A CQC Arts production, in association with Blemme Fatale Productions, is proud to present the Southern Ontario tour of the award-winning play bol, brown boy, bol (speak, brown boy, speak) created by Nawaaz Makhani on March 26-27 at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Ottawa, April 17-18 at the Grand Theatre in London, and May 21-24 at Native Earth's Aki Studio in Toronto. Recipient of the Inspirit Foundation’s inaugural New Narratives Fund in 2025, bol, brown boy, bol is a cheeky, heartfelt solo show about Nawaaz's journey of reclaiming his voice and cultural inheritance through learning tabla, a northern Indian percussion instrument. Tickets will go on sale in February.

Twenty years of being a “coconut” has caught up to Nawaaz, who’s crashed into a dual crisis of identity and faith. Divine intervention sends him a musical Guru, who guides him on a journey towards self-acceptance and love. Directed by Tiffany Wu, bol, brown boy, bol offers a rich musical landscape merging Indian classical music with '90s Bollywood nostalgia, grunge, rap and hip hop. Weaving storytelling with the rhythms of tabla, creator and performer Nawaaz speaks up about the impact of Canadian racism on his identity and shares his story of finding his way back to himself.

“A lot of people think we are stuck living in a divided world, but I disagree, I think there’s more that connects us than we realize, and this story is one way to share that,” said playwright Nawaaz Makhani. “I’m hoping people leave this show with an expanded notion of what it means to grow up Canadian. I hope they feel seen, have had some laughs, and meet new people over a good cup of chai!”

bol, brown boy, bol premiered at the 2024 Toronto Fringe Festival, winning the North (519): Best of Toronto Fringe Award. Since then the show has been further developed to expand the story and ideas.

Nawaaz Makhani (he/him/his) is an educator, activist, and interdisciplinary artist. He has been exploring different art forms (writing, water marbling and tabla) to better understand himself and his place in the world around him. Nawaaz’s work and collaborations often meet at the intersection of mental health, consent education, unwrapping toxic masculinity and healing generational trauma.

CQC Arts is a BIPOC owned small business where everything is designed in Ontario. It is an arts hub seeking to grow with the support of cherished community members who believe in a similar vision.

Creator, performer & Co-Director: Nawaaz Makhani

Co-Director & Creative Director: Tiffany Wu

Tour Producer: Lamesha Ruddock

Associate Producer: Robin McNaughton

Musical Direction: Chiranjit Mukherjee & Nawaaz Makhani

Dramaturgy: Sashoya Simpson & Jimmy Hogg

Lighting Designer: Lindsay Murray

Lighting Consultant: Arantza Luna

Sound Designer: Christine Wu

Social Media Manager: Milena Rzepasztainbok

bol, brown boy, bol 2026 Tour

• March 26-27 at 7pm •

Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Ottawa

 • April 17-18 at 7:30pm •

Grand Theatre in London

• May 20-24 •

7:30pm nightly, and 2pm May 24

Native Earth's Aki Studio

Tickets are $15-40 and will go on sale February 2026

www.bolbrownboybol.ca

Photo: Nawaaz Makhani. © Josiah Bilagot.