This week a bright, beautiful artist left us. Alycia Novak passed away on Wednesday and to say that I am devastated would be an understatement. Last year at this time we were celebrating Alycia’s brilliance by sharing her creation Alex the Artist, the musical with Thunder Bay at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. It was joyous; people loved it and Alycia cried tears of joy through every performance and most importantly she could see the fruits of her labour in real time. I’m going to be forever grateful that Superior Theatre Festival could share her work with the world. I’m going to be forever grateful that the audience that was there will remember her work in the years to come. I’m going to be forever grateful to all the artists and young people that worked on this show in the years between 2018 - 2023; each iteration bought something new and got Alycia closer to a show that she was was truly happy with.

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Alycia and I first connected in October 2017 when Alycia reached out to me to send me her headshot and resume to audition for STF. The first photo is my introduction to Alycia - strong, confident, the leather jacket giving her a beautiful badass quality. I was instantly intrigued. I was holding auditions in Thunder Bay that weekend but we began our email exchanges. She was brave and forthright and I really appreciated her reaching out to me to introduce herself and tell me about a play that she did in the Toronto Fringe KidsFest called Alex the Artist. That was the beginning…. and then hundreds of exchanges later we worked together to share
Alex the Artist with my students in Toronto and their community at an arts festival. It then shifted to working with more team members over the years: dramaturg Emil Sher, Designer Nancy Anne Perrin, Puppet Consultant Mike Peterson, Musical Director Denise Krawczuk, Costume Designer Lisa Macchione, Technical Director Russel Krawczuk and the many musicians that helped Alycia turn it into a musical - Danny Johnson, Chris Tsujiuchi, Alexa Belgrave and Stef Haynes.

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Each exchange with Alycia was positive and full of change. Alycia took every opportunity with each artist and ran with it. She really jumped right in. Even when she was sick she checked in, she approved changes and she was instrumental in every part of the show. She is in every note and every word that is so carefully crafted. We can see her heart so clearly in Alex the Artist. Her heart that she shared so freely with everyone she met. Her art so clearly captured who she was - strong, confident, bright, thoughtful, empathetic and incredibly tuned into revealing the inherent good in everyone.

 

I will miss Alycia. I am so grateful to have met her and spent time in her presence. She gifted us with a beautiful piece that we too could believe in. A place where even the youngest of people can speak their mind and have their voices heard. Thank you Alycia. We will never forget you.