Superior Theatre Festival is gearing up for their second year of programming this summer between July 27th and 30th. This professional, multi-disciplinary festival aims to respond to the diversity of practice and culture that exists in Thunder Bay by programming a variety of multi-disciplinary work from local and national companies. The festival is committed to providing affordable, high-quality performances and to providing opportunities for collaborations between local and national artists to further artistic practices. One of its unique aspects is the desire to nurture the creation of new work and create opportunities for youth engagement through a Youth Summer Theatre Program.
Last year, their performance of Night Wings by Eleanor Albanese was set in Northwestern Ontario and involved actors from Thunder Bay and Edmonton speaking not only their text but also closed captioning within each performance. Night Wings’ creative team engaged in conversations and workshops with our local CNIB in order to serve the needs of their community with this production.
This summer, as part of their core programming, STF is producing Salt-Water Moon, a play by David French, that is set on a moonlit night in 1926 in Coley’s Point, Newfoundland. It is a beautiful story of two young lovers who reunite after a year apart. A Canadian classic, this production will take your breath away, not only because of the beauty embedded in this text but also because it will be played outside in the beautiful Spirit Garden and will proudly feature two Thunder Bay actors in the leading roles.
STF is introducing a new component to the festival this summer called the North Shore Indie Stream that celebrates NorthWestern Ontario voices. It will showcase a variety of new work or reimagined work from artists in our community - everything from plays and poetry to music and storytelling over two days.
Finally, along with all the other programming, STF will present a number of artists from out of town and host them in Thunder Bay for the duration of the festival. STF’s philosophy is if local artists and artists from elsewhere in Canada share the same creative space, create conversation and connect to the audience in unique ways throughout the four days this will, in and of itself, create more understanding and growth in our own community and within those individuals that experience the festival.
For more about the festival go to superiortheatrefestival.com