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In 1939, Indigenous students bring their living culture to one of the Bard’s problem plays

“There’s no monolithic experience of residential school,” says co-playwright and director Jani Lauzon. “There are some really extraordinary plays already written about residential schools that deal with that [more tragic] lens. We set out to write a different kind of play, with a different gaze.”

Roberto Zucco marks a new era in Buddies’ history of queer theatre

Toronto theatre can be a bit risk-averse. Artistic directors, constrained by limited funding, program obvious crowd-pleasers over boundary-pushing experiments. Playwrights, afraid to ruffle feathers, create spaces that validate the public’s...

Speaking in Draft: Justin Miller

“I love to laugh,” says Miller, an actor, bouffon drag clown, performance artist, and teacher extraordinaire. “Some of the most impactful and meaningful experiences I've had have been shared through a comedic lens. I think you have a far better chance of actually changing people with comedy, because it's in moments of surprise and subversion of expectation that you have a chance to knock them off their balance, and maybe show them something new.”

REVIEW: Life of Pi gleams with unforgettable puppets

Based on the beloved novel by Yann Martel, the exquisite touring production uses puppets as its vocabulary, asking complex questions about storytelling and the power of imagination.

REVIEW: Infinite Life thrums with meditations on chronic illness and pain

Director Jackie Maxwell’s production at Coal Mine Theatre, featuring six generous, empathetic performances, is a paean of understanding for the chronically ill, candidly examining the despair and fury of bodily helplessness in a way that’s magnified by our proximity to the characters in the intimate space.

REVIEW: In Rosmersholm, ghosts abound

While the play’s ideas sizzle and pop with contemporary verve, the story’s an occasionally frustrating vessel for those captivating sentiments on politics and identity.

In 1939, Indigenous students bring their living culture to one of the Bard’s problem plays

“There’s no monolithic experience of residential school,” says co-playwright and director Jani Lauzon. “There are some really extraordinary plays already written about residential schools that deal with that [more tragic] lens. We set out to write a different kind of play, with a different gaze.”

Speaking in Draft: Justin Miller

“I love to laugh,” says Miller, an actor, bouffon drag clown, performance artist, and teacher extraordinaire. “Some of the most impactful and meaningful experiences I've had have been shared through a comedic lens. I think you have a far better chance of actually changing people with comedy, because it's in moments of surprise and subversion of expectation that you have a chance to knock them off their balance, and maybe show them something new.”

Speaking in Draft: Davinder Malhi

“When I was younger — around when I graduated theatre school in 2020 — queerness meant identity and identity politics,” says multi-hyphenate Malhi. “In many ways, it still does, but I’ve gotten to a place now where I don’t desire to discuss the identity part of queerness.”

At Canadian Stage’s 41st annual Dream in High Park, everyone is Hamlet

“There's something really democratic about outdoor theatre,” says Canadian Stage artistic director Brendan Healy. “Indoor theatre spaces are awesome, but they can sometimes be intimidating and limited. For many people, Dream in High Park is their one trip to the theatre that they do every year. For many young people, it’s their first experience of theatre.”

Speaking in Draft: Theresa Cutknife

“Of course, we all have to make money and make different sacrifices just to pay the bills, because this city is so horribly overpriced,” says Cutknife. “But why? Why do we have to suffer to feel like we’ve paid our dues to the industry?”

A beloved trio returns to Scarborough’s Guild Park in Three Men on a Bike

“What have I personally got to do with these guys?” asks director Sue Miner. “Nothing, and yet I love them and I love their journey. They just touch people to come along for the ride. That’s part of the draw for me. They [screw up] for us so we don’t have to. We can just sit and enjoy and laugh at their foibles. Anything that brings us all back to humanity is my hero right now.”