IN DEVELOPMENT
Upintheair Theatre’s
Propeller Residency
The Propeller Residency
The 2-year Propeller Residency guides artists through a structured dramaturgy process & collaborative production plan to create and produce original spec-fic performances. Following a nation-wide search for proposals, projects are selected based on the originality & relevance of the concept, innovative design/staging, & the impact of on the professional development of the artists involved.
Propeller supports artists from concept and creation, through development and production.
The selected artist(s) will collaborate with Upintheair on the development of the work and participate in dramaturgical and creative workshops starting in Summer 2026. A full production is planned for the fall/early winter of 2027 in Vancouver.
Image Credits
Banner – Mack Gordon: REVELATIONS Photo by Marjo Wright
Flyer – Jesse White Illustration: Dead Drone
What we are looking for:
– We are looking to partner with an emerging producing artist or company to create a full-length piece of theatrical work in the genre of speculative fiction. We define Speculative Fiction as: Narrative exploring real and important ideas about what is happening in the world right now, through an intelligent eye on the near future.
– We are open to unconventional works. Whatever theatre works mean to you.
– We are not looking for existing work but will consider work that is in progress as well as new concepts. This is a chance to create an original show and receive support at the early ideas stage of the creative process.
Who is eligible?
Emerging and mid-career artists living in Canada. We invite artists of all ages, abilities, cultural practices, ethnicities, socio-economic status, genders, religions, and sexual orientations to apply.
Financial support:
– Commissioning Fee, Production Fee and Workshop Fee following CAEA Guidelines/PGC Guidelines
– Two workshops lasting one week each between 2026-2027 in Vancouver, BC
– Travel costs, accommodation and per-diem (if travelling from outside of Vancouver, BC)
– Workshop performers, director, stage manager etc. provided and paid for by Upintheair Theatre (and agreed upon with Updrafts Development Project Lead Artist)
Requirements:
– Artist must be open to receiving dramaturgical support from Upintheair Theatre
– A rehearsal ready draft must be finalized by January 2027
Upintheair is seeking creative proposals (150 words) from artists that respond to the source material/script excerpt provided, in any the following format(s):
The commission seeks to be responsive to the ideas that emerge through the proposal process.
Application Information:
Applications to the program will open in the Spring of 2026. Watch this space for more info
Propeller Residency History
2022: REVELATIONS
The first Propeller Residency (formerly known as the Updrafts Collective Commission) work, Revelations, enjoyed a successful run at the Shadbolt Centre (Burnaby). In this COVID-era interactive game-show / escape room hybrid, the first “act” took place in the audience’s homes over walkie-talkie, followed by a socially distanced gathering for the finale.
2025: DEAD DRONE
A subsequent Propeller project, the ambitious DEAD DRONE, premiered in April 2025. DRONE implemented a bespoke “puppet-projection” multiplane camera model that integrated performance, live object manipulation, puppetry, prerecorded animation, and holographic projections on glass panes.