By Blake William Turner

April 12 -29, 2012

La Cite Francophone - 8627 91 Street

7:30 pm April 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 (performances on April 17 and 24 are pay-what-you-can)

2:00 pm April 15, 22 and 29 (performances on April 15 and 22 are 2 for 1)

12:00 pm April 17 and 19 (reserved for student groups)

The opening Night Reception will be April 13.

A hero staggers back from the beast he's killed. Blood from his sword runs down his wrists into puddles at his feet. Dropping his sword and sinking to his knees, he wonders if he’s any different than the monsters he’s killed. He crossed the sea to achieve glory, but now he’s cold and alone in a room of full of death. He wants to go home.

Beowulf conquered monsters, wons wars, gold and fame. But once crowned king, he sheathed his sword for 50 years, until that dragon ...

 Inspired by the oldest surviving literature written in English and contemporary video gaming culture, Turner’s adaptation of the 7^th century epic poem is action/ adventure theatre. Beowulf the King will be a fun, literate, romp through a world of swords and dragons, sea-monsters and demons with a contemporary sensibility. With hand-to-hand combat, sword fights, shield wall sieges, giant, monster puppets and dragon slaying, Beowulf will show off the design work by Daniela Masellis and Sheena Haug and fight choreography by Ryan Ash. The cast includes actors Sheldon Elter, Amber Borotsik, David Ley, Bryan D. Webb, and Frank Zotter. It will be directed by Michael Clark.

Tickets: $25 

Students and Seniors: $20

Student Group Rate: $10

There is limited seating for student groups on two weekday afternoons.  Please contact Neon at tickets (at) workshopwest.org or (780) 477-5955 x 301 for details.

The biggest, possibly the most fun and expensive production in the company’s history, and experiments in extended play development are at the centre of Workshop West's 2011/12 season. Following our busiest season in decades, which was capped by winning the 2011 Sterling Award for Outstanding New Play, we will produce a large cast, Canadian adaptation of Beowulf, the Canoe Theatre Festival, our alternative theatre showcase, the  Loud & Queer Cabaret, and a year full of play development.

Join us for the landmark 20th Anniversary of Loud & Queer, where we will launch Queering the Way: The Loud & Queer Anthology. Revisit old favourites from the past and hear new Queer voices from Edmonton and beyond on Saturday November 5 & Sunday November 6.

For the Canoe Theatre Festival, we bring you theatre that rocks the boat will from the other side of the World and right here at home.  As always, you can trust Canoe for the challenging, the remarkable and the unexpected. Check back in October for the full festival line-up!

We’re excited as start season long preparation for Beowulf the King by Blake William Turner. Creative teams have already begun to workshop fight choreography, design concepts and the text to prep for an April production that will be good old fashioned theatre fun.

See you in the Theatre,

Michael, Keltie and the Workshop West Team