Strange Joy — with Erika Latta

Artistic co-director and co-founder of the WaxFactory, and Assistant Professor in Theatre Performance at SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts, Erika Latta, sits down with Am Johal to explore her journey as a theatre-maker – from her memorable experiences touring throughout Europe, pushing platforms in the mud for site-specific work with Begat Theater, or now, working with SFU theatre performance students on their upcoming production of Strange Joy. Erika also speaks about growing up in the woods in Oregon with artistic parents, pushing artistic boundaries in university, and co-founding WaxFactory. Full episode details: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/206-erika-latta.html Read the transcript: https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/transcripts/206-erika-latta.html Resources: Erika Latta: https://www.sfu.ca/sca/events---news/news/welcome--erika-latta--assistant-professor/ SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts: https://www.sfu.ca/sca.html SFU Theatre Performance: https://www.sfu.ca/sca/programs/theatre-performance.html WaxFactory: ​​https://waxfactory.nyc/ Begat Theatre: http://begat.org/ Get Tickets for Strange Joy: https://www.sfu.ca/sca/events---news/events/strange-joy.html HOME/LAND: http://www.hand2mouththeatre.org/homeland Bio: Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Erika Latta is the artistic co-director and co-founder of WaxFactory in New York City. WaxFactory continues to nurture a hybrid approach, based on unconventional narrative styles, originally dramaturgy, visual and physical rigor, technological experimentation and site-responsive work. With the company, she works as a director, writer, actor, sound designer and educator. As an actor and director she has presented work in international venues and festivals throughout Europe and Latin America creating long lasting partnerships with artists and designers. She holds a BFA in Theater from the University of Washington, and an MFA in Acting from Columbia University. Erika is also an associate director of the French trans-media company Begat Theater. For Begat, she co-conceived, directed, designed sound and co-wrote several of Begat productions. Begat Theater’s productions have been awarded numerous grants, co-productions and partnerships, as well as the generous support from FACE (French American Fund for Contemporary Theater). Erika is a member of the Society of Authors (SACD) in France, and she continues to author and co-author many of the original productions for both WaxFactory and Begat Theater. Outside her company, she has worked with Felix Barret and Maxine Doyle of Punchdrunk (SLEEP NO MORE), Robert Wilson at the Watermill Center, Anne Bogart (SITI Company), Robert Woodruff, Victor Gautier Martin, Tina Landau, and Chuck Mee , among others. Cite this episode: Chicago Style Johal, Am. “Strange Joy — with Erika Latta.” Below the Radar, SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement. Podcast audio, March 21, 2023. https://www.sfu.ca/vancity-office-community-engagement/below-the-radar-podcast/episodes/206-erika-latta.html.