Calgary's High Performance Rodeo Marks 40th Year with Popular Encore Performances
The One Yellow Rabbit High Performance Rodeo is celebrating its milestone 40th anniversary with a spectacular lineup that brings back some of the festival's most requested acts. According to festival producer Oliver Armstrong, the second week of this year's edition features two particularly anticipated encores that audiences have been clamoring to see again.
Goblins: Gala Promises Unpredictable Improvisational Magic
The beloved improv troupe The Goblins, featuring performers Rebecca Northan, Bruce Horak, and Ellis Lalonde, will make a special one-night-only appearance at the Martha Cohen Theatre on January 22. Armstrong explains that while the popular ensemble couldn't create an entirely new show for the anniversary due to their busy schedule, they enthusiastically agreed to participate with their signature improvisational format.
"What they are giving us is the Goblins: Gala. It's pure improvisation, so that means anything can, and will, happen," Armstrong reveals. "They are going to kidnap someone. I can't tell you who it is, except that it is a comedian. What audiences will see will never be duplicated. That is certainly part of the excitement and the appeal."
The producer notes that seating is extremely limited for this exclusive performance, with only single seats remaining available. Festival organizers are even encouraging attendees to dress up for the occasion, adding to the celebratory atmosphere of this unique theatrical event.
Miss Rita's Lucha VaVoom Brings Glamorous Chaos to Calgary
Another highlight of the anniversary celebrations is Miss Rita's Lucha VaVoom, which will also appear for just one night at the WinSport Event Centre on January 24. This spectacular production combines Mexican masked wrestling with burlesque performance in what Armstrong describes as "glamour-fuelled, glitter-splattered, spine-crackling chaos."
Audiences can expect an explosive mix of body slams and tassel spins featuring outrageous characters, drag drama, and what Armstrong calls "flaming passion." The producer emphasizes that this show represents just the beginning of the wild entertainment, with tickets already nearly sold out for what promises to be an unforgettable night of theatrical spectacle.
Additional Festival Highlights Showcase Diverse Canadian Talent
The 40th anniversary celebrations extend beyond these two encores with several other notable productions. Christopher Hunt's Ribstone at Lunchbox Theatre from January 21 to 25 has already sold out, featuring the performer's personal journey through Prairie roots, family legends, and Alberta folklore accompanied by banjo music.
Vancouver's Monster Theatre presents Juliet: A Revenge Comedy at the Martha Cohen Theatre from January 21-24, offering a feminist reinterpretation where Shakespeare's tragic heroine takes control of her narrative with input from other literary women like Lady Macbeth and Ophelia.
David Gagnon Walker's I Would Prefer Not To explores themes of mental illness and perseverance through personal storytelling enhanced by original music at Contemporary Calgary from January 20-23. Meanwhile, the world premiere of Patrick Graham's Beyond Fallujah at the Engineered Air Theatre from January 21-24 brings razor-sharp storytelling based on the playwright's experiences as a war journalist in Iraq.
The festival also features musical collaborations including cellist Luka Coetzee joining the Calgary Philharmonic for It Takes Two: A Symphonic Collaboration, further enriching the diverse artistic offerings of this milestone anniversary celebration.
