2015-16 Season Brochure

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

2015–16 Season

This is an act of love.

We are not stable.

We are not safe.

Our queerness is not another narrow definition of who we are.

Queer is not where our identities begin.

Or where they end.

It is our sexuality.

It is our gender.

And it is also so much more.

It is the way we desire.

It is our fantasies.

And still even more.

It is a rejection of the normal.

The normal is the state.

The normal is exploitation.

It is the violence inflicted on those who aren’t normal.

It is every way that we limit who we are and repress what we desire.

Reject the normal.

Commit to DESIRE. Put PLEASURE first.

RESIST OPPRESSION. Fall in love.

SINA GILANI, PERFORMER

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents

The 20th of November Sept 12 – Oct 4, 2015

by LARS NOREN translation by GORD RAND directed by BRENDAN HEALY starring SINA GILANI A young man stands before you.

Soon, he will go to his school to kill as many people as he can, including himself. But before he commits this act, he is going to tell you why. One of Europe’s most prolific and provocative playwrights, Lars Noren, dares us listen to the very things we try to ignore.

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents

The Gay Heritage Project Jan 6 –31, 2016 created & performed by DAMIEN ATKINS, PAUL DUNN & ANDREW KUSHNIR directed by ASHLIE CORCORAN Is there such a thing as a gay heritage? Three of our country’s most gifted creator/performers seek out a history not often shared and shine new light on contemporary gay culture.

This Dora-nominated smash hit production comes back to Buddies before it embarks on a nation-wide tour.

PAUL DUNN, ANDREW KUSHNIR & DAMIEN ATKINS, CREATOR/PERFORMERS

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents

The 37th Rhubarb Festival Feb 17–28, 2016 festival director MEL HAGUE Every year, Buddies transforms itself into a hotbed of experimentation, with artists exploring new possibilities in theatre, dance, music, and performance art. festival patrons ERIN SHIELDS + GIDEON ARTHURS

MEL HAGUE, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and Independent Aunties Productions present

Gertrude and Alice March 5 – 27, 2016 conceived & created by ANNA CHATTERTON, EVALYN PARRY & KARIN RANDOJA A new work from acclaimed feminist theatre collective Independent Aunties about the lives, love, and legacy of queer icons Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas.

EVALYN PARRY & ANNA CHATTERTON, PERFORMERS

Pink Pluto and Eventual Ashes in association with Buddies in Bad Times Theatre present

No Strings (Attached) March 16 – 26, 2016 written & performed by SUNNY DRAKE directed by GEIN WONG A hilarious and touching confessional exploring the romantic lives of queer and trans* folks. One hopeless romantic shares his experience navigating the fast-paced worlds of on-line dating, jealousy, and sexual politics in his search for love.

SUNNY DRAKE, CREATOR/PERFORMER

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and lemonTree creations present

Body Politic May 21 – June 12, 2016

by NICK GREEN directed by ALISA PALMER The story of the birth, life, and eventual demise of Canada’s first gay newspaper, The Body Politic. This sweeping historical drama reimagines the events and personalities surrounding one of the most potent journalistic forces in our country, and investigates the legacy it has left behind.

NICK GREEN, INDRIT KASAPI & JONATHAN SEINEN, LEMONTREE CREATIONS

GUEST COMPANIES

Two special offerings in our 2015-16 season from these exciting indie theatre companies Human Cargo and Crow’s Theatre present

The Road to Paradise Nov 14 – 28, 2015

by JONATHAN GARFINKEL & CHRISTOPHER MORRIS directed by CHRISTOPHER MORRIS A child suicide bomber in Pakistan, a Canadian soldier in Kandahar, an Afghan immigrant in Toronto. Three worlds collide in this play about love and loss in the time of war.

The Cabaret Company presents

The Terrible Parents April 6 – 17, 2016 written & directed by SKY GILBERT Perennial provocateur Sky Gilbert is back with a hilarious, gender-bending take on family life and the power of our parents to screw us up.

schedule

Single tickets and season passes are on sale now at

buddiesinbadtimes.com/2015-16

SEP 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 OCT 1 2 3 4

THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER P P

P P O

NOV 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

THE ROAD TO PARADISE P P

O

JAN 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

THE GAY HERITAGE PROJECT P O

FEB 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

THE 37TH RHUBARB FESTIVAL

MAR 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

GERTRUDE AND ALICE P P

P P O

MAR 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

NO STRINGS (ATTACHED) P O

P = Preview O = Opening

APR 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

THE TERRIBLE PARENTS P O

MAY 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 JUN 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

BODY POLITIC P P

P P O

donors

Thank you to the people leading the way in our Community of Donors

LEGACY CIRCLE

VISIONARIES

Ed Cabell & Roy Forrester Jim Robertson & Jim Scott John Alan Lee Russell Mathew & Scott Ferguson

Erin Shields & Gideon Arthurs Gerald Lunz & Rick Mercer Jim Lawrence & David Salak Russell Mathew & Scott Ferguson

BENEFACTORS Ayse Turak Bob Gallagher Brendan Healy David Demchuk Derek Billsman Ed Cabell & Roy Forrester James Tennyson Jason Churchill Jim Robertson & Jim Scott Karim Karsan & John Rider Ken Aucoin & Gerald Crowell Ken Moffatt

Lawrence Bennett Mark German Mark Peacock Martha McCain Michael Boyuk Paul Butler & Chris Black Richard Isaac Scott Windsor Stephen McGregor & Tony De Franco The NigE Gough Shine on Foundation at the Toronto Community Foundation William Hodge & Robert Wylie

MONTHLY DONORS Ayse Turak Brendan Healy Cathrin Winkelmann Charles Pavia Cole Alvis – in honour of René Highway Daniel Kinrys David Demchuk Derek Billsman Ed Cabell & Roy Forrester Elliot Smith & Jonathan Steels Gilles Marchildon Gordon Floyd Jamie MacDonald Jim Robertson & Jim Scott Karim Karsan & John Rider Ken Aucoin & Gerald Crowell Kim Koyama Lawrence Moore

Laura Nanni Mandy McNeil Mary Breen Michel Beauvais Mitsuko Sada Paul Klein Paula Grgurich – in Memory of Angelica Ruby Milo Peter Taylor Richard Bingham Richard McLellan Rui Pires The Awaken Studio – Phillip Coupal & Anthony Dunn Thompson Nguyen Tom Keogh Wes D Pearce William Hodge & Robert Wylie

CORPORATE SPONSORS Lead Corporate Sponsor

Festival Sponsor

PUBLIC AGENCIES

FOUNDATIONS

design: Lucinda Wallace photography: Tanja-Tiziana, doublecrossed.ca styling: Vanessa Fischer make-up: Margot Keith + Alexandra Rotundo