BACKGROUNDER: New Collaborative Producing Model Suorted b!

"#! Not $#eatre and $#eatre S%it# Gil%our

The Independent Creators Cooperative is a new theatre collaboration that brings together three emerging
companies supported by two veteran companies in order to present the world premieres of three physical theatre
productions to open The Theatre Centres BMO Incubator space. These original plays will run in repertory
Thursday-Sunday from April 17 to May 18 with previews from April 12-16.
This mini-season of exceptional theatre includes Ahuri Theatres Ralph + Lina! lay It A!ain roductions
Death Married My Daughter and "O# Theatres Business As Usual.
The productions will be supported through a new collaborative producing model that will provide the producing
companies with artistic and administrative mentorships with award-winning creators Theatre $mith%&ilmour
"#ean $ilmour and %ichele Smith! &o-Artistic #irectors' and 'hy (ot Theatre "(avi )ain! Artistic #irector'.
Here is some background on each theatre, gleaned from their websites:
1. About Ahuri Theatre
Ahuri Theatre is an award winning international collective of artists. We strive to bring
together that which is usually separated, and to discover the likeness between things which
are thought unlike. We do this through live performance, placing people, cultures, languages
and ideas in a creative space to be explored, celebrated, challenged, and transformed.
Inclusion is at our core: we progressively dene, evolve and redene our creation methods
to include everyone in the room regardless of language, culture and ability. We eat, work and
play together. We laugh. We make mistakes. And through our common experiences, we
strive create something original that can smash preconceived notions, above all, those
deemed to be universal.
!ur collective was formed in "une #$$% out of the collaboration of its founding members at
l&'cole Internationale de Th()tre "ac*ues +eco*. In !ctober #$$%, members from % di,erent
countries traveled to "apan to perform, give workshops and learn about "apanese traditions
and culture. !ver the following years, we visited each other, created and toured work, led
and followed workshops and continued to develop our ever evolving approach to making
theatre. The collective continues its activities today led by -aruna .ondo in "apan and /an
Watson in 0anada.
We believe we are only as strong as those we are with. +ucky for us, we have some
incredible collaborators. We have formed partnerships with arts organi1ations the 2etagaya
3ublic Theatre, Theatre 0entre, Theatre 2mith 4ilmour and Why 5ot Theatre, government
agencies The 5orwegian and 0anadian 6mbassies of Tokyo, 6ducational institutions
7niversite du 8uebec a 9ontreal, Toho 7niversity of "apan and -umber 0ollege, and cultural
institutions The "apan :oundation of Toronto, The "apanese 0anadian 0ultural 0entre and The
0olumbus 0entre.
http:;;www.ahuritheatre.com
#. About Play it Again Productions
http:;;www.playitagainproductions.com;
9ore info here: http:;;theatresmithgilmour.com;#$<=;$#;$=;death>married>my>daughter>
comes>to>torontos>theatre>centre;
?. About ZO Theatre
@!7 is an international theatre company, led by Artistic /irector Aiktor +ukawski.
The company name is an exclamation borrowed from the :rench: BAlle1C @ouCD EB!, with
youC !nwardsCDF
We take this word to heart as an impulse to create, to move forward, to never remain
stagnant. We are dedicated to: the development and production of original, captivating
words for international audiences. We create works that are urgent and relevantG that reHect
our cultures and climatesG that challenge and provoke the audienceG and that seamlessly
weave between pathos and humour, between order and chaos. !ur works are developed
through the Ioy of playing and movement.
http:;;cargocollective.com;1outheatre;business>as>usual
=. About the !entors:
About Theare "mith#$ilmour
/ean 4ilmour and 9ichele 2mith met in <JKL while studying at the 2chool of "ac*ues
+eco* in 3aris, :rance. In <JL$, they formed the company and since have created ?$
shows, <M of which were original plays. The company has toured across 0anada several
times and to <= countries throughout 6urope and Asia. !ur work has been nominated for
#= /ora Awards Ewinning %F, as well as being nominated twice for the 0halmers& Nest
0anadian 3lay Award.
In #$$$>#$$<, 0hekhov&s shorts played a total of ## sold>out weeks with rave reviews at
the :actory Theatre in Toronto, the :irehall Arts 0entre in Aancouver, Workshop West in
6dmonton, the -ong .ong 0ultural Arts 0entre in -ong .ong, 6astern :ront Theatre in
/artmouth and the 2aidye Nronfman Arts 0entre in 9ontreal. The show returned to
Aancouver for two weeks in 9arch #$$#.
3art II of the 0hekhov 0ycle, 0hekhov longsOIn The Pavine enIoyed a virtually sold>out
run at Toronto&s :actory theatre in :ebruary #$$# and was presented at 0arrefour
International Theatre :estival in 8uebec 0ity in 9ay #$$#, The 9agnetic 5orth Theatre
:estival in !ttawa and the :estival des Ameri*ues in 9ontreal in 9ay;"une #$$?. 3art III
of the 0hekhov 0ycle, /r. 0hekhov: Ward M premiered at the :actory Theatre in #$$= and
3art IA, 0hekhov&s -eartache premiered at the :actory Theatre in #$$% and was
remounted there in #$$M.
In #$$K 2mith and 4ilmour travelled to 2hanghai, 0hina to create and perform +u Qun
blossoms with three actors from the 2hanghai /ramatic Arts 0entre and three actors
from 0anada. This show is the rst ever 2ino>0anadian co>production in theatre. In #$$L,
the world premiere of .atherine 9anseld was presented in Toronto, to great acclaim and
revisited in 2pring of #$$J. In !ctober #$$J, 9ichelle and /ean partnered with Adam
3aolo11a and Pavi "ain for the incredibly successful run of 2365T 2mith and 4ilmour also
developed a play based on the stories of the Nrothers 4rimm, 4rimm too which was
presented in association with :actory Theatre in :ebruary #$<$.
Theatre 2mith>4ilmour, Why 5ot Theatre and TheatreP75 presented a return
engagement of the /ora>Award winning and critically acclaimed smash hit 2365T at the
:actory 2tudio Theatre, !ctober #J>5ovember #L, #$<$.
Their production As I +ay /ying, based on William :aulknerRs book of the same name,
was presented 9arch L>?<, #$<? at Theatre 3asse 9uraille to acclaim.
http:;;theatresmithgilmour.com;
About %hy &ot Theatre
Pavi "ain, Artistic /irector
!wais +ightwala, Artistic 3roducer
:ounded in #$$K, Why 5ot Theatre is a Toronto>based theatre company with an
international scope. 7nder the Artistic /irection of Pavi "ain, Why 5ot has established a
reputation as a company synonymous with inventive, experimental, cross>cultural
collaborations resulting in shows featuring new 0anadian writing, company>devised and
site specic shows alongside revitali1ed interpretations of classics. In recent years, the
company has also become known for its presentation of international productions and
workshops from diverse cultures and artistic practices, along with support for the
development of local emerging artists and companies.
6ssential to our creative process are the collisions that arise from our di,erent cultures,
languages and experiences provoking us to seek new styles, stories and forms. !ur
theatre is international in the truest sense of the word: it is created between nations and
transcends the borders of race, celebrating all cultures, languages and forms.
BWhile working in 5airobi, .enya I learned of 5gugi wa&Thiongo. -e was a pioneer of
.enyan theatre, who was exiled for rediscovering a .enyan theatre, which challenged the
Nritish rule and history of the country. 2omeone wrote of his work, Bhe was searching for
alternative visions of existenceD. That phrase has stuck with me ever since, and is the
bedrock of everything I do. :or our company, it means challenging the status *uo and
what kinds of stories are being told and who is telling them. B S Pavi "ain
4uided by our core values of innovation, community and collaboration we strive to play ?
roles:
'reate > We develop and produce new work that has gained critical acclaim and has
toured across 0anada and around the world. !ver the last M years we have developed
over <= productions, touring to <% di,erent cities on = continents. We strive to be
undenable, creating theatrical experiences that engage an audience beyond the
connes of the theatre. !ur plays are a reHection of the people we work with, therefore
no two shows are alike.
2ome of the company&s recent successes include A Nrimful of Asha Ewritten and directed
by Pavi "ain, starring Pavi&s real life mother Asha "ainF, Iceland Ewritten by 5icolas Nillon,
directed by Pavi "ainF and 2pent E/ora award winning collaboration with Theatre 2mith
4ilmour and Theatre PunF, all three are shows we are touring all over 0anada and the
world.
Present > Why 5ot Theatre presents the highest *uality of international artists and their
work to expose artists and audiences to new artistic forms and cultures. We have hosted
workshops by artists from companies such as:
0omplicite E7.F
2ITI 0ompany E72AF
The Nuilder&s Association E72AF
3eter Nrook&s 0ompany E:ranceF
Theatre du 2oleil E:ranceF
Tadashi 2u1uki&s 0ompany of Toga E"apanF
We have also hosted productions from
Theatre Ad Innitum E7.F
9otley Theatre EIndiaF starring Nollywood star 5aseeruddin 2hah
+ocally, we have partnered on international productions of:
A Nig 2moke ETheatre Ad InnitumF
A :ools +ife EAhuri TheatreF
(nno)ate > Why 5ot is more than Iust a theatre company, we are also socially minded
entrepreneurs invested in building a healthier performing arts ecology in Toronto. We are
experimenting with new producing models in order to address systemic challenges to the
development of art and sustaining of artists in Toronto.
We are currently exploring maIor initiatives which are building innovative partnerships
between established institutions like 2mall World 9usic, 0anadian 2tage 0ompany,
Toronto Peel Asian :ilm :estival and The Theatre 0entre to build new audiences, and local
emerging companies like 2uburban Neast, Theatre @!7, Ahuri Theatre and 3lay it Again
3roductions in order to support new work and challenge traditional modes of creation.
http:;;www.theatrewhynot.org;
TTT