Talk Is Free Theatre Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak announced today that their production of Tales of an Urban Indian–which, for most of its 800+ performances across Canada and around the world, has been performed on a moving city bus–will make its upcoming Toronto engagement a stationary one.

Staged in an intimate space inside the Hope United Church at 2550 Danforth Avenue from May 22-31, 2025, the play by Darrell Dennis is about a contemporary Indigenous man named Simon who grows up both on the reserve and in the “big city.” Herbie Barnes directs the dark comedy that conjures up many characters that appear in Simon’s life, all played by one actor. Production design of the upcoming Toronto iteration will be by Kathleen Black.

Several actors have performed the role of Simon over the years for TIFT since their first production of Dennis’ play in 2009, among them Darrell Dennis, Herbie Barnes and Craig Lauzon. Nolan Moberly will return to the role for the Toronto run after several performances on buses in various locations around the globe. He looks forward to approaching the play from a new perspective.

“Simon’s journey is defined by running from his problems. Making the space more intimate forces Simon to confront these moments in his life,” says Moberly. “Having it just be Simon and you in an intimate space feels like you’re the only people who should be looking into this portrait of a conflicted man.”

A little later in TIFT’s season, the previously announced The Frogs will transfer to the Shaw Festival as part of their Spiegeltent series of productions after a Barrie staging outdoors in a residential garden in June.

Based on the play written in 405 BC by Aristophanes, freely adapted by Burt Shevelove, even more freely adapted by Nathan Lane and with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, this hilarious, yet poignant, musical follows Dionysos, Greek god of wine and drama, and his slave, Xanthias, on a journey to Hades to collect George Bernard Shaw, so that he may enlighten the masses of Earth. However, William Shakespeare shows up and engages in a battle with Shaw. and a fight for the honor of reincarnation ensues.

The Frogs will feature Kyle Brown, Crystal Casera, Sydney Cochrane, Dean Deffett, Taylor Garwood, Richard Lam, Nolan Moberly and John-Michael Scapin. It will be directed by Griffin Hewitt, choreographed by Julio Fuentes, musical direction by Ben Page, set/costume design by Varvara Evchuk, lighting design by Nic Vincent. The production will be managed by Jeff Soucy, with stage manager Alana Freistadt and assistant stage manager Connor Bustamante.

The Frogs will play in Barrie June 18 - 28, 2025 in an outdoor site-specific production; the Shaw engagement runs July 11 - 13, 2025 at the Spiegeltent.

The Frogs will add another Sondheim notch on Talk Is Free Theatre’s belt, having already produced Anyone Can Whistle, Sunday In The Park With George, Assassins (a BirdLand Theatre co-production), and several versions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Into The Woods in multiple locations around the world.

Talk Is Free Theatre is an award-winning Barrie-based company celebrating its 22nd season of cutting edge artist-driven theatre at home in Barrie, across Canada and around the world. TIFT’s recent celebrated appearances in Toronto include Cock by Mike Bartlett (on now until May 2), David Hirson’s La Bête, a site-specific For Both Resting and Breeding, Into The Woods at the historic Winter Garden Theatre, and the multiple Dora Award-winning Sweeney Todd.

EVENT LISTINGS:

TALES OF AN URBAN INDIAN

By Darrell Dennis

Directed by Herbie Barnes

Production Design by Kathleen Black

Starring Nolan Moberly

Running May 22-May 31, 2025 (official opening May 23)

Hope United Church

2550 Danforth Avenue, Toronto

Tickets: $44+HST; $22+HST for artists/students (ID must be shown at box office)

www.tift.ca

THE FROGS

Written in 405 BC by Aristophanes

Freely adapted by Burt Shevelove

Even more freely adapted by Nathan Lane

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Directed by Griffin Hewitt

Choreographed by Julio Fuentes

Musical Direction by Ben Page

Set/Costume Design by Varvara Evchuk

Lighting Design by Nic Vincent

Barrie:

Running June 18-28, 2025 (official opening June 20)

801 Big Bay Point Road, Barrie

Tickets: $39+HST; $19.50+HST for artists/students (ID must be shown at box office)

www.tift.ca

Shaw Festival:

Running July 11-13, 2025

Spiegeltent

10 Queen’s Parade, Niagara-On-The-Lake

Tickets: $56.50+$7.50 service charge

www.shawfest.com