The buzz is back! Following on the heels of the successful New Bees 2, Resounding Scream Theatre‘s Catherine Ballachey and Stephanie Henderson have once again corralled almost a dozen emerging theatre companies into the labyrinth that is the Chapel Arts gallery in East Vancouver. Together, this eclectic hive mind has conspired to bring you Hive: the New Bees 3, running Tuesday, June 11 to Friday, June 14, in nooks and crannies all over Chapel Arts.

Considering New Bees 3 is the sixth Vancouver Hive event (there have been three professional Hives facilitated by the Progress Lab and three events, including this one, produced under the “New Bees” banner), many of you may be veterans of the Hive scene already. In case you’re not, here’s the skinny on what you can expect:

• The doors open at 7:30 p.m. and shows will run simultaneously, in various spaces, until approximately 10:45 p.m.
• You can see as many (or as few) shows as you want, in any order you want.
• Before, after, or between shows, you can drink at the bar and enjoy the ambiance of arts and culture.
• Due to space restrictions in the different Chapel Arts performance areas (which includes coat rooms and bathrooms), each show has its own limits on the number of audience members it can hold at one time. You’ll need to scope the place out, and, if there’s a particular show or company you know you want to see, it’s a good idea to line up/sign up for that one early.
• At approximately 11:00 p.m. on Friday (following the final performance), the after party will begin with the Gal Pal DJs. 90s dance hits will be playing. The bar will be open. Party party.

If you’re looking to test the waters of the emerging theatre scene in Vancouver or just test the waters of the Vancouver theatre scene in general, an event like Hive: the New Bees 3 will be a good place to start. Last year, the Georgia Straight’s Colin Thomas called New Bees 2 “an intimate adventure, which is exactly what theatre should be,” and I am sure the companies participating in this year’s theatrical caper will continue in this new tradition.

Hive: the New Bees 3 will feature 11 emerging theatre companies:

• Delinquent Theatre
• Escaping Goat Productions
• F29
• Hong Kong Exile
• Human Theatre Collective
• Psyche Theatre
• Resounding Scream Theatre
• rice & beans theatre
• The Troika Collective  (<– I wrote the text of that one!!)
• Tyler Smith and Brad Tones
• workingclasstheatre

Many of these companies participate in New Bees 2 and some are brand new to the event. All of them will be bringing varied and interesting work to their little corner of Chapel Arts. Why don’t you join them?

Hive: the New Bees 3 will run from Tuesday, June 11 to Friday, June 14 at the Chapel Arts gallery (Dunlevy and Cordova). Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets available online through Brown Paper Tickets.

[SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT: I wrote the text of the Troika Collective’s piece this year. Even if I hadn’t I would still be recommending this event. :)]