Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Following rave reviews at the Fringe Festival, All Our Yesterdays returns as part of the curated Next Stage Festival (Jan.6-17) at the Factory Studio Theatre (125 Bathurst Street). The play, written and directed by Chloé Hung, centers on the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Nigeria and stars Chiamaka Umeh (Hairspray, Into the Woods) and Amanda Weise (Pon Broadway, Soundclash). It won the Patron’s Pick for the 2015 Toronto Fringe Festival. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to Save the Children.
"A surprise Fringe treasure" - NOW Magazine
When eighteen-year-old Ladi and her younger sister, Hasana, are kidnapped from their school by Boko Haram, they must work together to survive. While Hasana’s Asperger’s colours her understanding differently from her sister’s, Ladi must face her own demons including the burden of responsibility and the folly of her selfishness. All Our Yesterdays is a memory play that moves from their time spent in captivity and the events leading up to their kidnapping.
"Hung’s play fearlessly confronts and provokes questions about race and gender, about who we value and why" - MyEntertainmentWorld
On April 14, 2014 Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from their school in Chibok, Nigeria. Initially, the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls spread quickly and ignited global outrage. A few months later, the story of the Chibok girls disappeared from the media narrative. As a student herself, Hung felt compelled to write a piece for these girls, both to keep their story alive, and because their desire to learn was the main reason Boko Haram attacked their school.
All Our Yesterdays began as a five-minute piece written by Hung for an assignment at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. It was well received which led to workshops of an hour-long play under the supervision of Gary Garrison and Peter Parnell. Hung also conducted extensive research for the play, including speaking with Pablo Idahosa (York University), Wumi Asubiaro-Dada (Voices 4 Change Nigeria), Hadiza Aminu Dorayi (#BringBackOurGirls Campaign), and accessing special reports such as Julian Eaton’s advisory report Services available for people with Autism in Nigeria.
All Our Yesterdays
Directed by: Chloé Hung
Produced by: Elizabeth Wilson
Featuring: Chiamaka Umeh and Amanda Weise
Running time: 60 minutes
Venue: Factory Studio Theatre,125 Bathurst Street, Toronto
Website: fringetoronto.com/next-stage-festival
Tickets: $15 (Main/Studio) $10 (Antechamber)
Dates
Thursday, January 7 at 6:30PM
Friday, January 8 at 7:00PM
Saturday, January 9 at 4:00PM
Sunday, January 10 at 2:15pm (with talkback to follow)
Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00PM
Thursday, January 14 at 9:15PM
Friday, January 15 at 8:45PM
Saturday, January 16 at 5:45PM
Sunday, January 17 at 8:00PM
Twitter:
#AllOurYesterdays
Chloé Hung - @thisthatchloe
AnOther Theatre - @AnOtherTheatre
Toronto Fringe Fesitval - @Toronto_Fringe
Photo: Chiamaka Umeh and Amanda Weise.
2015-11-24
Toronto: "All Our Yesterdays" returns as part of Next Stage Theatre Festival