At CAPACOA, we help bring international opportunities to presenters and artists by participating in international engagements that build meaningful connections across the globe. In this issue of Notes From the Road, Kat McCormack, Artistic Director at Eastern Front Theatre + STAGES Theatre Festival, offers a glimpse into Edinburgh Fringe 2026 and highlights the work of Hayley Earlam.
| “The Edinburgh Fringe has been a “maybe someday” dream of mine for quite some time, so I was absolutely thrilled to have been selected to join a national cohort of presenters sent by CAPACOA this year. For those who have not been, it is not for the faint of heart! I spent long hours looking through the literal thousands(!) of performances available, painstakingly pinning the locations of my top picks in my Google Maps while simultaneously creating (and constantly rearranging) calendar events in my iCal. On top of this, I was keeping all possibilities in the Edinburgh Fringe Planner, which kept me abreast of sold out shows and cancellations. Thankfully, this very daunting (and exciting!) task was helped along with the all-knowing leadership of Judy Harquail and my many co-presenters, many of whom had been before and were happy to share information in the meetings leading up to the event. With their helpful hints — and despite their protestations to not overschedule — I managed to front load and lock down a hefty performance schedule of 36 events over seven days! After a red-eye flight, we hit the ground running with the Canada Focus Industry Event, and it was non-stop from there. I found myself running, biking, bussing and cabbing across town to catch shows in a myriad of unique venues, chatting with artists, and perhaps my favourite of all: the nightly debrief with my fellow presenters at our dorm’s common room. It was so fantastic to learn more about each of their organizations, their venues, and their artistic tastes! I returned home exhausted and elated, with a full slate of incredible shows to discuss with my local presenters, and genuine connections I hope to keep with my national peers.“ Kat McCormack Artistic Director, Eastern Front Theatre + STAGES Theatre Festival |
Kat’s Artist Highlight: Hayley Earlam
| “The show I just cannot stop thinking about is the incredible Brrr, by artist Hayley Earlam. Set inside an inflatable igloo, Brrr is “a sensory installation and live performance made for audiences with complex needs aged 10-18.” Limited to an audience of 8, alongside their carers, Brrr is an intimate and hugely engaging piece, made with careful consideration and featuring three very talented performers. I was completely rapt throughout and was delighted to learn that they are working on a version for babies! This is an exceptional piece and even though I am not the target audience, the experience will stay with me for a long time.“ Kat McCormack Artistic Director, Eastern Front Theatre + STAGES Theatre Festival |
