Tag Archives: Club Carousel

Walk. Vote. Educate Yourself.

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

The Calgary Queer History Project is excited to be participating in Jane’s Walk again this year. We will be launching a new gay history walk heading Downtown instead of last year’s Beltline Walk. We are meeting up at CommunityWise (the Old Y), 223 12 Ave. SW on Saturday, May 3rd from 10-11:30 AM. Dress warmly!

Do you like the Calgary Queer History Project? You can show your affection for us by voting for our short video proposal in Telus’ STORYHIVE competition. If successful we will get $10,000 to produce a short queer history doc. Vote: here!

Finally, did you know that our project researcher and volunteer Tereasa Maillie, has her own blog too: HistoryMinion. She describes it as: “a porridge of history as it relates to current events in the news.” Check out her latest post about Russia, gay rights, and how they are now moving backwards on the human rights front and potentially creating a public health disaster.

[KA]

Check your basements – we want your stuff!

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

We needed a quiet month after the excitement of the Club Carousel Cabaret. The amount of press we had was amazing and the sold out performance was more amazing still. Check out the Calgary Herald review by Stephen Hunt.

The Calgary Gay History Project owes a big thanks to the artistic vision of Third Street Theatre: Paul Welch and Jonathan Brower for the creation of the cabaret. Their next production opens this month: Late, A Cowboy Song runs from March 11 – 22nd, 2014: you should check it out. Congratulations also to Paul for getting the Enbridge Emerging Artist Award at the recent Mayor’s Lunch for Arts Champions.

Look for new weekly gay history posts this month on Thursdays. Now, however, we are calling you to search for old files, photos, meeting minutes, T-shirts, badges, pins, flags, queer publications, or other memorabilia that you could donate to a newly forming gay archives. We (Kevin Allen and Carolyn Anderson) met with the Glenbow Archives last month, and walking through their vaults, saw that our community’s history is missing.

Here is where it could go:

Future Gay History Archive at the Glenbow here? Photo: Carolyn Anderson

The Calgary Gay History Project is currently gathering archival materials. If donated to the future archives they will be cared for in perpetuity and made accessible to future researchers. You might even be eligible for a tax receipt! Contact Kevin for more information.

[KA]

Cabaret Update and CBC Radio Interview

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

The Club Carousel Cabaret is sold out! I went to the dress rehearsal a couple of days ago, and for the lucky people who have tickets, it will be a treat – in fact – I found it very moving.

The Calgary Gay History Project and Third Street Theatre have been getting a lot of media attention in regard to the cabaret. Perhaps the most heartfelt interview to date was on CBC Calgary’s Homestretch with host Doug Dirks. It was a 10 minute interview was with Lois Szabo, Club Carousel Founder and Kevin Allen from the Calgary Gay History project, on what life was like for gay people in the 60s. Here is an audio link: Calgary’s First Gay Nightclub, Jan 27, 2014.

Lois will be my special guest on a history panel discussion at the Cabaret, along with Calgary filmmaker, Michelle Wong, and Fairy Tales Executive Director, James Demers.

Issue of Club Carousel Capers from exactly 40 years ago.

Club Carousel was the foundation of an organized gay community in Calgary and we owe those brave volunteers who founded and operated the club a great amount of respect and gratitude. The Cabaret tonight is a gesture in this regard – thank you elders!

[KA]