Ignite Festival showcases Calgary's top emerging artists

CTV News

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Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Van Zandt in concert at the Calgary Saddledome on Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo: Darren Wright)
Calgary arts lovers looking for the next generation of rising artists can catch a sneak peek of some of them this weekend at the Ignite! Festival of Emerging Artists.
Sage Theatre, one of Calgary's top independent theatre companies, is presenting the festival, which presents emerging artists from all disciplines.
Sage Theatre artistic director Jason Mehmel says that the 2025 roster of artists stands out for its reach and ambition.
'This isn't the ambition to break into the (performing arts) industry but the ambition to tackle big ideas and challenging performance methods,' he said.
'Their work is rising to their ambition. Audiences are going to take in mystical rituals, dance choreography pushed to the limit -- and the religious experience of a Bruce Springsteen concert.'
That's a reference to The Church of Springsteen, a satirical piece created by Conrad Belau and Alixandra Cowman that examines the connections between religion fandom -- and what it might look like if a church existed devoted to the music of The Boss. (Saturday, 3 p.m.)
But What is Natural (Friday 9:30 p.m.) is an interdisciplinary show presented by the University of Calgary's arts program, while Good 'n Gooder (8:15 p.m.), by Logan Sundquist, tells the story of a wanderer who seeks solace through fast food, only to find apparent redemption through a voice coming from the drive-thru speaker.
This year's fest is also featuring a new play development program that offers emerging playwrights mentorship and dramaturgy from established artists such as Natalie Meisner, Gordon Pengilly and Vanessa Porteous.
The festival is showcasing the work of over 100 emerging artists, from Calgary and elsewhere.
For more information on Ignite! Festival of Emerging Artists, which is at the Pumphouse Theatre through Saturday, go here.