Spindle Collective is back to bring chills to your spine with their latest work, Síofra. Natalia Bushnik and Kathleen Welch are the creative minds behind SAMCA, Síofra, and the forthcoming SpilleHOLLE. I get to ask them about these shows, about their process, and what audiences can expect from Síofra. Natalia Bushnik and Kathleen Welch 1.…
Vaughan’s Theatre Ya Knowww is heading to downtown Toronto for their inaugural Pan-Asian Theatre Festival. Artistic Director Ethan Persyko took some time to answer my questions about the festival, why a festival like this is so important, and what audiences can expect from the festival’s programming. Ethan Persyko 1. Can you please introduce yourself to…
Chisato Minamimura’s Mark of a Woman is the final presentation of Theatre Passe Muraille’s #BeyondTO series! A truly remarkable piece blending dance and performance, Mark of a Woman is sure to be an unforgettable experience. I asked Chisato about the play, some of the accessibility options available, and her inspiration for the show! Chisato MinamimuraPhoto…
“How many Indigenous artists does it take to make an Opera indigenous?” While this question shouldn’t have to be asked in the first place, it’s what Against the Grain Theatre was faced with when the funding got pulled for their full scale production of Indians on Vacation, an opera based on the novel by Thomas…
“What is Hell?” Take Wilde, famously charged with indecency in a time where it was still illegal to be queer who said: “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.” Or take Huxley, who was so much more than the dystopian fiction we’re forced to read in school, who said:…
The sound of cicadas singing is one of the hallmarks of summer; that chirring can be heard night and day, sometimes at seemingly unbelievable volumes considering they’re insects. You can especially tell the years where the cycles have linked, and the alien-looking creatures cover the trees...or maybe even swarm your home near Trinity Bellwoods Park.…
The content warnings for Vitals on Factory’s website are: “This play contains explicit descriptions of violence, gore, sexual assault, animal and child abuse and self-harm including suicide. It is not recommended for younger audiences.” As such, my review will also be touching on these topics. If you’re planning to see the show, please heed these…
It’s time for the Paprika Festival! This youth-lead festival has been helping to develop the future of Toronto theatre for over 20 years. Melissa Avalos is part of this year’s Playwrights Unit, and I got to ask her about the experience and what audiences can expect from the reading of her latest play. Melissa Avalos…
“We hide our memories, but never bury them” Adeeb dreams of his homeland: Syria. But when he dreams, the faces are foreign to him, so is the place, and yet he has the undeniable feeling that it’s his home. Aksam Alyousef’s Karma, directed by Pleiades’ artistic executive director Ash Knight, blends past and present to…
Where you do find inspiration? In nature? Other art? Or maybe even in another person? When the muse calls, no matter where you find it, you always feel compelled to answer, even if answering it might take over your life. Christina Anderson’s How to Catch Creation, directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, examines the lives of…
A View from the Box 