My journey with Jamar Adams-Thompson began when he was in rehearsals for Three Ordinary Men with Cahoots Theatre. A storyteller and polymath at heart, Jamar is always consuming or creating art. I already knew he was a wonderful person with a heart of gold; I soon learned that he was an extraordinary actor and artist too. From start to finish of the creative process, Jamar fully immerses himself in research and deep thoughtful work in order to successfully tell a story or portray the character he is embodying.
Jamar has worked with multiple theatre companies and creative teams, including Shakespeare In Action and by extension, has led art education workshops at Artscape Weston Common. In the summer of 2023, Jamar also had the exciting opportunity to travel for work, performing for the Chemainus Theatre Festival on Vancouver Island!
I always try my best to see his shows more than once. We love experiencing theatre, film and art together and talking about the work we see, sometimes over dinner or while on a hike in the woods. He is fiercely passionate about uplifting his community and without a doubt, one of the most fascinating individuals I have ever met. He has accomplished so much in such a short period of time, and he’s just getting started.
-Written by Rachel Smith
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Which ’hood are you in?
North York – The Village
What do you do?
I am an actor, storyteller and artist educator. Though you will most often find me on stage, I also work on film, voice art, poetry and writing. Primarily, I choose to seek out stories that allow me to exercise my activism and uplift the Black diaspora. But Comedy, Farce, Clown and satire hold a huge place in my artistry. So yeah, just a regular degular artist!
What are you currently working on?
I am working on a beautiful play with Pleiades Theatre called Tyson’s Song, written by the iconic Peter N. Bailey. Tyson’s Song centres around two best friends: Tyson and Bryan on a last night out in the city. It is a story rooted in brotherhood, friendship, self-acceptance, grief, resilience and chosen family. This is a powerful and sincere story that I hope brings more attention to the conversations surrounding Black masculinity and men’s mental health. I’m so ready for y’all to see this!
Where can we find your work?
I have a special spot in Black Liberators WWII playing on the History Channel and StackTV Canada. You can also find my voice work on many Pearson Education E-books. Most importantly, you’re going to want to see Tyson’s Song for its WORLD PREMIERE happening at Factory Theatre from April 24 to May 19. Reach Pleiades Theatre or Factory Theatre and stay connected with us on Instagram.
