Due to popular demand, the Avant Garde Cabaret will be a two-night event this year.
Artists from Rossland and the Kootenays will be taking risks on stage at the Old Fire Hall on June 2 and 3 as part of the annual avant-garde show and audiences can expect some fun performances.
“This year we have a few Rossland artists that are new to the stage in Rossland and we’re really, really excited for them,” says Kristen Renn, one of the founders of Avant Garde Cabaret. “There’ll be a lot of laughs.”
Renn and Juliana Marko are the producers and directors of the cabaret and started the show to give artists the opportunity to take risks, collaborate and showcase their art. So far they have received a strong response from artists.
“Throughout the whole year, Juliana and I are approached by different kinds of artists … about their interest in being in the show and how it’s a good opportunity just for them to create one act and an act that they’ve never been able to do before, or an act that they’ve always wanted to do,” says Renn. “It’s a lot less intimidating because of the beast that is avant-garde, it’s a good platform to take risks.”
Over the past year, Renn and Marko were approached by so many artists that they didn’t even send out a call for artists for this year’s show.
All of the performances are acts that have never been seen in Rossland before and 50 per cent of all performers are from Rossland. Half of the performers are also new or emerging artists, and artists can only perform for two consecutive years.
Rachel Lindsey just recently returned to Rossland and will be performing on the avant-garde stage.
“She and a girl named Alisha [VanWieren] have worked together to create a piece,” said Renn.
Emily Kogan-Young is also a Rossland resident who will be performing at the Avant Garde Cabaret for the first time.
“She approached us, which is awesome,” says Renn. “She said she’d gone every show and she was just really excited if there was any chance she could be involved this year.”
As an exception to the rule, one of this year’s performers will do two acts.
“[Niko Bliss] is the one artist we’ve allowed to do two acts in the show, just because both of his acts are so different,” says Renn. “He’s going to be doing a beautiful music piece with a partner of his called Nyx Eye. They’re going to be doing a musical piece where they kind of sing-battle a french song, but she sings it in English and he battles her in French.”
Niko Bliss’s other act will be performance art.
The evening will also include two burlesque acts: Erin Eat Your Heart Out and Scarlet Mary Rose.
Tickets for June 2 are available at the Alpine Grind and tickets for June 3 are available at Revival Boutique. They are $25 each, or you could purchase a VIP table for $160. The table is for up to four people and includes front-row seating, swag bags, photos taken by a professional photographer and “special treatment.”
Everyone is encouraged to dress in avant-garde attire.
“This year the whole evening will be a fun avant garde experience with games — bring your toonies — and visual art viewing during door reception and intermission … an avant-garde costume/outfit contest, and a post show DJ,” says Renn. “We will be offering delicious drink at the cash bar. Have an evening of escape into the wonderfully weird.”
