You’ve probably figured out that the postcard’s meant to be sent to the Honourable Rob Renner, Alberta’s Minister of the Environment, to let him know you’re concerned about climate change, and the way the province has been approaching the issue so far.
But what to write? Information and sources of information that may be helpful inspiration for composing your note to the Minister can be found elsewhere on this site (see #1 below). Check them out and see if any of them warm you up.
You can write anything you want – even that you applaud the government’s inaction – though of course we do hope that the postcards get used to press our government to get more serious about the issue.
Whatever you write, please keep it civil and respectful and remember, you do need to put a stamp on any mail to provincial representatives.
1. Check out the What Can You Do, Resources or Interviews pages of this website for ideas about what you might tell Environment Minister Rob Renner he ought to do about global warming.
2. Put the postcard on your fridge to remind yourself to come see U: The Comedy of Global Warming for ideas about what you might tell Environment Minister Rob Renner he ought to do about global warming.
3. If you already know about what Alberta’s doing to address the issue and how we can do better, write Environment Minister Rob Renner right now and let him know what you think he should be doing about global warming.
4. Give the postcard, or more copies of it, to friends so they can do any or all of the above.
The University of Alberta’s CRYSTAL Science Education Centre is conducting a study to find out what you thought of the play U: The Comedy of Global Warming.The CRYSTAL study has two parts:
CRYSTAL researchers are looking for people who would like to see U: The Comedy of Global Warming, and then participate in a 1.5 hour focus group about the play. The focus group will consist of about seven people who are interested in discussing their thoughts and ideas about the play. The discussion will include questions like: What did you think of the characters in the play? What did you think of the scenario presented in the play? The discussion group will be held in a room at the University of Alberta at a time that is convenient for participants. Refreshments will be provided.
Each focus group participant will be given a free ticket to the play. They will also receive a $20 Amazon gift certificate to thank them for their participation. Please contact Grace Reid if you would like to take part in this focus group research: (780) 492-0766 or gtreid@ualberta.ca
If the focus group research is too big of a time commitment, CRYSTAL researchers are also asking people who have seen the play, to complete a two-page questionnaire on their opinions about the play. The questionnaire will ask questions like: Did you enjoy the play? Is there anything you would change about the play?
If you complete the questionnaire, you will be entered into a draw for a $60 Amazon gift certificate. If you win the draw, you will also be reimbursed for the cost of your ticket to the play.Please contact Grace Reid if you would like to take part in this questionnaire research: (780) 492-0766 or gtreid@ualberta.ca
The plan for this study has been reviewed for its adherence to ethical guidelines and approved by the Faculties of Education, Extension and Augustana Research Ethics Board (EEA REB) at the University of Alberta. For questions regarding participant rights and ethical conduct of research, contact the Chair of the EEA REB at (780) 492-3751
Ian Leung
Albertaville was created by Ian Leung, an Edmonton-based actor, director and writer who is also responsible for U: The Comedy of Global Warming.
He’s graduated twice from the University of Alberta, first as an actor in the B.F.A. program in 1994, then as an M.F.A. director in 2007.
In an earlier career that lasted from 1989-1991, he was a Science Advisor in the Acid Rain Office of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. It was there that he first became more deeply acquainted with – and concerned about – the issue of climate change. He joined the Ministry shortly after completing a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences at the University of Toronto.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Leung has spent most of his life living in Ontario. But he’s been a resident of Edmonton almost a quarter of his life, from 1991-1996 and from 2005 to the present. He also called Vancouver home for two short years.
More interesting facts about Ian Leung:
He’s an avid film buff.
He has acted for theatre companies across the country, including Workshop West, Theatre Network, the Citadel, the Shaw Festival, Neptune Theatre and the National Arts Centre.
He leans left, politically.
He is the part-time Administrator of the Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation.
He is also the current Tour Coordinator for Prairie Tales.
In 2008, he was interim Executive Director of the Film and Video Arts Society – Alberta (FAVA).
Albertaville was created by Ian Leung, the Edmonton-based actor, director and writer who is also responsible for U: The Comedy of Global Warming.
In an earlier career that lasted from 1989-1991, Leung was a Science Advisor in the Acid Rain Office of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. During those years, the Acid Precipitation in Ontario Study, which the Acid Rain Office was responsible for overseeing, was coming to the end of its mandate. The Office began to turn its attention to other pressing atmospheric issues such as ground level ozone and climate change. Back then, it was thought a good first step to address global warming would be to reduce carbon emissions by 20% from 1988 levels by 2005. The office researched and developed policies that could help Ontario achieve such a goal, none of which were much different from those being tossed around almost two decades later. But the NDP government of the day, as progressive as it was, wasn’t quite ready to grapple with the issue. Having inherited a surprise deficit from the previous Liberal regime and run smack into a recession, it was all Bob Rae could do to keep the public service unions from crucifying him for instituting “Rae Days” in an effort to keep government spending down.
In 1991, Leung left his position to pursue acting. Shortly after, the Harris Conservatives overran the province with their “Commonsense Revolution” and the Ministry was neutralized.
A New Blog posting! Laughing in the Face of Climate Change? (Research Results)
Albertaville is a companion web-site for U: The Comedy of Global Warming, a mulit-media play that’s been created to foster awareness, discussion and action on climate change in the province of Alberta. The play’s first production runs from December 11-20, 2009 in the Media Room of the Fine Arts Building at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Whether or not you see U: The Comedy of Global Warming, this site is only one of many places on the internet where you can also find out about climate change and what can be done to help slow it down. Albertaville doesn’t pretend to be an exhaustive source of information or the final word on the issue, but it does have a few things to say and can definitely point you to other informative sources as well. For more information on climate change click on the Resources tab; for things you can do, click on What can you do?
Albertaville is also where you can find out more about the play and its participants by clicking on About U: or visiting the Blog. Eventually you’ll also be able to view extended versions of the Interviews with scientists, politicians and activists that make up part of the show.
So welcome, have a look around – and enjoy!
U: The Comedy of Global Warming is a multi-media play that humourously combines documentary film with live theatre. It’s primarily intended as entertainment, but it was also created to educate and to provoke action on climate change.
At first presenting itself as a television show about global warming hosted by an actor-narrator and taped in front of a live audience, U: abruptly shifts focus to an episodic fable about an oil executive who brings a climate change refugee to Canada. Over the course of the play the TV show and the fable interweave and eventually collide – with catastrophic results.
U:‘s documentary aspect is made up of excerpts of video recorded interviews with Edmonton scientists, politicians, activists and citizens talking about climate change. The production also features performances and work by some of Edmonton’s best theatre and media artists.
U: will run from December 11-20, 2009 in the Media Room of the Fine Arts Building at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Its performance dates roughly coincide with the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (December 7-18).
For more information, please contact theatre no. 6 at 780.482.6523 or theatreno6@gmail.com.
U: The Comedy of Global Warming
by Ian Leung
Performances: December 11-20, 2009 (preview December 10)
Showtimes: Tuesday-Sundays 8pm, Sundays 2pm Matinee
Tickets: $20 regular, $15 student/senior/artist;
(preview: $17 regular, $13 student/senior/artist); PWYC 8pm on Sundays
Advance purchases at Tix on the Square/780.420.1757 or at the door before performances (cash only)
Venue: Media Room, Fine Arts Building, Department of Drama, University of Alberta (Corner 88th Avenue @ 112th Street)
Director: Ian Leung
Assistant Producer: Melissa Thingelstad
Dramaturg: Kim McCaw
Cast: Clinton Carew, Tim Hamaguchi, Garett Spelliscy with Cole Humeny & Melissa Thingelstad
Stage Manager: Anna Davidson
Set and Lights: Guido Tondino and Victoria Zimski
Costumes: Tata Tuviera
Sound: Matthew Skopyk
Fight Director: Patrick Howarth
Choreography: Amber Borotsik
Video Consultant: Mel Geary
Editors: Mike McLaughlin, aAron munson, Ian Leung, Clinton Carew
Camera: Mike McLaughlin, Clinton Carew
Motion Graphics: POCO
Electrics & Stage Carpentry: Matt Latimer, Erik Martin
Audio Visual Technician: Terri Grant
Set & Props Painting & Upholstery: Julie Becquart
Promotion: Catch the Keys Productions
U: is produced by theatre no. 6 as part of Edmonton’s Indie 5 theatre season.
U: The Comedy of Global Warming is made possible with the generous financial support of the Edmonton Arts Council and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.
Additional artistic and material resources have been provided by the Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation, the University of Alberta Department of Drama and the University of Alberta Faculty of Education.
U: The Comedy of Global Warming boasts an impressive creative team comprised of some of Edmonton’s foremost theatre and media artists. Scroll down this page to find out more about each. They’re listed in alphabetical order by last name.
The Actors: Clinton Carew, Tim Hamaguchi, Garett Spelliscy, Cole Humeny, Melissa Thingelstad.
The Designers: Matt Skopyk, Guido Tondino, Tata Tuviera, Victoria Zimksi.
The Crew: Matt Latimer.
The Video Team: Mel Geary, Mike McLaughlin, aAron munson, John Osborne, POCO.
The Producers: Ian Leung, Melissa Thingelstad.
The Dramaturg: Kim McCaw.
The Writer-Director: Ian Leung.
Clinton Carew
Clinton Carew is an award winning artist who works in and across the fields of theatre, music and media arts. Combining his background as an actor, a writer’s ear, and a technician’s sense of innovation, Clinton’s work is marked by daring and wit with a sensitivity to emotional truth. This means he is as comfortable in front of the curtain as he is behind the scenes– sometimes at the same time. More recent projects include director and editor of a video for The James Murdoch Band (nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award), principal actor in the feature film The Pharmacist, and his directing projects at the University of Alberta: Stone Cold Dead Serious by Adam Rapp, Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, Romeo Romiette by Trina Davies, and his thesis production, Sondheim’s Assassins.
Anna Davidson
This fall you can catch Anna backstage at The Drowsy Chaperone at the Citadel Theatre. Later, she’ll be stage managing The Seed Savers for Workshop West. Elsewhere she’s stage managed The Rubaboo Performance Gala for Workshop West, Palace of the End for Theatre Network, the wild, independent spectacular Wilkommen in Spreepark for Mischief and Mayhem, Le Cadeau d’Einstein, Fort Mac, and La Caravane for L’Uni Theatre, and The Coming of Kings for Theatre Prospero. Her apprenticeship credits include The Wizard of Oz, Julius Caesar, and The December Man at the Citadel and Carmen at the Edmonton Opera. Anna is a graduate of the Macewan Theatre Production Program and loves to play frisbee in the summer!
Mel Geary
Mel Geary is a member of the Edmonton Arts Council, the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta, I.A.T.S.E. Local 210 and an ancient graduate of the Grant MacEwan Theatre Production Program. The early analogue days included stints at Theatre Network, The Citadel Theatre, Chinook Theatre and The Fringe Festival. Since 1987 Mel has embraced the ever changing digital technologies in lighting, video and interactive media with the Department of Drama at the University of Alberta. Promoting visualization technologies to Student and Faculty Designers is the focus of his work, showcased at this year’s Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology Conference. Mel enjoys the eclectic nature of freelance work including lighting design for TV The Carol Project, teaching Computer Graphics for Theatre Design or creating whimsical video epics like Mel’s Bald Head.
Tim Hamaguchi
Tim is a graduate of the U of A BFA class of 2000 and is proud to be making his professional theatrical debut in U: The Comedy of Global Warming. Happy to be back in his hometown after 7 years in Toronto, Tim currently finds himself alternating between pursuing his passion for writing, commuting to Vancouver to voice cartoons and chasing short people around his house. Right now he has a film script, Journeyman, in development with Corus Entertainment, is the co-lead in the upcoming animation series Zeke’s Pad for YTV, and the lead in the newly developed series Subterrainea for Nerd Corps Entertainment. Tim sends much love to his beautiful wife Yen and his two little lovelies, Skylar and Morgan and thanks them for their undying support whenever Daddy goes off to the world of make believe.
Cole Humeny
Cole is an Edmonton-based actor whose most recent theatre credits include Victoria Martin: Math Team Queen with Northern Light Theatre, Spiral Dive (episode two) with THEATrePUBLIC and Unity (1918) with Ala Players. He was the co-creator and co-performer of ManDance which premiered at the Expanse Movement Arts Festival in 2009 then picked up by Nextfest that same year. This coming winter ManDance will be re-worked and further developed, and will explore a female’s influence on masculinity, male roles in our society, and the new-age phenomenon of prolonged adolescence. Cole is also a passionate horticulturist, a spare-time carpenter, and a lonely percussionist. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta’s BFA Acting and Grant MacEwan’s Theatre Arts programs.
Ian Leung is an Edmonton-based theatre artist. He has a B.F.A. in acting and an M.F.A in directing, both from the University of Alberta. Lately he appeared in Rhinoceros and Stone Cold Dead Serious, both directed by Clinton Carew, and in After the Fall, directed by Stefan Dzeparoski. His most recent full length directing project was his thesis production of Jean Genet’s The Maids at the Studio Theatre in Edmonton in September 2007. U: The Comedy of Global Warming is his first full-length play and the inaugural production of his new company theatre no. 6.
Ian is also the guy who writes the blog and the content for Albertaville.ca.
A professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Drama at the University of Alberta, Kim McCaw has over thirty years of experience in the field of Canadian new play development and Production. He has previously been Artistic Director of Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange and Program Director of the Banff Playwrights’ Colony, both leaders in developing new work for the theatre. Currently he is also the Director of the Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation.
Mike McLaughlin majored in Film Production at the Vancouver Film School. After completing his diploma he moved to Edmonton to begin his filmmaking career. Sleepless was nominated for the 2007 Alberta Centennial Award for Best Alberta Short.
Edmonton filmmaker aAron munson has created twenty short experimental films over the last five years. Using Super 8, 16mm, and 35mm, his work explores the fine qualities of working with film while incorporating the use of other visual mediums. Employing a variety of different filmmaking techniques such as pixillation, timelapse, and stop-motion, aAron explores his own interpretation of the world around and within himself, and reveals the many layers of a universe yet unseen. With an emphasis placed on texture and tone, he relies on imagery and sound to communicate the meaning behind his films. His works have been screened at many film festivals and multi-disciplinary events. munson also collaborates with numerous audio artists both locally and internationally.
John Osborne
John Osborne has been involved in both art and science throughout his life. After graduating in engineering from the University of Toronto in the late 60’s, he began experimenting with abstract images on film. He later worked for two years in a computer animation studio in London, England as the principle operator of a novel hybrid analogue computer making some of the first computer animated television commercials in the early 1970’s. On returning to Canada, he began a 30-year career with a large multinational company working on Ontario, Alberta and Michigan in areas of information technology and environmental research.
In early 2000, he returned to the computer as a creative tool and began writing Java programs and experimenting with evolutionary algorithms to generate patterns and abstract images. To compliment this activity and rekindle his interest in animation, he began working with After Effects to make more narrative based animated films accompanied by his own audio compositions or those of other musicians.
John is a member of the Edmonton Film and Video Arts Society (FAVA) and is currently on the Programming Committee. His films have been shown in festivals in North America and Europe.
POCO is an Edmonton based artist and commercial graphic, and motion graphic designer. With an MA in Media Production from Griffith Film School in Brisbane, a Certificate of European Media Studies from the Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon, and an Undergrad in Film Studies and Art and Design from the University of Alberta, POCO has mad chops in Media and Digital Arts.
Matthew Skopyk
Matthew Skopyk is an Edmonton based Sound Designer and Composer. Recent Design/Composition credits include: Richard III (Free Will Players), Spreepark the Musical (Mischief and Mayhem) and Something Red (Vault). A past graduate of the U of A Technical Threatre Production program (B.F.A Graduate 2006 With Distinction), Matthew excels at software/hardware manipulation, allowing for new realms of possibility in the theatre through manipulation of data. New works include: wireless performer-worn sensors; allowing for performer control over technical aspects of a production, a glove-based three-dimensional-panner for Sound Designers and a MIDI Cello. Matthew has worked as a FOH mixer for companies such as Free Will Players and the Catalyst Theatre. Matthew currently resides as the Head of Audio for the Drama Department at the University of Alberta.
Garett Spelliscy
Garett Spelliscy is a dynamic emerging theatre artist based in Edmonton. A graduate of the University of Albertaʼs prestigious BFA Acting program, Garett is an actor and director with a passion for new play development. He has been seen recently in Assassins (Studio Theatre) and Smokescreen (Concrete Theatre) as well as performing with the Edmonton-based avant garde newbies, the Serial Collective, in The Lavender Lady, a production that he also directed. Other Edmonton credits include Twelfth Night, While Weʼre Young, and What the Butler Saw. In addition to appearing in Ian Leungʼs U: The Comedy of Global Warming, he will be directing the world premiere production of Jason Chinnʼs Ladies Who Lynch this spring at Azimuth Theatreʼs Livingroom Playhouse.
Originally from Saskatchewan, Melissa received her B.F.A. in acting from the University of Alberta and is an Edmonton-based theatre artist and an artistic associate of indie5. Most recently, she was a part of The Expanse Movement Festival as collaborator and performer of a new theatre movement piece, Lenguaje Corporal, directed by Ian Leung. In 2008 she received a Sterling Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Fringe production for her performance in Kawaisoo: The Pity of Things. Melissa produced, wrote and performed Caught! for the indie5 2007/08 season. In 2007, she performed in the European premiere of Quality in London, England. In July of that year, she appeared in the site-specific Edmonton premiere of the same play at Gravity Pope, although here it was called Shoe!. This coming January, she will be co-producing and performing in the titular role of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, directed and co-produced by Kathleen Weiss.
Guido Tondino is an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta. Before that, he was Director of Scenography at the National Theatre School (1998-2002). While teaching, he has also maintained a vibrant freelance career, designing for most of Canada’s major theatres including the Stratford Festival, the Shaw Festival and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, as well as in several theatres in the United States where he resided from 1980 to 1986. From 1986 to 1991, he was Associate Director at Theatre Calgary. In 2007, he sat on the Board of Directors for Cataylst Theatre.
Recent work includes the sets for Playboy of the Western World at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and an Irish Tour, June – July 2004; The Count of Monte Cristo, the Stratford Festival; The Mill on the Floss, Studio Theatre, University of Alberta; Copenhagen at the Centaur Theatre; Impromptu on Nun’s Island, Tarragon Theatre; Danser à Lughnasa, Théâtre du Noveau Monde; A Chorus of Disapproval, Soulpepper Theatre; The Glass Menagerie, Saidye Bronfman Centre; and sets and costumes for The Winter’s Tale, Soulpepper Theatre.
Guido Tondino was awarded the University of Alberta’s 2005 Arts Research Award for his extraordinary creative accomplishments while at rank as Assistant Professor. He was nominated for a 2005 Sterling Award in the category of Outstanding Set Design for his work on the world premiere production of Shakespeare’s Will by Vern Thiessen at the Citadel Theatre.
Victoria’s photo and bio to come.