Watch here

The renowned Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas originally created Under Milk Wood as a radio drama that made its debut in 1953 and was later adapted into a play. This staged radio drama is both comedic and deeply moving as it speaks to the human condition and how strange and miraculously ordinary life really is.

There will also be a Kyōgen pre-show, which will be presented by the University of Manitoba’s Asian Studies Centre. It will be a short play along with one song featuring students currently studying Japanese theatre.

Capturing the voices

Faculty of Arts students Reid Girard and Hayley Stacey play the narrators who represent Dylan Thomas and his wife. Reid Girard, majoring in English and minoring in theatre, has been acting on stage since elementary school. Girard’s past credits with the Black Hole Theatre include After Magritte (2015), The Rover (2017) and Marat/Sade (2018). Hayley Stacey is a political studies and theatre student who comes from a musical theatre background. Her stage credits include Into the Woods (Opera NUOVA) and City Workers in Love (Opera NUOVA) and Marat/Sade (2018) with the Black Hole Theatre.

Girard acknowledges, “the main challenge in capturing the voice of Dylan Thomas was to make the text as clear as possible; however, at the same time make sure the poetry of the lines came through. Under Milk Wood is such a surreal piece and trying to make every word as clear to the audience was one of the biggest challenges from the beginning.”

Noh and Kyōgen – Stylistic elements annunciate differences

The Japanese Noh dances and Kyōgen scenes seamlessly flow in and out of the show. Noh and Kyōgen are very different, as each style comes with their own way of moving and speaking.

“The western scene and Noh and Kyōgen scenes are markedly different, but this makes for an extremely interesting and unique theatre experience,” said Stacey. “The formality of the Noh and Kyōgen scenes, compared to the more ‘casual’ nature of the western scenes, helps annunciate the difference between the rigidness of a god fearing and uptight town, and the realities of the day-to-day life of a small town and all of its quirks.”

Explores poetry and magic of everyday life

“Under Milk Wood is a very strange and beguiling piece, but in the best way,” said Girard. “To me the show is an evocative exploration of the poetry and magic of everyday life, which I think audiences will appreciate. The show has lots of humour and joy in it while also including some elements which are incredibly sad. This production of Under Milk Wood is definitely a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience.”

“I think audiences will find the experiences of the characters in the show relatable and familiar; whether it be the marriages and relationship, nosey neighbours, or the local bar,” said Stacey. “Dylan Thomas has done a masterful job at making the mundanity of everyday life beautiful, and our directors Bob Smith and William Lee, along with all the designers of the show, have made the text truly come to life.”

Get your tickets today

Tickets are $20 regular, $15 for alumni/arts workers, and $10 for students. Tickets can be reserved in advance or purchased at the door of John J. Conklin Theatre in the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall, Taché Hall, 150 Dafoe Road, University of Manitoba.

Performance dates:

• November 21-24 at 7:30 PM
• November 25 at 2:00 PM
• November 27-December 1 at 7:30 PM

Note: Talkback with cast and crew will follow the November 27 performance.

For reservation and group discounts, contact (204) 474-6880.

I ‘Effed’ Up and I’m Sorry features senior scholar Chris Johnson directing, alumni Meagan Andres, Alistair Wright and student Jillian Boersch.

Confessional by Tennesse Williams has professor Emeritus George Toles directing. The cast includes Jen Robinson, Heather Roberts, Kevin Ramberran, Justin Fry, Sylvia Richardson, Ivan Henwood, Sherab Rabzyor Yolmo and Reid Girard. The production is stage managed by Winson Ta with costumes by Stephanie Moroz. (All listed are alumni with the exception of Sherab Rabzyor Yolmo, who is still a student.)

Hunks features alumni Tim Gray and Dana Smith.

Thom Pain (based on nothing) stars alumni and staff member Ivan Henwood. It is directed by alumna Jane Walker.

The Scandals of the Boy-Mind cast includes current students Reena Jolly, Evan Martin and Lu Fayoken; written by alumnus Ross MacMillan.

The Elephant Song at Venue 6 features including Ray Strachan, Kelly Jenken and Paul Duncan.

See Bob Run features Jane Walker. It is directed by Kerri Woloszyn and designed by Jeremy Rampton – all alumni.

Hamlet stars associate professor Bill Kerr as Polonius and theatre instructor Tom Soares as Claudius.

MIDDLEhood is written and performed by alumna Kim Zeglinski (nee Jaremowich).

Self-Help Shelf is co-written by staff member Shona Grewar.

Jane Petroff, student in the Desautels Faculty of Music, is performing in Journey to Kalcedon Island: A Steampunk Adventure.

Faculty of Science alumna and current Faculty of Law student Anjali Sandhu stars in I’m Not Taylor Swift, a 30-minute stand-up comedy show.

The Last 48 is stage managed by alumna Daphne Finlayson and features alumnus Wes Rambo.

Alumnus Leith Clark is directing A Midsummer Night’s FEVER! 20th Anniversary, Journey to Kalcedon Island: A Steampunk Adventure and True Blue.

Murder by Poe is directed by alumna Brenda McLean.

Staff and alumni working at the Fringe Festival include Chuck McEwan, executive producer; Eric Bosse and Karen Schellenberg, venue techs; and Tim Webster, emcee at the Old Market Square outdoor stage.

Do you know someone with a University of Manitoba connection involved with the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival? Email the show name and connection to umtoday@umanitoba.ca and we will add it to the list!

For all show listings, visit the Winnipeg Fringe website.

The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade (Marat/Sade) is a play inspired by real-life events. Events take place in both 1793 and 1808.

The Marquis de Sade was incarcerated at the Charenton Asylum which was run by a man named Coulmier, the first person to use drama and art therapy to treat his patients. At Charenton, Sade wrote plays and directed them using patients as actors and these productions were public stagings.

Peter Weiss, playwright of Marat/Sade, imagined a play about Sade, Coulmier and his patients staging a play at Charenton inspired by events of the French Revolution and, in particular, the assassination of the radical French writer Jean-Paul Marat and his secular “martyrdom” at the hands of Charlotte Corday.

“Audience members coming to our production will be entering into the asylum in 1808 (the “present” day) to join fellow aristocratic audience members in watching the patients stage Sade’s play about the killing of Marat fifteen years earlier in 1793,” said the show’s director, professor Bill Kerr. “If that isn’t enough, Sade has also added a level of discussion and contest between he and Marat which take place in neither time but which allow for a rich and uneasy examination of ideas and actions.”

Putting this show together was no easy task for the show’s creative team. Forty-two actors are in the cast, which Kerr says requires a lot of space in addition to the settings of the asylum and the theatre.

The play also has musical elements which added extra rehearsals for singing and dancing. For the first time, the John J. Conklin Theatre in the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall will be slightly thrust to allow room for choreography, sets and performance space.

“Peter Weiss combines elements of Brecht’s Epic Theatre and Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty in this piece,” said Kerr. “This combination demands first and foremost an intense and many-layered experience using all theatrical tools available. Thus it contains multiple styles of performance including ritual, narration, song, dance, drama, melodrama, low comedy, debate and on. Secondly that experience will provoke us to re-examine our beliefs and question any and all assumptions about society without providing answers.”

As Sade says in one edition:

“Our play’s chief aim has been – to take to bits
Great propositions and their opposites,
See how they work, let them fight it out.”

This show also features an original music score from University of Manitoba theatre student Cuinn Joseph.

Marat/Sade plays at the John J. Conklin Theatre at the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall on select dates and times from March 21-31, 2018. For show times and ticket information, visit the Black Hole Theatre Company’s website.

INDIGENOUS AWARENESS MONTH

Join the University of Manitoba for Indigenous Awareness Month this March, as we celebrate Indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditions.

Featured Events:

RECOGNITION, REDRESS AND RECONCILIATION

As part of a three-part Métis speaker series, lawyer Jason Madden will discuss how Métis have successfully advanced a series of cases to the Supreme Court of Canada for the purpose of advancing recognition, redress and reconciliation.
March 7, 12 – 1:30 PM | Free
Great Hall, University College, Fort Garry Campus

RECLAMATION AND RECONCILIATION: INDIGENOUS LITERARY VOICES TODAY

Join David A. Robertson for the annual Marjorie Ward Lecture.  David is the author of the award-winning children’s book When We Are Alone, which explores the residential school legacy.
March 7, 4:30 PM | Free
Robert B. Schultz Lecture Theatre, St John’s College, Fort Garry Campus

15^TH ANNUAL ELDERS & TRADITIONAL PEOPLES GATHERING

This gathering aims to bring people together and strengthen the community through the sharing and teaching of Indigenous knowledge, histories and experiences.
March 20 and 21, 9 AM – 4 PM | Free
Migizii Agamik – Bald Eagle Lodge, Fort Garry Campus  

MAKE OUR GARDEN GROW: EXCERPTS FROM POPULAR MUSICALS

The University of Manitoba musical theatre ensemble will perform selections from South Pacific, Guys and Dolls, Hamilton and The Sound of Music.
March 9, 8 PM; March 10, 2 PM and 8 PM
Tickets $20, students $12
Gas Station Arts Centre, 445 River Avenue

CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE — ANALYZING THE SPECTRUM: THE NEUROSCIENCE OF AUTISM

Join University of Manitoba researchers to learn how autism affects the brain and leads to behavioural changes in children and adults. Our panelists will also discuss how their research is helping to develop new methods for diagnosing and treating autism.
March 12, 7 PM | Free
McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue

MINI U REGISTRATION

From crafts to robotics, swimming to musical theatre—kids between the ages of 4 and 16 learn leadership skills and new ways to be active with every program.
Spring registration is now open, and summer registration opens March 12.

POP CULTURE, PEACE AND RESISTANCE: FROM HARRY POTTER TO THE HUNGER GAMES

Explore youth subcultures, fan activism and fan fiction communities with visiting professor Dr. Sibohan McEvoy-Levy. This lecture will consider the pop-cultural contexts of liberal peacebuilding and how these blur with militarism, and identify the cultural sources of positive peace and resistance in youth culture.
March 13, 7 PM | Free
Fr. Jensen SJ Theatre, St. Paul’s College, Fort Garry Campus 

DAIRY DAY

Explore the dairy barn and learn about how we get milk to make cheese and yogurt, then help make some fresh ice cream!
March 16, 10 AM – 2 PM (Drop-in format)
Admission $5, 3-4 year olds $3.50, children 3 and under free
Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre, Glenlea Research Station (15 minutes south of Winnipeg on Hwy 75) 

COMMUNICATIONS IN CANCER CARE: HEALTH SYSTEMS IN TRANSITION AND THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

As the health care system transitions to an increased focus on efficiency, Dr. Sally Thorne shares her research on the power of quality communication and the critical need for “communication safety” within cancer care.
March 19, 5 – 8 PM | Free
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, 85 Israel Asper Way
RSVP 204 474 9080 or mcnhr@umanitoba.ca

AGE-FRIENDLY REGIONS: PLANNING BEYOND COMMUNITIES

Dr. Richard Milgrom will discuss how providing services through a regional approach may be necessary to support quality of life for older adults.
March 21, 12 – 1 PM | Free
Millennium Library (Buchwald Room), 251 Donald Street

3MT – THREE-MINUTE THESIS COMPETITION FINALS

Hear our innovative graduate students explain their research – in three minutes or less. Cheer on the competitors and vote for the people’s choice winner!
March 21, 7 – 9 PM | Free
Robert B. Schultz Theatre, St. John’s College, Fort Garry Campus

THE BLACK HOLE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: MARAT/SADE

Depicting class struggle and human suffering, this classic of modern theatre is an epic tale about the French revolution that involves over 40 cast members and musicians.
March 21 – 31
Tickets $18, students and seniors $12
John J. Conklin Theatre at the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall, Fort Garry campus

TALK: “GHOSTLY SPIRITS: THE HAMILTONS’ PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIMENTS WITH TELEPLASM”

A talk by Serena Keshavjee, art history, University of Winnipeg

March 22, 7 PM | Free

Archives & Special Collections, 330 Elizabeth Dafoe Library

Location & Parking: http://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/archives/

More Info:  archives@umanitoba.ca or (204)474-9986

ASTRONOMY OPEN HOUSES

Jointly hosted by the department of physics & astronomy and the Winnipeg Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, observe and learn about the night sky in season. Open houses last approximately two hours.
March 28, 7:30 PM and April 25, 8:30 PM | Free
Room 385, University College, Fort Garry Campus 

Planning to attend one of our on-campus events? Visit our interactive campus maps for campus overviews and building locations. For detailed parking information, view our visitor parking guide.

THE BLACK HOLE THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: PITH!

It is the summer of 1931 in Providence, Rhode Island. Jack, a quick-witted sailor, dives into the dreary world of reclusive Virginia and her housekeeper Nancy. Hoping Virginia will accept the death of her missing husband, they embark on an adventure in the jungle…all without leaving the house. Come along for the adventure and unleash your imagination.

January 17 – 27
John J. Conklin Theatre at the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall in Taché Hall
150 Dafoe Road
Tickets $18 Students and seniors $12
bhtc.ca/mainstagetwo.html

CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE — NOT A ONE HIT WONDER: STATINS BENEFIT BEYOND CHOLESTEROL

As patent protection on statins draw to a close, researchers at the University of Manitoba are studying new applications for this popular cholesterol-lowering drug. Join us as we learn about the potential benefits of statins in cancer, heart disease, and chronic lung diseases.

January 23, 7 PM
McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue
umanitoba.ca/cafescientifique/

MINDSETS MATTER: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING WELL

Psychological factors are central to understanding how individuals adapt to the challenges of aging. During this midday research seminar, Dr. Judith Chipperfield will present a selection of findings and highlight her plan for development of a cognitive treatment that encourages older adults to shift their mindsets to more adaptive ways of thinking.

January 24, 12 – 1 PM
Millennium Library (Anhang Room), 251 Donald Street
Seating is limited
umanitoba.ca/aging

BEYOND CRISIS LECTURE SERIES

Join us as Dr. Daniel Neep from Georgetown University shares his insights of how Syria got to where it is today. In his talk The Nation Belongs to All: The Making of Modern Syria, Neep brings us a first-hand account of economic, political and social influences on the Syrian situation.

January 25, 7 PM
McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue

RECONCILIATION THROUGH RECOGNITION LECTURE POSTPONED

Due to unavoidable circumstances, the lecture with Phil Fontaine and Kathleen Mahoney has been postponed and new date will be announced. Sorry for any inconvenience.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT CONCERT

The University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra presents an exciting program of works featuring the premier of a new work by student composer Tristan Zaba and performances by Concerto Competition co-winners Mollin Balisi (flute) and Sydney Clarke (soprano).

February 7, 7:30 PM
Westminster United Church, 745 Westminster Avenue
Tickets $15 Students $5
Tickets available at the door or at the main music office 319-136 Dafoe Road

VISIONARY CONVERSATIONS

Are Black Canadians equitably represented in positions of power and influence?
To mark Black History Month, Visionary Conversations will explore issues affecting the Black community and celebrate its stories. Presented in partnership with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Black History Month Celebration Committee.

February 13, Doors Open 6:30 PM Panel Discussion 7 – 8:30 PM Reception to follow
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, 85 Israel Asper Way
Seating is limited. RSVP to rsvp@umanitoba.ca or call 204-474-9071
umanitoba.ca/visionaryconversations

LOUIS RIEL DAY CELEBRATION

Join David Chartrand and other members of the Manitoba Metis Federation Cabinet for the official founding of a new Metis Local that will be located at the University of Manitoba campus. Musical entertainment and a Metis Chivaree (feast) will follow.

February 16, 11 AM – 1 PM
Migizii Agamik – Bald Eagle Lodge, Fort Garry Campus
Free to attend
umanitoba.ca/indigenous

MED TALKS — ENGAGE YOUR MIND: PHARMACOLOGY UPDATE

Join us for two interactive lectures from renowned experts on pharmacology as they address timely health and wellness issues. Dr. Shandis Price will discuss current options in her presentation Navigating Through Natural Health Products, followed by Dr. Glen Drobot’s presentation Unblock My Heart: Latest Blood Thinners for Treating Clots and Atrial Fibrillation.

February 20, 7 – 8:30 PM
Reh-Fit Centre, 1390 Taylor Avenue
Free to attend
For more information, or to register, call 204-789-3547 or email nancy.fischer@umanitoba.ca
umanitoba.ca/medicine/medtalks

STUDENT OPEN HOUSE

Explore the University of Manitoba and experience a day in the life of a university student at our annual open house for high school students and their families.

February 22, University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus
Day program for high school students: 9 AM – 2 PM
Evening program for students and families: 6 – 8 PM
Register to attend at umanitoba.ca/openhouse

CANADA WEST TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The University of Manitoba Bisons will host the best in track and field from universities across Western Canada. Make it a class or family event and come out to cheer on the Bisons.

February 23 and 24
James Daly Fieldhouse at the Max Bell Centre, Fort Garry Campus
Tickets $10 Free for fans 17 and under
gobisons.ca

The show is written by Winnipeg-born playwright, Stewart Lemoine. It takes place in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1931. Ten years prior, Virginia Tilford lost her husband Weldon to a silver-mining expedition in South America. No one knows for certain what happened to him – or if he’s still alive. With the help of a young sailor named Jack and her devoted housekeeper Nancy, they embark on a journey to find Virginia’s husband… all while never leaving her living room.

“It has been such a great learning experience working on this show,” said Daphne Finlayson, University of Manitoba alumna and director of the play. “This is the first full-length script I’ve ever worked with. Learning how to combine so many different elements and liaising with all the different departments (lights, costumes, set, props, etc.) has been an important step for me in learning how to direct larger-scale productions. I definitely feel I’ve grown more as a director, learning how to work with so many different people to form one cohesive vision for the play.”

Finlayson has previously directed two Lunch BHAGG sessions with the Black Hole Theatre Company. She also directed Praised Be The Playwright! for the 2016 Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. She says the most rewarding part of working on this play has been watching the performers progress from the audition room to now.

“Through the past two months of working together – trying new things, finding better things, figuring out a new source of comedy, and allowing themselves to be unabashedly silly – it all culminates in the incredible work they’re putting forward on that stage,” she said.

Finlayson says there is an important trust that comes from working on a show together: being vulnerable in front of an audience, listening to each other to find the best interpretation of a line or the character, and knowing that you can take changes and laugh together if they don’t work out.

“As an alum of the University of Manitoba, it’s such an honour to be one of the first (former) students to direct a mainstage solo in our new theatre,” said Finlayson. “Through my time at university, majoring in theatre with a focus on directing, I finally get to put everything I’ve learned to use on the big stage!”

For show times and ticket information for Pith!, visit the Black Hole Theatre Company’s website.

The play is a re-imagining of Ivan Turgenev’s novel Fathers and Sons.

The show takes place in 1859, shortly before the emancipation of the serfs (a domestic reform that saw the end of serfdom in Russia). Two Russian university students return to their home district for the summer. Arkady Kirsanov is caught between the values of his landowning family and those of his friend, the nihilist Yevgeny Bazarov, who wants to tear down the social system so that something better can be built in its place, and who is prepared to throw bombs to further his cause. Bazarov becomes embroiled in a conflict with Kirsanov`s uncle, a particularly decadent and unrepentant aristocrat.

“This is a play I’ve thought about for a long time, and about which I’ve written several times,” said Christopher Johnson, director of the play. “I saw the original production in 1988. I have very high expectations of myself for this show. For me, there’s a lot at stake.”

Technically and structurally, Johnson says it is a very complex play with multiple locations and many exits and entrances.

When it comes to the show’s cast, he says one of the main reasons he chose to do this play was that there were so many great roles for university students to take on.

“Most of the characters are young,” said Johnson. “In the production I dreamed about for so long, I cast University of Manitoba alumni to play the “fathers” of Turgenev’s story because the difference in ages, the conflict between generations, is so important. So, when I got the chance to actually do the show, that’s what I did, casting Gary Jarvis and Tim Webster (who were both theatre students at the U of M in the early 1990s, and who are both still very active in the Winnipeg theatre scene).”

Johnson says he hopes the audience, after the show, will be inspired to think about the relationship between people of different generations, about the inevitable conflict between the young and the old, about ways in which reconciliation occurs (or doesn’t) and how social progress comes about.

This is the fifth play by Walker that Johnson has directed for the Black Hole Theatre Company.

“I’m particularly attracted to Walker’s brand of dark comedy. I have wanted to do this show for years. It has come together and everybody worked beautifully to make the show a memorable one.”

Nothing Sacred runs in the John J. Conklin Theatre at the Gail Asper Performing Arts Hall, November 8-11 and 14-18 at 7:30pm. On November 12, there is a 2pm matinee.

Tickets are $12 for students and $18 for the public.

For reservations and group discount rates, contact the box office at 204-474-6880.

I often have conversations with my friends and colleagues in which I hear them argue passionately that government needs to support the arts, or in which they lament the steady stream of cutbacks to arts funding. I also see in my Facebook feed links to articles friends have posted about the crucial role the arts play in society. I agree with all of this, passionately. But, in demanding that taxpayers give money to arts groups, too often we are asking them to do something we’re not prepared to do ourselves.

I’d like to make a radical suggestion. If you want to support the arts, don’t just talk about their importance, or get upset when the government cuts back on funding them. Go out and see stuff.

Let me be more specific. Everyone at the University of Manitoba who supports public funding for the arts should pledge to attend two ticketed cultural events per month, the kind you actually pay for, effective immediately. Winnipeg has lots to choose from. There is music, theatre, dance, a thriving local film community whose members frequently screen their work, as well as a large number of wonderful art galleries. Mix it up. Attend shows not just by the big players like the Royal Winnipeg Ballet or the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, though both do excellent work, but also by local independent groups like NAfro Dance Productions or the Snakeskin Jacket Theatre Company.

Few excuses, many reasons

Doubtful House at the John J. Conklin Theatre. // Photo: Mike Latschislaw

As members of the University of Manitoba community, we are uniquely well positioned to boost attendance in the local arts scene. Most professor and administrators have good salaries, while students can take advantage of student discounts. The cost of tickets is often very low in any case, the equivalent of two or three trips to Starbuck’s, and some shows offer pay-what-you can performances as well. Many of the productions deal with themes that are relevant to our teaching and research, and give us insight into the real-world impact of issues that we often just study in the abstract. The university has numerous faculty, students and alumni who are actively involved in the productions. For instance, this month Snakeskin Jacket is putting on “The Flick”, a play directed by University of Manitoba professor George Toles, with several U of M alumni also involved. By going out to see shows like that, we are supporting our colleagues and strengthening the university’s arts training, as well as helping the arts scene in general.

Have children? Even better. You get an excuse to hire a babysitter, which puts some money in the pocket of a deserving young person, and it gives you a night off from parenting. If you are travelling or you are too busy one month to make your quota, not to worry. Winnipeg has festivals, like the Fringe and the New Music Festival, with multiple shows in a short period to let you make up for it if there’s ever a month or two you come up short. With so much choice, you should have no trouble making two dozen shows in a year.

Three results

Associate Professor Neil McArthur created a 2016 Fringe show called Let Me Freeze Your Head.

If everyone at the University of Manitoba did this, there would be three results. All three are good. First, we’d all get to see more stuff. Second, there would be more stuff to see, as the local arts scene took advantage of the increased attendance to put on more, and more ambitious productions. Third, it would give us all something to talk about besides just school. Yes, that article you’re working on is interesting, but your friends and family will be happy to hear about something else for a change, trust me.

Someone might worry that the surge in attendance will give just governments an excuse to cut funding further, since they can say the local arts scene no longer needs it. I believe in fact the opposite will be the case. By showing them that they are supporting a thriving and popular local arts scene, politicians will see that public funds are being well spent, and that boosting such funds can boost their standing with voters.

There is a saying that is popular right now: you’ve got to have skin in the game. I don’t know what it refers to. It sounds kind of gross. But I think it applies here. If we want government to support our local artists, we need to put our skin in the game, or at least our butts in the seats. Twice a month. Starting now.

Bison Football

The University of Manitoba Bison Football team will host the Alberta Golden Bears in the first ever afternoon football home game for U of M. Bring the family for a fun-packed game and cheer on your Bisons as they make a push for playoffs!

September 29 vs. Alberta 4:30 p.m. 
Investors Group Field
Tickets $15; free for U of M students and fans 17 and under  
Tickets available at Ticketmaster.ca
gobisons.ca

Sol Kanee Lecture: Peace Through Prosperity

Sponsored by the Richardson Foundation, the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice presents the 2017 Sol Kanee Lecture, featuring Steve Killelea, Founder and Executive Chairman, Institute for Economics and Peace, the world’s leading think tank dedicated to developing metrics to analyze peace and quantify its economic value.

October 4, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Learn more at https://goo.gl/h2ewUv

Uncovering Artists’ Books

Artists’ books read at once as sensual, spatial and tactile; they open our reading experience to the multi-sensory perception of books as art objects. Curated by Geraldine Davis, Uncovering Artists’ Books explores this rich artistic practice, highlighting its significant contribution to the history of visual art in Canada.

October 10 – November 24
School of Art Gallery, 255 ARTlab, 180 Dafoe Road
http://umanitoba.ca/schools/art/Books.html

Vientos y Tangos

The University of Manitoba Wind Ensemble and Concert Band present their first concert of the season, featuring concerto competition winner Cam Denby on marimba.

October 13, 7:30 p.m.
Jubilee Place Auditorium, 173 Talbot Avenue
Tickets $15; students $5
Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance at the Desautels Faculty of Music office (Room 319 – 136 Dafoe Road)

The President & The Poet

Join University of Manitoba President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. David T. Barnard for an evening of poetry reading, dialogue, and book signing with internationally renowned Irish poet Micheal O’Siadhail.  His latest work, One Crimson Thread, will be available for purchase and signing.

October 16, 7 p.m.
Marshall McLuhan Hall – 204 UMSU University Centre
RSVP to rsvp@umanitoba.ca or by calling 204-474-9071

Kerensa Peters and Nicholas Groulx perform in The Sea, presented by the Black Hole Theatre Company

Evening of Excellence

A special evening for high achieving grade 12 students and their parents. Explore the U of M and everything it has to offer, including our academic programs and services, scholarships and application process, and large and welcoming Indigenous community.

October 24, 6 – 8:30 p.m.
UMSU University Centre
Learn more at umanitoba.ca/eveningofexcellence

Café Scientifique

In The Pink: 50 Years of Breast Cancer Research
Join our expert panel as they discuss past biological research and current efforts at the U of M to develop new ways of detecting breast cancer and new treatments for improving patient quality of life.  

October 25, 7 p.m.
McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue, Winnipeg
RSVP to Research_Communications@umanitoba.ca or by calling 204-474-6689

Pumpkin Party

Come in costume and carve jack-o-lanterns as a family. Bring your own pumpkin and leave the mess to us! Carving stencils and snacks provided.

October 28, drop in between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre, 15 minutes south of Winnipeg on Hwy 75
Admission $5; children 4 and under free
ffdc.ca

Café Scientifique

The Fallout: Research & Practical Tips for Preventing Falls
In this panel, experts from the Centre on Aging’s Falls Prevention Research Group will discuss what causes people to fall and strategies you can use in your daily life to prevent falls.

November 6, 7 p.m.
McNally Robinson Booksellers, 1120 Grant Avenue, Winnipeg
RSVP to Research_Communications@umanitoba.ca or by calling 204-474-6689

Nothing Sacred by George F. Walker

A dark comedy of conflict between fathers and sons, landowners and serfs, and traditionalists and nihilists set in 19th century Russia masterfully presented for the modern audience by the Black Hole Theatre Company. Complete with dueling pistols at dawn! Directed by Chris Johnson.

November 8 – 18
John J. Conklin Theatre at the Gail Asper Performing Arts hall in the historic Taché Hall, 150 Dafoe Road
Tickets $18; students and seniors $12
Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at 204-474-6880
bhtc.ca

Climate Change: From challenges to opportunities

Join us for this free symposium, where academics from across Canada will discuss this global issue and its impact on geography, business, natural resources, the Arctic and national security.  Presented in partnership with the Royal Society of Canada Celebration of Excellence. All are welcome.

Nov. 23, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Room 210, UMSU University Centre
RSVP by Nov. 9, 2017 to UMsymposium@umanitoba.ca

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