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Mar 8

“Fempocalypse 2018” In Conversation with Lauren Wolanski on Nightwood Theatre’s Young Innovator’s Unit’s Upcoming Event

Interview by Bailey Green

We had the pleasure of chatting with Lauren Wolanski, one of the artists in Nightwood Theatre’s 2017/18 Young Innovator’s Unit about their upcoming event, Fempocalypse 2018. We spoke about the importance of welcoming mentorship that challenges you, partnering with Sistering for their event, and the importance of “finding your people” and advocating for the value of your work.

(Interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Bailey Green: What was your first memory of Nightwood Theatre? do you remember a show you saw produced by Nightwood that stood out for you?

Lauren Wolanski: I was in university working on a project for my professional practice class. We were asked to get in contact with a theatre company that we admired and interview them (classic theatre school assignment, right?) Truthfully, I saw it as the perfect excuse to get in touch with women who I was, and still am, huge fans of. I was nervous as hell. But from the get-go the team at Nightwood proved to be incredibly approachable and generous with their time. Beth Brown spoke with me on the phone and answered all of my questions about the inner workings of the company, from their season selection to their emerging artist and community outreach.

Kelly Thorton also came to visit my class to do a workshop. I had the chance to work with her on a monologue I had prepared and I’ll never forget it—she was candid, honest, brazen and persistent. She was able to really challenge me while at the same time convince me that I was capable of more, which is something that’s rare to find in a mentor.

Asking for It, written by Ellie Moon and presented as a part of the Consent Event at Nightwood this past fall, completely blew my mind. Here was a young woman, no more than a few years older than me, doing a show that really spoke to what we needed to hear NOW. It covered all the things I’ve wanted to talk about, but never had the guts to. It was relevant and daring and deeply personal. It changed my perception about the possibilities for women on stage, and reminded me that audiences do in fact want to listen to our experiences as young women—that our perspectives are valuable and not to be overlooked.

BG: Tell me about your experience in the Nightwood Theatre’s Young Innovators Unit, what’s the process been like? How often have you met throughout the year and how is your time together spent? 

LW: The Nightwood Young Innovators Unit is a group of young emerging artists, ranging from producers to stage-managers and playwrights to actors, that are being trained by the team at Nightwood to be ambassadors for Canada’s National Women’s Theatre. After our first meet up, the staff at Nightwood asked each of us what our interests were so that they could notify us when any related opportunities arose. In this sense, it is a completely individualized program that lends itself to the particular skills you wish to nurture. So, that could mean that you get asked to help Kelly Read with applicants in the audition room for the Lawyer Show, or that you spend the day assisting in the Groundswell Festival, when the Write From The Hip artists share their work in front of an audience for the first time. The variety of opportunities they offer to us is so vast. And what’s best is that they’re always just an email away if we ever want to touch base and go for coffee.

We meet about once a month for workshops with different team members from the company to learn about the essential skills to running a theatre company. Some of the workshops focus on development, marketing, grant writing and more. Of course, we are also tasked with planning Fempocalypse, which is the event we are currently in the thick of preparing for. Nightwood has given us a space, tons of guidance in regards to curating and organizing this event—but they’ve pretty much given us the freedom to take the reins on this project. And when we hit little technical bumps, the company helps us get back on track. It’s our special project to navigate on our own, and I love that Nightwood is giving us total liberty to create this thing!

I also love that I feel like a valued artist at Nightwood. When I’m in the company’s presence, I never feel like I’m being schooled, per-se, even though I am in a sense. I don’t ever feel the pressure of being one of the youngest, or least experienced one in the room. I always feel accepted and encouraged by the team at Nightwood, and that feeling of true support is not always something you’re lucky enough to find in this industry.

BG: With part of the Young Innovator’s Unit focused on learning how to run a theatre company, what was one the most valuable insights or pieces of advice you received during your time in the unit?

LW: Kelly said something along the lines of, ‘yes, this is about making art but this is also a business’. We women have to be able to make a living off of the work we do. And I think that’s incredibly important to keep in mind. In order to do good work, we have to have the means to do it in the first place. So as much as we young dreamers like to believe that networking, marketing and funding aren’t as important as the art, and that passion alone is enough to fuel our careers, that’s not necessarily so.

Another piece of advice we got that I found of particular use was to find your people. Theatre is so much of a collaborative process, and it’s important to find the people who share a passion for telling the stories that you want to tell.

BG: Fempocalypse 2018 is coming up tomorrow on March 9th, how did the group decide or discover the quote that inspired the theme of this year’s cabaret? “Courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own” – Michelle Obama

LW: It was really important to us that this be an uplifting night of celebration. It seemed appropriate then, that we choose a quote that would elicit a similar response. As much as we’re all frustrated, saddened, and frankly just pissed about the work that still needs to be done, we’re optimistic that bringing artists together to share words of hope will put the Toronto community on the right path this year. We want to celebrate how far we’ve come, and the amazing group of people we have brought together that will help lead the way into a better future. ARTISTS, lead the way!

BG: You have some incredible folks performing at the cabaret, could you give me a sneak preview of any of the acts?

LW: Yes yes yes! We’re SUPER excited to have such an amazing line up of female-identifying or gender non-binary artists this year. Up-and-coming Somali-Canadian writer Fatuma Adar will be sharing a musical piece that she wrote (Music by Fatuma and Alexa Belgrave) which we are SO looking forward to seeing. We’re also going to be screening Julianna Notten’s film Erin’s Guide to Kissing Girls. We also have Brefny Caribou, a Cree-Irish Canadian actor, creator, and writer, who will be performing a piece. Honestly, I want to list all of the artists we have because they’re all so darn amazing and talented and inspiring… but you’ll just have to wait! I can promise you however, that it will be a night full of diverse artists from all kinds of artistic disciplines—and that we are incredibly excited to be hosting all of them!

BG: The cabaret will raise money for Sistering, a local Toronto agency for at risk homeless or precariously housed women, can you tell me more about the work they do?

LW: As Canada’s only 24/7 women’s shelter, located right here in Toronto, Sistering has a lot of important work to do for the women in our community. Not only does Sistering warmly welcome any woman at any hour of the day with a meal, a place to sleep and clean clothing—Sistering focuses on providing women with the support they need to find jobs and suitable housing in Toronto. A doctor, mental health professional and counselor are available on a regular basis, and staff are at the ready to help any woman with resume and job application assistance. Sistering goes as far to offer women work experience on location in the kitchen and other in-house facilities. 

A few of us Young Innovators, Bryn Kennedy, Justine Christensen and Samantha Vu, had the chance to visit Sistering to speak with some of the hardworking staff, including Fund Development Associate Marian Lupu, to tell us more about the far-reaching initiatives and programs that Sistering takes on. First, we were taken to the Inspiration Studio: A space for the women to hone their artistic skills, whether it be beading or pottery, in regular workshops with artistic professionals. We had the chance to see some of the impressive, beautiful work that the women are making at Sistering on a daily basis, which then go on sale for purchase. Beyond the work that they are doing on-site, spending countless hours making approximately 10,4000 harm reduction kits per year and providing an array of recreational social gatherings, Sistering is also fighting for the rights of these women within the broader Toronto landscape. Sistering staff publically advocate for more harm reduction shelters, programing and greater funding for the opioid crisis in our local government and social action rallies.

We’re really excited to be hosting a Sistering staff member at the event so that our guests can experience learning more about Sistering first-hand. If people can’t make it to the event and would still like to get involved, we’re encouraging everyone to check out their volunteer opportunities here. If you’d like to honour a woman in your life while contributing to this incredible cause, you can also check out this page.

BG: What or who are you currently drawing inspiration from?

LW: SO MUCH. There is no denying that there has been a major shift this past year. A lot has happened that has made us stop, re-evaluate, and reconfigure the direction we’re heading in. People across the globe are no longer willing to stay silent. We get our inspiration from the galaxy of voices that ignite change. That includes the incredible artists we have invited to this event, and the powerful staff at Sistering who work endlessly to better the lives of our women. It is the presence and impact of these fierce, determined and unabashed people—their words, their songs, their art, their hearts and their actions—that have made this event such a pleasure and ease to produce.

We hope to see everyone there to celebrate how far we’ve come.

Fempocalypse 2018

Who: Nightwood Theatre’s 2017/2018 Young Innovators Unit cordially invites everyone to FEMPOCALYPSE 2018:

What: LET’S CELEBRATE. BECAUSE THERE’S A WHOLE LOT TO CELEBRATE.
International Women’s Day. Let’s hear it for our sisters, right?

A cabaret night that is jam-packed with performances from an array of female-identifying or gender non-conforming artists, covering a range of different viewpoints and experiences that respond to the following prompt: “Courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own” – Michelle Obama.

After an incredibly successful event last year, with over one thousand dollars in proceeds being raised for Native Women’s Association of Canada, Fempocalypse will return this year under the leadership of the this year’s Young Innovators.

FEATURING WORK FROM: Monica Garrido, Parmida Vand, Ansley Simpson, Mayumi Lashbrook and Lisa Emmons, Form Contemporary Dance Theatre, Belinda Corpuz, Brefny Caribou, Emma Houlahan, Athena Kaitlin Trinh, Fatuma Adar, yes the poet, Julianna Notten, Claren Grosz, Allison Price and Becky Johnson, and Gay Jesus.

When: Friday, March 9th starting at 8:00 p.m. Doors at 7:30pm

Where: Ernest Balmer Studio in the Distillery District.

Tickets: Pay-What-You-Can donation in support of SISTERING: a local, multi-service agency for at-risk, socially isolated women in Toronto who are homeless or precariously housed. A representative from the organization will be present at the event to tell you more about the amazing work that they do and how we can get involved. All proceeds from the night will be given to this fantastic organization that is changing the game for women across Toronto.

Feb 2

Artist Profile: Bilal Baig, Playwright

Interview by Hallie Seline.

It is an absolute pleasure to feature playwright Bilal Baig, chatting about what inspires him as an artist, the development of his current piece Acha Bacha, on stage this month with Theatre Passe Muraille and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, and on writing “the story you need to tell”.

HS: What inspired Acha Bacha and how did the piece develop?

Bilal Baig: I was sexually assaulted when I was seventeen. One of the first things that was irrevocably changed after my assault was my relationship with my mother. I began to think: I’m queer, I’m not very religious, I like to fuck with gender sometimes and now I’m a survivor of sexual assault – will my mother EVER think I’m good?

I sat on this thought for about a year before I took a playwriting class with Judith Thompson at the University of Guelph and under her guidance, the first draft of the play exploded out of me in a few weeks in April 2013. That summer, I was connected to Damien Atkins, who worked as a dramaturge on the play (and is still a current mentor in my life). Through the Paprika Festival‘s playwright residency program, I met, worked with and fell in love with Djanet Sears, which resulted in an excerpt sharing of the play at the festival in April 2014, where Andy McKim was present. From that point on in the play’s developmental journey, I worked predominantly with Andy, Jiv Parasram and Brendan Healy as dramaturges.

Bilal Baig. Photo Credit: Tanja Tiziana

HS: I am very excited about the team working on the show. What has it been like working with these artists bringing your show to life?

BB: I am very excited about this group of artists coming together as well! There has been so much love in the room and a fiercely deep commitment to understanding the story and honoring it with such care, curiosity and empathy. I am in sincere awe of all the artists I get to work and play with every day throughout this process! So much love.

HS: What are you most looking forward to about sharing this show with audiences now?

BB: I’m really curious about what the conversations around power, sex and shame will be surrounding this play.

Bilal Baig. Photo Credit: Graham Isador

HS: I know that you’ve both developed work with the Paprika Festival and worked with them. What has been the impact of this outlet on your growth as an artist?

BB: Paprika has been instrumental in my growth as an artist. It was a playground for me (for five years!) to explore my artistic obsessions and learn from what it feels like to put your work out there when it’s not ‘ready’. Artists who I met through Paprika five years ago have become friends I collaborate with today.

HS: What is best piece of advice you’ve received either in life or in art?

BB: “Write the story you need to tell”. That was actually the prompt given by Judith, which lead to the first draft of Acha Bacha. I think I use this advice in my life as well!

HS: What inspires you?

BB: I’m inspired by genderqueer Indigenous, black, people of colour living their truth. I feel like my art is probably inspired by shitty events happening in the world that devastate/confuse/terrify/arouse me to the point where I can’t talk about it anymore and I must write it.

Bilal Baig. Photo Credit: Graham Isador

Rapid Fire Questions:

What are you watching right now? America’s Next Top Model.

If you could travel anywhere, where would it be? Fiji or New Zealand. Or Vancouver.

Favourite food: Mom’s chicken fried rice or biryani. Or pizza.

What other show are you most looking forward to this year? Trying everything in my power to catch Calpurnia before it closes. Looking forward to Prairie Nurse at Factory Theatre.

Current mantra or goal for yourself as an artist this year: You’re allowed to feel ambivalent about your work and this career you are pursuing. That is okay.

Acha Bacha

Who:
Co-Produced by Theatre Passe Muraille and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.
Written by: Bilal Baig
Directed by: Brendan Healy
Featuring: Shelly Antony, Qasim Khan, Omar Alex Khan, Matt Nethersole,
and Ellora Patnaik
Set and Costume Design by: Joanna Yu
Lighting by: C.J Astronomo
Sound Design and Music by Richard Feren
Stage managed by Kat Chin

What:
For years Zaya has balanced his relationships with his religion and his queer identity. But as secrets from the past reveal themselves, and crisis strikes his family, he is torn between loyalties, culture, and time. Written by Bilal Baig, and directed by Brendan Healy, Acha Bacha boldly explores the intersections between queerness, gender identity and Islamic culture in the Pakistani diaspora. The show uses both English and Urdu to tell a story about the way we love, the way we are loved, and how sometimes love is not enough.

Where:
Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace
16 Ryerson Ave. Toronto

When:
February 1-18, 2018

Tickets:
artsboxoffice.ca

Connect:
@beyondwallsTPM
@buddiesTO
#AchaBachaTO

Feb 1

In Conversation with playwright/director Kat Sandler and dramaturge Donna-Michelle St. Bernard on BANG BANG at Factory Theatre

Interview by Bailey Green.

We caught up with BANG BANG playwright/director Kat Sandler and dramaturge Donna-Michelle St. Bernard to discuss exploring collaboration, the stories we tell, and how sometimes it’s easy to ask but not as easy to listen.

BG: Kat, your new piece Bang Bang was commissioned by Factory Theatre. When did you start writing it and what initially inspired the piece?

Kat Sandler: Well, I had written a little bit of it at the Stratford writers retreat. When I met with Matt McGeachy and Nina Lee Aquino, they were interested in it, and decided to commission it for Factory. The show is inspired by the debate around racism, excessive force and shooting deaths by the police. And, of course, true stories and how we as artists tell those stories.

BG: How did Donna-Michelle St. Bernard come onboard? What were your initial reactions to the script Donna-Michelle?

Donna-Michelle St. Bernard: It was the summer of 2017 when we had a conversation about the play. We talked about her impetus before I looked at the script and our relative experience around the themes. When I saw the script I was surprised! I didn’t think you could do jokes with a story like this.

KS: I think there was a meeting before too! When I met with Matt and Nina, Matt said you need to meet Donna-Michelle and ask her questions. We had a beer at Tequila Bookworm and I’d like to think we hit it off! Didn’t we?

DM: We did but, at that time, I wasn’t sure if we were going to [get the chance to] work together.

BANG BANG – Jeff Lillico, Karen Robinson, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah. Photo by Joseph Michael Photography

BG: What has challenged you the most in the writing of this play?

KS: It’s challenging to have your perspective shaken, to listen, and ask questions, and take constructive criticism, especially when it’s something outside your experience and a topic is controversial. There isn’t a correct way to write about it.

DM: And the other side of that is when you’re trying to bridge two diverse experiences. What can be assumed and what cannot be assumed and how to articulate that space between experiences.

BANG BANG – Sébastien Heins, Jeff Lillico, Karen Robinson. Photo by Joseph Michael Photography

BG: Were there characters you were developing whose voices you found more challenging to find?

KS: Well, the white writer is an experience I have and I can find places for humour and truth to make him multi-dimensional. And of course, the black characters have lives I have not lived.

DM: In working in the room that Kat assembled, what you get reinforced is there is no singularity of experience. The presence of Kat doesn’t represent all white writers and my presence doesn’t represent all black perspectives. And we have gender perspectives, generational perspectives and cultural perspectives that broaden out the characters as individuals.

KS: And then the actors have agency over the things they say and where they stand. They will go deeper in the psyches than I ever will.

BG: Did you have a piece of advice that resonated with you or helped unlock something in the piece?

KS: I don’t know. I think there’s been a lot of talk about asking the questions and listening to the answers. It’s easy to ask but not easy to listen.

BG: What do you hope your audiences walk away with?

KS: I think we’ve tried to create a challenging play that shows multiple perspectives and that is entertaining!

BANG BANG – Sébastien Heins, Jeff Lillico, Karen Robinson, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah. Photo by Joseph Michael Photography

BG: How was this new territory for you both, Donna-Michelle you’ve just come from Cake and Kat you’ve written about so many different topics, what was unique about this process?

KS: I have had a lot longer to sit with the ideas from years ago, and then the actual process of finishing the script, which was a full year. I want to defer more to other voices in the room… not feeling like I need to but wanting to. And having an institution like Factory behind you in this place of risk as a writer and director, it’s been nice for my process where those two things are very deeply combined.

DM: This is my first experience of production dramaturgy. I had a lot of guidance in terms of the parameters in this unique kind of work, and I’ve had an unexpected amount of voice in this process. I feel more embedded in this than I expected. The process has been surprisingly unsurprising in the things we have had to do with all of our stories—the amount of care and the immediacy of consequences needed.

BG: Any shows or creators you would like to shout out?

DM: Forbidden, which is a commissioned work for Tapestry Opera where I’m working with composer Afarin Mansouri. It’s an experiment with Persian music and opera and hip hop that runs February 8-11.

KS: I’m a big fan of Jordan Tannahill, so Declarations at Canadian Stage.

DM & KS: And Acha Bacha!

BANG BANG

Who:
A Factory Commissioned World Premiere
Written and Directed by Kat Sandler
Performed by Sébastien Heins, Jeff Lillico, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah,
Karen Robinson, Richard Zeppieri
Set design by Nick Blais
Costume design by Lindsay Dagger Junkin
Lighting design by Oz Weaver
Sound design by Verne Good
Dramaturgy by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard

What:
A white playwright uses the shooting of an unarmed young Black man by a police officer as a “jumping off point” for his hit play that is soon to be adapted into a major movie. As Hollywood comes knocking for the writer, he makes a surprise visit to the home of the officer involved. With Sandler’s trademark wit, BANG BANG traces the impact of what it means to be inspired by true events.

Where:
Factory Theatre Mainspace
125 Bathurst St. Toronto

When:
February 1-18, 2018

Tickets:
factorytheatre.ca

Connect:
Kat Sandler: @katsandler
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard: @BelladonnaNHP
Factory Theatre:
t: @FactoryToronto
fb: /FactoryTheatreTO 
#ftBANGBANG

Jan 19

“Race, Allyship & How the Past Informs the Present” In Conversation with Audrey Dwyer, playwright & director of CALPURNIA

Interview by Bailey Green.

I sat down with Audrey Dwyer, playwright and director of Calpurnia, to discuss race, allyship and how the past informs the present. Calpurnia, co-produced by Nightwood Theatre and Sulong Theatre, is a courageous and explosive play that takes place during a dinner party. Julie, a screenwriter, attempts to re-imagine Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird from the perspective of Calpurnia—the Finch’s maid.

Dwyer began writing Calpurnia in 2012, some time after Trayvon Martin was killed. Dwyer was playing a maid in a show, and a cast mate remarked on how strong Dwyer’s character was. The cast mate was referring to a moment in the show where Dwyer’s character was silent during a racist attack on her character. Dwyer noted how the character’s silence was put upon them and how for many women, silence and strength is not always a choice.

The conversation prompted Dwyer to look deeper into mammy culture, domestic workers and how Black women as maids serve a function in literature. She was in a writer’s unit, working on a piece that wasn’t connecting, when she had a conversation with a friend about how the past illuminates the present. Dwyer remembered reading To Kill a Mockingbird in high school: “It is such an iconic book, and I wondered is there a way for me to talk about mammy culture in the present, and hearken to the past, while examining a book that is Pulitzer Prize-winning and seen as the purest example of equality of how we should be in the world?”

(Interview has been edited for length and clarity.) 

Photo of Audrey Dwyer

BG: Do you feel that your relationship to the book has changed over time or do you feel those core reactions are still as strong?

AD: When I read it back in high school, I was one of the only Black people in my class and I remember feeling really isolated when conversations happened around the usage of the n word. That is one of the primary ways people analyze the book in schools, should we say the n word? And that conversation happening around me as the only Black person in my class felt shameful and embarrassing. It didn’t serve my needs and it didn’t help the racism I was experiencing while in school. Equality was another theme that was touched on and that conversation also felt awkward for me because I wasn’t being seen as an equal in that conversation. Years later when I approached the book I was flummoxed why this book was being taught in schools in this way […] The conversation about the book hasn’t changed. I think of things like how Tom Robinson was shot 17 times as he was running away from the cops… now you read that book and you’ve got young Black men in school, how is that narrative serving them? How is the narrative of a Black man seen as a violent sexual abuser, he’s innocent but he’s portrayed in that way, how does that help? In terms of rape culture you’ve got Mayella Ewell who is on the stand and she is being treated horribly by Atticus Finch. If I was a teenage girl watching that film reading the book and I had a situation I might have shared with a police officer or teacher or parent, this book tells me don’t do it.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

BG: I was reading some Goodreads reviews last night for fun, specifically the one star reviews and I was surprised that people are still holding on to this incredibly problematic set of two-dimensional characters. One review said ‘this is a perfect example of a white guilt fantasy,’ would you agree with that statement?

AD: White saviour syndrome is definitely Atticus Finch. We can look at that lawyer and feel like he’s such a hero but when you dig through it, he was just doing his job. And you can look at what the time period was and Black men were being lynched left right and centre. Black men, Black boys, Black women, Black elderly people, the atrocities that Black people were going through were so abundant. So to have a book about a white man who was trying to save the day through the legal system definitely perpetuated that white men can save the day. I’m not entirely convinced, especially when you look at our laws, that the character of Atticus Finch actually promotes change. I think that he makes us feel good, or some of us feel good. He talks to Scout and explains to her that the men who want to lynch Tom Robinson are men who simply have a blind spot. But we can look at what happened in Charlottesville, those men with torches… can we say that they had a blind spot or can we say that they were an organized group of educated men who had a mission? Can we say that some of the alt right groups here in Toronto, do they have a blind spot or [are they] well-intentioned in their minds? And the way we teach young white people about racism, we can’t say someone had a blind spot. We have to crack that open and talk about systemic violence, power, how to stand up for marginalized people in the moment. And not just about Black people, all people. There are too many people who don’t feel like they have a voice, too many groups that don’t have a voice. And I think that To Kill a Mockingbird describing violence as ‘folks aren’t seeing straight’ is harmful.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

BG: Absolutely, and how Atticus speaks to Scout about race reflects a culture with white children being told that everyone is the same, that you don’t see race. […] Do you show that kind of relationship in the play, with Atticus and Scout, or do you diverge from that?

AD: A lot of the characters in the play are inspired by TKAM and how they speak to each other, allyship is a huge theme. We have examples of when allyship works out and we have examples when it doesn’t work out and I definitely wanted to show all of it. In some cases, some people don’t even want allyship. I’m trying to address what it looks like when you want to help and you fail, when you want to help and you think you succeed, and when you’re helping but your help isn’t necessary. It’s so complicated. This time in our lives is full of people wanting to know how to be better, but I think the key is obviously empathy but also listening. Checking yourself and just listening, spending more time hearing where people are coming from. If you feel the anxiety that you’ve done something wrong, listen to that, why do you feel so guilty if someone is telling you a hurt or an injury they have? You will see elements of Atticus and elements of the innocence of Scout but who it comes from is also very interesting too.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

BG: I love the trailer, and in it you mention how allyship is a hot topic and people think they know exactly what it means.

AD: Allyship is an everyday practice. Another danger in TKAM is that [it says] racism looks like X. Ignorance looks like X. And the thing is what one person finds harmful and painful, another person may not. People end up feeling like well, I’m a good person and what hurt? You didn’t hurt my friend so what is your problem? Listening and understanding that there is not one single definition.

BG: We’re at a dinner party, who are the guests? Where do we find the characters?

AD: We’ve got Julie, a screenwriter. We’ve got Thompson who is a lawyer and has his own law firm and we’ve got Mark who is Julie’s brother and Christine who is Mark’s girlfriend. Christine is also Julie’s best friend, although they are not as close as they used to be. And Lawrence is Julie and Mark’s father. And Precy is their Filipina maid.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

BG: What did you find the most challenging in the adaptation or in the process? What challenged you the most as a writer with this piece?

AD: I think the thing that was the most challenging and at the same time the most rewarding was each character, getting into the mindset, and making them be as warm as I possibly could make them but also as flawed. When I say warm I mean everybody thinks that their intentions are good. Making characters that are authentic and recognizable […] The book, to me, has a number of stereotypes. I wanted to take those and have them be recognizable in the play without being so pointed. I play with stereotypes but they are not exactly what you expect.

BG: How was the shift from writer to director?

AD: Really good. I was quite firm with myself as a playwright/director. It’s very easy to want to make cuts but I’ve had a lot of opportunity via Obsidian Theatre and Nightwood Theatre to workshop it so I felt quite ready. One of the things that I did was make a conscious choice to work on the dialogue with the woman who is playing Precy, because I am not a Filipina woman and I wanted to make sure that I was checking my privilege as a writer. Over the drafts that I have written, I have given drafts to other theatre artists, dear old friends, and every time I have “gotten this character right” is a sign that I am probably making a mistake, and now in the rehearsal hall, it is great that I am working alongside the actor that I have chosen so that she can tell me directly, ‘I wouldn’t say that here.’ It’s a lot of fun to put it up on its feet. It’s an honour to have this opportunity and the actors are awesome.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

BG: You’re partnering with the AMY project. Can you tell me a bit more about that?

AD: So we’re looking for some donations to help us throughout the run, and I’ve been a mentor with the AMY project for a few years over their long, long history, and I really love the AMY project. I love what they are providing to the community, I love that they’re trying to give voice to young women and non-binary youth. They give young artists the opportunity to create pieces with mentors. They are an under-served group of people who really need it.

BG: Any shows you’d like to shout out that are coming up?

AD: The Rhubarb Festival, everyone should go and see Rhubarb shows.

BG: Lastly, did you have any advice from someone you loved or a colleague that helped awaken something in the play?

AD: Kelly Thornton gave me a quote, but it’s about writing the thing that makes you the most uncomfortable and in writing Calpurnia I felt very, very uncomfortable and that if you feel uncomfortable, that your audience will also feel that and that discomfort can offer some insight from time to time:

“When starting a play, I ask myself, “What’s the last play in the world I would ever want to write?” Then I force myself to write it. I do this because I’ve found that the best way to make theatre that unsettles and challenges my audience is to do things that make me uncomfortable. I work with stories that I find trite and embarrassing, I keep the development of the text as open and unstable as possible throughout the rehearsal and performance process, and I emphasize rather than hide problems in the text and production. I’m constantly trying to find value in unexpected places. My work is about struggling to achieve something in the face of failure and incompetence and not-knowing. The discomfort and awkwardness involved in watching this struggle reflects the truth of my experience.” – Young Jean Lee

Calpurnia

Who:
Written and Directed by Audrey Dwyer
A Nightwood Theatre and Sulong Theatre Co-Production
CAST –
Don Allison
Matthew Brown
Carolyn Fe
Natasha Greenblatt
Andrew Moodie
Meghan Swaby
CREATIVE TEAM cont-
Tsholo Khalema – Assistant Director
Anna Treusch – Set Design
Jackie Chau – Costume Design
Bonnie Beecher – Lighting Design
Johnny Salib – Sound Design
Christine Urquhart – Props Coordinator
Megan Cinel – Assistant Set Designer
Emma Welsh – Assistant Costume Designer
Christina Cicko – Stage Manager
Neha Ross – Assistant Stage Manager
Suzie Balogh – Production Manager
Adriana DeAngelis – Assistant Production Manager

What:
A classic novel turned on its head. A dinner party gone wrong.
A hilarious and provocative look at class, race and family dynamics under the roof of a wealthy Jamaican-Canadian home. As screenwriter Julie seeks to redress To Kill a Mockingbird through the perspective of Calpurnia – the Finch family maid – her tactics meet with explosive results at an important family dinner party. A brave, insightful, and outrageous new play.

Where:
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
12 Alexander Street

When:
January 14 – February 4, 2018

Tickets:
nightwoodtheatre.net

Connect:
t: @nightwoodtheat
fb: /nightwoodtheatre
ig: @nightwoodtheat
#Calpurnia

 

Jan 5

NSTF Artists take it to the “Next Stage” in 2018

As one year ends and a new one begins, The Next Stage Festival is a time that we always look forward to over here at In the Greenroom. The festival offers a space for the Toronto theatre community to gather, re-connect, re-charge, and re-inspire themselves as we collectively re-focus on community, development, and growth in this first wintery month of the new year. What an incredible GIFT because DAMN it’s real cold and dreary out there and we all need a little reason to leave the house and RE-CONNECT with art, artists, ideas and create the space to experience something new!

We had the pleasure of connecting with this year’s NSTF artists to discuss their work, the importance of the festival, and we asked them to reflect on their hopes/goals/mantras for themselves as artists and for the Toronto arts community for 2018.

We hope this may help to inspire you as the year kicks off. Go out, see something new at Next Stage, and let us know what your hopes/goals/mantras are in 2018 in the comments below, or by connecting with us on facebook, twitter and instagram!

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR beauties. See you in that sweet sweet heated beer tent!

– Hallie

Hallie Seline
Co-founder & Editor in Chief
In the Greenroom

Good Morning, Viet Mom

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

Good Morning, Viet Mom is a hilarious and moving solo show by me, the devilishly handsome Franco Nguyen, that explores family created through my stand-up sets and storytelling circles. From our sold-out run at the 2017 Toronto Fringe Festival, we’re taking it to the “next stage” with a revamped production including a new script and additional design elements and a larger creative team.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

Next Stage audiences are extra crazy and dedicated. They head out in the dead of winter to see theatre…and to drink beer in a tent. They’re essentially winter camping. That fiery spirit is so important for any community. It allows for inspiration, conversation and it keeps things lit.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

We’re looking forward to new voices in Toronto’s arts community. We want to see more work by and for Toronto’s unseen communities. Work that pushes the boundaries of what Toronto, Arts and Community mean. You know, stuff that’s accessible to people who work in factories and at McDonald’s. And people who regularly check World Star Hip Hop online.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

To be more honest and present, and also to make that paper, baby!

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

We’re looking forward to seeing the work of our #NSTFunny partners – The Harold Experience and Sex T-Rex’s SwordPlay

Connect:
fb: /Soaring-Skies-Collective

For show dates, times and tickets for Good Morning, Viet Mom, click here. 

The Harold Experience

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

The Harold Experience is a completely improvised comedy show featuring some of Canada’s best improvisers and produced by Toronto’s newest improv company, The Assembly. Using suggestions and stories from the audience, the performers create an entire show with intertwining plots that come together for a satisfying conclusion. The show is based on one of improv’s oldest forms, The Harold. Typically, this form comes with some hesitance because it’s so difficult to perform, but our cast is up to the challenge of pulling it off. We’re taking it to the “next stage” by upping the polish while keeping it fun, funny, and interesting for general audiences.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

The Next Stage Theatre Festival is important because it’s the first big show for The Assembly. The Assembly is less than a year old and has made such great strides in these past months – starting with a collective of improv teams, moving into offering classes, and now, producing a show at the Next Stage Theatre Festival. Showcasing our art form and continuing to legitimize improv (and specifically this type of improv) is incredibly important to us and our community, and being part of Next Stage really confirms that.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

We would love to see improv (specifically, long-form improv)! Improv exists within its own community, and our brand of improv (long-form) exists within its own even smaller community. It would be great to see more of long-form and all types of improv throughout the entire arts community.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

Major goals for The Assembly include continuing to grow our classes (we currently have seven classes with almost 90 students), continuing to develop and showcase talent at our monthly shows, moving into new spaces in the city (we offer classes in three different locations and have shows at three other locations), and persevering as a very young, very niche improv company!

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

We’re so looking forward to seeing Franco Nguyen’s Good Morning, Viet Mom (Franco is actually a member of The Assembly on the incredible team TallboyzIIMen and his show is an amazing mix of funny and touching with really cool audiovisual elements) and Sex T-Rex’s Swordplay (Sex T-Rex is so funny and their productions have their signature cinematic style, which is so cool and unique).

Connect:
fb: /theassemblyimprov
ig: @theassemblyimprov
t: @TheAssemblyTO

For show dates, times and tickets for The Harold Experience, click here. 

Birthday Balloon

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

Birthday Balloon was first commissioned by Rising Tide Theatre Company in Newfoundland in 2016 and presented as a part of their festival in Trinity, NL. I read Steve Cochrane’s play and felt it absolutely needed to be done off the island, on the mainland we’ll say. I felt there was an audience here for it and a need for it to be done and so I decided to produce it. The Next Stage Theatre Festival felt like the perfect place to do such a thing. The NSTF provides a perfect platform to produce a new work. It is an extremely respected festival which provides an enormous amount of support to companies, especially ones like my new venture, Mauzy May Productions. The application fee alone of $30 instead of hundreds of dollars was such an appealing factor. The NSTF makes it possible to produce works of a high-caliber that will be seen by your respected peers because it is an extension of the Toronto Fringe which is such an institution in the Toronto community. The NSTF makes the prospect of producing affordable theatre quite plausible. The NSTF has made it possible to present Birthday Balloon with the hopes of getting an opportunity be programmed by an already established theatre company.

Birthday Balloon is a universal story of loss and perseverance, yet very specific to Newfoundland and its new identity after an economic crisis that threatened the very existence of rural NL. After the fall of the cod fishery and the cod moratorium, rural Newfoundland, as we knew it, changed drastically. We saw men, many men, leave their homes and head off to Fort McMurray, AB to try to make a living for their families. This came at a cost to many families. Through the lens of a dying marriage after a tremendous loss, Birthday Balloon tells the story of the enormous cost to one family.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

As stated above, the NSTF provides a tremendous opportunity for artists. The entire vibe, if I can call it that, since being accepted into the festival has been nothing but support and encouragement. In a word: community. My company and this production have been embraced by the Fringe and many other theatre people and companies simply by association and the festival hasn’t even started yet! I have felt guidance as an artist and received help throughout the past few months from the NSTF company, which obviously helps me, as a producer, feel really strong and positive about the production I am presenting. The sense of community with all the shows is tangible. It’s present. And it’s comforting. We are all in this together, as a community, and we want to present something special together to the Toronto theatre community at large.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

To be honest, I would like to see even more affordable opportunities, like NSTF, for independent artists, for new voices, for groundbreaking material to have a place to be seen. With NSTF, for example, it costs an audience member $15 to see a show of a high-caliber. Outside of their own personal expenses, it costs a producer $30 to have a venue, a well-known venue in the city, to present their piece. It’s a win-win situation! People in the city and outside the city get to take a chance on seeing some culture without breaking the bank. This is always appealing for an audience member and it provides so much exposure for many that wouldn’t get it otherwise.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

Be brave, tell your stories the way you want to tell them. Tell the stories that you want to hear. Don’t wait for the chance, keep making it happen. Give a voice to women, a voice that is often not heard.

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

I am most looking forward to seeing Rumspringa Break… for two big reasons! My dear friend, Matt Murray (who wrote Myth of the Ostrich that I was in in the 2015 NSTF) wrote it AND my director, Steven Gallagher (who also directed Myth!) is directing it!

For show dates, times and tickets for Birthday Balloon, click here. 

JONNO

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

JONNO is a fictionalized retelling of a true sexual assault case that shocked Canadians back in 2014, when the news first broke about a beloved radio host’s violent and predatory behaviour towards women. The play was first produced by Echo Theatre at the 2016 Winnipeg Fringe Festival. When we initially decided to bring it to Toronto’s Next Stage Theatre Festival, we were a little worried that the story might be a little dated, and that the play’s angry and aggressive retelling of the assault might do nothing more than re-open old wounds. Little did we know that, in a matter of weeks, the media would be flooded with new sexual assault accusations and #metoo stories from countless women around the world. Our Next Stage production of JONNO isn’t just about one man and the women he assaulted— it’s about how we as a society seem to keep letting these incidents happen, and what we are going to do to hold each other accountable and move forward.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

JONNO was a difficult play to stage — both because of the show’s content, and because of today’s heated political climate. And yet, those are also the same reasons that made us feel certain that this show needed to produced HERE and NOW. Being a part of the Next Stage Festival gave us access to the resources and support that we needed to bring this work to life in a safe and accessible manner. It’s thanks to festivals like these, and thanks to the fabulous staff hard at work behind the scenes, that new and challenging pieces of theatre like this one are given the space they need to thrive.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

Theatre is great when it is bold, innovative, and urgent — but, more importantly, it is great when it kickstarts a conversation and creates a dialogue with its audiences. We are really excited to hear what people think about JONNO. We know that we as artists are fallible: we don’t expect everyone to love the work that we produce, and we don’t expect everyone to agree with the stance that we take on a particular subject. But when we create avenues for further discussion, what begins as simply criticism can morph into an opportunity for growth and change. Then, instead of simply telling or retelling a story, our art is actually paving the way for real progress. (If only EVERY production had a beer tent for its audiences to stay and chat after the show!)

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

We’re very excited for that F word by SaMel Tanz! It promises to be another bold, dynamic, and fearless exploration of feminism, performed by a cast of talented and diverse female artists.

Connect:
fb: /rabbitinahatproductions
t: @RabbitinHatProd

For show dates, times and tickets for JONNO, click here. 

Leila Live!

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

Hello, my name is Leila! I am a real-life Persian Princess and have been touring my plays Love With Leila and A Very Leila Christmas across Canada for the past three years. With Leila Live! I am presenting my very first cabaret show where I will perform monologues, dance numbers, original songs, stand up and much more.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

What a gift it is to start a new year by performing a new piece of work amongst other talented and inspiring artists?! For me, this is such a wonderful opportunity to push myself and grow – 12 nights in a row!

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

I want to see more diverse artists in leading roles (and I want to see myself in a big musical… maybe the will cast me as a Schuyler sister in Hamilton??)

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

I am currently reading ‘the subtle art of not giving a f*ck’ – I want to do that.

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

I am most looking forward to seeing my friend Christel Bartelse as Ginger in The Surprise – also in the antechamber space. This is the second time in the past year we are sharing a venue together!

Connect:
fb: /badgirlleila
ig: @_badgirl_leila

For show dates, times and tickets for Leila Live!, click here.

Moonlight After Midnight

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

Moonlight After Midnight is a two-person love story about a couple who meet in a hotel room. They begin to role-play a relationship, but even within their play-acting, nothing is as it seems. As multiple layers of reality play out against a shifting landscape of time and space, a puzzle emerges about love, loss, and who we really are to one another. We hope the Next Stage Festival brings the show to the hearts and minds of a an audience beyond those who already comfortably attend the fringe.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

Unlike the Toronto Fringe, the Next Stage Festival is curated. For those that love independently produced and created theatre, but who are uncertain about taking a chance on a fringe show in which the entire program is selected by lottery, the Next Stage offers a fantastic 10-show roster of amazing productions. For the 12-day length of the festival, the arts community of Toronto can focus on this handful of shows that represent the very best of what’s happening in the world of independent theatre.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

Intrigue, entertain, and excite by providing a window into the universal truths and enigmas inherent in the human experience.

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

I’m really excited to see Birthday Balloon. It looks like it’ll be a well-written & acted piece of drama about a couple dealing with, well, being a couple – which is to say: our kind of show.

Connect:
fb: /concretedrops
t: @concretedrops
ig: @concretedrops

For show dates, times and tickets to Moonlight After Midnight, click here. 

Rumspringa Break!

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

Rumspringa Break!  has been in development for two years. In 2016 we workshopped and presented the first 45 minutes of the show at the Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan College. In the Spring of 2017 we returned to Sheridan with a completed draft for a second workshop, followed by a staged reading at Theatre Passe Muraille as part of Sheridan’s “Off Sheridan” initiative. In the Summer of 2017 we had the opportunity to spend ten days at Theatre St John’s for their Newfoundland and Labrador Musical Theatre Writers Retreat, allowing us to incorporate what we’d learned from the Off Sheridan presentation. We are now excited to take our show to the “Next Stage” at the festival, stepping out from behind the music stands for the first fully staged production of Rumspringa Break!

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

This festival truly gives artists an opportunity to take their work to the next level. The Toronto Fringe provides a vital platform and support system that allows us to focus on the work and to present our piece in an affordable way. When trying to produce indie theatre at a grassroots level, having the support of an organization like the Toronto Fringe is such a help. It also benefits the community because it provides theatre-goers an accessible chance to experience quality theatre for minimal expense in the coldest months of winter.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

We would love to see Canadian theatre companies continue their support of new works by Canadian musical theatre creators. We also hope the audience base for new Canadian musicals continues to grow.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

We are devoted to telling compelling stories that promote compassion and empathy. We hope to reach out to audiences who may not be familiar with contemporary musical theatre, introduce them to the art form, and let them fall in love with the medium.

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

We are excited for the wide variety of shows presented at the Next Stage Festival, in particular Birthday Balloon directed by the brilliant Steven Gallagher (who also directed Rumspringa Break!) and Leila Live! by the hilarious Izad Etemadi who has previously collaborated with Colleen & Akiva.

Connect:
t: @ColleenAndAkiva, @mattymurmur
#RumspringaBreak #NSTF

For show dates, times and tickets to Rumspringa Break!, click here. 

The Surprise

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

The Surprise is an immersive clown experience where Ginger, my clown, throws a party for a surprise guest, and you, the audience are all guests at the party. This is my 5th solo show, and first time working with Dora Award winner Andy Massingham. Despite 15 years as a working performer, it’s my first full-length clown show (And the only clown show in the festival!) The Surprise explores the universal experience of celebrating a birthday, as well as the fear we all have in making another trip around the sun, and the expectation of where we think we should be with every age. This show was originally created in 2011 as a birthday present to myself. It ran as a ten minute piece. After performing it at a few cabarets, I really wanted to expand it into a longer show and Next Stage felt like the perfect festival. The ante-chamber venue is so intimate, which makes it really fun.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

I think the Next Stage Festival is important because it gives artists opportunities to take their work to the next level, whether it’s a new piece or idea you are trying out, or an already existing show that now gets further development. I feel fortunate that I get 12 shows during this run, to really hone my piece and myself as an artist. Also, I think the winter months can be tough in Toronto. This is something that brings the community together for 12 days and theatre warms everyone hearts. And the heated steam whistle tent is a fun hangout.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

I think a new year is always exciting because artists are either busy creating, or taking some time to percolate new ideas. I would love to continue to see fantastic provocative work, from many diverse artists. I’d love to see more collaborations from different arts communities. A dancer teaming up with a comic or some cool project like that. I hope to see women really pushing the envelope and I think social and political issues will continue to be tackled. Most importantly in the growing trend of Netflix, and right now extremely cold weather, I’d just like to see people continue to support each other and the arts. Just get out and see stuff. Art, now, is more important than ever. So many issues to tackle, or a much-needed escape from the world.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

I’ve been so busy creating and performing over the past years that I would actually like to take some time to rest and generate some new ideas. I want to write more… just put pen to paper daily. My goal is to continue to perform the solo shows I’ve already created, to collaborate with an artist or artists I haven’t worked with before, and to continue to go out and support theatre. And to be kind to myself and be proud of what I’ve created. I need to be a kinder artist to myself. This feels like a big resolution.

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

I’m most looking forward to my sidekick, double bill buddy Izad Etamadi in Leila Live! We’ve been super supportive of each other, and I’ve seen other Leila shows that are a riot. I’m happy to share the venue with him and can’t wait to see his piece. I’m also excited for SwordPlay because I couldn’t get a ticket during it’s sold out run at Fringe. So I’m so happy I can get a chance to see it now. Really, I’m going to see as many shows as I can.

Connect:
t: @cbartelse

For show dates, times and tickets to The Surprise, click here.

SwordPlay

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

SwordPlay is a swashbuckling physical comedy set in a retro video game. After performing this show in six cities across the country and earning five-star reviews and multiple comedy and theatre awards, we are so excited to take the show to the next level. We’ve given ourselves a little extra breathing room with a 75-minute time slot, spruced up the props, and added in a whole new scene, more jokes, and more swords for the Extended Cut of this fan-favourite show. 2018 marks Sex T-Rex’s 10th anniversary as a comedy troupe, and we’re thrilled to kick off this landmark year at the Next Stage Festival!

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

Sex T-Rex has participated in a total of 18 Fringe Festivals over the past decade. The Fringe has helped us cultivate our style and given us a platform for our unusual, modern approach to theatre. After all the support the Fringe offers to self-producing artists, the Next Stage Festival provides a vital platform for artists to be able to develop their work even further. This festival also offers the community an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of all that rad theatre, at affordable prices, and during the frigid time of year when laughs and heartwarming art come most in handy.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

It’s such an exciting time for the Toronto arts community right now. We’re not shying away from the important issues, and we’re seeing our art really make a difference and reach new eyes and ears. We can’t wait to see what the city’s artists have up their sleeves for the year ahead, but if Next Stage’s lineup is any indication of the excellent variety of theatre we can expect in 2018, then we’re in good shape: you’ve got your finger-on-the-pulse, issue-driven theatre (JONNO); cultural voices in storytelling (Good Morning, Viet Mom); brilliant improv comedy (The Harold Experience); a rich, layered musical (Rumspringa Break!); mind-bending romantic comedy (Moonlight After Midnight); moving drama (Birthday Balloon); stunning dance (That “F”Word); hilariously inventive one-person shows in the Antechamber (Leila Live! and The Surprise); and of course you’ve got goof-ass comedy like SwordPlay with hidden feminist and LGBTQ-positive messages (shhh, don’t tell anyone there’s some depth to our work too.)

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

In 2018, Sex T-Rex’s goal is to reach as many new audiences as possible and to lay the foundations for our first non-festival tour. Winning the B.C. Touring Council Award at the 2017 Vancouver Fringe gives us a huge leg up in this goal and will take us to the West Coast this Spring to start promoting Sex T-Rex to theatres and schools. Meanwhile, we’re pursuing fresh audiences closer to home with our new show for 2018, which weaves together three short plays under the theme of CRIMES (a film noire, a heist and a buddy cop story) and will be more digestible for sketch festivals than any of our previous, hour-long plays. And finally, alongside all of this, we’re breaking into the comic convention circuit with our delightfully nerdy improv hit D&D Live! – a staged, improvised game of the world’s most popular role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons. Our resolution is to eat less red meat and our mantra is “Calidi Lapis Iocus” (Rock-Hot Jokes).

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?

We’re most excited to see our pals from the Toronto Improv Community rock The Harold Experience! We’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a lot of the fine folks in The Assembly before, and can tell you audiences are in for some guaranteed laughs.

Connect:
fb: /sextrexcomedy
ig: @sextrexcomedy
t: @sextrex

For show dates, times and tickets to SwordPlay, click here.

That “F” Word

Tell me a little bit about your show and how you are taking it to the “Next Stage” with this festival.

that “F” word is an invigorating and comedic performance that fearlessly explores the struggles of feminism, specifically gender, class, race, body image and tradition. These issues are brought to life through a fusion of Contemporary, Latin and Hip Hop dance forms. We have taken our production to the next level by having a larger cast of dancers, exploring deeper into the themes of our show with new choreography and movement, further developed the transitions between ideas and improved the emotion and intention in all the work.

Can you speak a bit about why the Next Stage Festival is important for both artist & community?

The Next Stage Festival provided us with a theatre platform and challenged us to become more interdisciplinary. It gave us artists the opportunity to build upon and improve a previous production and the opportunity to reach a new and larger audience. It is important for the community because it offers entertainment with powerful messaging right at the beginning of the year when there is usually nothing to see during this slow, cold time of year. It gets audiences out and about and increases tourism in the city.

With the theme of “Next Stage” in mind, what would you love to see from the Toronto arts community in 2018?

Our hope for 2018 would be more funding for the arts community paired with better integration between the different genre of arts. Having festivals like the Next Stage and Toronto Fringe connecting different companies expands the community and everyone’s audiences.

What is your goal/resolution/mantra for yourself as an artist in 2018?

#weready

We have a voice, the experience and the talent and we are ready to share all of it with the world. In 2018 we are going to claim space, share what is exclusive to us with everyone.

What other show are you most looking forward to seeing at the festival?
The Harold Experience – we love comedy/improvisation
JONNO – similar theme to our show, different perspective

Connect:
fb:/sameltanz/
t: @sameltanz
ig: @sameltanz

Who:
The Next Stage Theatre Festival hosted by The Toronto Fringe

What:
The Next Stage Theatre Festival is the premiere winter theatre event in the city. Produced by the Toronto Fringe, Next Stage is a platform for past Fringe artists to take groundbreaking work to the next level – and a gathering place for discerning culture lovers in the city.

While some of the shows have appeared at previous Fringe Festivals, most are new works by established Fringe artists who have demonstrated the passion and tenacity to take their work to the next stage.

Where:
Factory Theatre
125 Bathurst Street
Toronto, ON

When:
January 3-14, 2018

Tickets & Info:
fringetoronto.com

 

 

 

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