The High Performance Rodeo unveiled its 2027 programming on Thursday for the festival's 41st edition. The schedule features a mix of veteran performers and new voices across theater, dance, and music.
Ronnie Burkett's return to the 1987 Daisy Theatre roots
The 41st edition of the High Performance Rodeo is positioning itself as both a forward-looking experiment and a tribute to its own history.. A primary example of this is the return of Emmy Award-winning artist Ronnie Burkett, who will present The Daisy Theatre: Back in Bloom. According to the report, this puppet cabaret is a direct nod to the artist's work during the second High Performance Rodeo in 1987.
By anchoring the 2027 schedule with a callback to 1987, the High Performance Rodeo highlights a rare continuity in the performing arts. This strategy allows the festival to maintain its identity as a boundary-pushing entity while acknowledging the legacy artists who helped define the Calgary-based event over the last four decades.
From One Yellow Rabbit's espionage to Karen Hines' internet satire
The 2027 lineup emphasizes a wide thematic range, moving from the geopolitical to the personal. The Calgary-based ensemble One Yellow Rabbit is set to debut Spy Music, a production that the festival describes as a world of espionage. this work continues the tradition of One Yellow Rabbit in challenging standard narrative structures through a blend of dance and theater.
Contrasting this atmospheric espionage is the work of playwright Karen Hines. As the report says, Hines will perform a new solo piece titled My Name is Karen, which utilizes satire to critique modern entitlement and the pressures of maintaining a high-profile public identity in the age of internet culture. Together, these works demonstrate the High Performance Rodeo's intent to balance visually dense spectacle with sharp social commentary.
Connecting Edmonton's Batrabbit Collective and the American South
The High Performance Rodeo is expanding its geographic scope for the 2027 season by integrating talent from across the border and across the province. edmonton's Batrabbit Collective will join the roster with Rat Academy 2: Gnaw and Order, ensuring that the festival remains a hub for Alberta's broader creative community rather than a strictly local Calgary affair.
Further broadening the cultural lens is Lee Papa, who will perform Best All-Round White.. This production focuses on Papa's personal history and childhood experiences growing up in the American South, adding an international perspective to the festival's diverse array of storytelling.
The Rheostatics' Great Lakes Suite and Decidedly Jazz Danceworks' Blueprint
Multimedia integration remains a cornerstone of the High Performance Rodeo's philosophy . The Canadian indie rock band The Rheostatics will present The Great Lakes Suite, a prdouction that combines poetry, music, and underwater imagery to explore the world's largest freshwater ecosystem. This immersive approach suggests the festival is moving further away from traditional concert formats toward total sensory experiences.
Complementing this auditory experience is Blueprint, a new show from Calgary's Decidedly Jazz Danceworks. By including experimental choreography alongside the multimedia work of The Rheostatics, the High Performance Rodeo reinforces its commitment to the avant-garde, ensuring that movement-based arts are given equal billing with theatrical and musical acts.
The specific venues for Oliver Armstrong's 'coffee shop' experiences
While the programming is ambitious, several logistical details remain unconfirmed. Producer Oliver Armstrong has highlighted the festival's use of non-traditional spaces, specifically mentioning intimate theatrical experiences held in working coffee shops, yet the report does not name the specific businesses or locations partnering with the High Performance Rodeo for 2027.
Additionally, while tickets are currently on sale, the announcement lacks specific dates for the individual performances. It remains unclear how the festival will manage the scheduling of these diverse venues—ranging from large-scale puppet cabarets to small cafes—without causing logistical bottlenecks for attendees purchasing multi-show passes.
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