Welcome to Rumble’s 2018-19 season! It’s been a rocking one so far, marked by exciting theatre-making and new directions for the company. We started things off with Tremors, our festival of emerging talent, in August. Featuring three outstanding contemporary plays by three stellar Canadian playwrights (Selfie by Christine Quintana, Tiny Replicas by Dave Deveau, and Theory by Norman Yeung) and a fierce team of emerging artists, Tremors was a hit with audiences and critics alike.

Meet the Rumblers (l to r): Kellee Ngan, Jivesh Parasram, Carmen Aguirre, and Christie Watson. Photo: Stephen Drover. Location: Postmark Brewing event space.

Now, as we move into the fall, we’re pleased to not only announce our upcoming programming but our new Rumblers as well. After a rigorous search, the Board of Directors has appointed Jivesh Parasram as our new Artistic Director. Jiv is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, facilitator, and cultural worker of Indo-Caribbean decent. He is the founding Artistic Producer of Pandemic Theatre and has been the Associate Artistic Producer at Theatre Passe Muraille for the past three years.

Jiv joins Christie Watson, our Managing Producer, and Kellee Ngan, our Director of Operations, as we embark on a collaborative leadership system. Christie is the founder of Holding Space Productions and brings with him a passion for systems change and community building. He comes to Rumble after many years of freelance producing work, including Children of God (Urban Ink), Sal Capone (BoldSkool Productions), Sonic Elder (The Chop) and TBD (RADIX). Kellee is the veteran Rumbler of the trio. She carries our company history and has long been the written voice of Rumble. Her experience in writing, editing, and non-profit arts administration is one of our greatest assets.

Speaking about his new role at Rumble, Jiv says: “It is my honour and privilege to join the team at Rumble in the Unceded Coast Salish Territories, and to collaborate with a company that was so well-helmed through the generosity of my predecessor Stephen Drover. Looking forward I’m committed to honoring the legacy of Rumble while looking beyond the foundation to the earth that’s come before. My aim is to bring a focus on de-colonial practices in our organizational structure and our larger collective work. I’m excited for you to drop by the office so we chat about what that means for us together.”

We’re also thrilled to announce that playwright, actor, and author Carmen Aguirre has been commissioned to write our latest adaptation and will be Rumble’s Playwright-in-Residence this season. Her play will be the third script from this program, following in the acclaimed footsteps of Governor General’s Award winning script Indian Arm by Hiro Kanagawa (2015) and The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius by Colleen Murphy (2017). Carmen is updating Euripides’ classic Greek tragedy Medea, setting her play in Vancouver’s Little Saigon in the 1980s.

Carmen is eager to take on the project, grey areas and all. “What excites me most about adapting Medea is that I have never adapted a play before. And of course, I love that it features a woman in a lead role,” she says. “But I expect that the biggest challenge in adapting it will be how to keep the audience caring about Medea after she’s killed her children. That’s a tough one. And I look forward to the challenge. I’m up for it.”

We look forward to working with the South East Asian Cultural Heritage Society and the Vancouver Vietnamese community to bring this adaptation to the stage in our 2020-21 season. Development of Carmen’s script is underway and will continue throughout this year, with public events being planned for Spring 2019, so stay tuned for opportunities to engage in the creation of this new work.

COMING THIS FALL

We have some exciting programming happening over the next few months, so mark your calendars now!

September 24, 2018: The Living Room

It’s our first Living Room of the season! We will be discussing the role of the producer in theatre with Director/Playwright/Producer Amiel Gladstone and Dawn Brennan (Managing Producer of Urban Ink). Christie Watson, Rumble’s Managing Producer, will moderate. As always, this is a free event. Come make some new connections!

Event info
Living Room #1: Who’s Your Producer?
Monday, September 24, 2018 at 7:00pm
PL1422 studio, 1422 William St, Vancouver
Free event; no advance registration required

September 29, 2018: The Cave

We will be presenting a workshop version of John Millard and Tomson Highway’s new show in development, The Cave, in the Rumble office. This will be a live webcast to sites across the country, connecting people across Canada with a shared theatre experience, and we’re excited to be part of it. If you would like to join us for this experiment, please send us an e-mail as space is extremely limited.

Event info
The Cave workshop live screening
Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 1:00pm
Rumble office, 1422 William St, Vancouver
Free event but advance RSVP by e-mail to cwatson@rumble.org is required

October 19 – November 10, 2018: The Wolves

We are thrilled to be serving as the Associate Producer of With a Spoon Theatre’s remount production of The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe, which was one of the standout shows in Vancouver theatre last year. The Wolves focuses on a pack of teenage girls as they prepare for battle on the soccer field. In the exhilaration of adolescence, they grapple with everything from pop culture to politics, discovering their identities as individuals and as a team. We’re pleased to help bring this young company’s production back for a longer run, so even more audiences can enjoy it.

Event info
The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe
A With a Spoon Theatre production in association with Rumble Theatre
Presented by Pacific Theatre
October 19 – November 10, 2018
Pacific Theatre, 1440 West 12^th Ave, Vancouver
Tickets on sale now at the Pacific Theatre box office

We’ll announce our winter and spring programming in the not-too-distant future. Join our mailing list to get all the news delivered straight to your inbox.

Hello, Tremors attendees! We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s festival. Here’s some information on how to get to the theatre, where to park, and what to expect on the night (or the day, if you’re taking in the matinee). If you have questions that aren’t answered here, please contact us at info@rumble.org or give us a call at 604.662.3395.

This info is also in a PDF that you can download here: Plan Your Night – Tremors 2018

All performances of Tremors take place at the Italian Cultural Centre. The Italian Cultural Centre is located on 3075 Slocan Street at Grandview Highway (East 12th Avenue) in Vancouver. You can reach the venue by car, bicycle or public transportation. (See the “Getting There” section for route suggestions.)

PURCHASING TICKETS

Admission to this year’s Tremors festival is Pay-What-You-Decide. You, the audience member, get to choose what you would like to pay for your ticket. Patrons can book tickets either in advance or at the door.

In advance:
Book your ticket online at theatrewire.com/tremors-festival. Patrons will be able to Pay-What-You-Decide from a range of ticket prices, starting at $5.

At the door:
The Tremors on-site box office will open one hour prior to the first performance of the session (6pm for evenings, 12pm for the matinee). We will accept payments of cash, credit card, or cheque at the door. Ticket price is Pay-What-You-Decide: $5 & up.

SCHEDULE & SHOW TIMES

 The show times for our Tremors shows are a bit unconventional. Please double-check the start times for the shows you have booked.

 Tremors run: August 16 to August 25, 2018
Opening Night: Thursday, August 16, 7:00pm
Matinee: Wednesday, August 22, 1:00pm
No performances on Sunday, August 19 & Monday, August 20.

 Performance Start Times
For triple bill evenings: 7pm (Show #1), 8:30pm (Show #2) & 9:45pm (Show #3)
For triple bill matinee: 1pm (Show #1), 2:30pm (Show #2) & 3:45pm (Show #3)
For double bill evenings: 7pm (Show #1) & 9pm (Show #2)

Tremors Day-By-Day

*Playwrights Speaker Series featured artists: Q = Christine Quintana; D = Dave Deveau; Y = Norman Yeung; A = all three playwrights.   **Post-show Talkback

GETTING THERE

Driving Directions
From Downtown: Follow 12th Avenue east past Nanaimo Street. Turn right on Slocan Street.
From Trans Canada Highway 1: Take the Grandview Highway exit and follow Grandview Highway west. Turn left on Slocan Street. There is free, onsite parking but availability may be limited due to other events occurring at the ICC.

Public Transit
From Downtown: Take the Expo Line heading eastbound to King George. Get off at Broadway SkyTrain Station and transfer, taking the Commercial SkyTrain (waterfront via Columbia). Get off at Renfrew Station and walk 2 blocks west along Grandview Highway to Slocan Street. Visit the Translink website for further trip planning tools.

Bicycle
The Italian Cultural Centre is located just off of the Central Valley Greenway bike route. Please visit vancouver.ca for cycling maps to help you plan your travels.

FOOD & DRINKS

Looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat before or after the show? Here are a couple of suggestions for places to eat in the neighbourhood.

La Piazza Dario Ristorante Italiano (at The Italian Cultural Centre)
3075 Slocan Street
lapiazzadario.com/en

Prince Seafood Restaurant (Chinese cuisine)
2881 Grandview Highway
princeseafoodrestaurant.ca

There are also several fast food establishments near the Renfrew SkyTrain Station, including:

Freshii – 2920 Virtual Way
Freshslice Pizza – 2889 Grandview Highway #2
McDonald’s – 2909 Grandview Highway
Subway – 2892 Grandview Highway

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE THEATRE

Can I buy tickets in person? Yes. The venue at the box office will open 1 hour before each session for day-of ticket sales.

Where do I pick up tickets that I’ve reserved? You can collect your pre-booked tickets at the venue using photo ID, or a booking confirmation.

How long are the shows? Selfie runs approximately 75 minutes, Tiny Replicas runs approximately 70 minutes, and Theory runs approximately 90 minutes. None of the shows have an intermission.

What happens if I’m late for the performance? We endeavour to always start our shows at the scheduled time, so we appreciate punctuality. However, we understand that unforeseen delays do occur. We will attempt to admit latecomers if there is an opportunity to do so, but we cannot guarantee admission. If we aren’t able to get you in to that particular show, we will try our best to get you into another performance (subject to availability).

What should I wear? Vancouver theatregoers are a pretty casual bunch. There is no dress code to attend performances.

Can I get a drink or snack at the show? There will be a cash bar open in the Tremors lounge area. This bar area will be open throughout each Tremors session. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and snacks will be available for sale.

Can I bring my drink into the theatre? Audience members are welcome to enjoy their beverages inside the performance spaces at all evening performances.

Is the venue accessible for patrons with mobility issues? We will make wheelchair seating available on request. Please contact the Rumble office at 604.662.3395 or email info@rumble.org to make arrangements. The venue itself is fitted with ramps, accessible bathrooms, and dedicated parking spaces.

Is the venue scent-free? The venue does not have a permanent scent-free policy but we encourage attendees to refrain from wearing scented products to Tremors in an effort to provide all patrons, volunteers, and staff with a healthy, safe, and allergen-free environment.

August 16 – 25, 2018
Italian Cultural Centre | 3075 Slocan St, Vancouver, BC
Evening sessions start at 7:00pm; Wed Aug 22 matinee session starts at 1:00pm
No performances on Aug 19 or 20
Speaker Series: Aug 18, 22 & 23 (evenings) at 8:15pm and Aug 22 (matinee) at 5:00pm

Tickets: Pay-What-You-Decide, starting at $5. Buy in advance online or at the door (1 hour before each session).

Tickets available now at theatrewire.com/tremors-festival

Are you coming to Tremors? Let us help you Plan Your Night with this handy guide.

Rumble Theatre is thrilled to present Tremors, our festival of emerging talent. The festival features a young company of 38 emerging theatre artists who will direct, design, stage manage, tech, produce, and perform in three hot contemporary Canadian plays: Selfie by Christine Quintana, Tiny Replicas by Dave Deveau, and Theory by Norman Yeung.

From August 16 to 25, these three plays and our Tremors lounge will be installed in different rooms of the Italian Cultural Centre. Come see one show, make it a double bill, or take in all three—and admission to all shows is Pay-What-You-Decide! You, the audience members, get to pick what to see and how much to pay—the choice is yours.

Our festival programming is rounded out by our Playwrights Speaker Series (August 18, 22 & 23). All audience members are welcome to join us for these free, unique sessions where audience members can meet with our Tremors playwrights and hear what they have to say about creating work in today’s cultural environment. And, given the challenging subject matter of Selfie, we’ll be offering post-show talkbacks after select performances (August 21, 23 & 24).

Want to know more about this year’s festival? Click here for schedules, play descriptions, Pay-What-You-Decide details, and more.

Peter Anderson in The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius. Photo: Tim Matheson.

by Colleen Murphy
Adapted from William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus

Produced by Rumble Theatre and presented by The Cultch

Nov 22 – Dec 3, 2017 at The Cultch’s Historic Theatre

Winner of six 2018 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards in the Small Theatre category, including:

*Outstanding Production
*Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble – Sarah Afful, Peter Anderson, Craig Erickson, Pippa Mackie & Naomi Wright
*Outstanding Lighting Design – Sophie Tang
*Outstanding Set Design – Drew Facey
*Outstanding Costume Design – Drew Facey
*Outstanding Direction – Stephen Drover

With nominations for:

*Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition – Mishelle Cuttler
*Outstanding Original Script – Colleen Murphy

Here’s what the critics said about the show:

“The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius is deranged, darkly funny, and perverse, but its subversiveness also serves a purpose, and it makes for an unforgettable experience” — Andrea Warner, The Georgia Straight

“I can’t recommend this show enough” — Paul Durras, BC BookWorld

“The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius encourages us to get comfortable with discomfort, to revel in the outrageous and to trade our tears for laughter” — Lauren Donnelly, Vancouver Weekly

“I can’t remember the last time I saw a show that got me so excited I thought I might lose my marbles” — Colin Thomas, colinthomas.ca

“If you need a really good laugh and you’re okay with dark, grisly, bloody, grotesque, rude and crude – all wrapped up in the French clowning style called bouffon – you will love Titus Bouffonius as much as I did” — Jo Ledingham, Joledingham.ca

“This show is smart. The heady mix of bouffon revelry and Shakespearean trauma is fuel for an edgy comedy, and playwright Colleen Murphy has dug deep into both worlds to concoct an experiential feast” — Chelsey Stuyt, Vancouver Presents

“The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius at first presents itself as a chaotic project by confused misfits, but in reality it is an intelligent (if not eloquent) commentary on the Shakespearean classic and the complexities of the world which we navigate” — Ljudmila Petrovic, SAD MAG

“The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius might give you a lot to talk about the next day…we were all pretty much speechless” — Tiva Quinn, iliveineastvan.com

Click here for more details about the show

Rumble’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the position of Artistic Director.

About Rumble

Rumble Theatre produces contemporary plays from the Canadian and world repertoire, commissions and produces new adaptations of outstanding stories, and fosters meaningful interactions between emerging and established artists. Rumble believes that theatre is a place where community is built, a place where we can gather together to gain a deeper understanding of our selves and greater empathy for our neighbours.

The guiding principles that direct Rumble’s work are:

• We are driven by curiosity about the world.
• We believe in listening with compassion.
• We create with a spirit of generosity.

About the position

Our new Artistic Director will be responsible for:

• Curating and communicating a compelling artistic vision for Rumble, providing the company and its stakeholders with artistic leadership;
• Coordinating and overseeing all of Rumble’s artistic activities, including the creation of commissioned adaptations and the development of new projects;
• Overseeing Rumble’s mentorship programs for emerging artists;
• Working in conjunction with the Managing Producer to:
  • Convey Rumble’s artistic vision to public and private funders;
  • Review allocation of resources to implement artistic choices;
  • Represent Rumble to donors and local/national theatre communities.

The Artistic Director works in partnership with the Managing Producer and Director of Operations, reporting directly to the Board. Rumble can accommodate the Artistic Director’s occasional non-Rumble artistic work.

Ideally, the position will start in August 2018.  The role is full-time with a salary of $42,000, plus extended benefits. To accommodate existing commitments of potential candidates, Rumble is flexible for the position to be part-time for the first year.

Rumble’s ideal candidate for Artistic Director has:

• At least five years of theatre experience;
• Knowledge of national and Vancouver-based theatre communities and practices;
• A passion for relationship building, mentorship of emerging artists, dramaturgy, curation, facilitation, and process;
• A demonstrated ability to engage communities.

Rumble is committed to meaningful inclusivity and to building equitability within and amongst Vancouver’s communities. We strongly encourage submissions from individuals who self-identify as being from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Unfortunately, our current office space is on the second floor with no elevator access.

How to apply

Please email your resume and one-page Expression of Interest to Christie Watson (cwatson@rumble.org) by July 2, 2018, 11:59PM PST.  We thank everyone who applies for their interest, but only candidates advancing in the process will be contacted. All applications will be treated confidentially.

To download a hard copy of the call, click here: Job Opportunity – Rumble Theatre Artistic Director