Canada Plays
In Development
Often we as Canadians remain alienated from one of the most vital source of our own cultural stories – Canadian Theatre - and unable to decipher the growing sophistication of our national theatrical traditions. Canada Plays is designed to address the heart of this issue, proposing a radical deepening of Canadians’ relationship to their own theatrical heritage, by reaching young people at a formative time with a highly inviting educational product.
The concept for Canada Plays is that of an hour long lecture/performance about the history and present state of Canadian theatre which incorporates state of the art visual support/animation and live performers. The lecture/performance is meant to be highly portable and flexible for a variety of venue types, most typically a high school classroom or gym. It includes three live performers: the lecturer (Touchstone Artistic Director Katrina Dunn) and two professional actors. The lecturer leads the audience through a scripted history which tackles the major arcs of Canada’s theatrical evolution. This is supported by a finely crafted projection stream which incorporates archival photos, thematic visual support and whimsical animation. This lecture and visual aid element is punctuated by short excerpts from pivotal Canadian plays performed live by a couple of astounding local actors. Geared primarily towards high school Drama and English classes (though also potentially available to post-secondary programs and the general public), Canada Plays will showcase the exceptional range and quality of our nation’s theatre from its beginnings to its current state, and from coast to coast to coast. The intent is to leave the audience jazzed about Canadian theatre and better prepared to approach their next Canadian play or performance with increased understanding, respect and excitement.
Watch this page for updates on the evolution of this exciting new educational tool!
Special Thanks to the Scott Griffin Foundation