What’s up: Mark Morton, Aretha tribute, Forward, Colin James, Game fest, Primavera

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/02/2025 (600 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An Evening with Mark Morton

• Reading from and discussing The Headmasters
• Raven’s End Books: The Horror Bookshop, 1859 Portage Ave.
• Saturday, 7 p.m.
• Free

Thin Air Kids, the writers festival geared at younger readers, welcomes former Winnipegger Mark Morton to town to talk about his dystopian young-adult sci-fi novel The Headmasters.

Published in February 2024 by Shadowpaw Press, The Headmasters is set in the future after an electromagnetic event called the Big Out killed everyone save for those at Blue Ring, a scientific facility. Survivors are possessed by Headmasters, hard-shelled creatures attached to their hosts.

When Maple, one of the survivors/hosts, begins grappling with memories of the past (forbidden in this dystopian world), she begins to wonder whether they can help her defeat the Headmasters and regain freedom.

Morton (who co-founded the Winnipeg International Writers Festival) will read from and talk about The Headmasters Saturday at 7 p.m. at Raven’s End Books, where he’ll be joined in conversation by Winnipeg author Keith Cadieux. Admission is free, but registration is recommended.

Thin Air Kids is presented by Plume Winnipeg, formerly the Winnipeg International Writers Festival; the festival kicks off today and runs through Sunday at various venues (mainly libraries) throughout the city. Most events are free — see Thin Air Kids for a complete list of readings, workshops and conversations, and to register to attend events.

— Ben Sigurdson

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Aretha: A Tribute

• Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
• Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St.
• Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
• Tickets: $25-$119 at wso.ca, 204-949-3999

The WSO pays R-E-S-P-E-C-T to the 18-time Grammy-winning Queen of Soul at a pair of tribute performances this weekend featuring American vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw, led by guest conductor Lucas Waldin.

“I’m excited to bring this program to the Winnipeg audience,” Jenkins said in a media release. “Aretha’s music is beloved — expect the hits as well as songs from her good friends like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. I look forward to sharing the stage with the WSO, conducted by my good friend Lucas Waldin.”

Jenkins is a Broadway performer who has also lent her voice to the Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic and dozens of others. Shaw is a three-time Grammy nominee who has collaborated with Van Halen and John Legend and has had his music featured in Broadway productions and TV shows, including So You Think You Can Dance.

Concertgoers have the option of adding on a three-course dinner on the Piano Nobile to Saturday night’s concert; see wso.ca for more details.

— Jen Zoratti

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Forward at the U of W

• Asper Centre for Theatre and Film, 400 Colony St.
• To Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
• Free, reservations at uwinnipeg.ca/theatre-film

The University of Winnipeg’s third-year honours acting class tells a winter’s tale in Forward, Montreal–born playwright Chantal Bilodeau’s metahistorical tale of changing climate and arctic exploration, centred on the true 1890s journey of the Norwegian ship Fram to the North Pole.

With technical and design support by the university’s senior and junior production and design students, the play, directed by Hope McIntyre, features nine actors — Sam Campbell, Chael Donald, Mia Downey, Jane Dunham, Joël Garbutt, William Gunter, Bronwyn Smith, Emma Stevens and Lizzy Suppes — playing more than 40 collective roles on stage.

What’s extra-cool about this frigid story? The production received pilot funding from the university’s experiential learning fund to expand sustainable practices in the show’s designs, emphasizing principles of reuse and upcycling.

“There are pieces of many past sets built into the boat on stage and we called on folks to bring in their plastic rather than throwing it away,” the show notes read. “In fact, we were all shocked at how much plastic we were regularly putting in the garbage.”

— Ben Waldman

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Colin James and Terra Lightfoot

• Burton Cummings Theatre, 364 Smith St.
• Feb. 20 at 8 p.m.
• Tickets: $31-$147 at Ticketmaster

Colin James, Canada’s answer to Stevie Ray Vaughan (who mentored and toured with James), performs at the Burt next Thursday with Canadian indie-rock singer-songwriter Terra Lightfoot, who was just nominated for a Juno.

With seven Gold-certified albums under his belt, James can do just about whatever he wants creatively. After seeing worldwide popularity in the first decade of his career — with blues rock hits such as Five Years Long and Just Came Back — the Saskatchewan-born guitarist and singer has moved in more traditional directions: gospel, roots and even big band.

His last album, Chasing the Sun (2024), features collaborations with Lucinda Williams and channels a little bit of all the above.

Couples may want take advantage of the Burt’s 50 per cent Valentines discount on purchases with two tickets. Offer valid until Feb. 14.

— Conrad Sweatman

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Game Fest Winnipeg

• RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Avenue,
• Saturday to Monday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tickets $10.50; $26 all you can play; $71 for three-day pass at gogamefest.com

Get out of the cold and get ready to play at this three-day event with laser tag, face painting, live entertainment and games galore.

Test your fighting skills at the Ninja Warrior Dome, bounce around on one of the many inflatables dotted around the RBC Hall, grab a club and putt your way through the mini-golf course or throw an axe. When you’re all played out you can walk around the pop-up market featuring local vendors.

Not old enough to compete? Then take a seat at Ryan Price’s magic show, laugh at the antics of Sleepy the Clown or meet your favourite Power Ranger, Disney princess or robot.

Organised by local woman-owned company Game Fest Winnipeg, this is the first time the event is being held indoors in the winter.

All-day family passes and weekend passes are available from the website.

— AV Kitching

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Nature captured in paint and clay

• Cre8ery Gallery and Studio, 125 Adelaide St.
• Today to March 4
• Gallery open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Primavera, an exhibition from multimedia artist Ana M. Rivera Cortez, opens today at the Cre8ery Gallery and Studio.

The show features paintings and functional ceramic sculptures inspired by the colours of nature and El Salvador’s national tree, the Maquilishuat, a symbol of beauty, culture and identity. The name for the pink flowering tree comes from the Indigenous Nahuatl language and refers to the leaflets that make up its leaves.

Rivera Cortez was born in El Salvador and immigrated to Canada when she was 13. A professional photographer by trade, she tapped into an interest in painting and ceramics through classes at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

During Primavera’s run, Rivera Cortez will be the gallery for meet-and-greets today, Feb. 22 and March 1.

Visit cre8ery.com for more information.

— Eva Wasney