Choosing forgiveness

Hiro Kanagawa’s adaptation of Forgiveness invites us to discuss the divisive world we’ve come to live in and why embracing forgiveness is so important. “At this point, in my life and career, I think it is important for me to engage with these stories and tell them from my point of view,” says Kanagawa, actor, writer and…

Huffing and Puffing: The 3 Little Pigs revisited and somewhat twisted

Vaxxing and masking has brought out the age-old struggle of individualism vs solidarity, and Stiles & Drewe’s The 3 Little Pigs is the best platform for opening children’s imaginations. Described as a cute, fun, and whimsical musical by director Chris Lam, Carousel Youth Theatre’s version delights young and old with this unexpected take on the traditional folk…

3 little pigs come to town

A mother pig becomes a sole parent when the progenitors’ father gets taken away by the Big Bad Wolf, and she must encourage them to leave the family’s sty to make their way into the big wide world. Carousel Theatre for Young People (CYTP) presents the Canadian premiere of a classic tale with a musical…

A fire in the forest

Never in nature does one see different animals come together in a small space with tolerance. Then again, never in nature has anyone seen so many forest fires. JMar Electric’s The Cave explores the effects of climate change through the point of view of animals whose home is being engulfed in flames. Displaced and fearful, some animals…

The 22 per cent

Realwheels Theatre began as a professional theatre company with a mandate to create and produce performances that deepen understanding of disability, but they didn’t stop there. The company expanded into community engagement work and then again into ancillary projects that address problematic barriers to people with disabilities. Most recently, Realwheels launched an actor training academy…

Pass Over: A much-needed story

Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu has created a new and powerful play which merges the brutal realities that many people are living in with the classic play Waiting for Godot by playwrightSamuel Becket. In Pass Over, directed by Omari Newton, two young black men wait for a stranger and experience horrifying violence and other brutal realities on Chicago’s Southside while…

Humour permeates history play

In Yellow Fever, a play written by R.A. Shiomi, central character Sam Shikaze investigates the disappearance of the ‘Cherry Blossom Queen.’ The drama is set in the 1970s on Powell Street and highlights key issues such as racism and police corruption while keeping the audience engaged with comedic relief. Directed by Donna Spencer, the play is…

An experiment in optimism

The importance of valuing young people, by addressing their hidden fears, is an idea Valerie Methot, executive director at Some Assembly Theatre company, supports. Methot, who overcame being an at-risk youth herself, presents the play The Wait List Experiment because she knows even today youth are not being taken seriously. “We’re all unique individuals and we all…

Lampedusa – Fable or Truth?

Denise and Stefano live parallel lives as they are forced to sacrifice human qualities to survive in a place that is controlled by the one per cent. The characters in Lampedusa create a friendship with a perceived ‘outsider’ which leads to their salvation in a sense. Lampedusa is a play produced by the Pi Theatre and directed by…

Bad Parents A modern take on parenting

Parenting is like figuring out a puzzle in the play Bad Parents, says performers Raugi Yu and Josette Jorge. Bad Parents reveals the real story of parenting and does not hide behind rose colored glasses like other portrayals in vAct’s presentation at the Cultch Historic Theatre, Apr. 21–May 1. “Always be kind. No matter what is happening or…

The Nonexistent: a story of courage and complex global migration

The Nonexistent, directed by Yves Simard, is focused on telling a story many people may know all too well: displacement. The story of a young girl forced to forge a new path as she leaves her country reveals the complexity of migration and exile through acrobatics, dance, movement and stunning scenery. The English version of…

Identities celebrated

The frank theatre and The Cultch present Be-Longing, a production that blends film, theatre, and new media to explore themes ranging from queer identity to immigration and diaspora, as well as the complicated feelings, places, and experiences underlying them. According to co-creator Fay Nass, exploring the lives of four queer immigrants is meant to embrace the…

Black Lives Matter on stage –a tribute and a prayer

Based on the real-life murder of Trayvon Martin that launched the Black Lives Matter movement, Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers is an exciting and emotional theatre show that tells the story of a black teenager and his experience in the afterlife. Written and performed by Makambe K Simamba, the play will premiere in Vancouver from…