WHAT WE DO

Trepan Theatre is a company based in Calgary, Alberta that creates wildly imaginative theatre.  Trepan’s work is characterized by playfulness, absurdity, and bold physicality.

The inspiration for our work could be anything from an original story to a piece of forgotten history to a classic text. Our productions may contain (but are not limited to) songs, poetic text, acrobatics, dance, clown, mime, improvisation – whatever best suits the story we’re telling.

With a taste for the unusual and the accidental, we create theatre that surprises and entertains.

 

WHAT WE’VE DONE

Trepan Theatre was founded by co-artistic directors Cheryl Hutton and Aaron Coates in 2008. Aaron and Cheryl had just returned from studying with master clown teacher Philippe Gaulier in Paris and had a desire to shake things up.

They were inspired to create theatre that tackled unusual stories and told those stories in a fresh, imaginative, and unorthodox way.  So, in collaboration with Rew Lowe from the UK’s Aitherios Theatre and Calgary director Nathan Pronyshyn, they created La Mexicaine de Perforation, a farcical journey under the streets of Paris that explored the subculture of urban exploration.Threatened with lawsuits before the show even opened (by a clandestine group with no mailing address – seriously), they soldiered on, making this unusual experiencepart of the show. The show quickly sold out its run in Calgary and then hit the road for a summer tour of western Canada.

Since that time, Trepan has continued to produce and tour its work. Trepan has played such venues as the Saskatoon, Regina, and Vancouver Fringe Festivals,the Sunset Theatre in Wells, BC, and the Chataqua Festival in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

AARON COATES

Co-Artistic Director

Aaron is a director, playwright, actor, and the co-artistic director of Trepan Theatre.  He studied acting at Mount Royal College and at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris. With Trepan he has co-created and performed in La Mexicaine de Perforation,The Cat Lady Show, and Matadora.  Other acting credits include: John and Beatrice(Verb Theatre), Man Out of Joint (Downstage), Moliere (ATP). Aaron’s plays include: Pratfall, The Frozen Limit, and The End of the Rope, which has been produced throughout Alberta and was shortlisted for the Writers Guild of Alberta Award for Drama.  Aaron is also a co-producer and director of Dirty Laundry, Calgary’s live improvised soap opera (www.dirtylaundrycalgary.com).

 

CHERYL HUTTON

Co-Artistic Director

Cheryl is an actor and instructor based in Calgary.  She trained at Mount  Royal College (Calgary), the Atlantic Theater Company (New York), and with Philippe Gaulier (Paris).  Some favourite acting credits include: Powerlunch (Lunchbox Theatre); Matadora, La Mexicaine de Perforation (Trepan Theatre); Under the Big Top, Penelope VS The Aliens!, The Big League (Quest Theatre);Refuge (Dark Forest Theatre Company); Hamlet (Shakespeare in the Park); A Christmas Carol, Death of a Salesman, and Counsellor-at-Law (Theatre Calgary). Cheryl works as an Artist in Residence with Quest Theatre, is an ensemble member of Dirty Laundry – Calgary’s live, improvised soap opera, and is co-founder of Trepan Theatre.