With six world premieres, an impressively invasive digital marketing campaign and a new artistic director at its helm, the 2020 PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is as fresh and innovative as it was when it first graced Vancouver, 16 years ago. 

From January 21 to February 9, Vancouver theatre goers have an array of entertainment to choose from, featuring talent from nine different countries. The 27 works presented defy any sort of theme—ranging from a musical written by artists with hearing impairments, an interactive basketball game, drag shows, and a new work by environmental activist David Suzuki and wife Tara Cullis.

After 16 years as the artistic director of Toronto's Theatre Centre, the 16th PuSh Festival is the first time Franco Boni has played the same role in Vancouver. Boni says his roots in this city started to grow in 2005, when he attended PuSh as an audience member and fell in love with the artistic community.

“I would say one of the things that’s strong about this year is there’s a lot of Vancouver work,” says Boni, adding that his first year in this role will be about listening, supporting and cheerleading the programming of Associate Artistic Director Joyce Rosario. 

The event gives local artists the chance to share a platform with well regarded international companies, as demonstrated by this year’s festival spotlight FRONTERA. The large-scale dance show is a collaboration between Vancouver choreographer Dana Gingras— who wowed PuSh audiences with her 2016 show monumental—Montreal experimental rock band Fly Pan Am, and Britain’s United Visual Artists.

“It’s really important to support artists who have these large scale dreams or work because it’s unusual for Vancouver—we’re used to seeing independent companies and smaller works” says Boni. 

Actor Alen Dominiguez is a part of two local productions premiering at this year’s PuSh, eight years after his festival debut with Neworld Theatre. 

“The digital marketing in 2012 wasn’t quite the machine it is now. Everywhere I go I’m attacked by PuSh ads” laughs Dominguez. He’s  part of both the Latinx play Anywhere But Here and BERLIN: The Last Cabaret—the script of which won’t be finalized until opening night. 

Dominiguez says there’s something special about being part of a festival that’s been going on for so long, and with so much success. 

“It invites people from all around the world—it’s something people look forward too. But there’s also something sad about being a part of a festival like this,” adds Dominguez. “There’s all this amazing content that comes through the city, but the artists that participate don't get to see much of it.”

So what is an audience member to do when faced with 116 world-class performances?

“Go see something that your curious about,” Boni recommends. “Choose something that feels outside your comfort zone.”

In other words, push yourself to participate in 2020 PuSh Festival.