FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Trader Time returns to open Nakai Theatre’s Pivot Festival 2019

Whitehorse, YT —  November 7, 2018 Nakai Theatre and the Yukon Arts Centre unveiled the lineup for Pivot Festival 2019 today during a Facebook Live event. The two-week festival will run from January 10 to 26 and will bring comedy, theatre and storytelling to Whitehorse and Dawson City.

This year, Pivot will offer two passes, a Festival Pass, which includes a ticket to Trader Time, L’Homme De Hus and The Sufferettes, and an Improv! Improv! Improv! Pass, which includes a ticket to one improv workshop and a ticket to each of The Sufferettes Whitehorse shows.

Also new this year, Pivot will be offering subsidized tickets for Trader Time and L’Homme De Hus to ensure the festival is accessible to everyone. Individual tickets go on sale December 3rd.

This morning’s Facebook Live event can be viewed here, and a complete schedule of Pivot Festival performances and activities is included below.

Trader Time

Yukon’s Ivan Coyote and Sarah MacDougall return to Whitehorse with their hit show, this time with a band. Trader Time blends story, songs and visuals to create a haunting and sometimes hilarious series of interconnected stories, that meander through small-town big-family politics, growing up queer in a cold, cold place, the life and deaths of two very different matriarchs, and some of the secrets buried in the permafrost.

Performance:

January 10, 2019, 8pm, Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse

The Sufferettes

The Sufferettes are a Toronto-based, award-winning comedy troupe of Becky Johnson and Kayla Lorette. The duo’s performance goes beyond the ordinary for a great experience and many laughs. The pair will host improv workshops in Dawson City and Whitehorse, and local performers will join the fun in Whitehorse.  Each show guaranteed to be different!

Performances:

January 11, 2019, KIAC, Dawson City

January 17-19, 2019, Old Firehall, Whitehorse

Join renowned improvisors Becky Johnson and Kayla Lorette in a fun workshop that will inspire, delight and up your improv game. Workshops will focus on connection, economy, building play and games to get to the joyful potential of this work.

Workshops:

January 10, 2019, Improv Workshop, Dawson City
January 16+19, 2019, Improv Workshop, Old Firehall, Whitehorse

L’Homme De Hus

Camille Boitel and Company L’Immediat return to Whitehorse and the Pivot Festival this winter on their L’Homme De Hus North American tour. The one-hour, one-man show was developed over eight years and follows a philosopher clown as he moves through a world of pitfalls, dealing with unpredictable consequences he can’t escape.

Performances:

January 25-26, 2019, Yukon Arts Centre, Whitehorse

Pivot Story Crawl

The story crawl is an evening of storytelling and music. The audience walks from ove venue to the next to watch local performers and musicians share their work. The night is a showcase of local talent in an unexpected context.

Performances:

January 15, 2019, Local Bars, Whitehorse

Pivotal Conversations

The half-day gathering builds on the success of last year’s conversation – a meaningful exchange of creative ideas between local artists and arts leaders that expanded beyond day-to-day interactions. The workshop takes a peer-to-peer and participant-driven approach to discussions, which created enthusiasm and delivered concrete outcomes.

Gathering:

January 20, 2019, Old Firehall, Whitehorse

Pivotal Words

A partnership with Brave New Words, local writers and performers are invited to share their stories. The evening is curated by Peter Jickling and brings together musicians, storytellers, comedians and poets.

Performances:

January 22, 2019, Whitehorse

About Pivot Theatre Festival

Heading into its 11th year, Nakai Theatre’s Pivot Festival is a highlight of the Yukon theatre season, presenting some of Canada’s most innovative and engaging performances. Pivot invites us to connect with people and theatre close to home and from around the world. The festival transcends our assumptions about theatre by mixing inspirational productions, revisiting crowd favourites, and opportunities to join in the creative fun.

About Nakai Theatre

Nakai Theatre, based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, is dedicated to contributing to a thriving Yukon Territory through remarkable theatre and uncommon events.

We are proud to be part of a Yukon Territory where Indigenous peoples, settlers, and newcomers share the land, interpret our connections to the landscapes, and share our knowledge and experiences through theatre with each other and with the world. For information on the theatre company, please visit nakaitheatre.com

About the Yukon Arts Centre

The Yukon Arts Centre (YAC) is a creative resource for Northern artists, reflecting and supporting the artistic ambition and aesthetic of Yukon community organizations. To learn more about YAC’s arts and culture programing and their unique facilities, please visit; yukonartscentre.com

Pivot Festival Supporters and Sponsors

Nakai Theatre would like to recognize the support of its funders and sponsors: Government of Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Lotteries Yukon, Yukon Arts Operating Fund, Department of Tourism and Culture, with support from the Yukon Lottery Commission, and the City of Whitehorse. We would also like to recognize the support from Yukon Arts Centre, Northern Vision Development, Air North, RBC, Yukon News, What’s Up Yukon, and CKRW The Rush.

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For questions or comments please contact:

Kathleen Napier, Marketing Coordinator

867-689-6052

kathleen@render.ca