Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Out The Window is a powerful piece of documentary theatre that charts playwright Liza Balkan‘s multi-year journey through the justice system and beyond after witnessing a man die during an altercation with Toronto police. The man’s name was Otto Vass, and Liza witnessed his final moments from her apartment window in August 2000.
With the help of a remarkable cast that includes acclaimed actors R.H. Thomson, David Ferry and Julie Tepperman, and an extraordinary design team, comprised of multiple Dora Award winners Trevor Schwellnus, Michelle Ramsay, Thomas Ryder Payne and Liza herself, the piece grapples with complex issues surrounding policing, accountability, memory, truth, perspective, mental health, law, and theatre.
Out The Window uses compelling court transcripts, sound, video and selections derived from countless interviews with top lawyers from both sides of the bench, a former Chief Justice, journalists, activists, artists, police force members, a police psychologist, mental health experts and family members of the deceased. The tremendous volume of information associated with the development of the show has been captured and made accessible to the public via The Brain – Out The Window’s online companion, developed by Praxis Theatre’s Aislinn Rose, which will be launched in February 2012.
Out The Window employs active audience involvement, as it strives to create a thrilling theatrical forum to investigate a highly charged and provocative subject and pose important questions about personal accountability. Selected Out The Window performances will be followed by post-show discussions featuring community activist Anna Willats, renowned human rights lawyer Paul Copeland, former Mayor of Toronto John Sewell, Deputy Chief of Police Mike Federico, Dr. Sandy Simpson, Head of Law and Mental Health Program at the Department of Psychiatry at UofT, Jennifer Chambers of The Empowerment Council, and Dr. David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor, Education and Public Affairs at CAMH.
Out The Window was developed in Residency at The Theatre Centre and has since received workshops and support from Crow’s Theatre, Nightswimming, Nightwood Theatre, Studio 180, Theatre Passe Muraille, and others. Out the Window is presented in March 2012 as part of FREE FALL ‘12, The Theatre Centre’s biennial festival of bold new performance work.
“I go from being a witness, within a split second, to being a participant in this event.” - Out The Window
Out The Window
Created and Directed by Liza Balkan
Featuring David Ferry, Julie Tepperman and R.H. Thomson
With Brett Donahue and Ryan Allen, Andrew Ferguson, Zahir Gilani, Nadeem Umar-Khitab,
Matt Murray, Jason Siks
Scenography: Trevor Schwellnus
Lighting Design: Michelle Ramsay
Sound Design: Thomas Ryder Payne
Costume Consultant: Bojana Stancic
Dramaturge/Associate Director: Shari Hollett
March 17-20 & 25, 2012
Saturday-Tuesday & Sunday, 7pm
The Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto ON M6J 1H3
Regular Tickets $25 | Student/Senior/Arts Worker Tickets $20
BOX OFFICE: 416-538-0988 | Totix.ca | MORE INFO: www.theatrecentre.org
2012-02-10
Toronto: The Window Collective and The Theatre Centre present “Out the Window” March 17-25