Chutzpah! Festival 2020
i. Artistic Managing Director: Jessica Mann Gutteridge
ii. The name of our upcoming festival is:
The Chutzpah! Festival of International Jewish Performing Arts.
iii. My role in the festival is:
Artistic Managing Director. I oversee all programming and operations of the festival and the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre.
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Ben Caplan. Opening Night Concert
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Pianist + Composer Guy Mintus. Photo by Ella Barak
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iv. In describing the festival in 3 sentences or less, I’d say:
We are a multi-arts festival celebrating the performing arts through a multicultural Jewish lens. The Chutzpah! Festival brings high-calibre artists working in music, theatre, dance, and comedy with local, national, and international recognition. We engage in creative development through artistic residencies at the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre, and our outreach activities include workshops and stimulating artist conversations.
v. Under lockdown, the festival is:
Still committed to bringing exciting performing arts experiences in virtual and in-person settings, adapted to safer, new ways of performing.
vi. In the festival, you’ll see:
International artists representing dance, music, theatre, and comedy bringing their creativity to a new way of performing. All artists will be interviewed live by our Festival Host, Iris Bahr, who brings her stand-up comedy alter-egos to the task. Look for insightful, stimulating conversations about art, life, creating during COVID-19, and other topics.
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Iris Bahr. Interactive Comedy
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Jessica Mann Gutteridge by Tallulah
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vii. The inspiration for this festival comes from:
Bridging between the festival’s past and the future by bringing together old friends who performed in festivals curated by our previous Artistic Managing Director, Mary-Louise Albert, with new friends brought by new Artistic Managing Director, Jessica Gutteridge.
viii. One challenge in developing this festival was:
Adjusting to the new realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited our ability to present in-person performances and to bring visiting artists to Vancouver from across the country and around the world.
ix. By attending the festival we hope that you feel:
A sense of joy and the communal spirit that arises from experiencing art with others.
www.creatorsvancouver.com
Header: Pigulim: A dance work by Ella Rothschild. Photo by Efrat Mazor
