Feb 13

The puppets are coming! The International Festival of Animated Objects 2015

caos

Get out your googly eyes, and dust off your fun fur….

The International Festival of Animated Objects is baaa-aack! Brightening up our city once every two years, the IFAO brings a week’s worth of both internationally-renowned and crazily good local family and adult performances, too-much-fun grown-up parties, hand-picked screenings and opportunities to learn the craft of animating objects from the masters themselves.

With almost thirty different events to choose from, here’s a selection of top picks in the main stage, family and film programming.

Hot Tickets

The Parties! Muerte Pan Alley & Dolly Wiggler Cabaret

Muerte Pan Alley Carnival
March 13 at #1 Legion
18+ Licensed Event
$20 - Learn More & Buy Tickets

The festival’s fundraiser is a carnival of games and prizes, generously supported by Devour Catering and Village Beer, featuring the dusty, porch-stomp of Muerte Pan Alley (featuring Bob Keelaghan, Jay Wooley and Rob Oxoby) and the alternative prog-rock of Domestic Bear.

Dolly Wiggler Cabaret
March 14 & 15 at #1 Legion
18 + Licensed Event
$35 - Learn More & Buy Tickets

The staple of the IFAO is the Dolly Wiggler Cabaret - a two-night celebration of off-the-cuff weirdness, all kept in a semi-coherent structure by the loopy and adorable broadway and Cirque du Soleil star Mooky Cornish. It’s a chance to see new material and old favourites from some of the festival’s international performers as well as a great selection of local artists. This event is always a sell out, and this year it is in the awesome #1 Legion.

The House by the Lake
March 10 & 11 at Theatre Junction GRAND
$55 - Learn More & Buy Tickets

By Israeli artists Yael Rasooly and Yaara Goldring, The House by the Lake is beautiful and dark, tragic and triumphant. It is the story of three girls hiding during the holocaust, who use their imaginations to create a universe worlds apart from their current reality. With a mix of human actors and puppet elements, it’s a visual powerhouse.

Famous Puppet Death Scenes
March 13-15 (and ongoing through March 28) at Theatre Junction GRAND
$ 39 - Learn More & Buy Tickets

Calgary’s own Old Trout Puppet Theatre are known for lush and intricate sets, beautiful scores, remarkably expressive puppetry and a dark sense of humour. Theatre Junction is re-staging one of their earliest and best known works - Famous Puppet Death Scenes - during IFAO and beyond until the end of March. It is an existential romp (if that’s a thing).

Family Friendly

Trunk Puppet
March 14 & 15 at #1 Legion
$15 regular / $10 kids - Learn More and Buy Tickets

IFAO is also presenting the Western Canadian premier of Trunk Puppet - a new work by the Trouts that is decidedly more family-friendly (unless your kids love morbid stuff, like mine - then by all means, take them to both shows!). In Trunk Puppet the puppet is set loose from it’s puppeteer - surely no harm can come of that?

The White Woman
March 13-15 at Theatre Junction GRAND
$15 regular / $10 kids - Learn More & Buy Tickets

This wordless performance by Montreal artist Magali Chouinard has a black and white aesthetic that tips its hat at classic cinema. Her blend of puppetry, live action and imagery is evocative and beautiful, and enjoyable for all ages.

Cool Screenings

Handmade Puppet Dreams Volume VI
March 11 at Theatre Junction GRAND
$15 Learn More and Buy Tickets

With a “Best Of” and a “Family Series” also in the programming, Handmade Puppet Dreams is lovingly curated by Heather Henson (yes, that Henson). It’s a fun selection of eleven shorts featuring of some of the best ‘real-time’ puppetry made especially for the camera.

The River & Prairie Puppet Underground
March 15 at Theatre Junction GRAND
$15 Learn More & Buy Tickets

A double feature of some of Saskatchewan’s most compelling short-form animated puppetry as well as local special effects and stop-motion enthusiasts Bleeding Art Industries‘ take on the Arrogant Worms song River of Snot.

International Festival of Animated Objects
March 7-15

The festival offers both individual tickets and a wide variety of special pass deals.

All this and so much more at animatedobjects.ca