PuSh Festival 2011

The 2011 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival kicks off next week and will run until mid-February. The festival’s mission is to engage and enrich audiences with “adventurous contemporary works in a spirit of innovation and dialogue.” For three weeks PuSh will present dozens of performances and productions, from karaoke and musicals to visual art exhibits and speed dating.

The following is a rundown of this mega, multi-venue, city-wide festival happening January 18 – February 6, 2011:

Main Shows
La Marea (The Tide), Iqaluit, Circa, In the Solitude of Cotton Fields, Floating, PodPlays – The Quartet, 100% Vancouver, Terminal City Soundscape, City of Dreams, Dances for a Small Stage® 23, Bonanza, sound machine, Hard Core Logo: LIVE, Peter Panties, Rouge, datamatics [ver.2.0], 46 Circus Acts in 45 Minutes

Club PuSh
Club PuSh at Performance Works on Granville Island will have experimental and cutting-edge work in various formats. Marquee acts begin at 8:00pm and a live band will play nightly at 10:00pm. It’s being called the “social hub” for the festival where you can grab a drink, chill, and chat. Tickets for ClubP PuSh (January 26–30 & February 2-5) are $25 or included in your full PuSh Pass. A full schedule of acts is posted online.

General Information
Venues include the Zero-hundred block of Water Street in Gastown (between Abbott & Carrall), The Royal Canadian Legion (2205 Commercial Drive), The Cultch (1895 Venables), Heritage Hall (3102 Main), The Dance Centre (677 Davie), and Performance Works on Granville Island. Tickets range from free, to $115 for a 4-show PuSh Pass.

The festival will also celebrate and recognize Vancouver’s upcoming 125th anniversary through several events. Follow the festival on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and YouTube. The Georgia Straight will have extensive coverage and the festival is also looking for bloggers to help cover events.