Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, 
Punctuate! Theatre, and Pyretic Productions present

Kohkom’s Babushka

Written by Lianna Makuch & Joleen Ballendine
Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala
Directed by Lianna Makuch
Movement Directed by Anna Kuman

Previews: October 10, 15, & 16
Premiere: October 18

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is proud to present Kohkom's Babushka, a new family theatre production developed in collaboration with Pyretic Theatre, Pemmican Collective, and Punctuate! Theatre. 

When feuding tweens—Paulette, who’s Métis, and Natalia, who’s Ukrainian—are forced to team up to protect a beloved tree from being cut down, they are accidentally transported back to the turn of the 20th century. The girls find themselves caught in an unfamiliar world and must discover a way to cooperate if they want to find their way back home. Along the way, they discover connections between their two cultures through music, dance, and their values, and craft the beginnings of a new and profound friendship.

Inspired by the work of prairie author Marion Mutala, Kohkom’s Babushka re-examines the legacies of traditional Canadian settler stories, fostering dialogue that celebrates both differences and shared values. It highlights the beauty of cultural traditions, the spirit of generosity, and the enduring power of friendship.

Join Banff Centre for this family production, great for ages 8+.
 

The New Play Productions are generously funded by The Slaight Family Foundation.
 

Praise for Punctuate! Theatre

"ever-enterprising" - The Edmonton Journal
"Never let it be said that Punctuate! Theatre doesn’t earn its exclamation mark." - 12thNight.ca

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Based on the story by Washington Irving
Adaptation & Story by Peter Balkwill, Anna Cummer, Steven (Pityu) Kenderes, and Judd Palmer
Written by Anna Cummer and Judd Palmer
Directed by Craig Hall
Alberta Theatre Projects
In association with Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Featuring The Old Trout Puppet Workshop
World Premiere
 

Previews: October 11, 14, & 15
Premiere: October 17 

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is proud to present the premiere of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, developed in association with Alberta Theatre Projects and featuring The Old Trout Puppet Workshop.

Ten years after the American Revolutionary War, the country is still haunted by the violence that created it.  A country school master, Ichabod Crane, finds himself dispatched to a remote village North of the Hudson River: Sleepy Hollow. Here, he tries to bring the inhabitants of this deeply superstitious hamlet into the 18th century. But secrets run deep, and not all is as it appears in this place still haunted by its past.

Brought to wildly imaginative life by the twisted genius of The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, this world premiere adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow breathes exciting new life into the enduring and haunting tale of the Headless Horseman. 

Experience this thrilling tale first, before it heads to its full theatrical run at Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary. Just in time for Halloween, travel to Sleepy Hollow at Banff Centre!

The New Play Productions are generously funded by The Slaight Family Foundation.
 

Praise for The Old Trout Puppet Workshop:

“A fantastical visual world” – The Globe and Mail

“…Unimaginable creativity and talent… downright beautiful.” – Vue Magazine

“As funny as it is inventive” – The Guardian

“Brilliant, sublime and often hilarious… sheer visual poetry…” – Monday Magazine

Join us for an engaging conversation with acclaimed filmmaker and producer Georgina Lightning, who will reflect on the power of media to inspire change, build economies, and shape political and social movements.

In this conversation, Georgina will explore how media can perpetuate harmful narratives, but also how it can serve as a force for empowerment, opportunity, and community strength. Drawing from her Hollywood experience and her work in Alberta, she will consider how investing in Indigenous filmmaking can create cultural, political, and economic impact, both locally and nationally.

Facilitated by Janine Windolph, Director of Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre, the session includes a presentation by Georgina, followed by a discussion and a Q&A. This conversation will be live-streamed and will also be recorded and shared following the event. Sessions may share experiences and ask difficult questions.

About the Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series

The Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series is a bi-monthly conversation session inviting leading Indigenous Art creators to discuss their practices and processes. The series engages an Indigenous lens across various art forms, including Literary Arts, Film and Media Arts, Digital Media, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts such as Theatre, Dance, and Music. These sessions offer a space to explore and deepen your understanding of how Indigenous artists use their disciplines as tools to decolonize artistic processes and creation.

Join us for an insightful conversation with award-winning author and journalist Waubgeshig Rice as he explores the creative opportunities in adapting oral traditions into written form.

Passing stories down orally from generation to generation is a foundational cultural practice for people around the world. Today, writers capture, adapt, and document these spoken stories in diverse and evolving ways.

In this talk, Waub will reflect on how the oral stories of his Anishinaabe heritage inform his fiction writing. He will also share approaches for bringing oral traditions to the page, with a focus on dialogue, character development, and staying true to the spirit of spoken storytelling.

Facilitated by Janine Windolph, Director of Indigenous Arts at Banff Centre, the session includes a presentation by Waub, followed by a discussion and a Q&A. This conversation will be live-streamed and will also be recorded and shared following the event. Sessions may share experiences and ask difficult questions.

About the Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series

The Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series is a bi-monthly conversation session inviting leading Indigenous Art creators to discuss their practices and processes. The series engages an Indigenous lens across various art forms, including Literary Arts, Film and Media Arts, Digital Media, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts such as Theatre, Dance, and Music. These sessions offer a space to explore and deepen your understanding of how Indigenous artists use their disciplines as tools to decolonize artistic processes and creation.