From Photocopy Girl to Producer in one Year
Calgary Cares: 15 Minutes That Changed Lives
If I were to pinpoint the one event that took me out of my bubble, pushed me to entirely new heights and brought out the show producer in me, it was the one I volunteered at for five months before e=mc² events even began.
February 2001 - I was starting to seek out opportunities in the event industry, which was very limited at the time. I sought after the only name I knew and I called her until she agreed to finally meet with me. With some hesitation and exasperation in her voice, she told me that she was very busy with rehearsals for a show she was working on, but I could have 15 minutes of her time.
That 15 minutes changed my life.
At the meeting I was blown away. I was surrounded by models practicing their walks, dancers rehearsing their routines, clothing designers sewing, measuring, cutting, taping, and gluing. Music was blasting. People were running around everywhere. And then the drag queens came in and took the whole scene to a whole new level. I didn’t know what I had gotten myself into, but I knew I loved it.
I was asked to volunteer to be the photocopy girl and of course I agreed. I didn’t care what my role was, as long as I was privy to the insanity of this show.
This show was
CALGARY CARES and it took place on March 17, 2001.
Fast forward four months and, in July 2001, we started e=mc² events.
In October 2001, through a serendipitous turn of events, Jim Button hired e=mc² to produce Calgary Cares 2002. Crazy. Exciting. Intimidating. Overwhelming. But, above all else, really, really cool. For all of those who know Jim, you know how lucky we were to have him as a client and friend.
Changing Lives Matters
Calgary Cares was a fundraiser for AIDS Calgary.
In the early 2000’s, anything to do with AIDS and the LGBTQ community was spoken about under the radar. It was hush hush. Don’t say anything too loudly, and certainly don’t dance about it. The proverbial closet door was shut and locked.
Well, the whole purpose of Calgary Cares was to open that door and come out dancing [strutting, really]!
This show started with a fairly conservative reception, followed by an avant garde 90 minute stage show of fashion, dancing, drag queens, musicians and acrobatics, and ended with the best and most diverse after party Calgary has ever seen.
Jim Button had brought together the most diverse audience I have ever seen in my entire career. From corporate leaders, to house moms, house dads, students, socialites, struggling artists, aspiring drag queens, government officials, and the list goes on.
The goal was to shift the paradigm, to open up dialogue, to break down barriers, to foster acceptance, inclusion and diversity, to dispel misconceptions and to celebrate. Celebrate together. As one community. A community that cares.
When I talk about how events change lives [and I do that regularly] I always think about this event. This event truly changed lives.
Volunteers Matter
When we said yes to the production of the show - I had NO idea what I was getting myself into.
We needed 300 volunteers on stage; dancers, models, choreographers, fashion designers, lighting designers, singers, musicians, painters. And we had to find them ALL!
We needed 50+ volunteers behind the scenes; stage manager, carpenters, runners, caterers, production assistance, etc.
And again, we had to find them ALL!
We assembled a volunteer creative committee, we put up flyers in all the new bars and clubs around Calgary looking for models and dancers. We were running auditions, we were meeting with drag queens and choreographers, and we were building a show.
During its nearly decade long reign as Calgary's "must attend event", volunteers were the backbone of this incredible production.
Diversity & Inclusion Have Always Mattered.
Without thinking about it, we had representation from every genre of dance and music, we had diversity in colour, in sexual orientation, in gender orientation, in age and size.
This was not because we were checking off political boxes, this was because it was the nature of the show; acceptance, belonging, and celebrating people for who they were.
We were building a
show that mattered.
What I didn’t realize was just how much this show would matter. In hindsight I can say that we were ahead of our time.
This was a show of inclusion, of acceptance, of diversity, BIPOC, and celebration. While inclusion and diversity are key words of 2021, they were what this show embraced 20 years ago.
CALGARY CARES FAVOURITE MEMORIES / MOMENTS / LESSONS
Dewi Wood -
I was told on day one that I should get a good audio producer and I was given a name: Dewi Wood. I made one call and within 20 seconds, I knew I just met someone that was going to be integral not only in this show, but in my life.
Dewi volunteered and produced music for our eclectic 90 minute show for 8 straight years. He held my hand every single year as the show started and I sat nervously wondering if all would go well. That was a phone call that changed my life.
Raining Men - One year, we had a Four Seasons theme. The vision was to have females dancing in raincoats with their umbrellas, and then to have a pile of men "rain" from the ceiling. We called the Climbing Club of Calgary and asked them if they would rappel from the ceiling at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in their underwear and land amongst 20 half naked dancing women. It was a phone call I’ll never forget. They said yes.
Dave Kelly -
In 2002 Dave Kelly was the biggest celebrity I knew. As the TV morning show host, he was a BIG deal. I was not a big deal. So having Dave involved as the host of the show was so intimidating to me. The first time I had seen Dave was on stage at the show in 2001 when I volunteered as the photocopy girl; he was on stage in assless chaps.
Fast forward twenty years and I can honestly say Dave is the best host I have ever worked with. He is a very dear friend who happened to meet his lovely wife, Blythe, at that show. [She was one of the talented half-naked dancers in a raincoat from the story above!]
My Mom and the Drag Queens - After 6 years of producing the show, I was finally brave enough to bring my very conservative catholic mother to see a Calgary Cares rehearsal. My mom, who was a performer herself, loved the stage, but she was used to stages of opera, musical theatre and catholic hymns. I warned her about what she was going to see, then I walked her into the theatre and left her by herself as I ran a full run-through. I found her after the rehearsal in the foyer speaking with one of the performers. She was quite enthralled in the conversation. When I came up to them I heard my mom say “and what performance are you in?” and Johnny responded, “ well, Donna ~ I’m the fat drag queen”. It was classic. My mom was so gracious, and so impressed by it all and I do know that this event impacted her, as it did everyone else. HOWEVER, I did NOT invite her to the after party!
This was The Show that launched e=mc² into show production and, in particular, helped to define me as a show producer. Calgary Cares won many international awards from 2003-2007 for Best Entertainment Production and Best Event Produced for a Charitable Organization, solidifying our reputation globally.
