Led by Artistic Director Eric Rose and Executive Director Kate Stadel, (Both listed as Avenue Magazines Top 40 under 40) Ghost River Theatre is an award-winning devised theatre company that creates, develops, and mounts original productions through a significant investment in imaginative research and development. We make our work in a rigorous, supportive, collaborative-creation environment that recognizes and utilizes the unique abilities of all participants, premiering productions in Calgary and then touring them nationally and internationally. Our work embraces a hybrid of high-tech visual spectacle with low-fi theatrical magic.

Ghost River Theatre values the daring, the illuminative, and the surprising. Our work often examines exceptional individuals in extraordinary circumstances; subjects whose volatile relationship with ambition mirrors our own obsession with wrestling with the impossible; constantly reframing and rediscovering what theatre is and is capable of. We are committed to expanding the language of theatre; to creating contemporary mythologies based on stories that reflect our experience of the world.

Our programs annually, although varied, always consist of these four pillars to our creative work.

1. Development phase; We spend time workshopping an idea we’re interested in exploring and eventually developing it into a complete production.
2. Education; We spend time teaching the community about devised theatre through our intensive programs
3. Workshop Phase; after the development has occurred, we will invite all creators into the space and test our ideas in real-time. This will lead to a more solid foundation for the final creation.
4. Production presentation; After development and workshop, we will make the final touches on the original idea over several weeks and present our completed piece to Calgary. Once the presentation is complete in Calgary, we begin working on our touring options.

Our development process is lengthy and precious to our company. You can help by ensuring funds for all phases of the process are covered.

At Ghost River Theatre, no matter what phase of development, we ensure we pay our artists above scale, as we believe humans come first. No art should be created on the backs of those who can’t afford to live and thrive in Calgary.