Catalyst Theatre is a multi-award-winning theatre company based in Edmonton, Alberta. Founded in 1977 as a social action theatre, it was taken over by Artistic Co-Directors Jonathan Christenson and Joey Tremblay in 1996. Christenson and Tremblay drastically changed the company's mandate to focus on "creating original Canadian work that explores new possibilities for the theatrical art form and the process through which it is created, to exposing the work locally, nationally and internationally, and to challenging the artists and audiences who participate in the creation of that work.” Since 2002, Catalyst Theatre has been developing new work under the creative leadership of Artistic Director Jonathan Christenson in collaboration with Resident Designer Bretta Gerecke. Catalyst Theatre's artistic team has created original productions that have toured the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States.
History
Between 1978 and 1996, Catalyst Theatre’s offices were located in the Macleod Building in downtown Edmonton and later in the Garneau Community League on Edmonton’s southside. In 1996, Catalyst moved from the Garneau Community League to a derelict warehouse in Old Strathcona where they completed a renovation that included re-roofing, installing public washrooms, offices, lobby, studio and office space, dressing rooms, a green room and a performance space. The space was leased from the building’s owner, the Edmonton Jazz Society, which operates the Yardbird Suite, a performance venue at the north end of the same building.
In 2000, Catalyst raised the roof and removed the pillars, creating a 2400 SF black box theatre with 20-foot-high ceilings. From 2000 to 2015, the company developed and presented its productions in this space, as well as producing an annual international presenting series (“Blind Dates"). During this time, Catalyst also rented the theatre to the Edmonton International Fringe Festival each year as a Fringe Venue as well as renting to a variety of Edmonton-based theatre, music, and dance companies throughout the season.
In 2015, Catalyst became a resident company at the Citadel Theatre in downtown Edmonton and raised $1.2 million to renovate the Citadel’s Maclab Theatre and lobby and to build a suite of offices where they continue to be based.
The black box theatre created by Catalyst Theatre continues to be an important part of Edmonton’s inventory of live performance venues and has been home to Theatre Network (2015 to 2021) and Workshop West Theatre (2022 to the present).
Between 1997 and the present, Catalyst has been presented at such festivals as the London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT), Luminato (Toronto), The Edinburgh Fringe, Carrefour International de Théâtre (Québec), PuSh Festival (Vancouver), High Performance Rodeo (Calgary), and Magnetic North (Ottawa). They have performed at such theatres as the Barbican Theatre (London), New World Stages (NYC), the New Victory Theatre (NYC), the Liverpool Playhouse, The Traverse (Edinburgh), The Tron (Glasgow), The Pleasance (London), La Caserne (Quebec), The National Arts Centre (Ottawa), Canadian Stage (Toronto), The Grand (London, ON), Theatre Calgary, Vertigo Theatre (Calgary), ATP (Calgary), Persephone Theatre (Saskatoon), The Globe (Regina), The Eric Harvie Theatre (Banff Centre for the Arts), Vancouver Playhouse, The Arts Club (Vancouver), and The Cultch (Vancouver), as well as many other theatres across Canada, the UK, the United States and Australia.
Productions
until the next breath (2020)
Conceived by Jonathan Christenson and Bretta Gerecke. Text and Music by Jonathan Christenson. Directed by Jonathan Christenson. Design by Bretta Gerecke. Choreography by Laura Krewski. Music Production and Sound Design by Matthew Skopyk.
The Invisible - Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2019)
Book, lyrics and music by Jonathan Christenson. Directed by Jonathan Christenson. Production Design by Bretta Gerecke. Original Choreography by Laura Krewski. Music Production and Sound Design by Matthew Skopyk.
Fortune Falls (2016)
Co-Written by Jonathan Christenson & Beth Graham. Directed and composed by Jonathan Christenson. Lighting and set design by Kerem Centinel. Costumes by Megan Koshka. Music Production and Sound Design by Matthew Skopyk.
Songs for Sinners & Saints (2016)
A concert review of all previous works. Directed by Jonathan Christenson.
All Our Unworldly Possessions (2015)
Conceived by Jonathan Christenson and Bretta Gerecke. A season-long installation piece.
Vigilante (2015)