Stage Door News
Toronto: Nightwood Theatre announces the Groundswell Festival schedule
Friday, November 8, 2024
It's "new play November" and what better way to celebrate than Groundswell Festival! We are taking over Tallulah's Cabaret at Buddies in Bad Times from November 18-20! Tickets are only $12 for each day of programming and We are so excited to announce the full festival schedule:
Monday, November 18
This evening’s reading will begin with excerpts from work by Curtain Raisers Rakhee Morzaria and Thalia Gonzalez Kane.
7 PM - The Forage by Kijo Gatama
Directed by: Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu
Featuring: Natasha Mumba, Walter Borden, Virgilia Griffith, Tarique Lewis, and daniel jelani ellis
Workshop Shadow: Keira Marie Forde
What could possibly go wrong when your family’s medical history is blank, suspicions of it are disregarded as happenstance or curses or a good tale to discuss at family dinner reminiscing about that “crazy” uncle that mysteriously passed away? This play embarks on a deeply emotional journey exploring family, heritage, and health, shedding light on rarely discussed topics in African households. Mumbi’s revelation of an irreversible hereditary condition during a checkup unravels generations of untold medical history. Who is in her corner?
8:30 PM – WFTH Playwrights Talkback
If you love Reunion Episodes, Behind-the-Scenes content, Director’s Cuts, or want to learn more about the playwrights from this season’s Groundswell, don’t miss the first time all five WFTH playwrights gather in the same room for a very special IRL conversation in front of a live audience (you)! Stick around after the reading to hear the playwrights talk about their scripts, writing process, creative inspirations, and curiosities. Moderated by Interim Program Director Keshia Palm, featuring Hilary Smith, Kijo Gatama, Meara Khanna, Mily Mumford, Pesch Nepoose.
Tuesday, November 19
This evening’s reading will begin with excerpts from work by Curtain Raisers Srutika Sabu and Laurel Marie Munro.
7 PM – Involuntary Parenthood by Hilary Smith
Directed by: Bryn Kennedy
Featuring: Alice Snaden, Johnathan Sousa, Karl Ang, Sochi Fried, Nancy Palk, and Mercedes Isaza Clunie
Workshop Shadow: Avery MacDonald
Danika is a single woman in her late thirties who lives far away from her family and feels increasingly isolated from her peers. Then she gets pregnant by a guy she doesn’t know well. When she decides to keep the baby, he refuses to let her choices affect his. She brings him a co-parenting agreement, he responds by suing her. This story is based on the 2017 Ontario Court of Appeal case, PP v DD.
8:30 PM – Maladaptive by Mily Mumford
Directed by: Keshia Palm
Featuring: Frankie Bayley, Camila Farah, Iris Rhian, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Isabelle Ellis, and Philippa Domville
Workshop Shadow: Oliver Pitschner
Cooper is a very smart, very messy writer and academic who is dealing with debilitating burnout after a late-stage ADHD and autism diagnosis. Amy, who appears to be a character in a book Cooper is writing, is a high school freshman, dealing with the realization that she is queer… and also a werewolf. The two are linked in ways that transcend worlds and memory, and both have something to teach the other. “Maladaptive” is a retelling of the changeling myth, exploring queer, trans and disabled perspectives on love, belonging and the lengths we go to protect our own personal “normal.”
Wednesday, November 20
7 PM – Gremlin by Meara Khanna
Directed by: Michelle Mohammed
Featuring: Mercy Cherian, Jakob Ehman, Hume Baugh, Farhang Ghajar, Pamela Sinha, Caroline Gillis, and Rouvan Silogix
Workshop Shadow: Sanskruti Marathe
Maya is a mid-twenties malcontent and chronic people pleaser, whose opposing qualities are an emotional ticking time bomb. After a mental breakdown in Dollarama goes viral online, she is subjected to racism, isolation and court appointed anger management therapy. Gremlin illuminates Maya’s journey with accepting all the parts of herself that she’s been taught to resent.
8 PM – Playwrights' Platform
Wrapping up our festival celebrations, we are holding our first Playwrights' Platform! Stacked with Nightwood program alum, the Playwrights' Platform will host writers as they boldly explore snippets of their recent work. Come get a taste of all of their pieces and help us send off the 39th annual Groundswell Festival with flare!
Visit www.nightwoodtheatre.net.