Contact! Unload: is a play co-developed by Veterans telling the story of soldiers as they transition back to Canada. This theatre project is part of the Man/Art/Action initiative awarded to the Veterans Transition Network (VTN) by the Movember Foundation.
The play continues to be performed in various adaptations and a book about the project is currently in press with UBC Press (coming out in early 2020): Contact!Unload: Military Veterans, Trauma, and Research-Based Theatre.

Mentions in the media:

  • The Ubyssey, “UBC hosts Congress 2019” by Charlotte Alden, May 31, 2019. Link
  • Sing Tao Daily, “Theatre with Veterans” by Nono Shen, Nov. 9, 2018. Link
  • vancouverisawesome.com. “Belliveau uses theatre to help veterans suffering from PTSD” by Sam Sullivan, Jan. 16, 2018. Link
  • University of Manitoba News Today, “Acting up in class” with Charlie McDougall, Nov. 29, 2017. Link

Recent publications:

  • Belliveau, G. (2018). Performing research: Contemplating what it means to be a man. Artizein: Arts & Teaching Journal, 3(1), 38-45. Link
  • Belliveau, G., Cook, C., MacLean, B., & Lea, G. (2018). Thawing Out: Therapy Through Theatre with Canadian Military Veterans. The Arts in Psychotherapy. Link
  • Lea, G., Belliveau, G., Westwood (1). (2018). Staging Therapeutic Enactment with Veterans in Contact!Unload. Qualitative Research in Psychology. Link
  • Belliveau, G. & Sinclair, C. (2018). Performed research (JACE Editorial 2014 (updated & republished). Journal of Artistic Creative Education, 11 (1). Link
  • Belliveau, G. (2017). Theatre with veterans: Transition and recovery. Journal of Applied Arts and Health, 8(2), 255-265. Link
  • Belliveau, G. & Nichols, J. (2017). Audience responses to Contact!Unload: A research-based play about returning military veterans. Journal Cogent: Arts & Humanities, 4, 1-12. Link

Contact! Unload has had several high-profile performances, including:

  • Parliament Hill in Ottawa, ON.
  • Canada House in London, UK.
  • Goldcorp Stage at the BMO THeatre Centre in Vancouver, BC.
  • Kingston Military College in Kingston, ON.
  • Granville Island’s Studio 1398 in Vancouver, BC.
  • 2017 Invictus Games & CIMVHR Forum in Toronto, ON.

Production timeline:

  • Phase I
    • 2015 January – March: Play development and rehearsals
    • 2015 April 30, May 1, 2: Studio 1398, Vancouver, CA
  • Phase II
    • 2015 November 4 (twice): University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CA
    • 2015 November 8, 9, 11,12: Canada House, London, UK
    • 2015 November 10: Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, UK (abridged)
    • 2015 December 11, 12: Beatty Street Armoury, Vancouver, CA
  • Phase III
    • 2016 June 16: Staged reading Eastman Studio, Vancouver, CA
    • 2016 September 15: BMO Goldcorp Theatre, Vancouver, CA
    • 2016 September 20: Royal Military College, Kingston, ON
    • 2016 September 21: Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, ON
    • 2016 September 21: Orange Gallery, Ottawa, ON
    • 2016 September 22: Parliament House of Commons, Ottawa, ON
    • 2016 September 22: Mill Street Brewery, Ottawa, ON (abridged)
    • 2017 May 5: Staged reading at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CA
  • Phase IV
    • 2017 September 20 (twice): 21 Seaforth Armoury, Vancouver, CA
    • 2017 September 25: Canadian Institute for Military Health Research conference, Toronto, ON
    • 2017 September 26, 27: Invictus Games, Moss Park Armoury, Toronto, ON
    • 2017 September 28 (twice): Invictus Games, Athletes Village, Toronto, ON
  • Phase V
    • 2017 October 30: New South Wales Art Gallery, Sydney, AU
    • 2017 November 2, 3: Seymour Centre Theatre, Sydney, AU
    • 2019 April 11: New York University, New York, NY
    • 2019 June 2,3,4: Congress 2019, Vancouver, BC

For more information, please see the Veterans Transition Network website.