High Performance Rodeo 2025: An exciting and bizarre set of shows that left audiences delighted and wanting more
By Hannah Caparino, February 28 2025—
The 2025 High Performance Rodeo is One Yellow Rabbit’s annual festival that celebrates all kinds of theatre and performance. The festival’s lineup included a number of shows and performers that reflected various themes to create conversation surrounding live performances. Festival producer Oliver Armstrong described the festival and its highlights to provide insight for how audiences have engaged with the lineup.
“We have 28 productions that we have in this rodeo that we just closed and they’re all special for different reasons.” said Armstrong, “I personally really loved Hot Dyke Party, and this is literally just a show that is exactly what it sounds. It’s a musical performance, sort of a song cycle almost, or a rock opera that we did for two nights in collaboration with Downstage Theatre and with Arts Commons Presents. […] For me it exhibited a really accessible and fun loving event.”
One of the highlights that reflected the festival’s success was also its increased number of sold out shows. The increased audience attendance is a good sign that people are engaging with live performance since the shut down of Covid-19. Shows like Rat Academy, Flux in the City and Hot Dyke Party are shows that resonated most with audiences and Armstrong comments on how collaborations with Downstage Theatre, Verb Theatre, Word Fest and more allow for these shows to exist within the festival space.
“We couldn’t do what we do without those partnerships so I think it’s an important thing to acknowledge that. And just also be grateful to those other organizations and the leaders who tend those organizations that want to play with us,” said Armstrong.
A unique aspect of the festival was the post-show experiences and artist panels that explore performance choices that reflect an artists’ individual growth and show interpretation. The connections that audience members made, from both a story and real-life standpoint, display how relevant shows like Flux in the City inspire curiosity to create connections within the arts community and beyond. Examples like Discussion: Clowns Across the Universe are development type panels that discuss clowning featuring industry veterans Michael Kennard and John Turner, who make up the clown duo, Mump & Smoot.
“The one that blew me away was the talk back after Flux in the City, […] and this was a show in Contemporary Calgary auditorium […] with themes of urban planning, city building, place-making, and then we collaborated with an organization called ‘d.talks’ that have a mandate to bring conversation around architecture and urban planning,” said Armstrong.
Armstrong also emphasized how accessibility about the space and venue gave audiences the chance to see as many shows as possible. Part of the mandate is to allow everyone to have access to live theatre, breaking down all kinds of barriers that would prevent an individual from experiencing the rodeo. Partners like Inside Out Theatre work to provide information and resources to performers in order to make their stories available and open to all visitors.
The future of High Performance Rodeo is heavily dependent on attendance and this year’s increased numbers gave Armstrong and the festival team an idea for how to approach next year’s High Performance Rodeo. While the 2025 rodeo just closed, Armstrong is hopeful that next year will continue to produce high quality and joyful work for everyone to enjoy.
“It’s a little too early to say if there’s going to be a major theme or headliners at the 2024 rodeo. The one thing that I will say is that we don’t necessarily have here in our mandate that the festival has to get bigger every year,” said Armstrong. “I hope everybody in this city wants the rodeo to continue for many more years, so the reason I talk about the size and the shape of the rodeo is [because] it has to be sustainable and we have to be responsible.”
To provide feedback about the 2025 High Performance Rodeo, audiences can participate in a survey that will assess this year’s festival and performances. For more information regarding One Yellow Rabbit, click here.