Beyond the Stage
We build community through theatre.
Our Beyond the Stage programming keeps the conversation going, deepening our collective understanding of important issues and connecting to inspiring leaders and organizations actively engaged in making change. We are grateful for our Community Partnerships with service, advocacy, arts and education organizations, with whom we collaborate closely to develop interactive experiences that take you beyond the world of the play and have you talking long after you leave the theatre.
Chats & Talkbacks
Get an insider’s point of view. Join discussions about the themes of our plays and the stories behind our productions with pre-show expert chats and post-show artist talkbacks.
EXPERT PANELS
Go deeper with the issues. Subject matter experts and community leaders join us during panels that stimulate discussions of the Big Questions provoked by our plays.
Lobby Exhibits
See it in a different way. The conversation continues in the lobby, animated with visual art exhibits providing context and illuminating diverse perspectives on the themes of our productions.
AT HOME
Continue the conversation. Direct to your home, we bring you unique digital opportunities to interact with artists, delve into the creative process and chat about issues vital to our world, our communities and ourselves.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Our Beyond the Stage events accompany Mainstage Productions. Read below to learn more about our Beyond the Stage events, accompanying our Spring Mainstage production of A Public Display of Affection.
24 25
Photograph of Ed Jackson (L) and Mervin Walker (R), published in The Body Politic no. 18 (May-June 1975) front cover. This photograph is part of The ArQuives collection.
Lobby Exhibit: The View from Vaseline Tower – Memories of Toronto’s Queer Village
Lobby Exhibit
March 25 – April 20, 2025
The View From Vaseline Tower – Memories of Toronto’s Queer Village features photographs documenting Toronto’s Queer community in the 1970s and 1980s, offering a glimpse at the changing landscape of the village, and moments of queer joy. Curated by The ArQuives and presented in partnership with Studio 180 Theatre’s A Public Display of Affection in association with Crow’s Theatre.
Curated by Santana Doran, Yahn Nemirovsky, and Hannah Dickson for The ArQuives.
The ArQuives was established to aid in the recovery and preservation of LGBTQ2+ histories. Its mandate is to: acquire, preserve, organize, and give public access to information and materials in any medium, by and about LGBTQ2+ people, primarily produced in or concerning Canada.
The ArQuives holds one of the largest LGBTQ2+ collections in the world. The library, archival, and artifact collections are open to researchers and we activate the collection through programming and exhibitions. To learn more, check out their website.
Related productions
A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION, March 25 – April 20, 2025
Forgotten Epidemic: a conversation with ACT’s senior HIV and AIDS educator Rui Pires
Expert Panel
March 30, 2025
After the 2:00 PM matinée
Despite battles over sex education in the school curriculum, what is taught to queer young men is inconsistent from school to school and highly politicized, making any queer-relevant sex education challenging to deliver and easy to ignore. Since 2015, Toronto has seen at least 140 youth diagnosed with HIV every year, three-quarters of which are queer young men. Stay after the performance and join ACT’s Gay Men’s Education Coordinator, Rui Pires, to discuss how generations of young queer men have grown up with HIV in their midst, while popular culture in Canada has forgotten the epidemic. Moderated by Studio 180’s Jessica Greenberg.
Rui Pires is currently the Gay Men’s Community Education Coordinator for the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT). Rui’s close to 35 years of experience working in HIV programs in southern Ontario is not limited to gay men, but also includes working with diverse populations and working solely and jointly with other educators on numerous resources and social marketing campaigns. Along with his regular work facilitating frequent sexual health workshops for gay and bisexual men, he was assigned the task of initiating and coordinating the Totally outRIGHT leadership development strategy for young gay and bi men in Toronto for 12 years.
Related productions
A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION, March 25 – April 20, 2025
Cast and Creative Team Talkbacks
Chat or Talkback
April 3, 2025
April 10, 2025
April 17, 2025
Stay after the show and get an insider’s point of view! This is an opportunity to ask questions, learn how creative decisions were made, and hear behind-the-scenes stories firsthand from members of the cast and creative team.
Related productions
A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION, March 25 – April 20, 2025
When Silence = Happy Ignorance: Reflections on being young and Queer in Toronto
Expert Panel
April 5, 2025
After the 2:00 PM matinée
Travel back from the early 1980s for a contemporary Queer youth perspective. A panel of young queer men who graduated from a past long-running ACT youth program called Totally outRIGHT Toronto reflect on finding their place in a community where many initially thought there was no place for them. Hear what they found out about living, working and playing in a city where their age group is the most financially stressed and the most at risk for HIV. Facilitated by the program’s past staff coordinator, Rui Pires.
Related productions
A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION, March 25 – April 20, 2025
PAST EVENTS
Chats and Talkbacks
Let’s Talk With Boys
Chat or Talkback
May 5, 2024
3:30, after the matinee performance
Tarragon Theatre
Extraspace
The Pyramid of Gender-Based Violence with Jonathon Reed of Next Gen Men Join Community Partner Next Gen Men’s Director of Programs for an interactive and empowering follow-up activity and discussion
Related productions
FOUR MINUTES TWELVE SECONDS, April 20 – May 12, 2024
Cast & Creative Team Talkbacks
Chat or Talkback
May 2, 2024
May 9, 2024
After the evening performance
Tarragon Theatre
Extraspace
Get an insider’s point of view. Join discussions about the themes of our plays and the stories behind our productions. Ask your questions and learn how creative decisions were made, from members of the cast and creative team.
Related productions
FOUR MINUTES TWELVE SECONDS, April 20 – May 12, 2024
Seeking Justice
Chat or Talkback
April 28, 2024
3:30 PM, after the matinee performance
Tarragon Theatre
Extraspace
A post-show conversation with Heather Johnson & Jessica Greenberg
Four Minutes Twelve Seconds is a play that gets us asking big questions like: How do our existing legal and judicial structures fail us when we seek justice for survivors and accountability for perpetrators? How can we think more expansively about these pursuits? How can we support our young people navigating cybertechnology? And how can we practice consent every day? Stay after this performance and join youth sexual health and relationship expert Heather Johnson in conversation with Studio 180’s Jessica Greenberg, as we tackle these complex questions and more.
Related productions
FOUR MINUTES TWELVE SECONDS, April 20 – May 12, 2024
See And Be Seen
Chat or Talkback
May 14, 2023
Streetcar Crowsnest
Studio Theatre
After the performance on May 14
Looking to engage in meaningful conversation after the show? Eager to do some creating of your own? This participatory talkback experience will get you up on your feet, connecting with fellow audience members, reflecting deeply on the themes and big questions of the play, and writing and role playing through creative prompts. All audience members of The Chinese Lady are welcome, regardless of which performance you attended.
Related productions
THE CHINESE LADY, May 2–21, 2023
Continue the Conversation
Chat or Talkback
May 7, 2023
May 21, 2023
Streetcar Crowsnest
Studio Theatre
COMMUNITY PARTNER
After the performance on May 7
We’ll be joined by Eleanor Marie Yang 杨倩茹, Program Coordinator of our Community Partner, Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC).
HERE AND NOW
After the performance on May 21
Continue the conversation with Professor Serene Tan of University of Toronto’s Asian Canadian Studies minor, part of the Canadian Studies Program at University College.
Related productions
THE CHINESE LADY, May 2–21, 2023
Meet the Team
Chat or Talkback
May 2–21, 2023
Streetcar Crowsnest
Studio Theatre
After the evening performance on May 11 & 18
After the matinee performance on May 9, 10 & 17
Get an insider’s point of view. Join discussions about the themes of our plays and the stories behind our productions. Ask your questions and learn how creative decisions were made directly from members of the cast and creative team.
Related productions
THE CHINESE LADY, May 2–21, 2023
Expert Panels
Music as an Act of Resistance
Expert Panel
October 11, 2022
7:00 PM
Tarragon Theatre
30 Bridgeman Avenue
Indecent and My Sister’s Rage celebrate Yiddish and Anishinaabe culture, inspiring conversations about the power of storytelling and the resilience of art. Alongside our partners at Tarragon Theatre, we are excited to present our first free, in person Beyond The Stage event in over two years, Music as an Act of Resistance.
Related productions
Indecent, October 14 – November 6, 2022
MY SISTER’S RAGE, October 11 – November 6, 2022
Writing From Within
Expert Panel
November 18, 2014
The Theatre Centre
Co-presented with Shameless magazine
How do we participate in a media-saturated, digitally enhanced culture without contributing to the damaging norms and oppressive systems that limit us all? This panel discussion included some of Toronto’s most dynamic journalistic voices in a conversation about navigating media landscapes, preserving integrity and doing what you love for people you hate. Moderated by Ryerson School of Journalism Associate Chair, Janice Neil.
Panelists: Septembre Anderson, Jill Andrew, Andrea Houston, Sarah Liss & Sheila Sampath
Related productions
NSFW, November 7–30, 2014
COCKtales: Stories, Perspectives and Conversations Beyond Sexual Binaries
Expert Panel
April 13, 2014
The Theatre Centre
For those of us who identify beyond the gay/straight binary, assumptions and accusations of confusion, indecision and denial are nothing new. Cock prompts a dialogue around identity, categorization, fluidity, essentialism and the status quo. This panel discussion was moderated by writer, radio show host, theatre reviewer and parent Dorianne Emmerton, and featured some of Toronto’s most outspoken artists, writers and activists.
Panelists: Andrea Houston, Catherine Jones, Michael Mills, Dick Moore & Daryl Vocat
Related productions
Cock, April 4–27, 2014
The Normal Heart: Why Now?
Expert Panel
November 4, 2012
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
Recently back from the XIX International AIDS Conference in Washington D.C., HIV/AIDS researcher and activist Nicole Greenspan moderates a discussion about past and present responses to The Normal Heart and its relevance in the current social and political landscape.
Panelists: Glen Brown, Ed Jackson, Morgan M. Page & Corena Ryan
Related productions
The Normal Heart, October 19 – November 18, 2012
We Are Not Criminals: Examining Canada’s Criminalization of HIV Non-Disclosure
Expert Panel
October 28, 2012
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
Join us to learn more about one of the most pressing issues facing Canadians living with HIV today, and how the Ontario Working Group on Criminal Law and HIV Exposure (CLHE) is seeking justice. HIV/AIDS activist Jessica Whitbread leads a panel of experts and community members in a conversation about this complicated issue.
Panelists: Tim McCaskell, Ryan Peck & Rai Reece
Related productions
The Normal Heart, October 19 – November 18, 2012
How HIV/AIDS Impacts Community
Expert Panel
October 30, 2011
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
What makes a community? Why is community important? And, as community members, how are we responsible to one another? Veteran HIV/AIDS organizer Glen Brown moderates a panel of community leaders examining the complex answers to these questions.
Panelists: Sergio Martinez, Lali Mohamed, Marvelous Muchenje, Darien Taylor & Jessica Whitbread
Related productions
The Normal Heart, October 14 – November 6, 2011
HIV/AIDS in Toronto: Past, Present & Future
Expert Panel
October 23, 2011
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
Artist, educator and Toronto People With AIDS Foundation Poz Prevention Coordinator Mikiki moderates a panel of leading HIV/AIDS activists, educators and doctors. Take part in a multi-generational dialogue about Toronto’s responses to HIV/AIDS. Where have we come from and where are we going?
Panelists: Dr. Philip Berger, Trevor Gray, Tim McCaskell, Alex McClelland & Rai Reece
Related productions
The Normal Heart, October 14 – November 6, 2011
Lobby Exhibits
Connect
Lobby Exhibit
April 20 – May 12, 2024
Tarragon Theatre
Lobby
Initially inspired by the online connections formed during the pandemic lockdown, Stephanie Camille’s art delves into the intersections of digital and physical existence. Rooted in the introspections from her journal during the initial lonely months, she explores those realities through metaphorical ‘windows’ using recognizable digital interfaces. Blending traditional mediums like oil and gouache, Connect is a journey of self-discovery, unraveling the complexities of isolation, loneliness, and routine. On one end, screens trap us, but on the other end, we can fall in love with our only connection to the people we yearn to be physically near.
Related productions
FOUR MINUTES TWELVE SECONDS, April 20 – May 12, 2024
Looked at long enough
Lobby Exhibit
May 2–21, 2023
Streetcar Crowsnest
Lobby
Animating the theatre lobby from May 2-21
In his play The Chinese Lady, Lloyd Suh invites us to envision a world in which intercultural exchange is founded on respect and humanity – a world in which we look at each other long enough to understand and be understood. This exhibit of hand-made marionettes is created by Christina Yarmol’s grade 11 visual art students at Martingrove Collegiate in Etobicoke, in relationship with the play’s central themes, and in response to the questions of how they see themselves and how they want to be seen.
Related productions
THE CHINESE LADY, May 2–21, 2023
Train by Janina Anderson
Unseen Series
Lobby Exhibit
January 14 – February 2, 2020
Berkeley Street Theatre
“Unseen Series” by Janina Anderson, in partnership with the Feminist Art Collective, beautifully uses photography to do what playwright Lynn Nottage does so well: “making invisible people visible” (Michael Schulman, The New Yorker). Anderson sees her work as an opportunity for the viewer to reflect on how they are complicit in systems designed not only to oppress but how these systems are normalized and work to cover their own tracks. It asks us how we are encouraged to ignore inconvenient truths about power, economics, and representation. Ultimately, when we look at her work, artist Janina Anderson wants us to ask who has the privilege to look the other way.
Related productions
Sweat, January 14 – February 2, 2020
Artwork by Madina Mamat
My Name Is… Cross-Cultural Reflections on Identity
Lobby Exhibit
November 4–26, 2017
Toronto Centre for the Arts
During the run of the play, the lobby was animated by the deeply personal and evocative work of Martingrove Collegiate Institute’s Grade 11 and 12 visual art students. This multidisciplinary exhibit features painting, drawing, installation and sculpture, reflecting the play’s universal theme of identity. We were proud to showcase the incredible talents of Martingrove students, in an exhibit that celebrates the rich diversity of Toronto. The exhibit was curated by teacher Christina Yarmol and supported by Studio 180 IN CLASS.
Related productions
My Name Is Asher Lev, November 4–26, 2017
Artwork by Don Spratling
Party At The Vatican
Lobby Exhibit
March 1 – April 10, 2016
Tarragon Theatre
“Party at the Vatican” is an exhibition of paintings and drawings made by Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy members. Exploring their different interests through various methods, these artists find a common ground in their shared understanding in art’s meaning and value. The Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy is a place of learning for persons with dementia, their families and care partners. They are a centre for excellence in research and relational care and affiliated with York University and University Health Network (UHN).
Related productions
You Will Remember Me, March 1 – April 10, 2016
Artwork by Joan Lillian Wilson
Repossessing Beauty
Lobby Exhibit
November 7–30, 2014
The Theatre Centre
We were proud to host Repossessing Beauty – with its ruminations on language, imaging and the politicized body – curated by the Feminist Art Conference, and including photography by artists Teresa Ascencao, Rose-Ann Marie Bailey and Joan Lillian Wilson.
Related productions
NSFW, November 7–30, 2014
Art by Kevin Boze (virginproject.fannypress.com)
Anything That Loves
Lobby Exhibit
April 4–27, 2014
The Theatre Centre
We featured large-scale reproductions of artwork from the new and exciting comic anthology ANYTHING THAT LOVES: Comics Beyond “Gay” and “Straight” (edited by Charles “Zan” Christensen and published by Northwest Press, 2013). Visually stunning and thematically provocative, the exhibit offered another look at many of the play’s themes.
From confessional, personal accounts to erotic flights of fancy to undersea identity politics, this collection of comics invites the reader to step outside of the categories and explore the wild and wonderful uncharted territory between “gay” and “straight.”
Related productions
Cock, April 4–27, 2014
AIDS Memorabilia, Articles & Artwork
Lobby Exhibit
October 19 – November 18, 2012
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
Our lobby exhibit for The Normal Heart included safe sex poster campaigns from the 1980s to the 2000s provided by the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), articles by HIV/AIDS activists Tim McCaskell and Alex McClelland, and other memorabilia. In 2012, the exhibit featured AIDS ACTION NOW!’s generously provided “POSTER/virus” campaign – a poster series created by local Toronto artists in honor of the Day With(out) Art 2011. Information from ACT, Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario, Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange and AIDS ACTION NOW! was also on hand.
Related productions
The Normal Heart, October 19 – November 18, 2012
The Three Cities Within Toronto
Lobby Exhibit
April 2–28, 2012
Berkeley Street Theatre
Courtesy of Professor J. David Hulchanski from the University of Toronto, we hosted a landmark work revealing the growing disparity between rich and poor in our very own city – The Three Cities Within Toronto: Income Polarization Among Toronto’s Neighbourhoods, 1970–2005.
This report provides a new way of looking at Toronto’s neighbourhoods. It focuses on who lives where, based on the socio-economic status of the residents in each neighbourhood, and how the average status of the residents in each neighbourhood has changed over a 35-year period. It shows that Toronto’s neighbourhoods fall into one of three categories — creating three distinct Torontos.
Why is this important? Cities have always had pockets of wealth and poverty. However, the City of Toronto’s neighbourhood transition has been relatively sudden and dramatic, and the changes have serious consequences for Toronto residents.
Related productions
Clybourne Park, April 2–28, 2012
AIDS Memorabilia, Articles & Artwork
Lobby Exhibit
October 14 – November 6, 2011
Buddies In Bad Times Theatre
Our lobby exhibit for The Normal Heart included safe sex poster campaigns from the 1980s to the 2000s provided by the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT), articles by HIV/AIDS activists Tim McCaskell and Alex McClelland, and other memorabilia. In 2011, the exhibit also featured Marvelous Muchenje’s original “Body Map” artwork. Information from ACT, Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario, Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange and AIDS ACTION NOW! was also on hand.
Related productions
The Normal Heart, October 14 – November 6, 2011
The Men Who Killed Me
Lobby Exhibit
March 8 – April 3, 2010
Berkeley Street Theatre
Partnerships with artists beyond the theatre are important to us. To encourage a connection to the Rwanda of today, we displayed photographs by Samer Muscati from the book The Men Who Killed Me, by Anne-Marie de Brouwer and Sandra Chu, written 15 years after the Rwandan genocide. Included in the exhibit is the striking portrait of Marie Louise Niyobuhungiro (seen at right in a different photo) that we used with her permission as the central image of the show’s poster.
Related productions
The Overwhelming, March 8 – April 3, 2010
Through Each Other’s Eyes
Lobby Exhibit
March 3 – April 1, 2006
Berkeley Street Theatre
Through Others’ Eyes, Givat Haviva’s extraordinary travelling photography exhibit, reflects the cooperative work of Jewish and Arab youth from neighbouring villages “looking” and getting to know each other from new and different perspectives. To further their relationship, participants in the project invited one another for visits to their respective villages and homes, where they took photographs. Their interactions have led to a deeper understanding of one another, lasting friendships and a profound bond amongst all contributors. This project continues to prove that even in difficult times, through art, one can bridge gaps and broaden understanding among different cultures. Givat Haviva was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education in 2001.
Related productions
The Arab-Israeli Cookbook, March 3 – April 1, 2006
Studio 180 AT HOME
Fragments: Memory Pieces with Jonathan Wilson
Studio 180 AT HOME
May 26, 2022
7:00 PM
Online Workshop
Memory Pieces with Jonathan Wilson
In anticipation of our presentation of A Public Display of Affection join theatre artist Jonathan Wilson as we explore the concept and conceits of sharing our own personal histories.
Through a series of prompts and exercises, we will examine the variables of sharing the past from the present…while always moving into an unknown future.
How do our stories change as we look back and pick up different fragments?
Are we reliable narrators?
Aren’t we all composite characters?
All creative forms of expression are welcome. Create in the medium of your choice and comfort. Movement, gesture, song, visual art, spoken word or even interior monologue.
Related productions
A Public Display Of Affection, June 3–5, 2022
Fact Over Fiction
Studio 180 AT HOME
April 19, 2022
7:00 PM
Online
The Art of Verbatim Theatre Making
Verbatim theatre, theatre made completely from the words of real people, demands interesting questions of those who make it. Why choose verbatim theatre as the story-telling vehicle? What are the specific challenges and advantages included with this brand of theatre? What are some of the go-to items and approaches to include in a verbatim toolkit? And how do you string together facts and quotes into a story that’s engaging enough for an audience to follow? Join RBC Emerging Playwright Taylor Trowbridge, who has her own verbatim piece IN DEVELOPMENT, in conversation with renowned Canadian verbatim theatre creators Andrew Kushnir of Project Humanity and Annabel Soutar of Port Parole.
Related readings
Tool For Rebellion, April 21, 2022
Land-Based Creation
Studio 180 AT HOME
March 27, 2022
2:00-3:30 PM
Online Workshop
A Workshop with Yolanda Bonnell
Following the encore presentation of My Sister’s Rage IN DEVELOPMENT, join award-winning theatre artist Yolanda Bonnell to do some creating of your own. Artists and artists-at-heart are invited to partake in a series of creation exercises and engage in discussions about land-body relationship. Come prepared to create in the medium of your choice, be that writing, visual art, music, physical movement or something else entirely!
Related readings
My Sister’s Rage, March 24, 2022
Work(s) In Progress
Studio 180 AT HOME
February 15, 2022
3:00
Online Workshop
So often, we start a piece of work with that work being left unfinished and undone. Our lives, our work, can get in the way. And with the creation of new, more exciting works, the chances of us revisiting and revising older versions of our past grow smaller and less likely.
Joél Leon—poet, author, performer and storyteller—wants to reframe the idea surrounding how we view past versions of our pieces. With “Work(s) In Progress” participants will be asked to bring to the table a piece of writing (poem, essay, song, monologue) that was started but never completed. During the course of an hour through prompts and a brief exercise, writers from any discipline will leave with a new sense of purpose revolving around the works of their past—in progress, not complete, but just as impactful.
Related readings
Gone To See A Man About A Dog, February 17, 2022
Relics: Soap, Lampshades, and Myth in Holocaust Memory
Studio 180 AT HOME
November 9, 2021
7:30
Digital Presentation
Memory is an imperfect medium, and the presence of myths and mis-memory within survivor testimony creates an exploitable vulnerability for Holocaust denial and distortion. Scholars of the Holocaust do not believe that the Nazis produced soap or lampshades from human remains, but this has not stopped these myths from becoming integral symbols of Nazi cruelty.
Why do these two myths endure? And how can educators and historians responsibly handle then? Join the Neuberger as journalist Mark Jacobson discusses the relevance of these myths today and shares some ideas about protecting Holocaust memory against denial and distortion into the future.
Related readings
The Soap Myth, November 10, 2021
Boys Will Be Boys
Studio 180 AT HOME
October 19, 2021
7:30
Digital Presentation
What do we mean when we talk about rape culture? What role does technology play in mitigating or exacerbating harm? What are the impacts of gender-based privilege and how do we promote healthy models of masculinity? We’ll tackle these topics and more in conversation with some of Canada’s leaders in sexual violence education and prevention. Bring your own questions to our expert panel as we delve into the complexities of sexual and cyber violence and prepare for our 180 READS presentation of 4 Minutes 12 Seconds. Co-presented by Community Partner Next Gen Men.
Related readings
4 Minutes 12 Seconds, October 21, 2021
Launch Party: Reclaim & Reframe
Studio 180 AT HOME
September 28, 2021
7:30 PM
Live on Kumospace
This unique, virtual Kumospace gathering will connect artists and audience members in a curated evening introducing the themes and big questions inspiring our 19th season. Dive deeper into our 2021/22 AT HOME programming with interactive digital content; mingle with fellow Studio 180 fans and artists alike; and participate in moderated, issue-based discussions about memory, generational divides, accountability and how we reclaim and reframe our stories. A great way to kick off the season and prepare for the next evening’s digital presentation of The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess. Co-presented by Community Partner Shameless Magazine – an independent, grassroots voice to inspire, inform, and advocate for youth of marginalized genders.
Related readings
The Niceties, September 29, 2021
Landed
Studio 180 AT HOME
April 14, 2021
A Conversation on Theatre-Making and Immigrating
Prolific theatre artists John Ng and Anusree Roy will join sam Khalilieh in a conversation about immigrating to Canada and establishing a life in the theatre. Studio 180’s Byron Abalos moderates this intimate discussion, inviting your questions; delving into the complexities of identity; and celebrating the rich experiences and talent of our communities.
Related readings
Palestineman, April 16, 2021
Rebels With Causes
Studio 180 AT HOME
March 17, 2021
Many Ways To Change The World
How do we become the change we want to see in the world? This panel brings together inspiring local activists, shining a light on some of our communities’ most pressing needs and showcasing the many different ways we can enact change. Panelists include Toronto-St. Paul’s MPP Dr. Jill Andrew, Indigenous Health Promoter Les Harper and artist, activist and scholar Syrus Marcus Ware. Moderated by Studio 180’s Jessica Greenberg.
Tell It Like It Is
Studio 180 AT HOME
February 17, 2021
A Community Conversation on Playwriting
Get a glimpse into the writing process and join RBC Emerging Playwright Rachel Mutombo alongside fellow writers Andrea Scott and Djanet Sears in an intimate dialogue about identity, representation and community. Kimberley Rampersad (Associate Artistic Director of The Shaw Festival) moderates a discussion that connects audiences with some of Canada’s most provocative theatrical voices.
Related readings
6×10, February 19, 2021
Be A Man
Studio 180 AT HOME
December 16, 2020
A Panel Discussion on Reinventing Masculinity
Join RBC Emerging Playwright Ali Joy Richardson in conversation with expert panelists sexual health and violence prevention educator Tuval Dinner Nafshi, Jeff Perera from Higher Unlearning and Jake Stika from Next Gen Men discussing why men are essential contributors to the fight for gender equality and how we can transform notions of masculinity and what it means to be a man.
Related readings
Dad, December 18, 2020
Cultivating Care
Studio 180 AT HOME
November 18, 2020
A Panel Discussion on Transforming Rehearsal Spaces
How can we identify and disrupt harmful modes of theatre-making and build a creative practice centring compassion and wellbeing? The pandemic has demanded that, as artists, we pause, reflect and innovate. How can we seize this opportunity to dismantle conventional models and transform our rehearsal halls into more equitable, liberating and caring spaces? A panel of visionary theatre artists, RBC Emerging Playwright Yolanda Bonnell, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard and Michaela Washburn, share their insight and experience.
Related readings
My Sister’s Rage, November 20, 2020
Meet the Team
Studio 180 AT HOME
October 21, 2020
Contractions by Mike Bartlett
Join us AT HOME with Contractions director Sabryn Rock in conversation with Kerry Ann Doherty. Both accomplished actors and recent Studio 180 RBC Emerging Directors, Sabryn and Kerry Ann will chat about career transitions, women in leadership and how to direct a play via Zoom.
Related readings
Contractions, October 23, 2020
Highly Recommended
Studio 180 AT HOME
September 23, 2020
Movers and shakers, risk-takers, mold-breakers. This past year, Studio 180 was able to award Recommender Grants to seven inspiring theatre creators through the Ontario Arts Council and now you have the chance to meet them! In this panel discussion with Lauren Brotman, Amanda Lin 林美珠, Rachel Mutombo, Sarena Parmar and Ali Joy Richardson, moderated by Associate Artistic Director, Mark McGrinder, you’ll hear about their RGTC-supported projects, writing during a pandemic and the process of applying for RGTC funding.
Solidarity & Action Workshop
Studio 180 AT HOME
September 2, 2020
Join Studio 180 Theatre’s staff and board members for an online discussion focused on privilege, solidarity and how to take individual and collective action against systemic racism. Facilitated by anti-oppression consultant and liberation educator, Rania El Mugammar, this session will create a brave space for participants to ask difficult questions, confront their own privilege and work through discomfort. The session also aims to share knowledge and empower participants by providing tangible steps to enact solidarity and take anti-racist actions in their daily lives.
Show Report
Studio 180 AT HOME
June 17, 2020
Backstage with Stage Managers!
Who’s that person at the back of the theatre with a headset and microphone calling all the shots? What actually is a stage manager and what do they do? Join experienced Stage Managers, and frequent Studio 180 company members, Laura Baxter and Marcie Januska, as they demystify the art of stage management. Moderated by Director of Youth & Community Engagement, Jessica Greenberg.
Designing for Theatre
Studio 180 AT HOME
June 9, 2020
How does a designer come up with ideas for set design? How does a designer tell a story with light and shadow? How do designers work with each other and the director to bring a play’s vision to life? Join prolific, award-winning designers Kimberly Purtell and Ken MacKenzie, as they talk about their inspirations, creative process, favourite Studio 180 projects and more. Moderated by Artistic Director, Joel Greenberg.
Oslo: Extra Features
Studio 180 AT HOME
May 28, 2020
With Director’s Commentary!
Join director Joel Greenberg and lead actor Blair Williams as they discuss and dissect select scenes from Studio 180’s 2019 production of the hit play Oslo by J.T. Rogers.
In this session, we’ll play some scenes from the play and Joel and Blair will talk through the process, challenges and discoveries in bringing those scenes to life – just like the extra features from a DVD. The conversation will be moderated by Studio 180’s RBC Emerging Director Rebecca Gibian.
Study Group
Studio 180 AT HOME
May 20, 2020
A Deep Dive Into Indecent and God of Vengeance
Do you love discussing theatre and social issues? Do you consider yourself a theatre nerd? If so, join this conversation and share your point of view. Studio 180’s Director of Youth and Community Engagement, Jessica Greenberg, facilitates an informal discussion about the merits and dangers of vulnerable people sharing their stories within the dominant culture.
“How do we as artists question our sins in front of a greater audience? How do we as Jews show ourselves as flawed and complex human beings?” – Sholem Asch, Indecent
Write Like A Playwright
Studio 180 AT HOME
May 15, 2020
Join playwright Jenna Harris and Studio 180’s Director of New Play Development, Mark McGrinder, for a practical look at the writing process. Part conversation and part workshop, Mark will interview Jenna about her writing process. You will be invited to join Jenna, writing in real time, inspired by prompts provided during the session. If you wish, you’ll have the option to submit your writing to be shared anonymously (or not) with the other participants so you can see the different approaches and styles.
Directing 101
Studio 180 AT HOME
May 10, 2020
Are you curious about how a director translates their vision from page to stage? What work happens before rehearsals begin? How do things shift in the rehearsal hall? How does a director collaborate with designers to bring their vision to life?
Join us on the day that Studio 180 Theatre’s production of Indecent, presented by David Mirvish, was set to open as Rebecca Gibian, one of Studio 180’s RBC Emerging Directors, interviews Joel Greenberg, the director of Studio 180 Theatre’s production of Indecent (and many Studio 180 hits) to talk about the craft of directing for theatre.
Photos (left to right): An audience member responds at an IN DEVELOPMENT Reading talkback, photo by Dahlia Katz. The expert panel for NSFW. An IN CLASS student stands with their artwork for the My Name Is Asher Lev lobby exhibit, photo by Annie Clarke. A screenshot of the AT HOME: Tell It Like It Is panelists.