playwright Archives - Toronto Guardian

“A Day in the Life” with Toronto Playwright Nick Green

Emilea Semancik — Wed, 22 May 2024 07:33:15 +0000

Nick Green is a Dora Mavor Moore, Elizabeth Sterling Haynes, and Tom Hendry award-winning playwright and book writer based in Toronto. His long list of writing credits includes Body Politic, Dinner with The Duchess, Happy Birthday Baby J, Every Day She Rose (written with Andrea Scott), as well as musicals In Real Life (with composer Kevin Wong) and Dr. Silver (with composers Britta and Anika Johnson.) He is a celebrated and decorated playwright and yet somehow these accomplishments are some of the least interesting things about him. He is a full-time social worker who does impactful work on behalf of Toronto’s young people every day. Over the pandemic, he created and curated the Social Distancing Festival connecting artists and innovators from all over the world. An expert in fibre crafts, he can crochet a very nice hat within an hour. He is a self-proclaimed foodie who can find the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant in any city before you can finish the sentence “Where are we eating tonight?”. He knows just as much about contemporary classical choral music as he does about the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and can discuss both with equal levels of passion and insight. He is a parent to two beautiful dogs, a gourmet cook, a lover of baths, an expert gift-giver, a thoughtful citizen of the world and of course, a bold and brilliant writer. His new play, Casey and Diana, which premiered with a sold-out run at the Stratford Festival this past Summer will open at Soulpepper on January 25 and everyone in the city should go. It will crack you open and heal you in a way that only the very finest art can do.

-Written by Britta Johnson, Nick’s friend and collaborator

An early start to the day! Recording the last bits of narration for the new podcast “With Dignity: The Story of Casey House.” This four-part series has been released as an accompaniment to my play Casey and Diana at Soulpepper

Hard at work recording with podcast producer and writer Pippa Johnstone

The stage door for Soulpepper Theatre. I’ve always wanted to go in through this door! So excited to finally get the chance

The cast and crew of Casey and Diana, ready for a Sunday morning run-through of the play in our rehearsal hall

I like to follow along with the script on both my computer and hardcopy script to make sure everything is up to date and accurate. Coffee is mandatory

Lunch at Brick Street Bakery is a must when one is working in the Distillery District!

It’s actually kind of hard to leave work when this is the setting

Finally home to the dogs, Toby and Nora. They missed me so much!

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Which ’hood are you in?

I live in what some people call the Upper Beaches, which is near Woodbine and Danforth. That said, I’m trying to push a rebrand to the “Arts and Crafts District” because of all the amazing fabric, pottery, baking, painting, and hobby stores. The rebrand is going pretty slowly so far, given that I am literally the only person who says it.

What do you do?

I am a professional playwright and musical theatre book writer. I’ve been doing it for about 20 years and every day is a new and exciting challenge. I’m also a trained social worker and have a whole other life doing that work.

What are you currently working on?

My play Casey and Diana had its world premiere at the Stratford Festival last summer, and I am so lucky to be having that production brought to Toronto this January/February at Soulpepper Theatre. The show chronicles Princess Diana’s famous visit to Casey House, Canada’s first AIDS hospice. This was a significant, stigma-breaking event that is a beautiful part of Toronto’s history. It’s a total dream working with this wonderful cast and crew to bring this show to the city in which it all took place.

Where can we find your work?

There will be a presentation of a new musical of mine called In Real Life, written with Kevin Wong, presented at the Musical Stage Company’s Festival of New Musicals in May. There are also two other upcoming yet-to-be-announced productions in 2024, so stay tuned!

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“A Day in the Life” with Toronto Playwright and Theatre Creator Sunny Drake

Demian Vernieri — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:33:15 +0000

I’ve been partnered to this dreamboat for 14 years and this is the first time I’ve been asked to write a bio for him – how fun! When I met Sunny Drake, he was touring his solo theatre shows around the world. Back then, he toured with his set in a suitcase and trained up local people in every stop to run the tech cues. On our honeymoon, we dragged one of his massive set suitcases through Grand Central Station in New York City and ate hotdogs on the street. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else. In those early days, he did everything on a shoestring budget – I was proud of him for becoming a self-taught theatre artist since traditional theatre school wouldn’t have been welcoming for him as a trans person.

Over the years, as his works became audience favourites and gained critical success, I watched institutional doors open for him and celebrate his unique creative voice. Now it’s a pleasure to watch him being recognized nationally and internationally. His projects are ambitious and epic and bring so many amazing creative people together. Something that I particularly respect is how he makes sure to open doors for others too.

His multi-award-winning shows have been presented in over 60 cities across the world. It’s actually more like 80 cities – I keep telling him to update his website but he refuses because he thinks it sounds far-fetched. I mean whose work has toured to 80 cities? My beloved, that’s who.

-Written by Chanelle Gallant

On a tall ship in the Arctic Circle where I had the idea for Climate Change and Other Small Talk

Anytime we disembarked, we were accompanied by armed guides in case they needed to scare away a polar bear

During my 3 weeks onboard, the sun never went down

We sailed around the Svalbard Islands, 30 artists and scientists each working on our own projects

I collaborated via Zoom with 100 artists in 9 cities – it was a treat to have a meal in-person with the director of the Nigerian team, Omoye Uzamere

Part of my job involves going to a lot of shows like this climate comedy show in Hollywood

Recording as host for Climate Change and Other Small Talk

And then a lot of my job as a writer is…sitting down and writing!

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Which ’hood are you in?

Junction Triangle – on Toronto’s westside.

What do you do?

I’m a playwright and theatre creator. I often use satire, comedy or absurdity to dive into stuff like the climate crisis, revisioning masculinity for the 21st century, and questioning the nuclear family and our economic systems. You know, all the chill stuff.

What are you currently working on?

I just launched a theatrical podcast on Earth Day (April 22): Climate Change and Other Small Talk! It is a worldwide tour for your ears – minus the carbon footprint and lost luggage. I collaborated on it with creative teams in 9 cities across the world who each made a short audio drama for the series. I’ve had the great joy of working on it with over 100 artists in Australia, Chile, India, Mauritius, Nigeria and in 4 cities across Canada: Calgary, Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver. I can’t wait to share it with you all!

Where can we find your work?

Check out the project website. You can sign up for the newsletter and we’ll send you behind-the-scenes stuff that explores the episodes and the teams who made them. You can also listen to Climate Change and Other Small Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast apps. And we post extra fun stuff about the project on social media: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

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“A Day in the Life” with actor and playwright, Jeff Ho

Chiara Di Lena — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 07:00:17 +0000

Jeff Ho is a Hong Kong born Canadian actor and playwright.

Jeff loves his little niece who just turned two. He also has a huge penchant for his adopted cats; Bugs and Sherlock.

He has been with the love of his life for 10 years now and recently got engaged on the Stratford pedestrian bridge.

Jeff also loves to cook as well as taste foods from all over the world. He has an unquenchable curiosity about the history of foods.

When winding down, Jeff loves nothing more than to curl up on the sofa with his partner and cats and watch zombie movies.

Obligatory Actor Headshot. Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Ensemble shot of my adaptation of Antigone, produced by Young People’s Theatre. Photo Credit: Cylla Tiedemann

Performer Virgilia Griffiths in Iphigenia and the Furies (on Taurian Land). Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

A production shot of trace, produced by Factory Theatre. Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Karen Robinson, Rick Roberts, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah and myself in Prince Hamlet, produced by Why Not Theatre. Photo Credit: Bronwen Sharp

My fiancee Pierre and me in Banff.

Our two cats, Bugs and Sherlock, being besties.

The best writing partner in the world.

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Which ’hood are you in?

I’m currently in North York, right by Yonge and Finch. We moved from the east end during the pandemic, and have been enjoying all the great Asian/Korean eats around the hood.

What do you do?

I’m a playwright and actor.

What are you currently working on?

About to share a remount of one of my plays, Iphigenia and the Furies (on Taurian Land), as part of Theatre Passe Muraille’s season, Feb 23-26th, available digitally. We had to pivot from live to digital, and I am very excited to share this play again. The publication for it is also coming up very soon, so am also excited to share that. Otherwise, am working on some other commissions and upcoming productions for the Stratford Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Young People’s Theatre, Geordie Theatre (QC), and Human Cargo.

Where can we find your work?

My plays are published by Playwrights Canada Press. And tickets for Iphigenia can be found through TPM’s website.

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