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Local Events by and for the Arts Community
Local Events by and for the Arts Community
To submit an event please use the Google form or send us an email at admin@ottawaartsdatabase.com.
[ID: The words Sunset Season in large white letters, are in the centre of the image with a white square surrounding them. The background on both images is a pink to yellow ombre, with the silhouette of a sunset in the background, and pink clouds.]
Tactics Sunset Season
Tactics Sunset Season
May 9th - 6pm to 10:30pm, May 10th - 4pm to 10:30pm
Celebrate Tactics at our Sunset Season!
Come join us at LabO Theatre for a weekend filled with new, independent theatre created by local Ottawa artists. Celebrate Tactics by enjoying three local shows - The Coven (A Staged Reading), No More Mr. Rice Guy and Nuit, and between shows check out EXA, an intimate performance installation. And join us on Saturday at 5pm to rejoice and reflect on over 10 years of Tactics at our Tactics Tribute, a reception hosted by Jacqui Du Toit reflecting and honouring Tactics' work over the past 12 years.
Sunset Season Schedule:
*All shows take place in LabO
Friday, May 9th
6PM to 7:30PM: The Coven - A Staged Reading
8PM to 9PM: No More Mr Rice Guy
9:30PM to 10:30PM: Nuit
Saturday, May 10th
4PM to 5PM: No More Mr Rice Guy
5PM to 7PM: Tactics Tribute
7:30PM to 9:00PM: The Coven - A Staged Reading
9:30PM to 10:30PM: Nuit
Throughout the weekend, check out EXA. A ticketed performance installation that allows only one audience member at a time in this 10 minute experience. EXA will be presented in Room 1201 (60 Waller St., Ottawa) - just down the hallway from LabO!
Ticket Information:
Tickets for each show are pay what you chose between our Discount rate of $10 or our Arts Supporter rate of $20. You can also purchase our Festival Pass for $50 which includes one ticket to each show, and one ticket to EXA.
100% of the ticket sales go back to the artists.
*Tickets will be available online or at the door by cash or card.
Show Descriptions
The Coven (A Staged Reading):
The Coven is an intergenerational magical realist play set between 1800s Guyana and modern-day Canada. The play follows Renette, the first free woman in her family, as she seeks vengeance against her former master. But the curse she casts carries a terrible cost—one that reaches her unborn child. In the present day, teenage Thea is navigating her parents' divorce and finds herself haunted by that same curse.
As past and present blur, The Shadow—a ghostly embodiment of the curse—emerges through contemporary dance and ensemble movement terrorizing generations. Only Thea can guide her family to heal generations of pain and uncover a path to forgiveness - before the darkness consumes them all.
With moments of blocking, choreography, and music, this unconventional staged reading brings the world of The Coven to life, and provides a window into this dynamic new work.
No More Mr. Rice Guy:
This witty comedy tells the story of a Canadian-born high school student of Chinese descent who enters a rap music contest in the hopes of fulfilling his dreams of becoming a famous rapper. The full-length world premiere of No More Mr. Rice Guy integrates all the ingredients that worked so well for its shorter format: the humorous references to Asian culture are innocent, the dialogue is original and quirky, and Franco is as skilled and exceptional as ever in his performance, even from what is presumably his bedroom in Richmond Hill. - Review from Apt 613, Livia Belcea
Nuit:
Have you ever wanted to join in on the fun of live theatre? Now you can – with Nuit’s Heckle Night! We invite the audience to yell, give suggestions, tell their own jokes as our performers take to the stage. Get ready for a never before and never again seen version of Nuit!
Does your clubbing experience need more theatre, comedy, and choreographed dance numbers? Then Nuit is the spot for you! This award-winning story follows four queer characters as they stumble and sing their way through a night out: the cycle of partying on full, messy display. Bright lights, funky moves, deep talks and hilarious pit stops showcase themes of sapphic romance, friendship and identity. Winners of The Ottawa Fringe and the Prix Rideau Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance, this cast will make you feel like you are part of the adventure. So get ready for a night you’ll never remember!
EXA:
EXA is the fortune teller of the future– a divining machine from the end of time brought back to the modern day, inspired by the coin operated fortune-dispensing machines of the past. Enter the studio alone and have your Tarot read by the inexorable, ineluctable EXA. In just five short minutes, you can learn what the future has in store for you.
When you consult modern forms of divination, such as Tarot and astrology, what answers do you expect or hope to receive? When posed with such sensitive questions, how can diviners provide proactive, meaningful and responsible answers?
Ultimately: If you could know your future, beyond any doubt, would you want to?
Tactics Tribute: A Farewell Reception (Free)
Join us in LabO for a reception hosted by Jacqui Du Toit to reflect, remember and celebrate 12 incredible years of independent theatre. Walk down memory lane to honour all of the beautiful work and talented artists who have worked with Tactics since 2013.
Celebrate with light refreshments, snacks and good friends.
Doors: 5PM
Reception & Presentation: 5:15PM
Come and give Tactics a standing ovation with us.
Thank you for your support!
Location: LabO Theatre - 10 Daly Ave
Cost: $10 to $50
Accessibility: There is an accessible entrance from 10 Daly Ave and the theatre is situated on the ground floor. There are physically accessible washrooms across from the theatre.
Each show has two ticket prices - a discounted rate of $10 per show, and a arts supporter rate of $20.
Content Warnings for Each Show are listed below:
The Coven (A Staged Reading)
non-graphic reference to sexual assault, intergenerational trauma, minor visualization and discussion of slavery, stylized violence, witchcraft, the occult, abuse, colonialism, and horror themes
Nuit
Coarse language, substance use (drinking)
EXA (A Performance Installation)
Content warnings: Audience participation. Potential exposure to flashing lights, as well as reference to war, sex and sexuality, racism, and explosives. May contain depictions of grief and loss.
[ID: image of guest artist Soprano Magali Simard-Galdès in black dress with arms folded]
Forces of Nature - Thirteen Strings
Forces of Nature - Thirteen Strings
Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 7:30-9:00pm
Conductor and harpsichordist Alexander Weimann joins Thirteen Strings in a program celebrating the power and the beauty of nature. The music in this concert will represent the calm and the wild sides of nature, the sun, light and joy! Soprano Magali Simard-Galdès, praised everywhere for her clear, crystalline voice, joins Thirteen Strings for the first time.
Location: Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, 355 Cooper St., Ottawa, K2P 0G6
Cost: $10 student to $45 reserving seating; discount for groups
Accessibility: wheelchair accessible, A/C, comfortable airy setting.
[ID:A vibrant collage showcasing the artwork seen on the Red Trillium Studio Tour. The image includes paintings of landscapes and animals, hand-thrown pottery, handwoven textiles, intricate jewellery, wood furniture, turned bowls, stained glass, and sculptures in mixed media.]
Red Trillium Studio Tour
Red Trillium Studio Tour
May 31 and June 1; 10am - 4pm daily
The Red Trillium Studio Tour is a free, self-guided driving tour that invites visitors to explore the studios of local artists and fine craftspeople in the scenic countryside of West Carleton, Ontario. Visitors can explore an inspiring variety of art mediums—from pottery, glass, and woodwork to painting, textiles, jewellery, photography, and mixed media.
Location: 12 different studio locations across West Carleton, ON
Cost: Free self-guided driving tour
Accessibility: Accessibility information is listed on our website. Redtrilliumst.com
[ID: White text on a dark pink background reads "Come dance with us! Classes start Mar 17." Below this text is a the Ottawa Rhythm Initiative logo. Black text in a white circle with black border reads "Ottawa Rhythm Initiative".]
Ottawa Rhythm Initiative Adult (16+) Tap Dance Classes
Ottawa Rhythm Initiative Adult (16+) Tap Dance Classes
Recurring Event* Mondays - 5:45pm -7:45pm; Mar 17 – May 12, No class on April 21. Thursdays - 5:45pm-9:15pm; Mar 20 – May 22
Ottawa Rhythm Initiative (ORI) Adult (16+) tap dance classes on Mondays and Thursdays in Room 15/16 (2nd floor) at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre.
We offer 5 levels: Beginner, Beginner 2, Slow Intermediate, Intermediate and Advanced. Learn about music theory, jazz and tap history and culture, and tap dance technique with teachers David Lafleur and Carole Anne Piccinin.
Mondays: Intermediate 5:45pm-6:45pm; Advanced 6:45pm-7:45pm
Thursdays: Beginner 2 5:45-6:45pm; Beginner 7pm-8pm; Slow Intermediate 8:15-9:15pm
Join our community! To register or inquire about our levels, go to our website www.OttawaRhythmInitiative.ca or email us at OttawaRhythmInitiative@gmail.com
Location: Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre/290 Lisgar Street
Cost: MONDAYS – Mar 17 – May 12 (8 weeks). No class on Apr 21 | Session fee: $160 ($20/class)
THURSDAYS – Mar 20 – May 22 (10 weeks) | Session fee: $200 ($20/class)
If finances are a barrier to joining dance classes, please email us at OttawaRhythmInitiative@gmail.com to discuss options for participation.
Accessibility: Financial Accessibility: If finances are a barrier to joining dance classes, please email us at OttawaRhythmInitiative@gmail.com to discuss options for participation.
Building Accessibility: The main accessible entrance and ramp is at 290 Lisgar Street on the north side of the building. A second emergency exit and accessible ramp is located at 355 Cooper Street on the south side of the building.There is elevator access to all four levels of the building. Please call ahead to 613-520-4401 to make any inquiries about accessibility in the building.
Go to https://carleton.ca/cdcc/visiting/ for more info on accessibility.
[ID: A promotional poster for Elevator Theatre Company's production of Next to Normal. In dramatic shades of purple is pictured a paint-like portrait of a suburban home with three people on the front steps and two sitting in the window. The poster contains the show title, company name, as well as the dates of "May 14-24, 2025" and location of "The Gladstone Theatre".]
Next to Normal, Presented by Elevator Theatre Company
Next to Normal, Presented by Elevator Theatre Company
May 14-24, 2025. Nightly at 7:30pm (no performance May 20)
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three Tony Awards, including Best Score, Next to Normal is a groundbreaking musical that shatters expectations of what theatre can be. With raw intensity and searing honesty, it delves into the lives of a family struggling to hold itself together in the face of mental illness and loss. Driven by an electrifying rock score, this deeply emotional journey pulls audiences into the minds and hearts of its characters, revealing their pain, resilience, and unbreakable love. Next to Normal isn’t just a show—it’s an experience that lingers long after the final note.
PG-13 Content Warning: This production contains themes and depictions of mental illness, grief, loss, trauma, and medical treatment, including discussions of suicide and self-harm. It also features strong language, drug use, and moments of intense emotional distress. Viewer discretion is advised.
Approximate run time of the show: 2 hours and 25 minutes (15-minute intermission included). Estimated end time is 10:00pm.
Location: The Gladstone Theatre, 910 Gladstone Avenue, Ottawa ON K1R 6Y4
Cost: $32-$44
Accessibility: The Gladstone Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Industry Night is May 19 for artists and members of the theatre community, 50% off tickets.
[ID: A theatrical face mask with two sides. One is dark and one is light. ]
Unlocking Creativity Through Mask With John Beale
Unlocking Creativity Through Mask With John Beale
Saturday May 17th 2025 - 9:30am- 6:30pm to Sunday May 18th 9:30am- 6:30pm
Explore creativity through mask work, movement, and imagination. Open to everyone. This work helps you break past mental barriers and tap into instinctive, body-led expression. By using masks, you can step away from usual ideas of identity and connect with your true creative self. Whether you’re looking to expand your artistic range, unblock your creativity, or simply explore new ways of expressing yourself, this workshop will open doors to insights and growth.
John Beale was born in Ottawa and lived in the Glebe area until he was seven years old. His parents met at the Ottawa Little Theatre. John Beale is an established actor and theatre professor based in Toronto. He is the master teacher of Clown and Bouffon for the Humber Theatre Arts Performance Program. He is a professor of acting, mask, clown, improv and scene study at Seneca College and Randolph College, Character Study at George Brown’s School of Media and Performing Arts and embodied presence at the Birmingham Conservatory, Stratford Festival. He has been teaching publicly offered performance workshops in Presence and Clown for 20 years. John is a graduate of the Philippe Gaulier International Theater School in Paris, France.
The Kenneth Brown Community Centre located in Laroche Park has recently undergone renovations, resulting in a modern and well-lit facility featuring rubber flooring and a communal kitchen. Come join us for a potluck or meal during or after the workshop.
For questions email: alisonfestivals@gmail.com
Facebook event : https://www.facebook.com/share/1C9iv5wqcB/
Ottawa Clowning Community: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19sSAjqJXF/
John Beale Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnbeale_?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Location: 51 Stonehurst Ave, Ottawa, ON at the Laroche/Kenneth Brown Community Centre.
Parking is located the City Centre mall: 250 City Centre Ave, Ottawa, ON K1R 6K7
Cost: Cost: $339 TAX included.
$271.20 for Students OR Actor OR Union Members 20% OFF
(Full refund one week before or after credit put towards future workshops)
Accessibility: Well ventilated. Wheelchair accessible. There A/C and heating.
[ID: photo of a microphone and an audience seated behind. Brightly coloured text shows the title: Amuse Bouche Variety, masked mandatory COVID-Safer comedy. The audience decides who gets more stage time. Starts Jan 24; Arts Court]
Amuse Bouche Variety
Amuse Bouche Variety
Jan 24, Feb 22, Mar 28, Apr 19, May 17
Show: 7:30 - 9:30 pm Doors: open at 7:00 pm
Comedians bring their new (and tried-and-true) comedic material* to win the audience's affection and a chance to headline a future show! All comedic types (improv, sketch, standup, music, etc.) and experience levels welcome.
Location: Arts Court, Atelier Studio - 2 Daly Ave, Ottawa ON
Cost: $15; Discount down to $5 for Jan 24
Accessibility: Arts Court is a mobility accessible venue; COVID-Safer - This is a masked (KN-95/N95) mandatory event for the audience
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