Media releases

• Eurovision expert explains what’s at stake as Canada names its short list

  Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY – Oct. 27, 2026 — R0097

  Canada’s national broadcaster has unveiled its short list of artists vying to represent the country at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, marking the nation’s debut in one of the world’s most-watched live television events.

  For Karen Fricker, the moment is both a long time coming and a chance to see a spectacle she has studied for 25 years with fresh eyes.

  One of Canada’s pre-eminent Eurovision experts, the Brock University Adjunct Professor of Dramatic Arts co-edited the 2013 book Performing the ‘New’ Europe: Identities, Feelings and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest and is co-editing The Oxford Handbook of Eurovision Song Contest Studies, forthcoming in 2029.   

  “When I first watched Eurovision while living in Ireland in the early 2000s, I was captivated by a European cultural tradition that is both historically significant and fun, campy entertainment,” says Fricker. “While Canada’s presence in the contest is geographically improbable, it’s also a great opportunity for Canadian musical artists to reach new audiences.”

  The five finalists, revealed by CBC during Eurovision Song Contest 2027: Canada’s Choice, include William Cloutier, Josiane, Rêve, Talk and Tyler Shaw. Canadians will be able to vote online for their favourite performer until the voting window closes on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 8:59 p.m. EST.

  The finalist will then go on to compete for Canada at the Eurovision Song Contest semifinals, taking place in Burgas, Bulgaria, on May 11 and 13, 2027, with the contest final on May 15.

  “I’m impressed by the Canadian short list — this will be an interesting race,” says Fricker. “That said, the CBC/Radio-Canada has its work cut out in building an audience for Eurovision. The Australian broadcaster had been airing the contest for decades when it joined as a competitor in 2015. Here, it’s much less known.”

  Fricker is available for media interviews, bringing a critical perspective shaped by her long engagement with Eurovision both as a popular cultural institution and a serious subject of academic study. She can provide expert commentary on key talking points, including:

  • Reaction to the short list.
  • Eurovision 101 — explaining the international song competition to a Canadian audience.
  • What Canada’s involvement means from a cultural, political and historical perspective.
  • The uphill battle CBC faces in building an audience.
  • What it takes to win Eurovision.

  Karen Fricker, Adjunct Professor of Dramatic Arts, is available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Melinda Cheevers, Communications Specialist, Brock University, [email protected] or 289-241-5855

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  Categories: Media releases

• Mainstage production to take audiences on complex journey through addiction

  Monday, October 26, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – Oct. 26, 2026 — R0096

  Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts (DART) is exploring the world of addiction and mental health to bring a compelling story of struggle and hope to the stage.

  People, Places and Things, written by British playwright Duncan Macmillan and directed by DART Associate Professor Danielle Wilson, opens Friday, Nov. 6 at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in downtown St. Catharines.

  When Wilson first read the play a decade ago, she was struck by its brilliance and immediately knew she wanted to bring the story to life. First performed in 2015 at the National Theatre in London, U.K., the play is acclaimed for its portrayal of substance abuse and mental health.

  “People, Places and Things is just as relevant now as it was 10 years ago. All we have to do is look around our own communities, and across Canada, to see the reach of addiction,” she says. “This play provides an opportunity to open discussion on a difficult topic.”

  Both dark and humorous, Brock’s production takes audiences on a physical and theatrical journey through the main character Emma’s detox, denial and relapse as well as the struggle to recover her mental and physical health.

  Embodied storytelling is central to the production, with movement choreographed by theatre artist Trevor Copp used to highlight Emma’s mental, emotional and physical state.

  For Wilson, that approach makes the piece true theatre — a story that can only ever be fully told on stage.

  “The playwright understands movement and how it adds complexity to a scene,” she says. “Rather than telling us how the characters are feeling, we experience their inner state through their movements and physicality.”

  The creative process of mounting the production — from script analysis, staging, lighting, wardrobe and building the set — has created a safe space for students to explore the impact of addiction on individuals and communities.

  “There can be a lot of judgment, but now we might have a second thought about what may be going on in a person’s life that has led them to that place when we encounter someone experiencing addiction,” says Wilson, who invited community members with lived experience of addiction to share their stories with students.

  For fourth-year DART student Jenna Fortier who plays the lead role of Emma, understanding the lives of the characters is a reminder that everyone has their own story.

  “Addiction isn’t rare and isn’t indicative of some moral failure. These are people who are trying to survive a complicated world; I wonder when society decided to replace support with shame,” Fortier says.

  “I am so grateful for the courageous people who’ve shared their most painful, vulnerable and triumphant moments with our cast,” says second-year DART student and mainstage actor Deborah Howey. “This has supported us in telling their stories with the care and respect that it deserves.”

  Implementing wellness practices and ensuring students are supported while engaging with difficult subject matter have been a top priority for Wilson.

  “This process has helped us all build kindness and empathy,” she says. “What makes this play so brilliant is that it also has humour and lightness in it — we cannot always sit in the dark.”

  People, Places and Things opens Friday, Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Marilyn I. Walker Theatre in the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines. Performances will also take place Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

  General admission tickets are $25 and tickets for students and seniors are $20. Visit Brock University Tickets to reserve seats.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Melinda Cheevers, Communications Specialist, Brock University, [email protected] or 289-241-5855

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  Categories: Media releases