washroom first. If you need to use the washroom during the experience, you are welcome to leave and come back. Treat the experience like an easy hike. The washroom is quite large but too small to fit mobility scooters.WORKSHOPS AND COMMUNITY ART PROJECTS
Tunnel Choir
Are you feeling untethered? Singing with a group can change your internal rhythm. Come to the tunnel to learn a simple choral song, sing together as a choir, and regulate your nervous system.
Puppet Painting at the Info Booth
Learn about Waste Management from the Sustainable Fox. Paint the wings of a giant glowing bat puppet and that will be presented at the Esquimalt Lantern Festival on September 13.
Free Mime Class w/ Kathleen O’Reilly - Site 6
A guided exploration of how to make the invisible visible and engage the performer and audience’s imagination by using simple mime technique and playfulness. Participants of any age and ability will learn how to create a ‘fixed point’, play with weight/resistance, and create their own mime routine or adventure.LIVE ART
Tony Adams (Cardinal) - Throughout the Park
tony's moms favourite bird was a cardinal. When tony's mom passed away their twin sister was visited by a cardinal. tony has yet to see a cardinal, but they are taking matters into their hands and are doing whatever it takes to get a visit, so they have made themself as appealing as possible and are wearing as much bird food as their body can hold.
Kathleen O'Reilly (Yasas the Alien) - at Site 6
Yasas, a curious and lost alien, appears to have been spat out of a portal between her world and earth. The timing is unfortunate as her body is starting to transform into a new phase of her alien life cycle. This comedic, interactive solo clown act with minimal text features song, dance and a bouffon-esque costume that transforms and surprises to tell a story of self-discovery and acceptance.
Alectoria Productions (Choose-your-own-adventure) - at Site 7
An immersive retelling of myths and legend, through play and song. DJ Spider Monkey wants to make a story with you. Follow their interactive musical escapade as they weave in and out through the trees, telling you words of wisdom. Ogre Bocce engages audiences to play a gripping round of bocce up a hill- while mirroring the equally riveting tale of Sisyphus. Watch a live rehearsal on Saturday and play bocce on Sunday!MUSIC VIDEO SHOOT
We connected an ensemble of performers, dancers and puppeteers to work with musicians Hank Pine and Katrina Kadoski to create music videos for two BRAND NEW SONGS!! Filming & rehearsals are taking place throughout the park.
CLOSING CEREMONY
Featuring Hank Pine, Boss Saint B, Vitor Freitas and more! Watch the sunset over the water as we showcase what we’ve been working on. Bring a folding chair, blanket, or find a spot on the lookout. Get into the SNAFU spirit by dressing as your favourite bird. Bring something that glows to guide our way home.
About the Artists
Tony Adams (they/he)
About TonyTony Adams is a theatre creator and performer. Most recently they debuted their solo show tony wrestles a stranger at Intrepid Theatre's Incoming Festival and later produced at Upintheair's rEvolver Festival. They are the Co-Artistic Director of May Can Theatre, with whom they created over 15 original pieces. Notable shows include Happiness™ (rEvolver Festival, Wildside Festival, Tactics Series), and Wolves > Boys (CBC top ten shows of 2014) and It’s About Our Goldfish (subDevision, Magnetic North Theatre Festival 2013). May Can Theatre has received 7 Prix Rideau Award nominations for their work. Tony has received awards for Outstanding Duo, and Outstanding Ensemble form the Ottawa Fringe Festival, and was nominated as an Emerging Artist in 2013 form the Prix Rideau Awards.
Lauren Ball (she/her)
About LaurenLauren is an English settler living on Lekwungen territory. Her professional credits include social media management in London’s West End where she met the Spice Girls and was dubbed a “tireless hype merchant” in the Daily Mail. She has worked with Atomic Vaudeville, SNAFU, and Salty Broad Productions as a performer, producer, and arts marketer. She is an enthusiastic choir girl, former burlesque artist, and proud theatre kid.
Boss Saint B (she/her)
About Boss Saint BBritt was born in The Pas and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba before playing hockey for McGill University in Montreal and ultimately settling on Vancouver Island where she earned her MFA in Directing at the University of Victoria.
Britt has over 20 years experience as a director, producer, performer, creator and teacher of Physical Theatre and Clown. She is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Atomic Vaudeville company, original producers of hit musical Ride the Cyclone. Recently she directed the World Tour of Jimbo's Drag Circus. As an actor she recently played Valere in La Bete for The Great Works Festival. Other roles include Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Harpo in Animal Crackers. So, clowns, lots of ridiculously expressive clowns. She performs musically as Boss Saint B and opened for Peaches on their 2022 Anniversary Tour. Britt has directed Janet Munsil’s Circus Fire and The Ugly Duchess, Jacob Richmond’s Qualities of Zero, Ride the Cyclone and Legoland, The Fantasticks and True West for Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream for GVSF, God’s Lake and Castle in the Sky for Castlereigh Theatre, Epidermis Circus for SNAFU, My Chernobyl for Gateway Theatre and The Belfry and local Victoria cult hits The Rocky Horror Show and Hedwig for AV. Britt also works as a mentor, dramaturg and book editor, is currently developing two new Canadian musicals and teaches acting, play building, clown, comedy, movement and improvisation for various stage and film organizations.
Listen to Boss Saint B’s Westcoast Hip-hop
Stephie Bright (she/her)
About StephieStephie Bright is a multidisciplinary artist local to Victoria BC. She graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts in 2020 and has since been working as an actor, production manager, playwright, photographer, and videographer with many theatre and production companies on Vancouver Island. When she is not on stage or set she teaches acting and filmmaking skills to young performers ages 4-17 at Spotlight Academy. This is Stephie's first time working with SNAFU and she couldn't be more thrilled!
Holly Brinkman (she/her)
About HollyHolly M. Brinkman is a storyteller, burlesque performer, and costumer who has been making art on the unceded territory of the the Lək̓ʷəŋən and WSÁNEĆ Peoples since 2014. Her costuming specialities include designer for diverse bodies and creating costumes that can be easily adjusted for weight fluctuation. She teaches burlesque costuming at The Green Thimble in Victoria, BC September 16 - November 11, 2024 and as her showgirl persona, RoseGold, Holly M. Brinkman is the creator and designer of Tit-Tees - designer t-shirts and tote bags featuring line drawings of a diverse range of naked chests. For costuming commissions and pricing go @RoseGoldBurlesque on Instagram.
Loreto Andrea Espinoza (she/her)
About LoretoLore is a Chilean actor who has worked with Atomic Vaudeville, SNAFU, Wonderheads, SKAM, Impulse, Gay4Nature, among other companies in Canada and Chile. As a creator/director has worked in short pieces as Plastik Chaskilla, presented in Impulse's Peek Shows and AV cabarets. She also directed Coffee Cantata for Gay4Nature. Lore is a graduate from Club de Teatro and has training in Commedia, Bouffon, Clown (Britt Small, Michael Kennard), Puppetry, Neutral Mask (Philippe Gaulier) and most recently in Suzuki and Viewpoints (Ellen Lauren, J. Ed. Ariaza from SITI). Her hands build props, puppets, costumes and pet cats.
Vitor Freitas
Kathleen Greenfield (they/she)
About KathleenKathleen lives and collaborates on the territories of the WSÁNEĆ, Lkwungen & Wyomilth people. As Co-Artistic Director of SNAFU, she has directed the premiere productions of Little Orange Man, Kitt & Jane and Interstellar Elder. In 2013, Kathleen joined the artistic team of William Head on Stage Prison Theatre as a performer/facilitator. In 2019, she directed The Emerald City Project with WHoS.
Jessica Hickman
Maddy Kiersten (any/all)
About MaddyAs a self-proclaimed artistic goof of all trades, Maddy Kirstein specializes in community-centered stage management and immersive storytelling, they wish to create spaces that give artists the strength and support to share their art.
Islay McKechnie (she/they)
About IslayIslay is a performance artist currently based on unceded lək̓ʷəŋən territory. They love to play music, craft, and get freaky. You can catch Islay performing regularly as one half of performance duo COWBOY (@cowboy.ca on instagram) or playing accordion by the moonlight. Upcoming artistic ventures include performing new original COWBOY show ‘ciarán and islay make coffee’ in the 2024 Victoria Fringe Festival so KEEP YER EYES PEELED FOR THAT IN AUGUST!
Stan Lloyd (he/him)
About StanI’m 31 years old I like theatre willing to try new things and theatre is a great way to express myself and meet new people along the way.
Hank Pine (he/they)
About HankQueer artist Hank Pine blends genres into epic, lyrical songs that tackle profound questions with wry dark humor and catchy sing-along choruses. His unique style filters music through a kaleidoscopic lens, creating a sound that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. With an ability to engage listeners emotionally and intellectually, Hank invites audiences on a journey through his artistry, making complex themes accessible and relatable. His work stands out for its creativity and depth, leaving a lasting impression while encouraging connection and reflection. Through his music, Hank Pine continues to redefine boundaries and inspire others
Kathleen O'Reilly (she/her)
About KathleenKathleen O’Reilly is an actor, theatre creator and educator from Victoria, B.C. Kathleen's passion for theatre and creating characters led her to complete the Acting program with a BFA at UVIC (2014). She later studied two years of physical theatre and collective creation at the renowned Lecoq school in Paris, France (2019). You may have seen her in Blue Bridge Theatre’s production of one-woman show “I, Claudia”, directed by Treena Stubel. Or “ROVERS”, a slap-stick, musical comedy about mimes which she co-wrote and directed with the company she founded, SHIFT SHAPE, at last years SKAMpede festival.
Logan Pahl (he/him)
About LoganLogan is newer to the Victoria area. With a background in dance and musical theater from the prairies, he is a performance force to be reckoned with. When he's not performing, he can be found in his greenhouse full of hot peppers or throwing traps in the ocean for crab and prawn.
Regina Rios (she/her)
About ReginaBorn and raised in Mexico City, Regina Ríos moved to the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən People (Victoria) in 2017 to hone her artistry as an actor, singer, dancer and creator. She graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts and obtained her Bachelor of Performing Arts Degree from Capilano University. Always feeling in between cultures, she strives to create new work that pushes boundaries. Regina is is thrilled to be working with SNAFU this summer and is looking forward to learning the ins and outs of production so she can continue to develop her one-woman show 'A Distancia'.
Danny Saretsky (he/him)
About DannyDanny is a multi-disciplinary artist and performer that has been a part of the Victoria theatre scene since graduating from the Canadian College of Performing Arts in 2020. Most frequently, you can find Danny singing, dancing, and goofing around with Atomic Vaudeville, with whom he has performed in the last five cabarets. Danny had the opportunity to perform with SNAFU in the Summer of 2023 in their choose-your-own adventure show for the Victoria Fringe, New Earth Bandits.
Amanda Zink
Press
“A true pleasure that I would recommend to anyone who has become a little too familiar with reality.”
“[SNAFU] will forever change the way you see theatre and its possibilities...as each audience member truly feels like an important part of the narrative.”
“Fresh and daring . . . SNAFU is one to watch out for.”
“Hilarious, invigorating theatre that will follow you home.”
Pic of Sadie Fox teaching children about recycling by photographer Hélène Cyr
Pic of music video director Regina Rios holding a gimbal by photographer Hélène Cyr
Thank Yous
These park spectacles were created with support from the CRD Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, the BC Arts Council and the Province of British Columbia.
Pic of dancers Vitor Freitas and Amanda Zink leaping into the air by photographer Hélène Cyr
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