Troublemakers
"Troublemakers: Working Albertans" (Video Ballad) is a 75-minute musical multimedia piece documenting the history of working people in Alberta--tales of resilience and hope, immigration, internment, and the Depression--through songs written by 2022 Juno-winning songwriter Maria Dunn interwoven with audiovisuals edited by award-winning videographer and director Don Bouzek (of show presenter Ground Zero Productions).
Most of the songs performed in the show are recorded on Maria's 2004 album: We Were Good People. In 2019, Maria and Don updated the show to include a new song inspired by "Telephone Girls" in 1919 (commissioned by Alberta Labour History Institute) and a few songs from their other video ballads: "GWG: Piece By Piece" and "Packingtown" (in collaboration with historian Catherine C Cole).
Music performed by a trio of musicians led by Maria Dunn (vocal, accordion, guitar). Video and sound by Ground Zero Productions.
(Research and development of the original "Troublemakers: Working Albertans" was supported by Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Edmonton District Labour Council).
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The original 2003 version of the Video Ballad "Troublemakers: Working Albertans, 1900-1950" is a 60-minute musical multimedia piece documenting the history of working people in Alberta--tales of resilience and hope, immigration, internment, and the Depression--through songs written by Maria Dunn. Most of the songs performed in the show are recorded on Maria's 2004 album: We Were Good People. Sponsored by Ground Zero Productions, with audiovisual edited by Don Bouzek. (Research and development of this project was supported by Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Edmonton District Labour Council).