East Coast artists take spotlight in Ottawa festival

More than 400 artists, musicians and comedians from the East Coast will arrive in Ottawa this week for performances across the city.

It's part of Atlantic Scene, a festival hosted by the National Arts Centre to showcase talent from Atlantic Canada.

Ken Schwartz is artistic director of Two Planks and a Passion theatre, a Nova Scotia theatre company heading to Ottawa.

Twice this week they'll be performing Georama an original play written by a Nova Scotian. Schwartz says the festival is a sign the NAC wants branch out.

"I think Atlantic scene is an excellent example of how the National Arts Centre is trying to redress and tried to reach out to the regions and truly represent and showcase the region," he said.

"But certainly the hope is that many of the people who have come and shown up under the banner of Atlantic Scene would also be invited back to the English theatre at the NAC."

The festival lineup includes established artists like Lenny Gallant and Crush, as well as upandcomers. The range of talent stretches from opera singers to theatre and dance troupes to comedians and authors.

The festival begins Monday and runs until May 3.