Past Seasons

Downstage has been an integral part of the local performing arts ecology in Calgary for over 20 years! Here’s a look at some of our highlights season by season since 2004!

2024-25

• Are You The One? created by xLq (World Premiere xLq Production, Presented by Downstage)
• Hot Dyke Party (Arts Commons Presents, Downstage and One Yellow Rabbit collaborative presentation)
• The Strategy of War created & Performed by Master Storyteller Mera Reyes (World Premiere Downstage Production)

2023-24

• GoGo Battles: OMG Someone Dies! by Karla Marx and Bitch Cassidy (World Premiere GoGo Battles Production with Generous support by Val Duncan and Downstage)
• Magnetic Bodies ensemble creation by Sabrena Shah Baigzada, Dylan Dietrich, Sophia Garcia, Sarbkali Hayer, Mariza Iturbe-Becerril, Abigail Monarrez, Nikhat Saheb, Sebastian Salomon Arriagada and Anthony Trotta (World Premiere by Downstage and the University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts)
• Beautiful Man by Erin Shields (Co-Produced by Downstage, Handsome Alice and Verb Theatre)
• All Good Things Must Begin (Downstage Production in Association with Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation & Climate Change Theatre Action)

2022-23

• Gender? I Hardly Know Them Co-Created by Elena Belyea and Sydney Campbell (Tiny Bear Jaws Production presented by Downstage)
• The F Word Co-Created by Keshia Cheesman and Bianca Miranda (World Premiere by Downstage in Association with Handsome Alice and Theatre Calgary – presented by Alberta Theatre Projects)
• Stage It Festival (Produced by Downstage)

2021-22

• Men Express Their Feelings: 3 Episode Audio Play (Listening Party and Audio Plays Produced by Downstage)
• Climate Change Theatre Action 2021 (Downstage Production in Association with Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation & Climate Change Theatre Action)
• She Spreads (Digital Theatre – World Premiere Production by The Dead Roads Collective presented by Downstage)
• The Green Line (World Premiere Co-Production by Chromatic Theatre and Downstage)

2020-2021

• Real Job by Ari Rombough (Audio Play – World Premiere by Alberta Queer Calendar Projects in Association with Cardiac Theatre and Downstage)
• Deer Woman by Tara Beagan (Theatre Online – World Premiere by ARTICLE 11 with generous support by Downstage)
• Tales from the Student Mind with creations by Alek Chau, Cosmo Christoffersen, Olivia Davis, Islay McKenchnie and Arash Minhas (Micro-Digital Plays – World Premiere by Downstage)
• The Strid by Kiana Wu (Downstage’s Stage It Program – Digital Theatre Project)
• Good Grief! by Dana Prather and Rosemary Morrison (Downstage’s Stage It Program – Audio Play Project)

2019-20

• Safe Site by the ensemble (World Premiere by Downstage)
• Lighting the Way (Downstage Production in Association with Climate Change Theatre Action)
• Men Express Their Feelings by Sunny Drake (World Premiere by Downstage with generous support from Hit & Myth Productions)

2018-19

• Smoke by Elena Belyea (World Premiere by Downstage)
• The Temporary by Col Cseke (Workshop Presentation by Downstage)
• The Bottle Picker Monologues by the ensemble (World Premiere by Downstage)

2017-18

• Extremophiles by Georgina Beaty (World Premiere by Downstage in Association with High Performance Rodeo)
• Minosis Gathers Hope by Christine Sokaymoh Frederick (Downstage presentation of a production by Punctuate Theatre and Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts)
• Bears by Matthew Makenzie (Downstage presentation of a production by Punctuate Theatre and Alberta Aboriginal Performing Arts)

2016-17 

•  Crime Does Not Pay by David Rhymer & Kris Demeanor
  (World Premiere, with Forte Musical Theatre & the support of Hit & Myth Productions)

2015-16

• Benefit by Matthew MacKenzie (World Premiere)
• My Family and Other Endangered Species by Ellen Close & Braden Griffiths,
  adapted from the novel Amphibian by Carla Gunn (as part of Vertigo Theatre’s Y Stage Series)

2014-15

• rihannaboi95 by Jordan Tannahill
• Good Fences by the Downstage Creation Ensemble (Community Tour)

 

2013-14 

• A Bomb in the Heart by Wajdi Mouawad, translated by Linda Gaboriau
• My Family and Other Endangered Species by Ellen Close & Braden Griffiths,
  adapted from the novel Amphibian by Carla Gunn (World Premiere)

2012-13

• Uprising 2012 (part of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival)
• Bashir Lazhar by Evelyne de la Chenelière, translated by Morwyn Brebner
• Sequence by Arun Lakra (World Premiere)

2011-12

• In a World Created by a Drunken God by Drew Hayden Taylor
•  Good Fences by the Downstage Creation Ensemble (World Premiere)
• Sia by Matthew MacKenzie

2010-11 

• Goodness by Michael Redhill
• Uprising 2010
• And So It Goes by George F. Walker

2009-10

• Enoch Arden in the Hope Shelter by Judith Thompson
• Uprising 2009
• Bone Cage by Catherine Banks
• In the Wake by the Downstage Creation Ensemble (World Premiere)

2008-09 

• Palace of the End by Judith Thompson
• The Piper by Colleen Murphy
• Bus(t) by the Downstage Creation Ensemble (World Premiere)

2007-08 

• Arm’s-Length Embrace by Downstage (World Premiere)
• The Dishwashers by Morris Panych
• Habitat by Judith Thompson

2006-07 

• Heaven by George F. Walker
• This is for You, Anna by The Anna Project
• Man Out of Joint by Sharon Pollock (World Premiere)

2005-06

• A Line in the Sand by G. Verdecchia & M. Youssef
• Prometheus Bound adapted by George Ryga
• pppeeeaaaccceee by Darren O’Donnell

2004-05 

• Dog from the Machine by Downstage (The Culture of Fear, Rights & Freedumbs, Rogue Wheat & Smoking Broccoli)
• Pulling the Wool by Simon Mallett