Support Queer Canadian Theatre: Donate to Alphabet Line

Howdy! My name is AJ and I am the Playwright and Producer for Edmonton Fringe’s upcoming run of Alphabet Line from April 25 - May 3rd, during their regular season at the Westbury Theatre.

Set in Yonker, Saskatchewan in the late 1940s, Alphabet Line follows Duncan, a Queer man who has lived on his family farm his entire life. He sends out daily messages via radio in the hope of receiving a response and finally hears from Nicholas, a graduate student from Saskatoon. As the men take refuge in their shared conversations, days pass and both Duncan and Nicholas will have to reckon with each other’s pasts and embrace vulnerability or risk losing all they’ve built.

In addition to applying for grants at the federal and provincial levels, Alphabet Line has been privileged to receive funding from the Edmonton Arts Council and funding and in-kind support from Fringe Theatre in Edmonton which adds up to nearly 50% of Alphabet Line’s overall production budget.

However, our applications for federal and provincial grants are still being reviewed after months of waiting, and I am allocating all currently available funds to paying my team for their hard work bringing Duncan and Nicholas’ story to life. While I’m confident in my choice to invest in my team rather than swanky props and fancy tech, I recognize that my creative team needs resources to fully realize their designs for the show.

To quote my Sound Designer, "this show needs some cool radio shit."

We’re a scrappy bunch of theatre artists that are all ready to beg, borrow, and barter for what we need to put this show up. But, to ensure my design and production teams have the resources required to share Alphabet Line with Albertans, we are seeking donations for a modest production budget.

Below, I've included some notes from my Creative Team so you can see how this fundraiser will impact them and help them in their work:

Director: My name is Giulia Romano, and I am a director and artist based in Amiskwacîwâskahikan (colonially known as Edmonton). Queer art is vital here in the Prairies, and in Alberta. My mission as a theatre artist is always to serve the community first — and that’s exactly what this show is doing. By raising a few extra bucks, you can help ensure this story is told to the best of its ability and give the other artists and designers involved an even greater opportunity to shine as they bring this story to life. I would be humbled and honoured to have your support. Many thanks.

Sound Designer: With your help, we will be bringing a small piece of rural queerness to the stage. It's a beautiful thing. I want to give the audience a dynamic sound experience that pulls them along Saskatchewan fields and over radio waves, to the middle of a rainstorm and the quiet of an afternoon kitchen. - Selina Painchaud

Your support will help us:

All supporters will be included in our E-Program and those who donate $500 or more will be included in our printed playbill.

Thank you, for helping create local Queer theatre for Albertans.

Should we exceed our funding goal, proceeds will be used to support other aspects of this show, and future Prairie Strange Production projects.

Founded by AJ Hrooshkin and Giulia Romano, Prairie Strange Productions is an emerging theatre company that is dedicated to producing new works and creating opportunities in theatre for prairie-based artists, with special attention given to rural artists whose opportunities fewer and far between than their urban counterparts.