York University
iPhoto caption: Karen Robinson in a promo photo for 'Prophetess.' Photo by Dahlia Katz.
When I spoke to actor Karen Robinson and playwright Ho Ka Kei about Prophetess' upcoming world premiere, they described an artistic process grounded in care and collaboration. Ho had long wanted to write the part of Queen Margaret for Robinson, and he framed the “love letter aspect” of writing for people he holds dear as key to the play’s origin story.
iPhoto caption: Graphic by Krystal Abrigo.
York University’s Facing Backlash symposium builds solidarities in tough times
The symposium’s two packed days felt to me like the collective pursuit of an elusive, shape-shifting prey. But as participants shared experiences, and common-interest groups opened up their internal dialogue to the rest of the symposium, the contours of what we’re all up against started to come into focus for me, and I felt a collective sense of purpose growing.
iPhoto caption: Photo courtesy of York University.
“I think the fundamental issue is that the foundation of inequity is still intact,” says co-curator Mariló Nuñez. “If you think about when Canadian theatre was first established, the theatre we were watching and learning about was Eurocentric, Western theatre… We place everything against that [perceived] ideal. Until that changes, I don’t think we can really make a change.”
iPhoto caption: (left to right) Jamie Robinson (original photo by John Bregar) and Walter Borden (original photo by Michael Meehan)
(Re)Casting the Shakespearean Mold: In Conversation with Jamie Robinson and Walter Borden
This is the heart of what (Re)Casting Shakespeare is about: examining how casting can influence the audience’s interpretation of the story.