Stage Door News
Stage Door News
September 15, 2014, TORONTO - b current is excited to announce the line-up of its afteRock Plays, running October 10-25, 2014. b current invites audiences to discover culturally diverse talent at the 2nd annual event presenting shows that grew out of the 12th annual rock.paper.sistahz festival that took place May 2013. This year’s afteRock Plays line-up includes b current playwright in residence Catherine Hernandez in Femme Playlist and Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera by award winning playwright Sébastien Heins. These works are presented at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander St) as part of their official season.
Hernandez’ role as playwright in residence includes developing The Femme Playlist and her new work I Cannot Lie to the Stars that Made Me, facilitating and mentoring mandiela rAiz’n Ensemble members to create their own works and working with b current artistic directors Jajube Mandiela and Naomi Abiola to find and develop emerging talent in the annual festival and training programs.
“b current is a haven for culturally diverse artists to come and develop new works. We’re excited for this year’s afeRock Plays line-up because they discuss challenging subject matter in a unique and highly engaging way,” notes artistic director Jajube Mandiela.
The series of works presented at afteRock Plays 2014 are:
The Femme Playlist
Playwright/performer: Catherine Hernandez
Director: Gein Wong
A co production with Sulong Theatre Company and Eventual Ashes
From masturbation to motherhood, body shame to burlesque, Catherine Hernandez uncovers the realities of living as a queer woman of colour. This multidisciplinary experience, which includes Filipino fan dancing and soulful singing, is directed by 2014 Ken McDougall award winning director, Gein Wong. It reveals what it’s like to be sexy and proud, slutty and loud, queer and brown.
Hernandez is the 2014 b current playwright in residence. She is a queer, brown, twice published theatre creator and burlesque performer. She received seven Dora Award nominations for her work, Singkil in 2007.
Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera
Playwright/performer: Sébastien Heins
Director: Karin Randoja
Brotherhood: The Hip Hopera is an explosive solo physical performance telling the funny, dark and poignant story of two brothers living the Hip Hop Life. The original hip hop score by Heins and local Toronto beatmakers takes audiences on a dark journey of redemption and brotherly love spanning the 1970s to the future. In its debut showing, Brotherhood: A Hip Hopera will give audiences the immersive experience of being at a live hip hop show, including local opening acts.
Heins is an award winning writer, composer and performer, and was named Best Emerging Artist at United Solo in NYC. He cofounded Toronto’s multiple Dora Award winning immersive theatre company, Outside the March, and currently serves as one of four core associate artists. Recent credits also include a Buddies in Bad Times Risk and Innovation Award for Le iShow at SummerWorks Performance Festival in 2013.
About b current
b current is the hotbed for culturally-rooted theatre development. The company develops new works by diverse artists primarily rooted in the cultural, social, and political experiences of the Canadian and international Black Diaspora.
b current produces outside of the box performance pieces and ideas in addition to their main stage theatre productions. Since inception they mounted over a dozen mainstage plays, as well as over 70 public performances including public readings and workshops.
Originally founded as a place for black artists to create, nurture and present their new works, b current has grown to support artists from all diasporas. For over 23 years they have been creating space for diverse voices to be heard, with a focus on engaging the communities from which those stories are rooted. To learn more, visit www.bcurrent.ca
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Tickets can be purchased here.
2014-09-16
Toronto: b current presents its second annual "afterRock Plays" October 10-25