NACC set to bring gospel, storytelling and more to stage
Northern Arts and Cultural Centre bringing four shows to Inuvik
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, August 18, 2016
INUVIK
The days are getting cooler, children are headed back to school, and along with fall comes the announcement of the latest Northern Arts and Cultural Centre season lineup.
Legendary bluesman Guy Davis drew out more than 70 spectators for his performance that kicked off the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre's season in Inuvik last year. Organizers hope for similar or even greater turnouts this coming season. - NNSL file photo
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"I was really happy to see the turnout for the shows last year," said NACC's executive and artistic director Marie Coderre, citing 150 people who bought tickets for Da Kind In My Hair, and the more than 70 people who came out for the Native North America performance with Willie Thrasher. "But we always have to get the word out and encourage people to come."
This season, four shows will be coming to Inuvik, spanning song, music and theatrical performances. The first will be a gospel/blues group called The Sojourners coming in September. They will perform at the Igloo Church, a setting Coderre said was more than fitting.
October will bring a slightly modified classic in the Ko K'e Music and Spoken Word festival, transformed from previous years' storytelling festivals, followed by a powerful play called Call Mr. Robeson, a one-man show about the Civil Rights movement in America in November.
In December, the Griffin Trio - renowned classical musicians - will break into new territory with the Broken Hearts and Madmen Project, which combines Latin songs with jazz for a performance with a global spirit.
"It's a very diverse season, from storytelling to gospel to theatre," said Peter Clarkson, a former NACC board member and supporter of music and culture in Inuvik. "It's nice that it's during the winter. It really brightens things up as things get colder and darker."
Clarkson said he hoped attendance will grow over last year's banner year, and credited the selling of family passes at a discounted price - as well as the breadth of recent seasons - for the uptick in audiences.
"Some of the people coming through are world class," he said. "Supporting the performance arts is such an important thing to do."
