HISTORY OF WOO FEST

Back in August 2020, the team at the Assembly Theatre had an idea to create a 'covid-proof' art festival. The idea was to present art through our large storefront window to patrons on the sidewalk. We called it The Window Of Opportunity Festival (WOO FEST). As the covid-19 numbers began to soar, the team made the difficult decision to post-pone the live event as per city regulations. From there, the second iteration of WOO FEST was conceived - and online edition. Now that vaccine rollouts are bringing the daily cases down, the team is very excited to present this festival live and in person! 

​

WOO FEST INFO

DATES: August 3 - August 15 2021

COST: This festival is a PWYC. On our donation page you can select which artist group you wish your donation to go to. Which ever group you select, your money will go directly to that group. Any dollar amount will be accepted. Suggested price is $10.00 

​

ARTISTS & SHOWS

✨FUNERAL BUFFET✨

Choreographed by: Krista Newey

Danced by: Jessica Mak, Mary Patsiatzis, Brayden Cairns

Dates: Tuesday August 3rd & Wednesday August 4th

Performances at: 7:45pm, 8:30pm & 9:15pm

FUNERAL BUFFET is a performance piece set on three dancers. Together and individually, the dancers will perform both set and improvised work that is based on old ideas that never made it out of the notebook or onto a stage. Through the use of the body, storytelling, and costume, the dancers will perform versions of unachievable ideas, old ideas that never happened, and ideas that are just too out of place to belong anywhere else. As a result, the piece is a complete mismatch of things, but it is rooted in the goal to keep an audience entertained in short, tasty snippets. Unpredictability and spontaneity are key elements of the performance. The piece honours the endlessness of creative thinking and the expressiveness of bringing both dance and theatre together.  FUNERAL BUFFET is a variety show/mini spectacle intended for laughter and bewilderment. FUNERAL BUFFET is a place for dead ideas to finally live. And then finally die again.

Cost: This festival is a PWYC. On our donation page you can select which artist group you wish your donation to go to. Which ever group you select, your money will go directly to that group. Any dollar amount will be accepted. Suggested price is $10.00 

 

✨SHOP L'OCCULT✨

Created by: Annie Lujan & Sasha Luna

Design by: Amy White

Dates: Thursday August 5th & Sunday August 8th

Performance from: 7:30pm - 10:00pm

SHOP L’OCCULT is the initiative of two psychics trying to jump on the ‘shop local’ bandwagon but for the occult. They’re saying goodbye to their home in parkdale and encouraging the passers by to support the places they love as they lament over their last weekend at their parlour... Without customers, two psychics in their dingy parlour will be going through the motions of a slow day in spirituality. Readings. Astrology. Momos. Magic Tricks and mayhem - these forever amateur psychics will give their last best performance.

Cost: This festival is a PWYC. On our donation page you can select which artist group you wish your donation to go to. Which ever group you select, your money will go directly to that group. Any dollar amount will be accepted. Suggested price is $10.00 
 

✨THE WORLD'S LONGEST NAP✨

Created by: Jack Copland

Dates: Friday August 6th & Saturday August 7th

Performance from: 8:00pm, 8:45pm & 9:30pm

​​To become a world record-holder requires determination, extraordinary skills and commitment. Witness history at WOO Fest 2021. You DON'T want to miss this.

Cost: This festival is a PWYC. On our donation page you can select which artist group you wish your donation to go to. Which ever group you select, your money will go directly to that group. Any dollar amount will be accepted. Suggested price is $10.00 

 

✨NORMAL PEOPLE✨

Written & Choreographed by: Rachel Levitt

Danced by: Nicole Decsey

Dates: Wednesday August 11th & Thursday August 12th

Performances at: 7:30pm, 8:00pm, 8:30pm, 9:00pm & 9:30pm

The shocking true story of a family struggling to care for a neurologically ill child, “Normal People” is a work of spoken word communicated through dance. The beginning of the piece is a chilling glimpse into living with a monster, and exposes frightening examples of how “professionals” can abuse their influence. As it continues, our narrator turns the work around and makes a raw case for activism that isn’t rooted in tossing pennies at charities or posting “educational” articles on Instagram, and asks the audience to make active choices to enhance other people’s lives instead. Because, as the work states, “We’re all just ‘Normal People’ and, I think it’s time we listened less and heard more.

Cost: This festival is a PWYC. On our donation page you can select which artist group you wish your donation to go to. Which ever group you select, your money will go directly to that group. Any dollar amount will be accepted. Suggested price is $10.00 

 

✨WHAT A GUY: A WINDOW INTO FLAVORTOWN✨

Created & Performed by: Sebastian Biasucci

Dates: Saturday August 14th & Sunday August 15th

Performance from: 7:30pm - 10:00pm

The Mayor of Flavortown Guy Fieri has spent the last 18 months helping his citizens through the pandemic and is ready to head back to the USA to continue shooting Triple D! But before he blows this popsicle stand he’s going out on a high calorie high note and you’re invited! Join Guy at the front window of The Assembly Theatre for What A Guy: A Window into Flavortown. What happens when you cross a Vaccine Pop Up Clinic  with a Flavortown Farewell Party? Find out August 14th and 15th! Drop in any time between 7 and 9:30pm to catch all of the delicious action. After living in a window for a year and a half Guy is nervous about re-entering society and he needs your help to give him the push he needs to ride the Camaro into the sunset! There will be karaoke, Q&A’s, book readings and much more! That’s all she wrote! See you there!

Cost: This festival is a PWYC. On our donation page you can select which artist group you wish your donation to go to. Which ever group you select, your money will go directly to that group. Any dollar amount will be accepted. Suggested price is $10.00 

​

The Window Of Opportunity Festival team includes:

Producers: Sebastian Biascucci, Melanie Pyne, Marc Blanchard, Max Ackerman, Steph Crothers

Technical Director: Chin Palipane

Lighting and Sound Technician: Cass Van Wyck

​

​

Have questions about WOO FEST? Email us at TheAssemblyTheatre@gmail.com