• Home
  • Current/Upcoming Events
  • Daily Laugh
  • Available Works
  • Landscapes
  • Biography
  • Blog
  • Contact and Newsletter Sign Up
  • WUTZIN THE SKETCHBOOK
Menu

Bruce Horak

Bruce Horak - Creator/Performer
  • Home
  • Current/Upcoming Events
  • Daily Laugh
  • Available Works
  • Landscapes
  • Biography
  • Blog
  • Contact and Newsletter Sign Up
  • WUTZIN THE SKETCHBOOK
×
 I wonder if this image gives the wrong impression?

A Sort of Homecoming

Bruce Horak March 15, 2017

A Sort of Homecoming…..

It’s been said that “you can never go home again…”  I wonder at this every time I come back to the place where I was born and raised.  Calgary is a city which is constantly changing but there is something to this place that is immovable like the nearby rocky mountains, welcoming, and full of comfort.  

I arrived in Calgary late on Friday after having taking the train across Canada (well…  Toronto to Edmonton, and then the Red Arrow bus down) and found myself settled into the beautiful place where I’ll be staying for the next week.  

 The view from the balcony... 

The view from the balcony... 

Col Cseke, artistic director of Calgary’s Inside/Out Theatre managed to find me an apartment right across the street from the Glenbow Museum where I’ll be performing until Saturday night.  It’s absolutely perfect.  The weather was bitter cold, but soon a Chinook wind blew in and warmed up the city. 

Saturday evening I managed to catch the closing night performance of “Crime Does Not Pay”, written by the inimitable David Rhymer and Crhis Demeanor, presented by Downstage Theatre.  It was a beautiful show that will stick with me for a long, long time.  A new musical about vintage-age comic-books?  Right up my alley, I’d say.  There is such great work being produced here and it was a pleasure to have the chance to see some of it.

I opened “Assassinating Thomson” last night at the Glenbow Museum.  I’m set up in a gallery full of beautiful local art, and the capacitiy crowd was full of friends, colleagues, and supporters of Accessible theatre.  My heart leapt to see so many friendly faces in the crowd. To be performing this particular show in this location is perfect, and a kind of coup, if you will…

It was while working for the Glenbow many years ago that I discovered the work and the lives of Tom Thomson, Lawren Harris, and the Group of Seven. I realized all those years ago that there is easily a show’s worth of material in their story alone.  So, to be back here now and doing this show, well, I really couldn’t ask for better.  It was a night full of inspiration, laughs, and even a few tears.

 A fella could get lost here

A fella could get lost here

Inside/Out presents works by disabled artists (“theatre for every body”).  Kathy Austin, a local artist, has created tactile paintings for the audience to experience before the show.  Her versions of Thomson’s work are absolutely beautiful.  She’s put together a “touch box” which the audience are encouraged to experience before the show.  Such a cool idea.  

The ASL interpreter, Joyce, worked her butt off to keep up with my pace of story-telling.  She was amazing.

 An intimate evening awaits...

An intimate evening awaits...

Following the show, there was a wealth of connection one-on-one.  Col auctioned off the painting, and it was a feverish bidding war right to the end, with the piece eventually going to Donna Sharpe (who I had worked with many years ago at Quest Theatre here in Calgary… we spent some big, big hours in a van travelling around Alberta…  Congrat’s Donna!).   The post-show mingle included some great dialogue about Thomson, Canadian Art, value of this kind of work, and some beautiful new friendships being formed.   

What a night.

After all the chairs were put away, Col and I stood at the top of the stairs by the big Northern Lights sculpture and marvelled that this was only the first night. How quickly this week will go, and then I’ll be back on the road again.  I felt my heart sink a bit at this thought, and then was cheered knowing that I can always come home again.

My heart swells with gratitude for Inside/Out Theatre, Col Cseke, Kathy Austin, the ASL team from FLIC, the Glenbow Museum. and of course the people of Calgary who make me feel so very welcome.

“Assassinating Thomson” runs until Saturday night at the Glenbow Museum.  Shows nightly at 7:30.  

Tickets can be found:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2806393

← "Be a Lovey"Assassinating Thomson... the return to the scene of the crime →
  • March 2018
    • Mar 12, 2018 Talk About It Mar 12, 2018
  • August 2017
    • Aug 18, 2017 "Charging Ivan" or "Maybe you shouldn't get comfortable" Aug 18, 2017
  • July 2017
    • Jul 21, 2017 ...Because He Mutters Jul 21, 2017
    • Jul 19, 2017 "Be a Lovey" Jul 19, 2017
  • March 2017
    • Mar 15, 2017 A Sort of Homecoming Mar 15, 2017
    • Mar 7, 2017 Assassinating Thomson... the return to the scene of the crime Mar 7, 2017
  • February 2017
    • Feb 19, 2017 Breakin' Through Feb 19, 2017
    • Feb 9, 2017 Movin' Paint Feb 9, 2017
    • Feb 8, 2017 In Progress Feb 8, 2017
  • January 2017
    • Jan 28, 2017 Building the Sky. Jan 28, 2017
  • November 2016
    • Nov 15, 2016 Via Via Nov 15, 2016
  • October 2016
    • Oct 11, 2016 The Fall Oct 11, 2016
  • September 2016
    • Sep 25, 2016 Blind Date @ Buddies In Bad Times Theatre. Toronto, Ontario Sep 25, 2016
  • July 2016
    • Jul 19, 2016 The Conversation Jul 19, 2016
    • Jul 9, 2016 99 Years ago…. Jul 9, 2016
  • March 2016
    • Mar 29, 2016 Building a painting Mar 29, 2016
    • Mar 17, 2016 A Quick tour of Artscape Gibraltar Point, on Toronto Island. Mar 17, 2016
    • Mar 10, 2016 Artscape, Gibraltar Point.... day 4 Mar 10, 2016
  • February 2016
    • Feb 8, 2016 The Kilimanjaro Feb 8, 2016
  • November 2015
    • Nov 10, 2015 The Host Nov 10, 2015
  • July 2015
    • Jul 8, 2015 Hoboversary Jul 8, 2015
  • June 2015
    • Jun 10, 2015 Hobo Scotia Jun 10, 2015
  • May 2015
    • May 27, 2015 Yellow-Wood Farm, Week Three May 27, 2015
    • May 20, 2015 A Hobo-Weekend May 20, 2015
    • May 14, 2015 The Hobo-Midwife May 14, 2015
    • May 11, 2015 The HoboSapien meets the Red Earth May 11, 2015
  • April 2015
    • Apr 27, 2015 ViaVia 2: The Reckoning Apr 27, 2015
    • Apr 13, 2015 Back in the Paint Apr 13, 2015
    • Apr 12, 2015 Assassinating Thomson... The Promo Video Apr 12, 2015
    • Apr 7, 2015 The Joy of Grant Writing Apr 7, 2015
  • March 2015
    • Mar 17, 2015 56 hours without Power... A Marvellous Vacation from the World Mar 17, 2015
    • Mar 7, 2015 Call your Grandma Mar 7, 2015
  • February 2015
    • Feb 16, 2015 The Practice... Feb 16, 2015
    • Feb 14, 2015 Michael Green Feb 14, 2015
    • Feb 9, 2015 It's a Dry Rain Feb 9, 2015
    • Feb 6, 2015 The Big One Feb 6, 2015
  • January 2015
    • Jan 27, 2015 "The War of Art"..."The Importance of Being Earnest"...or... "The Previous Two Quotes are Not Mine" Jan 27, 2015
    • Jan 19, 2015 Technology and the Visually Impaired Jan 19, 2015
    • Jan 14, 2015 Portland, Day 5 Jan 14, 2015
    • Jan 10, 2015 Hold on to your stuff, man. Jan 10, 2015
    • Jan 9, 2015 Deja Vu Jan 9, 2015
  • December 2014
    • Dec 31, 2014 A Quick Look Back Dec 31, 2014
  • November 2014
    • Nov 4, 2014 Hello, Calgary! Nov 4, 2014
  • September 2014
    • Sep 30, 2014 A Monster Trip to Haida Gwaii Sep 30, 2014
    • Sep 24, 2014 Breaking the Seal Sep 24, 2014
  • August 2014
    • Aug 23, 2014 All New Website Aug 23, 2014

 

Bruce Horak - Visually Impaired Performer Creator