Only Here a Theatre Podcast

Beth Dart is a theatre artist who primarily makes theatre not in a theatre space. Beth takes us on a journey through Edmonton as Festival City, meditating on the importance of community, and the innovative exchanges that happen between small to large productions. Take a theatre tour from fests, to cafes, pubs, and parks, from Edmonton to Whitehorse, and back again.

Where do artists produce, thrive, and build community? Filmmaker Lulu Keating takes us on a journey from Nova Scotia, Toronto, Vancouver, to Dawson City, exploring the threads of filmmaker co-operatives, through to big city production. Lulu revisits the places and relationships that shaped her path, and reflects on how we can support each other fiercely today. 

Tap dancer and podcaster Travis Knights takes you on a rich listening journey through the tradition of tap dancing, revealing an expansive world culture, music, and rhythm through many cities and ages. Travis gives gratitude to many ancestors and teachers that have guided his lifelong passion for the form, while giving voice to tension between aesthetic and cultural origins of tap dance. A beautiful conversation about reverence for dance, culture, and the necessity for community. References & links Ethel BruneauMary Bruce“Tap” (film feat. Gregory Hines, Sammy Davis Jr., Savion Glover, Suzzane Douglas, Joe Morton)Sandman Sims“Tap Dogs”“Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk”Jimmy SlydeDianne “Lady Di” Walker “Black and Blue” (Broadway show feat. Dr. Henry LeTang, Frankie Manning, Dianne Walker, Dr. Jimmy Slyde, Lon Cheney, Dr. Bunny Briggs)“Sophisticated Ladies” Mis-education of the Negro, by Carter G. WoodsonThe Jazz United JamDatri Bean Bill Bojangles Robinson Coles and Atkins“Ephemeral Artifacts”Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell Explore more conversations at nakaitheater.com/podcast. Thanks to the Government of Canada through the Department of Heritage for funding this cycle of the podcast.

In this episode, Dr. Syrus Marcus Ware asks, “how do we come together and learn how to be in community together, and support each other?” Syrus’ commitment to organizing with Black Lives Matter, abolition, trans justice, and disability justice, illuminates the challenges and beautiful opportunities offered by our differences, and by our scenes and movements. Syrus explores how arts and activism can learn from each other, and the importance to “trace our genealogies of resistance back to some of the origins” when creating movements today.

Burlesque performer and academic, Força, shares how “[burlesque] in itself is a popular form, a low brow form, so it's really about, and has always been about citing culture in an accessible way.” Força reflects on the nuanced burlesque scenes in Toronto, and how diverse performers navigate from small, to corporate scenes, and in between. Força raises questions about how COVID has impacted burlesque performance, venues; how traditions are evolving; and how we can uplift communities.

Welcome to episode zero of Only Here, an occasional podcast from Nakai Theatre in the Yukon. I'm Artistic Director Jacob Zimmer. This fall we’ll be releasing conversations about creating and producing theatre in these specific times - on life as production professional, on theatre’s relation to environmental activism, DIY solar event battery projects for the bush and artists, activists and academics on working in scenes.These are episodes are dedicatedly “in the weeds” of performing arts and event production - it feels crucial to have candid and specific conversations in a field so often talking for promotion or funding. Funded by Canadian Department of Heritages COVID reliefe program - The Canada Performing Arts Workers Resilience Fund (CPAWRF