Skip to content

life with more cowbell

Shouting out the good word on the Toronto arts scene

  • About
  • Art & design
  • Books & language
  • Music
  • My art
  • Theatre
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
life with more cowbell

Tag: The Election

Hope, spirit & skepticism in the vital, timely The Election

Hope, spirit & skepticism in the vital, timely The Election

Clockwise from top: Anand Rajaram, Rachel Cairns, Augusto Bitter & Joelle Peters. Set design by Anahita Dehbonehie. Lighting design by Kaitlin Hickey. Costume design by Jackie Chau. Photo by John Lauener.

 

Common Boots Theatre, in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct, explores the hope, spirit and skepticism on the ground during the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign in The Election, presented by Theatre Passe Muraille (TPM) in their Mainspace. Written by Natasha Greenblatt and Yolanda Bonnell, with the company and dramaturgy by Yvette Nolan, and directed by Jennifer Brewin, assisted by Theresa Cutknife, we follow the journeys of a diverse, intersectional group of election staff and volunteers as they work the campaign and grapple with troubling or non-existent party policy. Vital, timely and mercurial, it pops with the ideas, perspectives and experiences of Canadians as they prepare to vote, or not.

_MG_1031
Foreground: Rachel Cairns & Augusto Bitter. Background: Joelle Peters. Set design by Anahita Dehbonehie. Lighting design by Kaitlin Hickey. Costume design by Jackie Chau. Photo by John Lauener.

What do a young gay Jewish man (Terry: Augusto Bitter), a young Jewish feminist with a poli sci Master’s (Zoe: Rachel Cairns), a young Northern First Nations university grad (Skye: Joelle Peters), a South Asian actor doing research for a production of Coriolanus (Samraj: Anand Rajaram), a Northern First Nations Elder and grandmother (Milly: Rose Stella) and a rambunctious hockey-loving jock (Landon: Courtenay Stevens) have in common? They’re all active participants in the 2015 Canadian federal election campaign, with most working for or volunteering with one of the three major parties.

Presenting a selection of diverse, intersectional characters, representing a broad range of perspectives in rural, suburban and urban environments—including some hilarious and cringe-worthy voters, volunteers and politicians—the outstanding, multi-tasking ensemble sometimes plays outside of their own gender and/or ethnicity, adding an aspect of outreach, understanding and even satire to the proceedings as the campaign teams shout out their respective parties and leaders. All of the characters express a level of political and civic engagement and commitment; and all experience a crisis of faith in their party, struggling with doubts over missing platform planks and controversial policy announcements as they strive for a better Canada. Samraj, who’s volunteering for the Liberals, is a skeptic, believing that all parties make promises and deliver nothing; and Skye pushes back against a broken system that excludes and ignores the country’s Indigenous Peoples.

Incorporating a chorus of Land voices (the entire ensemble), The Election goes beyond the passionate, cerebral, and sometimes academic and ludicrous personal and public debates, to acknowledge and embrace the land on which we vote. The land is in serious trouble—and we all need to do something about it before it’s too late. A live a cappella soundtrack (Alex Samaras composer) of vocals, vocalized responses, ambient sound and integrated live audio description highlights the theme of voices; and brings a visceral immediacy to the exchanges of ideas, thoughts and arguments expressed through dialogue and debate—all in an accessible way.

_MG_0817
Joelle Peters & Rose Stella. Set design by Anahita Dehbonehie. Lighting design by Kaitlin Hickey. Costume design by Jackie Chau. Photo by John Lauener.

As important as the acknowledgment of the land are the moments where we see and hear the perspectives that include the lived experiences of the original caretakers and newcomers to this land, a land that settler culture and government came to call Canada—the former poignantly and thoughtfully highlighted through conversations between Indigenous characters Skye (Peters) and her grandmother Milly (Stella). And during a powerful scene between Skye and Zoe (Cairns), who works for the NDP, that highlights the profound disillusionment and disgust at a system that wrought cultural genocide, oppression and neglect of Indigenous Peoples—and has yet to make it right—and earnest hope for, and belief in, further progress. Why participate in a such a broken system? Like Zoe says, it’s a deeply flawed system, but it’s the only one we’ve got—and it can change.

The Election serves up all the highs, lows, doubts and fears, spirit and hope that emerge along the campaign trail—and, most importantly, the myriad voices of the people framing and responding to the issues. And, with the 2019 federal election just a couple of weeks away, whether your colour is Liberal red, Conservative blue, NDP orange or Green green—we are all the caretakers of this country and we need to vote to make it the best we can.

The Election continues in the TPM Mainspace until October 27; advance tickets available online. If you require assistance with your booking, please email info@passemuraille.on.ca or phone their office at 416-504-7529.

In the meantime, check out Phil Rickaby’s Stageworthy Podcast interview with playwright Natasha Greenblatt.

 

 

Author life with more cowbellPosted on October 13, 2019Categories Moments, Music, Theatre, UncategorizedTags 2015 Canadian federal election, a cappella, accessible, actor, Alex Samaras, Anahita Dehbonehie, argument, belief, Bloc Québécois, broken system, campaign trail, cerebral, chorus, civic engagement, Common Boots Theatre, Conservative Party of Canada, controversy, Coriolanus, crisis of faith, cultural genocide, debate, diversity, doubts, Elder, fears, First Nations, flawed system, framing the issues, grandmother, Green Party, highs, hope, Indigenous peoples, integrated live audio description, intersectionality, interview, Jackie Chau, Jennifer Brewin, Jewish, John Lauener, Justin Trudeau, Kaitlin Hickey, land acknowledgment, LGBTQ, Liberal Party, lived experience, lows, missing policy, Natasha Greenblatt, NDP, neglect, New Democrat Party, newcomers, Nightwood Theatre, Northern, oppression, original caretakers of the land, Other parties, party leaders, party platform, passion, Phil Rickaby, podcast, political engagement, politicians, politics, Progress, push back, response to the issues, rural, settler culture, skepticism, Southern, spirit, Stageworthy Podcast, Stephen Harper, suburban, The Election, the land, the land is in trouble, Theatre Direct, Theatre Passe Muraille, Theresa Cutknife, Tom Mulcair, urban, visceral, vocalized responses, vocals, voices, vote, voters, Yolanda Bonnell, Yvette NolanLeave a comment on Hope, spirit & skepticism in the vital, timely The Election
Follow life with more cowbell on WordPress.com

Recent Posts

  • December (pseudo) hiatus
  • Melanie Peterson’s “Christmas Breaks My Heart” a gentle, melodic nod to holiday heartache
  • Shades of gray in the intimate, entertaining, deeply poignant Between Riverside and Crazy
  • Pride & BLM divide between friends in the provocative, fierce, meta Every Day She Rose
  • Love, joy & connection in the deeply moving, inspiring Between Breaths

Archives

Latest Tweets

  • RT @TorontoStar: The little girl’s excitement about getting a library card was punctured after a library worker repeatedly insisted she was… 1 day ago
  • RT @ShabeSherTO: Pls #join & #SpreadtheWord @ShabeSherTO #Toronto’s most #diverse #brave #poetry December 17, 2019, @tranzac w @JaniceJoLe… 1 day ago
  • RT @lareece93: Do you have your tickets yet?!? You MUST buy in advance to secure your table. It's a wonderful Italian restaurant so come ha… 1 day ago
  • RT @CHCHTV: Stop by @EastgateSquare and see their amazing Christmas set up in Centre Court! Drop off a toy for the CHCH Toy Drive to help… 1 day ago
  • RT @comedynest: Tonight! @shanetorres with host @mikecarrozza and guests @ernievicente and Geoffrey Appelbaum. 8pm & 10:30, $15 tix: https:… 1 day ago
Follow @lifemorecowbell

Blogroll

  • 4:00 DCT (Delicious Cocktail Time)
  • A Broken Brain Story
  • Born This Way Blog
  • Charlebois Post – Canada
  • Coaching With Les
  • Conversation Gym
  • Cristian Mihai
  • Dorothy Surrenders
  • Duncan Armstrong
  • Heather Hill
  • In the Greenroom
  • Kat Leonard
  • Lizzie Violet
  • Mooney on Theatre
  • Patrick Jenkins Animation
  • Stageworthy Podcast
  • TAPA blog
  • The Adventures of Transman
  • The Mind Reels
  • The Televixen
  • Theatromania
  • Toronto Irish Players
  • Waving Not Drowning

life with more cowbell

life with more cowbell

Instagram pix

My two shadow boxes (Love, Oscar and Harry Potter's Nightstand), on exhibit and for sale at @articulations_to 2019 Curio Shadow Box Show, on to Dec 15 (Toronto, Junction neighbourhood). #art
Holiday gorgeousness at Brookfield Place.
Saw this at Shoppers and it reminded me of my childhood. Countdown to Xmas.
@misswatermeloni premieres new holiday single #ChristmasBreaksMyHeart live at @freetimescafetoronto
Drowning sad memories with tequila @misswatermeloni at @freetimescafetoronto
And the main attraction @misswatermeloni on stage right now @freetimescafetoronto
  • About
  • Art & design
  • Books & language
  • Music
  • My art
  • Theatre
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
life with more cowbell Powered by WordPress.com.
Cancel
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy