Calgary's arts community took to the stage Monday to shine the spotlight on a life well-lived.

More than 1,200 people came to celebrate One Yellow Rabbit co-founder Michael Green at a memorial held at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

"It seems he should be on the stage and in many ways he will be," said Maggie Schofield.

The 58-year-old was one of five people killed in a multi-vehicle highway accident in Saskatchewan on Feb. 10.

Michael Green, co-founder of One Yellow Rabbit and curator of the High Performance Rodeo, was one of five people killed in a highway crash in Saskatchewan on Tuesday. (One Yellow Rabbit)

The accident also claimed the lives of Lacy Morin-Desjarlais and Michele Sereda — well-known members of Regina's arts scene — and Blood Tribe elder Narcisse Blood.

Green had been working on a project called "Making Treaty 7" and was on his way to a school on a reserve when the crash happened.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said Green was a fearless performer who left it all on the stage.

Green worked in the Calgary arts community for more than three decades. He co-founded OYR in 1982, which became one of Calgary's most innovative theatre companies. Green was also the curator and driving force behind the High Performance Rodeo, which is Calgary’s annual multi-theatre festival of the arts.

The Langevin Bridge, Riverwalk and Calgary Tower were basked in yellow light in honour of Michael Green last week. (CBC)

"He invited so many different types of people together to work and created an environment that was all about possibility and all about sharing," said Vicki Stroich of Alberta Theatre Projects.

The City of Calgary lit up prominent landmarks last week in a yellow glow as a small tribute to a man who was a pioneer of Calgary's theatre scene.​

"To know that the National Arts Centre had their flags at half-mast with the loss of Michael this week tells us this is so much bigger than one individual, it's our whole country and whole community," said Shelley Switzer of the Edmonton International Street Performance Festival.

Green is survived by his wife and daughter.