Pyretic Productions

🧡 Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we gather for the final public performance of Kohkom’s Babushka, a reconciliation story for young audiences, and a day of offerings through our Celebration Hub.

At the heart of this work is an invitation to listen and reflect on our relationships to this land and to one another. This sits alongside Punctuate! Theatre’s ongoing work throughout the year supporting Indigenous artists, stories, and relationships.

Today’s performance is sold out, though a limited number of rush tickets may be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis (no guarantees).

Regardless if you have a ticket, we hope you’ll join us for the Celebration Hub , free and open to everyone, with Métis art and culture, music, conversation, and community throughout the day. 🧡

🌸 11am — Crafts, vendors & artists
🌸 12:30pm — Music from Ukrainian musician Viktoria Grynenko
🌸 2pm — Artist Talkback with co-playwright Joleen Ballendine
🌸 2:15pm — Panel Discussion: Métis Arts & Culture with Krista Leddy & the Kisîhtoskâtonaw Métis Arts Collective
🌸 3pm — Music from Métis musician Maeve Bezaire

🌳 Kohkom’s Babushka
Written by Lianna Makuch & Joleen Ballendine
Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala
Featuring Michaela Washburn, Kit Brooks, Robyn Clark & Aidan Laudersmith
Directed by Lianna Makuch
Movement Direction by Anna Kuman
Set Design by Stephanie Bahniuk
Costume Design by Jolane Houle
Lighting Design by Andraya Diogo
Stage Management and Set + Costume Design Associate Andraya Diogo
Fiddle Composition by Darla Daniels
Sound Design by Aaron Macri
Production Management and Technical Direction by Trent Crosby
Produced by Andy Cohen
📸 Photos by Mat Simpson

🧡✨ OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT! ✨🧡
Our final public performance of Kohkom’s Babushka on September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is officially SOLD OUT!

A limited number of rush tickets may be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. We can’t guarantee availability, but you’re welcome to try your luck!

And you don’t need a ticket to join us for the Celebration Hub! 🌻🌾🌸

Come spend the day with us at La Cité Francophone for FREE programming celebrating Métis and Ukrainian arts, culture, and community, including:
🌸 11am — Crafts, vendors & artists
🌸 12:30pm — Music from Ukrainian musician Viktoria Grynenko
🌸 2pm — Artist Talkback with co-playwright Joleen Ballendine
🌸 2:15pm — Panel Discussion: Métis Arts & Culture with Krista Leddy & the Kisîhtoskâtonaw Métis Arts Collective
🌸 3pm — Music from Métis musician Maeve Bezaire
Come for an event, explore the Hub, or spend the afternoon with us. Celebration Hub programming is free and open to everyone! 🧡

🌳 Kohkom’s Babushka
📅 Wednesday, September 30
📍 La Cité francophone — 8627 91 St, Edmonton
Written by Lianna Makuch & Joleen Ballendine
Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala)
Featuring Michaela Washburn, Kit Brooks, Robyn Clark & Aidan Laudersmith
Directed by Lianna Makuch
Movement Direction by Anna Kuman
Set Design by Stephanie Bahniuk
Costume Design by Jolane Houle
Lighting Design by Andraya Diogo
Stage Management and Set + Costume Design Associate Andraya Diogo
Fiddle Composition by Darla Daniels
Sound Design by Aaron Macri
Production Management and Technical Direction by Trent Crosby
Produced by Andy Cohen
📸 Photos by Mat Simpson

🌻✨ Kohkom's Babushka - MORE TICKETS RELEASED! ✨🌸

After a fantastic weekend of Kohkom’s Babushka at La Cité francophone, our September 30 performance for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has SOLD OUT! 🌾🧡

Due to the incredible response, we’ve been able to release a LIMITED NUMBER of additional tickets for Wednesday’s performance. If you were hoping to join us, now’s your chance! 🌳✨

We’re still riding the high from this weekend -- two wonderful public performances and a Celebration Hub filled with Métis and Ukrainian artisans, music, activities, conversation, and community. 🌻🌸 Thank you to everyone who came out and made the weekend so special.

✨ FINAL PUBLIC PERFORMANCE
Wednesday, September 30 at 1pm
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
📍 La Cité francophone — 8627 91 St, Edmonton
🎟️ Limited additional tickets just released — https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/kohkoms-babushka

✨ KOHKOM’S BABUSHKA
Written by Lianna Makuch & Joleen Ballendine
Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala
Featuring Michaela Washburn, Kit Brooks, Robyn Clark & Aidan Laudersmith
Directed by Lianna Makuch
Movement Direction by Anna Kuman
Set Design by Stephanie Bahniuk
Costume Design by Jolane Houle
Lighting Design by Andraya Diogo
Stage Management and Set + Costume Design Associate Andraya Diogo
Fiddle Composition by Darla Daniels
Sound Design by Aaron Macri
Production Management and Technical Direction by Trent Crosby
Produced by Andy Cohen

📸 Production Photos by Mat Simpson

🌻✨ THIS WEEKEND: Step into the world of Kohkom’s Babushka! ✨🌻

Join Pyretic and Punctuate! Theatre at La Cité francophone on Saturday, September 26 at 11am & 3pm for our public performances, and come early or stay after to experience the Kohkom’s Babushka Celebration Hub! 🌾🌸

Alongside the performances, the Hub will feature local Métis and Ukrainian artisan vendors, crafts, music performances, artist talkbacks, and more.

We’ve already had the joy of sharing Kohkom’s Babushka with three fantastic school audiences this week (with more to come!), and we can’t wait to welcome our public audiences this weekend. 🌳

We also have a special September 30 at 1pm performance for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — and availability is limited, so grab your tickets soon!

📍 La Cité francophone (8627 - 91St Edmonton)
🎟️ Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/kohkoms-babushka

✨ Kohkom’s Babushka
Written by Lianna Makuch & Joleen Ballendine
Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala
Featuring Michaela Washburn, Kit Brooks, Robyn Clark & Aidan Laudersmith
Directed by Lianna Makuch
Movement Direction by Anna Kuman
Set Design by Stephanie Bahniuk
Costume Design by Jolane Houle
Lighting Design by Andraya Diogo
Stage Management and Associate Set + Costume Design by Andraya Diogo
Fiddle Composition by Darla Daniels
Sound Design by Aaron Macri
Production Management and Technical Direction by Trent Crosby
Produced by Andy Cohen
📸 Mat Simpson

Kohkom’s Babushka opens THIS WEEK! 💛

A lovely piece from Liz Nicholls about our upcoming play and the friendship between Joleen Ballendine and Lianna Makuch that has been at the heart of this project from the beginning.

We have a full week of SOLD OUT school performances ahead of us, but there are still a few chances to catch a public show at La Cité francophone:

💙Saturday, Sept 26 at 11am and 3pm
🧡Wednesday, Sept 30 at 1pm for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Tickets here:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/kohkoms-babushka

Thanks so much to Liz for taking the time to share the story behind the show. 💛

Photos from our October 2025 premiere at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Pictured: Jessica Rose, Michaela Washburn, Cassandra Bourchier.
This year's company features:
Michaela Washburn, Kit Brooks, Robyn Clark, Aidan Laudersmith
Written by Lianna Makuch and Joleen Ballendine
Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala
Directed by Lianna Makuch
Movement Direction by Anna Kuman
Set Design by Stephanie Bahniuk
Costume Design by Jolane Houle
Fiddle Composition by Darla Daniels
Sound Design by Aaron Macri
Produced by Andy Cohen

✨ KOHKOM’S BABUSHKA — EDMONTON PREMIERE ✨
🧣A magical Métis Ukrainian tale about the scarves that connect our cultures🧣

📅 SEPT 26 at 11 AM + 3 PM
📅 SEPT 30 at 1 PM — PAY WHAT YOU CAN
📍 Servus Credit Union Theatre at La Cité Francophone
8627 Marie-Anne Gaboury Street, Edmonton

🎟️ Tickets + info at https://www.punctuatetheatre.com/kohkoms-babushka

👧 Children 12 and under attend the Sept 26 performances FREE!

Following its world premiere at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Kohkom’s Babushka by Lianna Makuch and Joleen Ballendine comes to Edmonton this September for public performances, sold-out school shows, and a special National Day for Truth and Reconciliation presentation!

Inspired by the book by Marion Mutala, this family-friendly adventure brings Métis and Ukrainian stories together through friendship, humour, music, movement, and a little time travel.

When feuding tweens Paulette and Natalia are transported back to the turn of the 20th century, they learn they’ll have to work together to find their way home and discover some surprising connections between their cultures along the way.

🎉 PLUS: join us for the FREE Métis Ukrainian Celebration Hub with dance workshops, live music, cultural crafts, food, artist talks and more.

SEPT 26 | 10 AM–6 PM
SEPT 30 | 11 AM–5 PM
No show ticket required to visit the Hub!

Produced by Punctuate! Theatre + Pyretic Productions.
Developed with support from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

Cast: Michaela Washburn, Kit Brooks, Robyn Clark, Aidan Laudersmith
Director: Lianna Makuch
Movement Director: Anna Kuman
Set Designer: Stephanie Bahniuk
Costume Designer: Jolane Houle
Composer: Darla Daniels
Sound Designer: Aaron Macri
Dramaturg: Matthew MacKenzie
Creative Producer: Andy Cohen
Production Manager / Technical Director: Trent Crosby
Stage Manager/Associate Designer: Andraya Diogo
Jigging Consultant: Krista Leddy
New Play Development: Danielle LaRose

The final reading in Pyretic’s summer UA Theatre Salon series is coming up next week at INSTITUT at SVI !

AFTER THE FRONT: New Short Plays About Veterans
A series of monologues written by frontline defenders of Ukraine:

Balance by Alina Sarnatska
Text for Theatre by Antonina Romanova
New York, +38° by Oleksandr Zhuhan

Featuring Anastasia Pioro urfavsocialmediagirl 🇨🇦🇺🇦 , Ben Gorodetsky Ben Gorodetsky , Lidiia Semesiuk Lidiia Semesiuk |actress|director|acting_coach , and Katya Oleinikov, and directed by Mariya Khomutova Mariya | Masha | Khomutova

These powerful new works offer intimate perspectives from Ukrainian veterans writing from within the realities of war, survival, and what comes after.

Curated by Lianna Makuch, Andrew Kushnir, and Mariya Khomutova.

📍 INSTITUT at St. Volodymyr Institute, 620 Spadina Ave.
📅 Thursday, August 20
🚪 Doors at 5:00 PM
🎭 Reading at 5:15 PM, followed by a discussion

And stick around afterward — there’s more exciting programming happening at INSTITUT that evening.

Tickets PWYC - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/institut-017-theatre-ua-theatre-salon-tickets-1992965757229

Join us for the final Salon of the summer. 🇺🇦

🇺🇦UA Theatre Salon continues this Thursday at INSTITUT!

Join us on Thursday, July 23 for Witnessing War, directed by Andrew Kushnir , as part of Pyretic Productions’ UA Theatre Salon reading series.

Witnessing War is an assemblage of short plays written by Ukrainian playwrights in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Together, these intimate and urgent works offer firsthand perspectives on resilience, loss, displacement, and the human cost of war.

Featuring performances by:
✨ Anastasiia Ziurkalova Anastasiia.
✨ Kyra Harper Kyra Harper
✨ Craig Lauzon Craig Lauzon
✨ Mykyta Hreidin nikitagrej

This reading is the second in our three-part summer series celebrating contemporary Ukrainian writers responding to war. We began with Natalka Blok’s Bomb, set before the full-scale invasion, and will conclude on August 20 with three short plays written by Ukrainian veterans in the years that followed.

Admission is Pay What You Can, and we’re proud to be part of the incredible lineup of arts and cultural programming happening this summer at INSTITUT.

🎟️ Reserve your spot through the link in our bio. More info at INSTITUT

Tonight is the night. 💥

BOMB by Natalka Blok opens our INSTITUT UA Theatre Salon — a series of dramatic readings of contemporary Ukrainian plays curated by Pyretic Productions in an underground speakeasy.

Doors at 5:00PM. Reading shortly after.

Featuring Mariya Khomutova, Simon Bracken, Alon Nashman, and Hanna Savchuk
Sound Design by Bernardo Pacheco
Directed by Lianna Makuch

These are some photos of the vibe and from our panel discussion in May about art on the cultural front. Tonight, we continue that conversation in another form: reading a Ukrainian script, in Canada, in this underground room, with artists we love.

Come be with us. The vibes are 🔥.

620 Spadina in Toronto — around the back, through the lot, past the steel doors, down the stairs, through the wood laminate door.

PWYC, but RSVP so we know who to expect. Link in bio.