Mrs Krishnan’s Party

Indian Ink Theatre Company

March 13 - 24, 2024

TO Live would like to acknowledge Tkaronto,

which is

a Mohawk word meaning the place in the water where the trees are standing.

We live and work on the traditional territory of Haudenosaunee-speaking nations, including the Huron-Wendat, Seneca, and Mohawk. Haudenosauneespeaking nations have been here since time immemorial, and were more recently joined by the Mississaugas of the Credit.

This place has many Indigenous ports, including where the Humber and Rouge rivers meet other waterways such as Lake Ontario. Ancient longhouses— typical Haudenosaunee housing structures—have been found along both these rivers and in the north of Toronto near modern-day York University. This territory is covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations) Confederacy and the Anishnaabe (Ojibwe) and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the lands and the relationships around the Great Lakes.

What this means is that by living and working here, we all have a responsibility to the environment and to each other, to treat each other and the environment with peace and respect. This means we have responsibilities to honour, renew, and consistently uphold the values and relationships outlined in the ancient agreements.

Today, Toronto is home to Indigenous peoples and settlers from around the world. Let us all come together in an atmosphere of respect and peace to do good work together with good minds. Let’s start building stronger and healthier relationships with each other and the spaces we inhabit in Tkaronto, Ontari:io, Kanata.

Let’s hold our minds together in kindness.

Nia:wen. Thank you.

© Dawn Maracle

Welcome letter from TO Live

Welcome to Mrs Krishnan’s Party, a show that embodies storytelling, cultural learning, and our instinct to come together in the spirit of our shared humanity. In this theatre, there is no fourth wall and at this party we all have a role to play.

Mrs Krishnan’s Party is a semi-improvised comic celebration of the southern Indian harvest festival of Onam, the official festival of Kerala and an annual Hindu holiday whose harvest festivities centre around death, rebirth, and goodwill to all.

In Toronto, multiculturalism is woven into every aspect of our way of life, whether it’s our food, our art, our festivals, or our businesses. Torontonians— and Canadians as a whole—value and celebrate diversity like few other places on the planet.

We are presenting Mrs Krishnan’s Party in the Greenwin Theatre, a venue that is brimming with theatrical possibility. This theatre is only one of the four superb spaces in Meridian Arts Centre. We look forward to sharing many future presentations here with you.

Thank you for joining us and for being a vital part of the vibrant arts community in Toronto.

Clyde Wagner President & CEO TO Live

Josephine Ridge Vice President of Programming TO Live

Indian Ink Theatre Company

We’re guided by the “serious laugh,” a love of mask and of story. We aim to make theatre that is beautiful, funny, sad, and true— to leave an indelible imprint on your heart.

Indian Ink began 26 years ago as a partnership between Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis. Since then, we’ve gathered a team of long-term collaborators, made 11 shows together, and had the great pleasure of performing around the world.

Our home is Aotearoa New Zealand and it’s a long way from our islands to India. We’ve always had to use our imaginations and be led by our curiosity with the theatre we make, so please forgive the artistic licenses we take. We hope to capture something of the essence of what makes us all human while celebrating the flavours that make each of us unique.

Indian Ink is represented by David Lieberman Artists’ Representatives.

Photo credit: Ankita Singh

Notes from the writers

Everyone loves a good party; endless laughter, catching up with friends, dancing on tables. But, what if you don’t know anyone and feel self-conscious about your dancing? What if you’re not feeling a box of birds? Do you stay home or fake it till you make it? How do you set yourself free? Onam is such a great celebration because it shows there is more to happiness than just a smile, that to know joy you must also feel sorrow, without death there can be no rebirth. Maybe a party can change your life; you may meet someone who gives you the courage to set yourself free or shows you the resilience required to be truly happy. Thanks for coming out tonight.

Justin Lewis Writer and director

For the uninitiated, Krishnan’s Dairy was the name of our very first play. A love story set in a corner shop, the power of which caught everyone by surprise—including us. That shop has kept its doors open for 20 years, touring the length and breadth of New Zealand and throughout the world, becoming as loved and cherished as a child. The story you’re taking part in tonight is somewhat of a sequel, but don’t worry, you don’t have to have seen Krishnan’s Dairy to enjoy the party. All you need is here, in the strangers that surround you, and the imagination that abounds within, and the wonder of what’s going to happen next. That moment of not knowing, of being lost and confused, excited and a little scared, is really what tonight is about: change.

Something has to die in order for something to be renewed. It’s a tough lesson but a constant, existing at every stage of life and extremely present for us in a world that seems to be spinning ever faster. Rather than bemoan how hard it is to get to grips with all this shifting sand we want to celebrate the new castles we will build from it. Party on!

Jacob Rajan Writer

Mrs Krishnan’s Party

Director: Justin Lewis

Writers: Justin Lewis and Jacob Rajan

Dramaturge: Murray Edmond

Actors: Kalyani Nagarajan and Justin Rogers

Production and tour manager: Andrew Potvin

Set designer: John Verryt

Costume designer: Fiona Nichols

Lighting designer: Jane Hakaraia

Sound designer: Liam Kelly

This is Kalyani’s second role with Indian Ink following 2017’s The Pickle King. Kalyani has worked extensively on stage with Auckland Theatre Company, Auckland Live, and improv troupes Snort and Heartthrobs. She has numerous television credits, is currently writing her first feature film and developing a television show. Kalyani is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.

Justin also features in Indian Ink’s latest production Dirty Work. Other stage credits include Emilie and Beauty and the Beast. His screen work includes Meet Me at the Baptistery as well as voicing for Disney NZ in The Lion King, Reo Māori and Coco Reo Māori, Justin is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School.

Andrew has worked with Indian Ink since 2015 in production and design roles on four plays. A graduate of CalArts (BFA) and Auckland University of Technology (MFA), his company Andrew Potvin Designs Ltd. specializes in tour management, ticketing, business development, and theatrical design services.

Justin is a founding partner of Indian Ink. He has co-written and directed all of Indian Ink’s plays. He was one of the founders of Auckland’s Q Theatre and received a Kaupapa Oranga Award for his services to theatre. Justin is a graduate of the John Bolton Theatre School and the University of Auckland.

Kalyani Nagarajan

Actor

Justin Rogers Actor

Andrew Potvin Production and tour manager

Justin Lewis Writer and director

Jacob is a founding partner of Indian Ink and co-wrote all of Indian Ink’s plays, performing in many of them. He is a graduate of Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama school, Otago University (bachelor of science in microbiology) and Wellington Teacher’s College. Jacob is an Arts Foundation laureate and a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to theatre.

Murray has been dramaturge on all of Indian Ink’s productions. A poet and founder of Town and Country Players (New Zealand), Murray has recently retired from his role as professor of drama at The University of Auckland where he headed the drama program.

John has worked on all of Indian Ink’s productions. With over 30 years’ experience, John is a leading New Zealand stage designer with an extensive portfolio of work including New Zealand Opera, Auckland Theatre Company, The Large Group, and many others.

This is Jane’s third production with Indian Ink following on from Welcome to the Murder House and The Elephant Thief. Jane holds a degree in product design, but her passion is lighting for theatre.

Jacob Rajan Writer

Murray Edmond Dramaturge

Jane Hakaraia Lighting designer

John Verryt Set and props designer

This is Fiona’s second production for Indian Ink after her work on The Pickle King. She works mainly in film and television with credits including Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and Spartacus.

This is Liam’s first production with Indian Ink. He won an award for most innovative work at the 2018 Wellington Fringe Festival and is part of Playshop, a late-night improv group. Liam recently completed his master’s in fine arts in creative practice at Victoria University.

Fiona Nichols Costume design

Liam Kelly Sound designer

Shining a spotlight on an explorations artist: Candace Kumar

Candace Kumar is a cultural dance artist, choreographer, and educator. She specializes in Filipino folk dance and practices diverse styles from across the Philippines. She believes cultural dance can guide us through the future as we navigate life on land that is not our ancestral home.

Last year, Candace was one of seven artists selected by jury to receive explorations funding. TO

Live’s explorations initiative supports Toronto-based artists from all disciplines who want to push the boundaries of their practice, awarding each with $7,000 to test new ideas or research new techniques.

Candace’s explorations research is called “Oceanic Echoes,” and investigates the historical connections of Pangalay, the fingernail dance originating from Indigenous communities in the Sulu Archipelago, across Asian cultures. Through interdisciplinary exploration, Candace seeks to uncover the cultural and historical influences of Pangalay and its neighbouring dance forms, fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration among Asian-Canadian dance artists.

Learn more about Candace in our interview with her below.

What’s the importance of the performing arts in your life?

The performing arts are part of my cultural identity. As a mixed Asian-Canadian unable to speak my cultural languages, I found a language through dance. Dance is how I express love for my homelands while living in Canada as a child of immigrant parents. Through the performing arts, I can advocate for Filipino culture in Canada but also shed light on issues in the Philippines. I can engage in community building and understand my complex identity. It’s a multifaceted way of storytelling that reaches people on a deep level.

What inspired you to participate in TO Live’s explorations initiative?

My research idea has been floating in my head for the past year, but there has been no opportunity to bring it to life. I was drawn to this opportunity because of the research/exploration element to it, with no expectation to create a final product. This opportunity felt like a relief because I am still in the early stages of my research and open to all the possibilities it could take me, which I felt was possible with this grant.

What research idea or technique are you exploring with this initiative?

My project has a few main components, including in-depth research on Pangalay dance and interviews with Pangalay practitioners in the diaspora and Philippines, and then applying them to solo movement explorations sessions. I am also working with Thai classical, Indonesian classical, and Indian classical dance artists. During the past few months, I have conducted interviews with the artists, understanding their journey as cultural dance artists. My final step is to draw conclusions to better understand some key questions: What do the histories tell us? Do the artist interviews reveal gaps in our Can-Asian dance community?

How important is it for artists to have creative space and time, free from the pressure of predetermined outcomes, to research and explore?

It is extremely important for artists to have the freedom of space and time to research and explore their creative ideas. Many grant opportunities must result in a completed work. I feel this standard to always be creating, producing, performing, choreographing, etc. is quite exhausting on the artist. Time for exploration, play, wonder, questions, is just as important as the final outcome, and I believe should be nourished more in the Toronto arts landscape.

What does TO Live’s support mean to you as an artist?

TO Live’s explorations has enabled me to pursue some very meaningful paths towards my own evolution as an artist. It has allowed me to put more of a focus on my own development and the effects are being felt immediately. I am truly grateful for this opportunity. This work does not end with explorations, it is merely a starting point for a greater project that will engage audiences, which all started with the support of TO Live.

TO Live’s explorations initiative is made possible by supporters of the TO Live Foundation. explorations is generously supported by Power Corporation of Canada.

TO Live donor listing

We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of our Friends of TO Live community through donations to TO Live and the TO Live Foundation.

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Indian Ink Theatre Company staff

Touring team

Actor: Kalyani Nagarajan

Actor: Justin Rogers

Production and tour manager: Andrew Potvin

Creative Team

Writer: Jacob Rajan

Writer and director: Justin Lewis

Dramaturge: Murray Edmond

Set and props designer: John Verryt

Lighting designer: Jane Hakaraia

Costume designer: Fiona Nichols

Sound designer: Liam Kelly

General manager: Jude Froude

Producer: Pene Lister

Development manager: Naomi Campion

Next-gen program leader: Te

Huamanuka Luiten-Apirana

Digital marketer: Olivia Brinkmann

Photo credit: Ankita Singh

#ArtsStartHere, and it begins with you.

The TO Live Foundation is committed to creating a future where art engages and inspires all Torontonians. A future where all the creative voices of our diverse communities are heard and celebrated. A future where artists have the support they need to experiment and grow. Visit tolivefoundation.com to learn more about how our Foundation is committed to building a better city through the arts.