Sarasvàti Productions: Opening Reception & Cabaret l Workshops l Call for Monologues l FemFest 2013

Please join Sarasvàti for this exciting opening reception and cabaret, a unique smorgasbord of music, dance, theatre and film, followed by a reception with great food and a chance to meet the artists from all disciplines!

Opening Cabaret and Reception – September 14, 7 p.m.

Hosted by Susan Tymofichuk (CTV)

• visual art by MAWA artists
• The Exchange by Katherine Koller
• Accalia Robertson – tribal dance
• Samantha Halas – contortionist
• Melanie Dahling – comedian
• Acquetore: Swan Doll – devised theatre by Devan Gingrich, Megan Sekiya and Brittany Thiessen
• Van Kunder – music
• The Craftastics: Agents for Social Change by Jennie O and Valley Gardens Middle School Grrlz Club – Art Installation in lobby and Trading Card Deck – Developed through the Winnipeg Arts Council’s Community WITH ART Program
• Plus teasers from other FemFest shows

Please email or call (204) 586-2236 for more information.

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University of Winnipeg Asper Centre for Theatre and Film (400 Colony Street)

Registration is limited to 12, please contact us or call 204-586-2236 

September 15 1 pm - 3 pm
 $15

Producing a Hit: Independent Theatre Production

Guest artist Christine Rodriguez tells her own tales of producing her work. 

A workshop for those who are looking to self-produce or producing a fringe production.

September 15 and 16: 3 pm - 6:30 pm
$50

Playwriting Masterclass 

An intensive playwriting workshop for mid-career playwrights. 

A rare opportunity to work with Djanet Sears!

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Sarasvàti Productions: FemFest 2013: Revelation and Revolution

September 14 - 27

University Of Winnipeg Asper Centre For Theatre And Film, 400 Colony Street

Tickets: $10 for single shows l $50 festival pass

Sarasvàti Productions presents the 11th annual theatre festival of theatre, written by women, for everyone. This year’s lineup includes an exciting mix of artists who are using performance to see the world in a different light and explore notions of revolution.

We are especially excited to begin a new play development process with VOICES, Manitoba’s Youth in Care.  FemFest 2013 will include a workshop presentation of a new, interactive theatre piece exploring experiences in foster care entitled Giving Voice. 

Our visiting touring artists include Governor General Award for Drama nominee Lisa Codrington, Liza Paul and Bahia Watson, and Montreal’s Christine Rodriguez.

FemFest welcomes all audience members to join in a celebration of female artists.

Contact Marianne Champagne  (204) 586-2236

• Sisters Inc. by Rita Shelton Deverell      is a girls road trip, only the girls, one Jewish, one Christian, one black Muslim, are all in their 60’s. The girls revisit some tense moments they experienced throughout the course of their long-time friendships. 

• Harold and Vivian Entertain Guests by Jessy Arden      Harold and Vivian married out of spite.  This piece won last year’s inaugural Bake-Off competition at FemFest and was selected by the audience to be showcased this year. 

• Flood Control by Marilyn Anne Campbell      Lonely Ray stands on a bridge, building up the nerve to end his life.

DEVELOPMENTAL WORK

- Bake-Off - Selected playwrights are given a list of ingredients and have two weeks to mix up a script! The staged readings of the resulting pieces will be like a dessert buffet with tasty treats and plenty of delightful surprises.

- Giving Voice with VOICES

September 14, 3 p.m.
September 19, 2:30 p.m.

- Perfect Love by Talia Pura  An exploration of the role gender plays in relationships.

SHORTS

- The Exchange by Katherine Koller

Molly knows Shauna by appearance, reputation, and name. Molly has come to trade lives.

- Short-List    Hear excerpts from scripts from the FemFest shortlist

TOURING PIECES

- Dreaming in Autism by Christine Rodriguez

La Tigresse Productions (Montreal)    A mother who has high hopes for her new baby boy soon learns that he has autism. Sad, funny, but mostly full of love.

- pomme is french for apple by liza paul and bahia watson

paulwatson productions (Toronto)     This vaudevillian two-woman show is a distinctly West Indian look at womanhood in all its glory.

- The Aftermath by Lisa Codrington (Toronto)    After an unexpected tragedy, Jane prepares for an impending apocalypse by lecturing on the importance of emergency preparedness.

Plus our exciting opening and closing cabarets featuring women artists in all disciplines!

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Sarasvàti Productions is seeking monologues for female voices by Canadian playwrights for their annual cabaret to celebrate International Women’s Week (March 3 - 9, 2014). 

This year’s theme is ‘Rise Up’ and we are looking for stories about young women, the next generation of subversion, new forms of advocacy and primarily comic pieces that use humour to tackle issues. 

Any style is acceptable as long as the piece is under ten minutes and written for a female character. Royalties will be paid for use of the monologues.

Deadline is October 1, 2013.

For more information please phone (204) 586-2236 or email

Sarasvàti Dramatic Theatre Productions and Repertory Inc. (founded in Winnipeg in 2000) seeks to inspire artists and audiences through the use of theatre and to provide a place where artists can develop, showcase their skills and celebrate their creativity.

Founded in 2003 by Sarasvàti Productions, FemFest presents the work of both established and emerging artists from across Canada. The festival’s mandate is to produce one-act plays by women and showcase women theatre artists.