Stage Door News

Toronto: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents “Oraculum” December 1-14

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Drag and the divine combine in the world premiere of Oraculum, created and performed by two of Canada’s premier drag artists, Denim and Pythia, opening at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre this December.

Get a glimpse into the enigmatic imaginations of Denim and Pythia as they take you on a journey of self discovery and divine mystery, as filtered through the crystal ball (or computer screen) of an online psychic reading website. Combining performance, puppetry, and projection into an otherworldly spectacle, Oraculum pulls back the velvet curtain on gender and spirituality in an avant-garde freak show setting that will enthral and delight.

The creative team includes set, lighting, and projection designer Cosette “Ettie” Pin and sound designer steph raposo, with costumes by Pythia and Jaime Lujan and a script from ghostwriter Lauren Gillis.

Oraculum, a Buddies in Bad Times and Denim + Pythia co-production, runs from December 1 to 14. Opening night is December 5 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available here and prices range from $10-$75; additional taxes and box office fees apply.

"Creating and performing Oraculum at Buddies in Bad Times, one of North America's most iconic queer theatres, is such an honour for us. Over the last decade, drag has moved so far beyond the bar scene—it’s on our screens, on the runway, on stage—it’s everywhere! And getting to mix theatre and drag, to share our stories and connect with this wider, vibrant community, feels more meaningful than ever, especially in today’s challenging political landscape. We are so happy to be collaborating as a drag family and getting to share our collective vision of what drag and storytelling means to us. We always strive to push and expand the boundaries of drag artistry and Buddies is giving us the opportunity to do just that!” - Denim and Pythia.

“Denim and Pythia are two of Canada’s most daring drag artists, with wildly original visions and aesthetic, constantly challenging the notion of what drag is and looks like,” says Buddies artistic director ted witzel. “I’m thrilled to be working with them to lean into Buddies’ long history of platforming boundary-pushing interdisciplinary performance. As expected, they are reinventing the form, with a hybrid of drag and theatre that offers a sexy pagan alternative to the heterosexual capitalist fluff on most theatre stages in December.”

Christos Darlasis is a Greek-Canadian artist, best known for his appearances as Pythia on Canada’s Drag Race Season 2 and RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars, and Oraculum is his debut project at Buddies in Bad Times. Christos has a unique gift for turning fantasy into reality, weaving intricate storytelling through drag, which alchemizes his obsession with history, mythology, culture, fashion and art. He holds a degree in Costume and Set Design from the National Theatre School of Canada (2019), and his work embodies years of passion and devotion, delivering other-worldly experiences, every time he struts in heels on stage.

Emerson Sanderson was born and raised in Prince Edward Island and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Intermedia and Cyber Arts from Concordia University in 2023. Drag allows Emerson to combine his passions of performance, fashion, makeup, video and textile art into one medium. Emerson’s drag persona, Denim, is best known for being on Canada's Drag Race Season 4, showcasing her otherworldly looks and performances. As an autistic trans man, Denim seeks to broaden the boundaries of drag, making it more inclusive for neurodiverse and trans communities. Denim manifested from the hyper-feminine persona Emerson saw as a “gender performance” before his medical transition. Through Denim, Emerson explores identity as fluid, creating something physical and tangible from imposed gender and neurotypical stereotypes.

Oraculum is part of Buddies’ Queer Voices Canada Series, presented with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Previews: December 1 + 3 7:30 PM

Opening Night: December 5 7:30 PM

Show Run December 1–14, Tue – Fri 7:30 PM, Sat. 2 p.m. + 7:30 PM

Mask Mandatory Performances: December 7 // 2 PM + December 10 // 7:30 PM

Relaxed Performance: December 7 // 2 PM