About the Watershed Festival
The Watershed Festival - Reimagining Music Theatre in Kingston, Ontario is a celebration and exploration of ALL things Music Theatre. We acknowledge the fact that the various forms of music theatre, including opera and musical theatre, have often existed in divided communities with very little interaction. We also acknowledge that past and current Music Theatre practises lean heavily on a Euro-centric perspective, to the exclusion of many racially, culturally and gender diverse creators and audiences. Music, drama, dance and design - Music Theatre offers the thrilling potential to evolve into one of the world’s most inclusive art forms. The Watershed Festival seeks to DEFINE what we know about Music Theatre in an effort to bring together the worlds of opera, musical theatre and everything in between, and REDEFINE that world by embracing the richness of diversity, encouraging bold and innovative new work and changing the way we think about the art form.
Shiny Objects: The Conductor with ADHD with guest Rosemary Thomson
Thursday, April 18, 7:00pm
Rehearsal Hall, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (in-person) and livestream
Free with registration
Watershed presents Gillie Richard’s and Silver Twig Entertainment’s award-winning documentary Shiny Objects: The Conductor with ADHD. The film charts the inspiring career of celebrated Canadian conductor Rosemary Thomson through her diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and a journey of self discovery and understanding. Rose Thomson will join Kingston’s own Liam Karry (Artistic Director of the Kick and Push festival) for a live Zoom discussion following the presentation.
Register TodayPanel Discussion: Voices Unlocked - Neurodiversity and Disability Arts in Music Theatre
Friday, April 19, 2:00pm
Online - Click for Zoom Link
Free
The Watershed Festival presents a panel of some of the Canada’s top neurodiversity and disability arts music theatre creators. Hosted by Colleen Renihan.
Reflections and Refractions presented by PeerLess Productions
Friday, April 19, 7:00pm
Saturday, April 20, 2:00pm
Studio Theatre, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts
Free with registration
PeerLess Productions presents a first look at their new multi-media creation Reflections and Refractions. The piece was created and inspired by PeerLess Productions core company of artists in response to the questions: "What do you think is your greatest talent?" and "What do others think is your greatest talent?" Utilizing lights, soundscapes, dance, music and video, the performers explore how their creative work is often refracted and made to fit into ableist preconceptions rather than received as a unique offering.
Register TodayHAPPY presented by H’art Centre
Saturday, April 20, 6:00pm
Jennifer Velva Bernstein Performance Hall, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts
$15 per ticket
The Watershed Festival is thrilled to be partnering with Kingston’s H’art Centre in the creation of Happy a brand new music theatre work bringing neurodiverse and neurotypical, disabled and abled body artists together in an exploration of what it means to be truly happy. DAN School students, including five composers, have worked to support the incredible work of these remarkable artists which will receive its world-premiere on April 20, 2024.