Led by Artistic Director Eric Rose and Executive Director Christy Offer, Calgary-based Ghost River Theatre is Canada’s premiere devised theatre company that creates, develops, and produces live performance experiences through a significant investment in imaginative research and experimentation.

Ghost River Theatre is a catalyst for enriching Calgary’s thriving arts community. Our mission is to drive boundary-pushing and immersive creative experiences in original live performance.

We are CREATIVE in our artistry and our decision-making.
We encourage a diversity of perspectives and talents to come together to CO-CREATE
We act with COURAGE, willing to take the steps required to grow and (sometimes) leap into the unknown.

GRT makes our work in a rigorous, supportive collaborative-creation environment that recognizes and utilizes the unique abilities of all participants, premiering our work in Calgary and then touring it nationally and internationally. We value the daring, the illuminative, and the surprising. Our work embraces a hybrid of high-tech visual spectacle with low-fi theatrical magic, constantly reframing and rediscovering what theatre is and is capable of.

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

1. Development phases: We spend time workshopping an idea we’re interested in exploring and eventually developing it into a complete production; and Workshop phases: 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.
2. Public performances: After development and workshopping, we 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.
3. Artist Education: We spend time teaching the community how to devise theatre through our intensive programs.
4. Digital Arts Sharing Program: We provide local artists and arts organizations with the digital tools they need to create innovative and transformative art through deeply discounted and accessible rentals.

Our work is 100% Canadian. Our involved development process is unique and results in the unparalleled experiences for which we are recognized such as The Highest Step in the World, GIANT, STRUCK, and Echoes of the Land.  Your support helps ensure we can continue to make great theatre for our community and to strengthen the capacity of artists.

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.