WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY
THE KNITTING PILGRIM
April 08 - 12, 2025
KIRK DUNN
In 2003, textile artist Kirk Dunn was awarded a significant Chalmers Foundation Fellowship through the Ontario Arts Council in support of Stitched Glass, an installation of 5.5’ x 8’ tapestry panels, knit in the style of stained glass. The work explores the commonalities and conflicts of the three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Kirk’s background as a PK – a preacher’s kid – inspired his interest in religion, spirituality, and interfaith empathy. With Stitched Glass, he found a way to combine both his faith and textile interests.
Kirk could not have foreseen the scope of the work. It took 15 years of research, design and knitting, to finally complete all three tapestries. But then the question became, how to share the installation with audiences so that it could do more than just sit in a gallery? Kirk’s profound desire was to use Stitched Glass to create an opportunity for interfaith dialogue. In 2018, Kirk and his wife, Claire Ross Dunn, cowrote The Knitting Pilgrim, a multidisciplinary one-person theatrical experience that uses storytelling, image projection and the Stitched Glass panels – collectively over 90 pounds of knitting – as its set.
Directed by Jennifer Tarver, and performed by Kirk, the show recounts Kirk’s artistic and spiritual journey of hand-knitting the giant project, and his hope to contribute to the vital conversation about xenophobia, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, dealing with internal and external strife, and fear of the other.
The show, produced by Ergo Arts Theatre, premiered at the Aga Khan Museum’s Auditorium in May, 2019 and has already toured Ontario for 49 shows. It was given 6 out of 5 stars by CFMU Hamilton, 5 out of 5 stars by Mooney on Theatre, and was named a Critic’s Fringe Pick in Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton, as well as One of ‘Top Ten Shows to See in May 2019’ by NOW Magazine.
JENNIFER TARVER | DIRECTOR, DRAMATURGE
Jennifer is a Canadian director and creator working internationally in both theatre and opera. Based in Toronto since 1999, she has directed for Soulpepper Theatre, The Tarragon Theatre, Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. During five seasons at Stratford her work included Waiting For Godot, The Homecoming, Krapp’s Last Tape, Zastrozzi and King of Thieves. Jennifer’s recent work in the US includes Krapp’s Last Tape in Chicago, and Hedda Gabler in Connecticut. Jennifer was the Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre from 2013-2019, and Associate Director at The Theatre Centre in Toronto from 2004-2012.
*The Participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of the Canadian Actors’ Association under the provisions of the Dance • Opera • Theatre Policy
CLAIRE ROSS DUNN | CO-WRITER, PRODUCER
After spending 10 years as an actor, Claire attended the Canadian Film Centre as a Writer Resident; she now works primarily as a writer, story editor and producer for TV. Credits include the movies Cupids on Beacon Street (City TV), Love at Look Lodge (Hallmark), Little Mosque on the Prairie (CBC), and Degrassi, The Next Generation (Nick). In 2022, Claire published At Last Count, her first novel. It was a Toronto Star summer pick, Zoomer CanLit collection pick, and made the Globe and Mail’s Globe 100: The Best Books of 2022 list. Claire and Kirk also recently wrote Spycraft, a new play. Its development was supported by the Toronto Arts Council and it has received project funding from the Canada Council.
WESLEY MCKENZIE | PROJECTION/LIGHTING DESIGNER
Wesley is a lighting, sound and video designer based in Toronto. He serves as the Production Manager and Lighting Designer in residence for the Classic Theatre Festival in Perth, Ontario. Wesley also teaches production in York University’s Department of Dance. Credits include: The Scavenger’s Daughter (Paradigm Productions); Who Killed Adrianna?; Orpheus in the Underworld; (UofT Opera); The Tender Land; Tales of Hoffmann (Opera Laurier); The Italian Girl in Algiers; The Rape of Lucretia (MYOpera); lulu v.7; the marquise of O—(the red light district); Mr. Truth (Lester Trips) in March 2019.
DAVID DOCHERTY | TECHNICAL MANAGER
David Docherty is a video designer and technician based in Toronto. He also works as a BlackTrax Product Specialist at CAST Software, a Torontobased company that creates CAD and Lighting software for the entertainment industry. Recent credits include: Treasure Island, 2022 (Designer, KCC Productions), Matilda, 2021 (Designer, Cawthra Productions), Always Still the Dawn, 2019 (Assistant, Canadian Stage), Four Sisters, 2019 (Assistant, Paradigm Productions), and The Scavenger’s Daughter, 2019 (Assistant, Paradigm Productions).
ADA HOPKINS | TEXTILE CONSERVATOR
Ada Hopkins has worked as the conservator of the Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada, for the past 30 years specializing in footwear made from animal skins and textiles. She has also performed treatments for private collectors and public institutions including mounting large and small textiles, and fabricating mannequins as well as conserving elements of clothing for display.
BEVERLEY COOPER | DRAMATURGE
Beverley Cooper is an award-winning writer. She has written for TV, film and extensively for CBC radio drama, twice being nominated for WGC Awards. Plays include Thin Ice (co-written with Banuta Rubess, Chalmers/Dora Award), The Lonely Diner, Janet Wilson Meets the Queen (nominated for Prix Rideau Award) and If Truth Be Told. Innocence Lost: A Play about Steven Truscott (a finalist for a Governor General’s Literary Award). Beverley trained as an actor and has performed in TV, film and in theatres across Canada. She also directs audio books. Beverley’s plays are published by Scirocco Drama.
ZEV SHOAG | PROJECTION OPERATOR
Zev is a theatre technician, operator and videographer based in Toronto. He has worked for a number of theatre & live performance companies in both Toronto and Stratford, including Theatre Passe Muraille, Stratford Summer Music, The Royal Conservatory of Music and Opera Atelier. Zev is passionate about working to keep live performance thriving in his community and is grateful that he gets to work in such an uplifting and beautiful community.
JOHN TARVER | PRODUCTION DESIGNER
John Tarver is an Emmy Award winning director of photography and film maker. He has shot projects all over the world including Peru, Canada, the US, Turkey, Austria, Egypt, and Luxembourg. Credits include episodic series such as Defiance (Sy Fy Network), Club 57 (Nickelodeon), Copper (BBC America), TV movies such as Screamers (Sony Studios), as well as multiple award-winning commercials. He co-produced and photographed the award-winning feature documentary Once Upon a Crime. He currently teaches film making at Ryerson University and holds a Master’s Degree in film production from the University of Southern California.