Streaming for free on the Factory Theatre website.
Part of their audio drama series: You Can’t Get There From Here
Written by Keith Barker
Directed by Akosua Amo-Adem
Sound Design by Michelle Bensimon
Cast: Allison Edwards-Crewe
Marcia Johnson
Initially it looks deceptively like a story of reconciliation but then it quietly turns into something even more important.
The Story. Every Minute of Every Day by Keith Barker is part of Factory Theatre’s five part radio drama series called You Can’t Get There From Here.An episode drops every week and this one is from last week.
It’s about two sisters, Mia and Fran, who have been estranged but Mia has asked Fran to come to the city—Tkaronto (Toronto). We get the sense that Fran lives in a small town. Mia lives in the big city, Toronto. Fran drove in the day before and was stunned by the traffic on the 401, the price of a cup of coffee and a room at the Royal York Hotel. She and Mia start bickering immediately. It seems as if they are reverting to their younger selves that might have foreshadowed the rift. One tries to boss the other. There is pushback. Each stands her ground. But there are also fond memories. Every Second of Every Day has been described as a memory play and how one’s memories differs for others’ memories.
We never really find out what caused the rift. We learn that one sister was emotionally hurt by the other and the other sister was disappointed.
Why them did Fran come to Toronto? Without giving too much away, I think there was a need to attempt a reconciliation. On this trip the sisters were going to go to various places that meant a lot to them: the CN Tower, Massey Hall, Maple Leaf Gardens, Jet Fuel Café on Church Street, St. James Cemetery and finally the Scarborough Bluffs. In the course of the tour we learn that when they were younger these sisters were close. They went to concerts together. They went to the Brunswick House together often on the weekends—Fran is shocked to learn it is now a pharmacy. They reminisce about their father and how he got Wendel Clark’s autograph and the laughs that resulted. A lot of the radio drama is the sisters burying their hurt and remembering better times.
Production and Comment. I think Keith Barker has written a beautifully deceptive play.You think it’s going in one direction and then it veers off in another that has you wondering what you are actually listening to. What is the story I thought I was listening to and what is actually happening?There are wonderful subtle hints in the text that keep you alert and wondering. Rather than being a play about reconciliation you see it’s about gratitude.They visit places that gave them pleasure, that meant a lot to one or the other of them. Mia has planned out the sites they will see.If you know the city you can see where they are going.Each stop is meaningful. The last one is the most poignant.
It’s directed by Akosua Amo-Adem with meticulous attention to detail. She knows when to bring in music (kudos to Michelle Bensimon for the sound design) for the best effect and when to just let the words and silence speak. The acting by Allison Edwards-Crewe as Mia and Marcia Johnson as Fran is terrific. There is a careful balance to the give and take of the two actresses as sisters. They carefully build the relationship until we realize the weight and importance to this trip.
And as for the title—Every Minute of Every Day—perhaps Keith Barker is saying that we should take every minute of every day and live it to the fullest. I liked this latest edition of You Can’t Get There From Here, a lot.
Every Minute of Every Day is streaming for free on the Factory Theatre website.
“N.C. HUNTER’S BEAUTIFUL, SHAMEFULLY NEGLECTED COMEDY WAS PERFORMED ONLY ONCE IN LONDON IN 1951, AND RECEIVES ITS AMERICAN PREMIERE HERE… IT’S ABOUT AN AGING, ONCE PROSPEROUS FAMILY LIVING IN AN AGAING, ONCE GRAND MANOR, AND THE ECHOES OF CHEKHOV ARE UNMISTAKABLE, IF SUBDUED AND ANGLICIZED. IT’S A BIG, GENEROUS PLAY, EXQUISITELY WRITTEN, BOTH FUNNY AND TOUCHING.”
The New Yorker
A Picture of Autumn made its debut on February 11, 1951 in a one-night ‘try-out’ performance presented by the Repertory Players, at the Duke of York’s Theatre on London’s West End. Despite promising reviews, the play was never picked up. Instead, Hunter enjoyed great success with his plays Waters of the Moon, A Day by the Sea and A Touch of the Sun, which dominated the West End throughout the fifties. Meanwhile, A PICTURE OF AUTUMN gathered dust until our acclaimed production—the play’s first in over 60 years.
Helen Cespedes and George Morfogen in A PICTURE OF AUTUMN by N.C. Hunter, directed by Gus Kaikkonen. Photo by Richard Termine.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLAYS EIGHT-WEEK GUIDED TOUR OF THE GLOBAL THEATRICAL CANON
Soulpepper Theatre Company is incredibly pleased to announce the release of a new collection of artistic programming: Around the World in 80 Plays, an eight-week global adventure of audio dramas, in-depth documentaries from CBC Ideas, and cultural celebrations. Audiences across the country, and around the world, are invited on a rich theatrical global guided tour with works from Canada, Russia, Italy, Argentina, India, Iran, Jamaica, and Nigeria. Around the World in 80 Plays departs April 21, 2021, landing in new destinations weekly. Subscription passports, single tickets, and information available at soulpepper.ca/80plays.
The eight-week global adventure begins:
April 21, starting at home here in Canada with Margo Kane’s inspiring play Moonlodge, a story of self determination, resilience, and the colonial tragedies that shape our society today, directed by Jani Lauzon. From there audiences are transported to Russia to enjoy Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece,
April 28. The Seagull, (Russia) which was just weeks away from premiering at Soulpepper this time last year, once again directed by Daniel Brooks.
Dates closer to the time:
Luigi Piandello’s metatheatrical play Six Characters in Search of an Author, directed by Daniele Bartolini. Italy.
The Walls From Argentina’s fearless playwright Griselda Gambaro comes, directed by Beatriz Pizano, to warn audiences about the dangers of turning a blind eye in the fight for justice.
Hayavadana by Girish Karnad, Travelling onward to India, in a piece produced in association with Why Not Theatre, Girish Karnad’s witty play fuses ancient mythology with contemporary sensibilities, directed by Miriam Fernandes.
The Parliament of Birds by Guillermo Verdecchia, From Iran. directed by Soheil Parsa, adapted from the Persian poem, The Conference of the Birds, by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar.
She Mami Wata & the PxssyWitch Hunt. Jamaica, by playwright, director, and performer, d’bi.young anitafrika fuses memoir, music, and myth while embodying Jamaica’s decolonial traditions of African-storytelling-derived dub poetry and dubbin.
Death and the King’s Horseman destination of Nigeria on June 9, audiences are invited to experience Wole Soyinka’s Nobel Prize-winning play based on true events, produced in partnership with the Stratford Festival, and directed by Tawiah M’Carthy.
Toronto is uniquely poised to celebrate the rich tapestry of stories and cultures that make up this city, and Around the World in 80 Plays will celebrate over 60 artists coming together to share their stories, their culture, and their art. Each audio drama features a full cast, original sound design, and is recorded and produced by award-winning audio producer Gregory Sinclair (CBC Radio, Audible).
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PLAYS
From the CREE & SAULTEAUX NATIONS representing CANADA MOONLODGE By Margo Kane Directed by Jani Lauzon
Hope, healing, and hitchhiking. Taken from her family by the government, Agnes grew up away from the support of her community. Unable to change her past, Anges follows the voice inside her, journeying across America to where the women gather, helping her find herself, her history, and her family. An inspiring story of self-determination, and the colonial tragedies that shape our society today.
Moonlodge is performed by Samantha Brown. Sound Design and Composition by Wayne Kelso.
Content Warning: This play contains scenes of sexual violence and distressing situations.
Moonlodge premieres April 21, 2021.
“Margo Kane’s play Moonlodge was written at a time where there were very few, if any, stories by Indigenous writers on our stages. This is a story of Indigenous children torn from families, stripped of cultural understanding and identity, searching for answers, navigating the harmful and stereotypical images of in popular media, but mostly it’s a story of resilience and the incredible mothers, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers who continue to survive with humour, dignity, and honour so that our children have a future,” said Jani Lauzon, Director.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 7:00
From Young People’s Theatre,
Right Here, Write Now Online Play Festival (21 and 23). Three short plays by contemporary playwrights Tai Amy Grauman, Marie Beath Badian and Luke Reece are live-streamed on those dates at 7PM, followed by a Q&A with the playwright. All of the info is here in case you want to take a look:
Come raise a glass! A sneak preview of a new short film
April 22nd, 7:30- 8:45pm REGISTER We’d love you to come to our party! Raise a glass to a sneak preview of the short film Postcards from my Balcony. Written and performed by Alex Bulmer and directed by Leah Cherniak, with editing and cinematography by Ben Roberts, animation by Cristal Buemi, and sound design and original composition by Deanna H. Choi.
Watch the film – all 10 ½ minutes – and tickle your ears with live music from special guests Deanna H. Choi and John Millard (what joy), artful conversation, and jokes (likely not artful).
Travelling, sneezing, writing and tweezing – Postcards from my Balcony follows blind writer Alex Bulmer as she returns from the UK to Canada while a pandemic erupts. She writes postcards under quarantine – little big thoughts sent out to the world.
Register below – admission is free (donations always welcome)! We suggest, if you have them, bring your best headphones. Hope you can make it! Alex, Leah, and The Common Boots Team Who Made Postcards from my Balcony – the film? Writer and performer – Alex Bulmer Director – Leah Cherniak Cinematographer and Editor – Ben Roberts Cinematography Assistant – Aidan Barnes Production Designer – Cristal Buemi Animators – Cristal Buemi and Alba Mediba Sound Designer and Original Composition – Deanna H.Choi Original song: Above the Birds by John Millard This film was made possible thanks to generous funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Originals program, Red Dress Productions, Common Boots Theatre and numerous generous private donors. Register!This gathering is free, but registration is required. Sign up today!
Thursday, April 22, 2021, 7:00 pm
From Young People’s Theatre
Right Here, Write Now Online Play Festival (21 and 23). Three short plays by contemporary playwrights Tai Amy Grauman, Marie Beath Badian and Luke Reece are live-streamed on those dates at 7PM, followed by a Q&A with the playwright. All of the info is here in case you want to take a look:
Recorded during a performance with the resulting excerpts used for promotional purposes, it was never intended that the productions would be shown in their entirety. The newly edited footage of the performances will give viewers the opportunity to revisit or discover these LCT shows in full.
When is a play about a boxer not really about boxing? When it’s the 2016 Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning THE ROYALE! The play is about the life of the outsider in America as much as it is about charismatic African-American boxer Jay “The Sport” Jackson. The stylized and stunning conception of Marco Ramirez was realized by director Rachel Chavkin.
Stream our production of THE ROYALE (2016, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater), by Marco Ramirez, directed by Rachel Chavkin, featuring McKinley Belcher III, Khris Davis, Montego Glover, John Lavelle, and Clarke Peters.
Conceived by Oliver Ward, Dennis Nicholson and André Sills.
Various episodes written by Oliver Ward, Dennis Nicholson and André Sills
Directed by Dennis Nicholson
Cast: André Sills
Oliver Ward
A terrific YouTube series about two private investigators on the case. Funny, moving and fearless in tackling hard subjects like racism, respect for others, what is the worst film ever made, the ‘N-word’ white fragility and the politics of fried chicken. Brilliant in every way.
Private Idiots is a nine-part YouTube series thatwas conceived by Oliver Ward, Dennis Nicholson and André Sills and is a perfect antidote to COVID-19 and lockdown.
It’s a series of nine short episodes, no more than six minutes each that were filmed for YouTube. The series was created by Oliver Ward (actor and film maker), Dennis Nicholson (who directs the episodes) and André Sills a theatre actor who has done a lot of work at Shaw, Stratford and in Toronto. The three creators also wrote some of the episodes and Oliver Ward and André Sills star in each episode.
The premise is that Boise Jobs (Oliver Ward) and Steve Mann (André Sills) are private investigators who usually spend their time trying to get photos of cheating husbands, etc.
But then they get a contract from a pharmaceutical company for four months work at twice their usual money, to follow a scientist who was fired from the pharmaceutical company and might be shopping the formula of a COVID vaccine to other parties.
Each episode takes place in Steve’s car (it’s also Steve’s private investigating company). Boise is either getting food for the two of them or being reprimanded by Steve for something insensitive that he (Boise) did or said. Boise works for Steve.
Each episode is hilarious. The language is punchy, sharp, irreverent, full of swearing and when you least expect it, literary allusions. There are also serious aspects to each episode. We get this right from the first episode, “Code Switching” (written by Oliver Ward). That first episode establishes so much about the characters, their worlds, their concerns and the way the world treats them.
Boise is bearded, white, easy-going and a bit thoughtless and insensitive. Steve is Black, often impatient with Boise, has a moral centre and is sensitive to racism and any kind of thoughtlessness. For example, Boise mimics the accent of the people who run the South Asian take-out where he gets their butter chicken etc. Steve berates him saying it’s disrespectful. But then Boise notes that in various phone conversations Steve has, his voice and manner change. Steve explains that this is “Code Switching”—depending on who he is talking to on the phone, he assumes a different voice:
quiet and obedient when talking to his mother; bright and almost ‘white sounding (formal)’ when talking to the person who hired them, and then in a thick patois slang when talking to a black friend.
Steve says that “Code Switching is when you change your essence depending on who you are with or talking too”. Steve says he usually does this (talk with utmost respect in certain cases) so that “white people feel safe and comfortable.” Boise tries that chirpy, formality with a new client but Steve suggests that Boise doesn’t have to do that kind of Code Switching performance because he’s already white.
In that first episode Steve laments that he’s tired of the kind of cases they get: lowly, cheating husbands etc. and figured that at this point in his life he would be farther ahead by now. Then Boise remembers that he has a lead for a new case from a pharmaceutical company for a four-month contract at twice their regular rate. It seems the pharmaceutical company heard how Steve and Boise solved another case and wanted them to take on this new one.
Let’s unpack this slowly, shall we? Without hitting us over the head at the inequity of the worlds of whites and Blacks writer Oliver Ward establishes that the pharma company assumes that Boise runs the private investigators company because he’s white and that Steve works for him, because he’s Black. We know the opposite is true. And imagine it: Boise gets the biggest case of the company and he forgets to tell Steve until Steve’s laments about the lowly jobs they get.
I love the subtlety of the writing throughout the series because it’s full of glints of such telling information that just slides into place without fanfare or comment, just waiting for us ‘to get it.”
There is an episode entitled simply “The twenty-fifth of May.” It is the most moving, serious episode. It’s written by André Sills. We all know that is the date that George Floyd was killed. The tone of the episode is somber.
Steve is alone in the car listening to the news of what happened to George Floyd that day. When Boise gets in the car Steve quickly turns off the radio. Boise tries to awkwardly give comfort: “Steve, my brother….” (Steve): “Don’t do that! Not today. I can’t.”
Boise tries again and says: “Steve, my friend, I just want you to know, I’ve got your back.” which seems better. But then Steve tries to enlighten Boise about white fragility, racism, and what is going on in the world if you are Black. That episode makes you suck air and let it out slowly.
I love that the writers don’t shy away from the awkward stuff, and I loved that there is so much subtle wisdom in each episode. I love that the character of Steve shows people of different ethnicities respect and reprimands Boise when he doesn’t get it. Over the course of the series we see the issues that Steve has had to endure as a Black man and how he’s savvy about the world he works in. Boise makes strides slowly to be a more sensitive person.
The chemistry between Oliver Ward as Boise and André Sills as Steve is terrific. They banter, spar and lob jokes and insults that is terrific to see. And I can’t remember laughing so hard at anything; doubled over, gasping for air, getting lightheaded, and sobbing as quickly when matters turned serious.
I’ve written often about the endless font of creativity that is Arkady Spivak, the Artistic Producer of Talk is Free Theatre in Barrie, Ont. Aside from producing some of the best theatre around pre-pandemic, he produced The Plural of She, a festival of plays and productions by women and female-identifying artists, that took place in private back yards last summer; he created a three year commitment to actors that would guarantee them contracts and a wage; he had private readings for actors to give them work and some income; and to provide stimulus for local restaurants he came up with a scheme for dinner and zoomed play reading called Dinner á la Art.
As Arkady Spivak describes it: “People had to either dine in (from the moment we announced to recent lock-down), have delivered, picked up a meal from a locally owned restaurant in Barrie, Collingwood, Orillia or Midland. They could also buy a gift certificate or donate a meal to a stranger at a rest’s choice. Those from away took advantage of the last two options. When they did any of the options and spent at least $30 on the dinner itself, they received a free link (of the reading) from Talk is Free theatre. So the theatre part itself was free.”
The readings took place last week from April 7-11, a reading per evening. The Series was curated by Richard Ouzounian, who also directed and adapted three of the readings. The conditions were that the plays had to be in the public domain and they had to be cut to 90 minutes playing time.
The readings were: Heartbreak House by George Bernard Shaw, Riot by Andrew Moodie, She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, Bright Lights by Kat Sandler and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The casts were stellar; a combination of notable international names, leading Canadian actors and up and coming artists to keep an eye on; names such as: Ed Asner, Len Cariou, Cyntia Dale, Alexis Gordon, Eric McCormack, Noah Beemer, Brandon Chandler, Glynis Ranney, Mike Nadajewski, Chilina Kennedy, Malindi Ayienga, Gabi Epstein, Colin Mochrie and Amy Keating, among others. The results were splendid on the whole with a few murky sound issues that were resolved quickly. The readings were accomplished, the stories were clear and the humour and drama were expertly realized. It was a wonderful initiative to help the restaurants of the local areas around Barrie, Ont. and of course to provide these artists with the opportunity to use their skills.
More of these initiatives will no doubt be coming from Talk Is Free Theatre soon. Watch this space for details.
Streaming for free and on demand from the Goodman Theatre, in Chicago
Smokefall
Written Noah Haidle
Directed by Anne Kauffman
Violet is pregnant with twins. The twins in the womb discuss whether or not they want to be born in a perilous world. Violet must also face challenges. A play about the fragility of life and the power of love.
https://www.goodmantheatre.org
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Streaming on the Broadway HD site.
2 Pianos 4 Hands
A Canadian classic by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt about the joys and disappointments of learning to play the piano and eventually loving it.
Harbourfront Centre, in partnership with Digidance, presents the Canadian premiere ofMore Than Dance, We Are A Movement, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of contemporary Indigenous innovators, Red Sky Performance.The film will stream in Canada April 14-20, 2021.
Recognized nationally and internationally as one of Canada’s most prolific and acclaimed creators of contemporary Indigenous works, Red Sky Performance is lauded for its impactful, interdisciplinary works informed by an Indigenous worldview. Red Sky Performance moves beyond dance to elicit meaningful change surrounding the narrative of Indigenous arts and culture in Canada and beyond.
Including interviews with Executive and Artistic Director Sandra Laronde (she is a powerhouse of creativity) and her company of collaborators, the film offers an intimate and insightful look into the company’s singular artistic vision—creating contemporary works rooted in Indigenous storytelling traditions.
The film premiere features excerpts from two award-winning creations: Trace, a highly kinetic dance work inspired by Anishinaabe sky and star stories, and Miigis, which breathes life into origin stories of travel from the Atlantic Coast to the Great Lakes.
Thursday, April 15 at 8pm EST, Classic Stage Company will present Tell The Story: Celebrating Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Assassins.
This FREE virtual event will bring together a star-studded array of theater legends for performances and conversations exploring the legacy of this timely American musical. Participants include the entire cast of our upcoming production, friends and alumni of CSC, as well as cast and creative team members from the 1990 Off-Broadway premiere and 2004 Broadway revival. And, perhaps most exciting of all, the event will culminate in a special discussion between Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. This exciting new project is inspired by our forthcoming production of Assassins, which was originally scheduled to open April 2020. Now it’s been one year since CSC joined theaters across the country and closed our doors due to the global pandemic, and while we are still focused on reopening, CSC is thrilled to present Tell The Story, a benefit designed to raise funds and help CSC reopen as soon as we can. Read on for the complete lineup of special guests and find out how you can reserve your free ticket to join us. Don’t forget to mark your calendar and we look forward to seeing you virtually for this extraordinary celebration on April 15!
The Stratford Festival offers archival films of past productions, plus wonderful initiatives such as:
Undiscovered Sonnets where three sonneteers listen to the love story of real couples and fashion a sonnet at the end of the ‘show’.
Up Close and Musical is a concert series created and directed by Richard Ouzounian. Past singers have been Cynthia Dale, Vanessa Sears, Marcus Nance, Robert Markus, Alexis Gordon, Robert BallandChilina Kennedy.
Streaming until April 25 from Prairie Theatre Exchange.
By Hannah Moscovitch
Directed by Thomas Morgan Jones
Set, props, costumes by Brian Perchaluk
Lighting by Scott Henderson
Sound by jaymez
Filmed by Ice River Films
Cast: Alicia Johnston
Kristian Jordan
Arne MacPherson
Stephanie Sy
Observation: While this pandemic has closed our beloved theatres for in person playgoing, it has provided those resourceful theatre-makers with a chance to make their productions available digitally. I’m grateful to have seen digital productions from the National Theatre in London, various productions from the Dublin International Theater Festival, Under the Radar Festival in New York, Lincoln Center Theater productions, also in New York.
But I’m happiest to be able to see so much from across Canada because of new technology. Bravo to the Belfry in Victoria, B.C. for creating Being Here: The Refugee Project; the National Arts Centre in Ottawa for its Grand Acts of Theatre; The Stratford Festival for its @Home offerings of Up Close and Musical, Undiscovered Sonnets, Leer Estates and various archived productions; the many panels and smart readings from (Dinner á la Art—readings of Heartbreak House, Riot, She Stoops to Conquer) Talk Is Free Theatre in Barrie, and Katharsis, Yvette Nolan’s wonderful ode to the theatrefrom the Prairie Theatre Exchange. Prairie Theatre Exchange is also presenting Hannah Moscovitch’s new play Post-Democracy until April 25.
A bristling examination of the murky world of big business when money seduces everybody and ethics and integrity are kicked to the curb, written by Hanna Moscovitch whose laser vison doesn’t miss a thing.
From the play information: “Welcome to the world of the 1%, the corporate elite, the “C-suite” – the “king-makers” whose influence flows through every aspect of our lives virtually unnoticed. When a CEO and his top executives are on a business trip for a major deal, a damaging sex scandal at the company is unearthed back home. As the pressure to complete the deal mounts, more secrets come to the surface, endangering the CEO’s company, his family, and his legacy. What happens to morality when human beings have limitless power?”
The Story. Bill is the CEO of a large company. Lee is his COO. Bill’s adopted daughter Justine, the company’s CFO, is also there, as is Shannon, a public relations person with the company. Lee is her boss and he’s attracted to her, although Bill has warned Lee about not giving into his urges with Shannon. They are in a poor South American city to sign a deal and buy a manufacturing company named Systemus. There is trouble at home. Bill keeps checking his cell-phone for information. It seems a Brand Manager has been sexually harassing or compromising his female assistants and the issue must be contained even though the press seems to know about it.
At the same time Bill learns that although Lee just arrived the evening before, he had sex with a young woman who was sent to his room, and who probably was underage. When this information is revealed, Lee doesn’t see any problem as it is a third world problem and the young woman was just a whore. Justine appears to have a moral compass. She does extensive charity work in Africa. She is aware of the toxic company culture and is intent on stopping it. To that end she wants her father Bill to fire Lee. Bill won’t do it for reasons that are eventually revealed. Justine is appeased in a way that is all too familiar in such cases. Everybody knows everybody’s secrets and either ignore them or use them for their own advantage later.
For Hannah Moscovitch to name the company they want to buy, Systemus, is Moscovitch winking at how close it is to the word “systemic’ which is how pervasive the rot is in Bill’s company and the company he wants to buy.
The Production. Brian Perchaluk has designed a set that adheres to COVID protocols for safety for the cast. There are three separate platforms on which the four characters will engage. When two actors have to be on one of the platforms at the same time, director Thomas Morgan Jones stages them so that a lot of space separates them, for the most part. The furnishings are minimal but suggest a high-end hotel. There is a large, black leather chair on the stage-left platform, a well-stocked drinks trolley on the middle platform and two padded benches on the stage-left and right platforms.
Scott Henderson’s lighting illuminates the bases of the platforms in many colours. It is both garish yet striking. Bill and Lee wear suits; Justine and Shannon wear form-fitting dresses and heels. They all dress for success and business.
Bill spends most of his time peering into his cell-phone checking e-mails and texts or replying to them, while Lee tries to get his attention. As Bill, Arne MacPherson is taciturn, watchful, and cool. It’s a nice touch from Thomas Morgan Jones to have Bill looking down at his phone, while Lee, played with barely concealed impatience by Kristian Jordan, waits. Bill called the meeting for 6:00 am and Lee has had a bad night. Lee is edgy, pushy, monosyllabic. He wrangles with Justine, played with moral outrage by Stephanie Sy, is insulting to her in front of Bill. It’s obvious Lee has no conscience. Rounding out the cast is Alicia Johnston as Shannon, a woman with a family history who should, one thinks, be receptive to protecting the women in the company from the predators such as the Brand Manager. But Alicia Johnston plays her with the grit and blinkered gaze of someone who goes after what she wants.
Hannah Moscovitch’s characters in Post-Democracy speak in blunt language. Lee’s dialogue is a sting of monosyllabic words that jolt out. These are people who don’t converse in paragraphs because their communication is generally from a cell-phone screen. At times the dialogue is reminiscent of David Mamet, but with Mamet his characters are inarticulate. With Moscovitch her characters are in a hurry for the deal and power and don’t have time for chit-chat.
Thomas Morgan Jones has created a cool, controlled production in which every gesture is a way of getting control over somebody else by keeping them waiting to speak, wanting someone to fire somebody else, and getting an edge.
Comment. Hannah Moscovitch has written a devastating play in which she puts her laser perception and focus on the toxic culture in big business; where money is more important than morality; conscience, integrity and ethics are laughed at in favour of making a deal at all cost. Moscovitch so immerses you in this world you might want to take a shower after seeing it. The power of the play is that you will be thinking about it long after you see it, and you should see it.
Post-Democracy streams through Prairie Theatre Exchange until April 25.
The First Métis Man of Odessa by Matthew MacKenzie, is the second audio drama from Factory Theatre’s audio dramas series called You Can’t Get There From Here. Three more audio dramas will play over the next three weeks; five dramas in five weeks all together.
After hearing Sisters by Anusree Roy last week, and The First Métis Man of Odessa this week, it’s clear that the line, “You Can’t Get There From Here” must appear in each of the five audio dramas. The lines seem innocuous but then they become vivid when you hear them in their different contexts.
The First Métis Man of Odessa is about Matt, a Canadian playwright who is in Ukraine for a project and meets Masha, an actress who is involved in the project. Sparks fly. There is an attraction. They spend a lot of time together along with the rest of the cast while he is in Ukraine, But Matt and Masha always seem to end up talking long after their colleagues leave. When the project is over Matt has to return to Canada. Matt and Masha keep in touch. She comes to visit him in Tkaronto—Toronto and they get closer.This is a year ago in March. When she returns home she realizes she’s pregnant. Matt is determined to marry Masha but then COVID happens and they are separated.
This audio drama illuminates the absolute determination, hilarity and frustration of a modern romance in COVID times. How can this be hilarious? This is Matthew MacKenzie writing. He’s got a sly sense of humour and a quirky way of looking at the world. Please reference his other plays: Bears, After the Fire and The Particulars for evidence of the man’s gifts.
So while he leaves you breathless with all the complications of getting flights to Ukraine, hoping the papers are in order, not being stopped by COVID, getting the papers to marry Masha, getting Masha’s papers in order to bring her to Canada to give birth, and getting her health card before the baby is born, he is funny and sweet and cheerful in meeting every single complication.
And it’s a true story.
It’s about Matthew MacKenzie’s adventures in Ukraine where he met his future wife (he changed the name to Masha for the purposes of this piece). As an audio drama it starts leisurely enough, and then goes like the wind.
Craig Lauzon plays Matt. Christine Horne plays Masha. They alternate lines so that each gives their own perspective on the story.
Nina Lee Aquino directs this with meticulous attention and a swift pace as matters become more and more fraught—will Masha be allowed in the country—will she be allowed in the hospital—the emergency door seems to be locked.
It’s a sweet story of love and determination. And to find out what happens give a listen…..
The First Métis Man of Odessaplays on Apple podcasts or Spotify,
Delightful, pointed, of our world and embracing of difference.
NOTE: Because the rules for theatre performance and streaming seem to change instantly, Bad Hats Theatre had to shift to filming Alice in Wonderland and not live streaming it. The company observed all sorts of health protocols to be safe. Distances were established between actors and moveable plexiglass frames separated actors. If actors were already in their own bubble then they could act with a partner without a separation. Those are the logistics.
CURIOUS NOTE: I found it interesting (puzzling??) that Lewis Carroll’s name is not mentioned anywhere in the program or the added activity book as the ‘author’ of the original Alice story. Fiona Sauder is noted as the ‘adaptor’ but not mentioned is the source material she adapted. Curious. The Program title only lists “Bad Hats’ Alice in Wonderland. Ok, perhaps it’s because Lewis Carroll never wrote something called Alice in Wonderland. He in fact wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Is this hair-splitting, or what? (and with no hair cuts we have a lot of hairs to split.) OK, I’m giving credit below where it’s due.
The Story. Lewis Carrol’s beloved, whimsical classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has been adapted and created for our contemporary times by Fiona Sauder, the Artistic Director of Bad Hats Theatre. The result is Alice in Wonderland, a filmed family musical, presented by Soulpepper.
The whimsy is still there but it also reflects many of the changes in our world that have happened over the time of the pandemic and before; I’m thinking of Black Lives Matter and gender fluidity and how one acknowledges that.
In this version, Alice is a precocious young girl who is endlessly curious and inquisitive. She asks questions about everything in her class of young kids. Her teacher, Mr. Charles has to remind her that that particular day they are only focusing on answers, not questions. Alice is still not satisfied and when she persists in asking more questions, Mr. Charles moves Alice’s desk away from the other kids so she won’t be so disruptive. But we get the measure of Alice’s imagination and curiosity when she looks out the window and sees clouds and imagines they look like animals. Which leads her to imagine a rabbit which then sends her down the rabbit hole and into a different world.
It is basically the same once we get into wonderland. We have the Mad Rabbit who is always late, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the Cheshire Cat and the Red Queen. But in this version Alice’s real life in her class with her school friends melds into her imagined adventures in Wonderland. For example, Mr. Charles is the harried teacher trying to keep order especially with Alice. He becomes the Rabbit who is late. Alice’s classmates become other characters. Ruby, the smartest, most eager kid in the class becomes the confident, imperious Red Queen.
The character of the Cheshire Cat seems to have been roaming in that classroom before Alice transitioned—so maybe the cat was the class pet? Curious? Alice still has to negotiate Wonderland: to find her way along eight squares and then earn the right to be the Queen. She was coached along the way of the many riddles by Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee.
And it’s a musical. This company is so gifted with imagination and talent. (They did a splendid version of Peter Pan a few years ago for Soulpepper). Landon Doak and Victor Pokinko co-composed the show and it’s full of wit, an intoxicating score and lyrics that reflect the upheaval in this wonderland as well as in the real world. And Fiola Sauder’s adaptation also reflects that juxtaposition between both worlds.
The Red Queen as played fearlessly by Vanessa Sears, instills the Red Queen with whole lot of confidence. At one point the Red Queen is instructing Alice on the rules and how to be a Queen.
So she sings about taking charge:
“So you think you wanna ba a Queen…
You gotta work the system, play within it
Words of wisdom work within em’
Wait to finish, don’t diminish
You’ll need a whole lot of nerve….
Take what you earn, don’t brake and don’t burn
They want service…
From fist’ll just make em nervous
When they get nervous they wanna hurt us
Take back our space like we don’t deserve trust.
Gotta be cool. Gotta be cool. These are the Queen’s rules.”
The lyrics initially speak to being confident but then they get more pointed and seem to be subtly referring to something deeper—that reference to “When they get nervous they wanna hurt us, take back our space like we don’t deserve trust” is going into a whole deeper area reflected by this Queen.
Vanessa Sears is a powerhouse singer/actress. She is also Black. I think those lyrics are referencing Black Lives Matter and the issues that have been brought up this past year. Taking their place, their space and to be seen. Powerful.
The Red Queen says that Alice can be a Queen. But the way that Vanessa Sears plays the Red Queen is full of confidence, maturity and wisdom of a certain world that Alice doesn’t know about. And Tess Benger plays Alice as innocent, precocious and experiences a different world from this particular Red Queen. I loved the juxtaposition.
At another point in the show, there is a fuzzy caterpillar that envelopes itself in a cape-like cocoon. A question is asked: “what happens to the caterpillar?” And the answer is: “They became a butterfly.” The character of the caterpillar is played by Jacob MacInnis who uses the pronoun “they” as one of their pronouns. Writer Fiona Sauder goes deeper into the rabbit hole of Alice in Wonderland to reflect the changing world we all live in now. I think that’s terrific.
Matt Pilipiak plays Mr. Charles as an engaging if harried teacher, and is an anxious, but endearing Rabbit who always feels he’s late. As the Cheshire Cat, who is both in the classroom and in Wonderland, Jonathan Tan is a poem of grace and kindness to Alice and the smile is never overplayed.
Sue Miner has directed this with an intoxicating whimsy. Desks are moved and frames are used to change scenes and reflect a reflective world. And with endless imagination Sue Miner as the director, and Robert Metcalfe and Links Live Media use simple film techniques to suggest Alice is growing or diminishing is size.
To suggest Alice is growing, the camera angle shoots ‘up’ with Alice’s head out of the frame because it can’t contain her whole body. To suggest she is smaller Alice is filed from above, downward thus making her look small. There are other shots with other characters up stage and in perspective that give off different effects in size. Clever.
This is a dandy production of Alice in Wonderland from Bad Hats that reflects our changing world, and will appeal to families on many levels.
Alice in Wonderland can be seen until April 18, 2021 at:
Women Without Men is a workplace drama laced with biting humor, set in the teacher’s lounge of a private girls’ boarding school in Ireland in the 1930s. The play explores the clash of conflicting natures and petty competitions that erupt amongst the school’s cloistered teaching staff. Playwright Hazel Ellis began her theatrical career in the 1930s as a member of the acting ensemble of the Gate Theatre in Dublin. She went on to write two plays for the company, including Women Without Men which was produced at the Gate in 1938. Despite acclaim, the play was never published or revived — until we produced the play’s belated American premiere to much acclaim in 2016 at New York City Center Stage II.
“An overlooked gem… An excellent production. There’s absolutely no grandstanding in director Jenn Thompson’s beautifully composed ensemble piece. Individually, the performances are distinctive, but the collective work of the company is even more impressive.”–VARIETY
https://minttheater.org/streaming-series
Wednesday, April, 7, 2021 7:00 pm
Reading of:
Heartbreak House.
INTERNATIONAL CANADIAN STARS LEAD NEW PROJECT TO SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIC RECOVERYFrom Barrie, Ontario: Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak announced Dinner à la Art, a brand-new community partnership project, that will bring five exclusive, online readings with iconic Canadian and international artists to homes around the world from April 7 to 11,2021.
The first reading is Heartbreak House by George Bernard Shaw and directed by Richard Ouzounian to be streamed on April 7, 2021 at 7pm. This one-time event will star Tony Award winner Len Cariou, best known for his portrayal of ‘Sweeney Todd’ in the original cast of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Film, Television and Stage icon Ed Asner. TIFT alumni and star of Royal Canadian Air Farce Craig Lauzon, Stratford and Shaw Festivals leading actor Alexis Gordon and star of TIFT’s internationally acclaimed The Curious Voyage Michael Torontow. The cast also includes Cynthia Dale, best known for her role as lawyer Olivia Monk in Street Legal and multiple seasons at the Stratford Festival. Joining the cast is Nicole Joy-Fraser, who has performed on West End and across Canada, and debuted her one-person production as part of TIFT’s Plural of She festival last summer.
Play readings for Dinner à la Art were selected and curated by Richard Ouzounian.
An important component of this project is to stimulate economic recovery of the region’s hardest hit, privately owned restaurants and retailers. Admission to any of the Dinner à la Art readings will be with the purchase of a meal or a gift card (a $30 CAD minimum). Purchased meals and gift cards can also be donated to a stranger by each participating restaurant.
This project was conceived to bring Simcoe County’s best elements of entertainment, fine dining, and local merchandise together for a unique, community-inspired event.
How it works Please visit TIFT’s website to see all participating restaurants (dine-in, take-out, and delivery options are available) and retailers. The purchase of $30 CAD or more to any of the participating businesses, an access code will be provided by the chosen outlet to receive a complimentary link from TIFT.
All purchases must be made through the participating restaurant or retailer of choice. After the purchase is made, an access code will be provided by the restaurant and a link to the reading will be provided by Talk Is Free Theatre.
Readings Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Starring Ed Asner, Len Cariou, Cynthia Dale, Alexis Gordon, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Craig Lauzon, And Michael Torontow
In
HEARTBREAK HOUSE By George Bernard Shaw, Directed by Richard Ouzounian
What happens when socialites, tycoons and drifters collide in the British countryside on the eve of World War I? Shaw’s Heartbreak House is a comedy that weaves together the deceptive nature of the ruling class, love triangles, and the fine line between order and catastrophe. -~Running time is 85 minutes~ Technical Requirements A valid email address. A good internet connection.
Thursday, April 8, 2021, 7:00 pm
Reading of:
Riot
MORE CANADIAN STARS OF STAGE AND SCREEN ANNOUNCED AS PART OF DINNER A LA ART, TO SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Barrie, ON…Today, Talk Is Free Theatre released the title and cast of acclaimed artists for one more reading as part of Dinner à la Art. Riot was written in 1995 by Andrew Moodie and will be streaming for one night only on April 8, 2021. Directing this Chalmers Canadian Play Award winner is actor, playwright, and co-founder of Blue Bird Theatre Collective, Tawiah M’Carthy.
Starring inRiotis Dora Award-winning actor Daren A. Herbert, who is best known for his roles in television series Kim’s Convenience, Falling Skies, and several productions with Soulpepper. Fellow Dora Award winner Vanessa Sears who has performed across Canada for such companies as the Shaw Festival and Mirvish Productions is also cast in a major role. The cast also includes Cameron Grant, who has performed with the Shaw Festival and InspiraTO festival; Giovanni Spina who is an acting company member of Shakespeare in the Ruff and TIFT, and Jahlen Barnes, who has performed in featured roles with such companies as the Shaw Festival, Neptune Theatre, and TIFT.
The price of admission to any of these exclusive readings is a $30CAD minimum purchase from one of the local participating restaurants or retailers. To see the complete list of participating businesses, please click HERE.
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Starring Daren A. Herbert, Vanessa Sears, Jahlen Barnes, Cameron Grant, And Giovanni Spina
In
RIOT By Andrew Moodie, Directed by Tawiah M’Carthy
A dramatic and often humorous look at six black Canadians of diverse backgrounds who share a Toronto house. Their lives unfold against the backdrop of civil unrest, which erupted when the Los Angeles police officers on trial for the beating of Rodney King are acquitted. The fracas outside keeps intruding as characters clash, collide, and swap jokes about everything from racism to the status of Quebec as a distinct society, from Malcolm X to The Road to Avonlea.
~Running time is 90 minutes~
Audience Advisory Coarse language and adult content
Technical Requirements A valid email address. A good internet connection.
Friday, April 9, 2021 9 am to 10 amCIUT FRIDAY MORNING, 89.5fm
I’m interviewing Sandra Laronde, the Artistic Director of Red Sky, a superb dance company specializing in telling Indigenous stories through dance.
Friday, April 9, 2021 7:00 pm
Reading of:
She Stoops to Conquer.
Part of Dinner à la Art Initiative from Talk is Free TheatreLet the laughter in! Colin Mochrie and Gavin Crawford lead cast of acclaimed artists in a one-night-only event for a good cause. Barrie, ON…Today, Talk Is Free Theatre announced that internationally renowned comedian Colin Mochrie will star in an exclusive online event with acclaimed artists as part of Dinner à la Art. Directed by Richard Ouzounian, the uproarious comedy She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith will be streamed for one night only on April 9, 2021 at 7pm.
Colin Mochrie is best known for his work on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and his featured roles in The Red Green Show, Murdoch Mysteries, and many more. The cast also includes Gavin Crawford, whose television show, The Gavin Crawford Show, won the Gemini Award for comedy, and Dora Award winner Rebecca Northan, who is best known for her hilarious roles on Alice, I Think, and This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Multi-award winning TIFT alumni and Stratford leading actor Gabi Epstein will be playing a featured role along with local professional Jason Allin, whose one-person production Chaplin: About Facewas commissioned by TIFT. Joining the cast are Dora Award winning performer Malindi Ayienga, who debuted her one-person production last summer as part of TIFT’s Plural of She festival, Brendan Chandler, the current star of TIFT’s indefinitely touring production of Tales of an Urban Indian, and Noah Beemer who has performed with such companies as Young People’s Theatre and TIFT to name a few.
The price of admission to any of these exclusive readings is a $30CAD minimum purchase from one of the local participating restaurants or retailers. To see the complete list of participating businesses, please click HERE.
Friday, April 9, 2021
Starring Colin Mochrie, Gavin Crawford, Jason Alin, Malindi Ayienga, Noah Beemer, Brendan Chandler, Gabi Epstein and Rebecca Northan
In
SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER By Oliver Goldsmith, Directed by Richard Ouzounian
Some things have not in changed in the world of romance since 1773 when She Stoops to Conquer was first performed. Egotistical men still make fools of themselves pursuing women who are far more intelligent and sensible than them. To illustrate how contemporary this classic is, director Richard Ouzounian has assembled a cast featuring some of the finest comedians available today. The Zoom stage is set for hilarity.
~Running time is 90 minutes~ Technical Requirements A valid email address. A good internet connection. Saturday, April 10, 2021, 7:00 pmReading of:Bright LightsLook up! An out-of-this-world experience with stars of stage and screen is coming this April. Streaming online to screens around the globe for one-night-only on April 10, 2021 is the razor-sharp farce Bright Lights, written and directed by Dora Award winner Kat Sandler. Performed by celebrated Canadian artists, this exclusive reading is part of Dinner à la Art, a new project from TIFT to help support some of Simcoe County’s hardest-hit, privately-owned restaurants and retailers.
Garnering numerous accolades since its sold-out premiere in 2016, this masterfully orchestrated comedy stars distinguished stage actor and Dora Award winner Jeff Lillico, whose recent credits include the award-winning television series On the Basis of Sex. The cast also includes award-winning performer Jakob Ehman who starred in the film adaptation of The Drawer Boy and several TIFT productions including The Libertine, and Gotcha. Featured roles are played by the Stratford Festival’s Tahirih Vejdani, whose work can also be seen on CBC and Netflix series, Dora Award nominated performer Brandon Antonio, whose credits include The Rocky Horror Show and Next to Normal, and Vanessa Smythe, best known for her role as ‘Michio’ on the television series The Expanse and performed her solo production as part of TIFT’s Plural of She festival last summer.
The price of admission to any of the exclusive Dinner à la Art readings is a $30CAD minimum purchase from one of the local participating restaurants or retailers. An access code will be provided to anyone making a purchase between now and the performance dates. To see the complete list of participating businesses, please click HERE.
Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 7pm
Bright Lights
Starring Brandon Antonio, Jakob Ehman, Jeff Lillico, Vanessa Smythe and Tahirih Vejdani In
BRIGHT LIGHTS Written and Directed by Kat Sandler
Bright Lights is a dark comedic snapshot into an hour in the life of an alien abduction support group after its leader is accused of being an alien. How do they decide who to believe when everything is shrouded in absurdity? ~Running time is 90 minutes~ Technical Requirements A valid email address. A good internet connection. Sunday, April 11, 2021. 7:00 p.mReading of:The Great Gatsby.Eric McCormack and Chilina Kennedy star in a one-night-only event to help support local restaurants and retailers across Simcoe County. Barrie, ON…Talk Is Free Theatre announced today the title and star-studded cast of one more reading as part of Dinner à la Art. Streaming for one night on April 11, 2021 at 7pm is a new adaptation of the seminal novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The classic novel was adapted for online audiences by Richard Ouzounian, who also directs.
Playing the role of the enigmatic Jay Gatsby is international star of Broadway, Film and Television, and best known for his role as Will Truman on NBC’s smash hit sitcom Will & Grace,Eric McCormack. Star of Broadway’s Beautiful: The Carole King MusicalChilina Kennedy will be playing debutante ‘Daisy Buchanan’. The cast also includes TIFT co-founder and Stratford leading actor Mike Nadajewski, Kimberly-Ann Truong, best known for her featured role in the Stratford Festival’s The Rocky Horror Show, Autumn-Joy Dames, who has been featured in Legally Blonde, and Sister Act; Griffin Hewitt from TIFT’s production of Into the Woods; the Stratford Festival’s Aidan deSalaiz, and Montreal based Gabe Maharjan, who has performed with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.
The price of admission to any of these exclusive readings is a $30CAD minimum purchase from one of the local participating restaurants or retailers To see the complete list of participating businesses, please click HERE.
April 11, 2021
The Great Gatsby Starring Eric McCormack, Chilina Kennedy, Autumn-Joy Dames, Aidan deSalaiz, Griffin Hewitt, Gabe Maharjan, Mike Nadajewski, And Kimberly-Ann Truong
In
THE GREAT GATSBY By F. Scott Fitzgerald, Adapted and Directed by Richard Ouzounian
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story of romantic obsession in the Roaring Twenties gets an intimate and searching re-examination in this Zoom adaptation by Richard Ouzounian, the first dramatic look at this story since it went into public domain this year. Eric McCormack stars as the mysterious millionaire, Jay Gatsby and Chilina Kennedy is Daisy, the woman he loved, lost and tries to win again…with tragic consequences for all concerned. -~Running time is 90 minutes~
Technical Requirements A valid email address. A good internet connection.
Produced by Nightwood Theatre, Native Earth Theatre Company and conceived by New Harlem Productions by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard.
Idea conceived by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard.
Written by: Reneltta Arluk,
Tara Beagan,
Yolanda Bonnell,
Darla Contois,
Aria Evans,
Lindsay “Eekwol” Knight,
Jessica Lea Fleming,
Falen Johnson,
Émilie Monnet,
Yvette Nolan,
Michelle Olson,
jaye simpson
Directed by: Cole Alvis
Jessica Carmichael
Katie German
Sound Design and Composition byOlivia Shortt and Cosette Pin
Multimedia Interpretations by Kaylyn and Kassiday Bernard of Patuo’kn.
Art work: Natalie Sappier,
Cast: Cole Alvis
Reneltta Arluk
Tara Beagan
Samantha Brown
Lindsay “Eekwol” Knight
Monique Mojica
Joelle Peters
Tara Sky
Michaela Washburn
Embodying Power and Place is a huge endeavor produced by Nightwood Theatre, Native Earth Theatre Company and conceived by New Harlem Productions, specifically Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. It dramatizes the 2019 Final Report of the Federal Commission on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls entitled Reclaiming Power and Place.
The Report is a two-part, 12 chaptered, hefty document. In 2020 over a dozen artists from a wide range of disciplines were commissioned by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, of New Harlem Productions, to read and create a response to specific chapters of the report. The digital result is entitled: Embodying Power and Place.
From the press information: “This digital iteration of Embodying Power and Place offers twelve audio-visual works that seek to honour the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, Trans, and Two-Spirit people, and strives to create a sacred space in which to reflect, heal, and find renewed hope. The selections incorporate text, sound and imagery from a rich array of Indigenous creators. “
Some pieces used videos of nature to enhance the spirituality of Indigenous culture. Some used animation for the same effect. Each piece varies in length from about five to 22 minutes. Each segment distils what each chapter is about and presents it in poetic writing suffused with anger, frustration and the brutality of the report, but also illuminates the spirit of Indigenous life, the reverence for the land and earth.
For example:
Villa Puffs by Falen Johnson, directed by Cole Alvis, visuals directed by Patuo’kn, performed by Michaela Washburn.
This piece dramatizes Chapter 1 of the Report: Centering Relationships to End Violence. It is about a woman remembering her younger self and her first encounter with bullies in grade 3 who beat her up. But she was saved by an older girl who defended her. The symbolic sound of crows cawing in the background (as well as in other pieces) illuminates the importance of birds, insects and the land in Indigenous culture, and also focuses on the struggle to avoid violence. Falen Johnson gives the girl a wonderful line: “To be seen is a really powerful thing, eh?”
Baby Girl by Tara Beagan dramatizes chapter 7: Confronting Oppression—Right to Security. Directed by Cole Alvis, performed by Tara Beagan, Joelle Peters, Michaela Washburn.
Lorna is 16 and has been in and out of foster homes. She got pregnant by a young man in one of those homes and she’s just given birth to her daughter. She had her first child at 13 and that child was put up for adoption. It’s looks like the same will happen here. It’s a bleak life of being shunted from one place to another, and not being able to talk to an Indigenous nurse or doctor or at least someone who understands her life and situation. But then Tara Beagan creates a twist in the story that offers hope, salvation and optimism.
While the anger is palpable in the writing, so is the poetry. In Becoming by Michelle Olson the language is ceremonial, reverential. A character says: “The earth is my law. The crows are my scattered thoughts.” So vivid an image.
Subtle drumming underscores many of the pieces. There are the sounds of nature, boots crunching snow, water flowing, birds singing. We are put in the world of each piece.
Embodying Power and Place offers an Indigenous interpretation of yet another report that depicts a disgraceful point in our history.