PlayME
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PlayME is transforming the way we experience theatre by turning contemporary plays into bingeable audio dramas. Welcome to your Digital Theatre.
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Mon, 27 May 2024 04:10:00 EDT
Last month, we lost our mentor, colleague, and friend, Gregory J. Sinclair, whose contributions to the world of audio drama and this podcast were invaluable. Greg was an internationally renowned producer and director of audio dramas for CBC Radio and Audible Canada. As Executive Producer at CBC Radio, he developed, produced, and directed multiple acclaimed audio series and specials, including Afghanada and the interactive Trust, Inc. We’ve dedicated this special episode to his legacy in radio drama, including tributes from some of his former CBC colleagues.
Guilt (A Love Story) Interview with Diane Flacks
Wed, 15 May 2024 03:12:00 EDT
Laura talks with writer and performer Diane Flacks about her latest solo show, Guilt (A Love Story). Diane opens up about turning her sometimes painful personal experiences into compelling plays. She shares how she thinks there’s a death of fun in theatre and why she pushes herself to take risks in her work and not play it safe. Diane also talks about her writing experiences for TV, including her stint for the hit series “Kids In The Hall.”
Guilt (A Love Story) by Diane Flacks.
Wed, 08 May 2024 03:12:00 EDT
Diane has a monster of guilt growing inside her. She feels it as she and her ex decide to separate after 20 years. It’s there when they tell their two boys that their family life as they once knew it is over. But it completely consumes her after she signs paperwork at her lawyer’s office officially ending their marriage. Panic follows, and on one of the most important nights of her life, she finds herself lying naked on the floor, unable to move. It’s there that she makes a startling realization.
Guilt (A Love Story) by Diane Flacks.
Wed, 01 May 2024 03:12:00 EDT
Diane Flacks has been drinking alot lately. It helps numb her guilt. As she approached mid-life, she threw a bomb into her domestic life. Married for almost two decades and the mom of two boys, she finds herself growing apart from her wife. They attend couples therapy and agree to open up their marriage. She meets a younger woman and falls madly and hopelessly in love. The fallout leaves her grappling with overwhelming pangs of guilt, a sentiment amplified by her Jewish upbringing, where guilt seems ingrained as the "default setting."
Guilt (A Love Story) by Diane Flacks.
Prodigal (Interview with Paolo Santalucia)
Wed, 17 Apr 2024 03:12:00 EDT
Chris talks to Paolo Santalucia about his hit show "Prodigal" and how his experience as an actor and the collaborative nature of theatre helped him find the courage to write his first play. He touches on how audiences have changed since the pandemic and why their slow return to the theatre can be a unique opportunity for artists to embrace. He shares how his Toronto roots drew him to write about class and systems of power and why he loves to write characters who aren't afraid to compromise themselves and those around them to achieve their ambitions.
Wed, 10 Apr 2024 03:11:00 EDT
Edmund, the estranged gay alcoholic son of Rowan and Marilyn, returns to his family after a five-year absence. But he’s not seeking reconciliation. He’s looking for revenge after being cut off from the family trust. His arrival inconveniently coincides with Rowan's career breakthrough, sparking a clash of interests. As tensions rise, Edmund discovers a dirty little secret his father has been keeping and threatens to expose him, igniting a power struggle and putting the Clarks' bonds at risk of unravelling.
Prodigal by Paolo Santalucia.
Wed, 03 Apr 2024 00:11:00 EDT
An explosive family drama about power and privilege
Rowan Clark is a rich man about to have his dreams come true - he’s about to get a prestigious job. But dark family secrets are lurking that could jeopardize his coveted new position. At the engagement party of his son Henry, the family gathers at their home to celebrate the impending nuptials, but one guest is missing. Their other queer alcoholic son Edmund isn’t invited. And despite Rowan and his wife Marilyn’s attempts to keep their troubled son at a distance, a party crasher shows up at their door, threatening to expose their hidden truths.
Prodigal by Paolo Santalucia.
First Metis Man of Odesa (Interview with Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova)
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:11:00 EDT
Laura talks with writers and performers Matthew Mackenzie, a Canadian playwright and Mariya Khomutova, a Ukrainian artist who met in Kiyv during Matthew’s theatre research trip in Ukraine. There, they sparked up a romance and found themselves expecting a baby on the eve of the global pandemic and invasion of Ukraine. The couple shared what it was like turning their very personal love story into an award-winning play and how writing helped strengthen their relationship and saved their mental health during their most challenging times.
First Metis Man of Odesa (Part Two)
Wed, 20 Mar 2024 03:12:00 EDT
Amid a whirlwind long-distance romance, Mariya from Ukraine and Matt from Canada learn they will soon become parents. They plan to marry but find themselves unexpectedly separated for months due to a travel ban amid the pandemic. After Matt embarks on a heroic journey to Odesa to reunite with Mariya, they believe their happily ever after is finally within reach. Their fairytale takes an unsettling turn when Russia invades Ukraine. How can they embark on their new life in Canada when Mariya’s loved ones confront death and devastation back home?
First Metis Man of Odesa is by Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova.
First Métis Man of Odesa (Part 1)
Wed, 13 Mar 2024 03:12:00 EDT
A real-life love story that spans continents, a pandemic and an invasion
Matt, a Canadian Metis playwright, falls for Mariya, a Ukrainian actor, during a theatre workshop in Kyiv. They kindle a year-long romance through emails before meeting in Toronto, igniting a whirlwind love affair. But as they face the challenges of a long-distance relationship, doubts creep in for both. Just before the pandemic hits, they receive life-altering news, testing the strength of their bond and the viability of their future together.
First Metis Man of Odesa is by Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova.
PlayME Introduces: Othello from Play On Podcasts
Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:10:00 EST
The Play On Podcasts are audio adventures reimagining timeless tales featuring original music compositions and the voices of extraordinarily gifted artists. More episodes and information are available at: https://ncpodcasts.com/othello
Da Kink In My Hair (Interview with Trey Anthony)
Wed, 21 Feb 2024 03:12:00 EST
Chris talks with writer Trey Anthony about the evolution of her revolutionary show, Da Kink In Hair, from a Fringe sensation to a highly-regarded TV series. Trey candidly discusses her experiences as a queer Black artist navigating the entertainment industry, her drive to portray authentic narratives of Black women in her work, and the profound impact of her childhood relocation from England to Canada at the age of 12 on her journey as an artist.
Wed, 14 Feb 2024 03:12:00 EST
Much-in-demand hairdresser Novellette sees into the souls of several of her clients. She knows from her profession that If you want to know about a woman – a Black woman – touch her hair. She discovers joys like the sexual awakening in her elderly customer, Miss Endid, following the death of her husband. She untangles dark secrets like the painful past of Stacey-Anne, who travelled from Jamaica to Canada in the middle of the winter to live with her mother and her new partner. Da Kink In My Hair is by Trey Anthony
Wed, 07 Feb 2024 03:12:00 EST
Novellette is a busy hairdresser at her West Indian hair salon. And while she’s a much sought-after stylist, she possesses gifts beyond her ability to tame locks. She believes that the hair she works on sends her messages about her clients’ lives. Sometimes, the information she receives makes her want to laugh. Other times, it tells her things she doesn’t want to know. When Novellette places her hands in her client Patsy’s tresses, she helps untangle a painful past while discovering a secret buried in the thick and growing hair. Da Kink In My Hair is by Trey Anthony
Uncle Vanya (Interview with Liisa Repo-Martell)
Wed, 24 Jan 2024 03:12:00 EST
Laura talks with writer/performer Liisa Repo-Martell about what compelled her to adapt one of Anton Chekhov’s most famous plays, “Uncle Vanya,” for a contemporary audience. Liisa shares why she thinks Chekhov’s work is so enduring and how he gets to the heart of our darkest, most petty selves while shedding light on our desires to have more and to be seen. She talks about how she adapted a play written over 100 years ago in Russian and why she has a crush on this famous writer.
Wed, 17 Jan 2024 03:12:00 EST
After Sonya reveals her love for Astrov, Yelena volunteers to determine if the doctor shares her feelings for him. When Yelena gets him alone, he surprises her with a frightening secret. Reeling from his confession, Yelena convinces her husband, Alexandre, to leave the estate immediately, throwing Vanya and Sonya’s future into question. Upon hearing the news of the couple’s impending exit, an enraged Vanya unleashes his fury on the professor, throwing the household into chaos. Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, Adapted by Liisa Repo-Martell.
Wed, 10 Jan 2024 03:12:00 EST
A dazzling adaptation of the masterpiece. In the twilight of Czarist Russia, Vanya and his niece, Sonya, work tirelessly to manage the rural estate. Their quiet routine is shattered when Sonya's father, Alexandre, a renowned professor, arrives with his glamorous young wife, Yelena. The household succumbs to waves of fury, jealousy, and intoxicated yearning with the presence of the new guests. Amidst the turmoil, the country doctor Astrov arrives to attend to the ailing professor. Sonya confides in Yelena about her profound feelings for the enigmatic doctor. Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, Adapted by Liisa Repo-Martell.
We're Back! Introducing Latest Season of PlayME
Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:10:00 EST
Your free ticket to dozens of shows by talented writers from across Canada returns on Jan 10, 2024! Join hosts Laura Mullin and Chris Tolley for the latest season of PlayME featuring five contemporary plays: Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov (adapted by Liisa Repo-Martell), Da Kink In My Hair by Trey Anthony, First Metis Man of Odesa by Matthew MacKenzie and Mariya Khomutova, PRODIGAL by Paolo Santalucia, and Guilt: A Love Story by Diane Flacks.
Serving Elizabeth (Interview with Marcia Jonhson)
Wed, 14 Jun 2023 04:11:00 EDT
Chris talks with Marcia, who shares how she was inspired to write her hit play “Serving Elizabeth” after binging the Netflix series “The Crown.” She was livid when she noticed how only white characters were featured while others, the Black voices, were left out of the narrative. She confides how she was obsessed with princesses and queens as a little girl, but her feelings changed as she grew up and became aware of colonialization and the harm caused by the British Monarchy. Serving Elizabeth by Marcia Johnson
Wed, 07 Jun 2023 04:27:00 EDT
A drama that explores issues of colonialism and who gets to have a voice. It’s 1952, and Mercy and her daughter Faith run a well-regarded restaurant in Kenya that prepares excellent local dishes like maharagwe and matoke but is struggling due to a family health crisis draining their finances. When a white tourist arrives at the establishment and offers them a lucrative opportunity to cook for secret VIPs, Faith is eager to take the job, but Mercy is suspicious. Serving Elizabeth by Marcia Johnson
Wed, 07 Jun 2023 04:20:00 EDT
A drama that explores issues of colonialism and who gets to have a voice. When Mercy discovers she will cook for the young Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Phillip, she refuses the job due to her anger at King George and his interference with Kenyan politics. But her daughter isn’t about to pass up an opportunity that could change her life. Seventy years later, Tia, a young Kenyan-Canadian screenwriter, works as an intern production team in London, UK, preparing an episode for a TV series based on Princess Elizabeth’s historic 1952 visit to Kenya. Serving Elizabeth by Marcia Johnson
Wed, 07 Jun 2023 04:11:00 EDT
A drama that explores issues of colonialism and who gets to have a voice. Mercy finds herself with an unexpected opportunity to be alone with Princess Elizabeth but finds herself in an awkward situation with the young royal. And Tia has a face-to-face with the creator of the British TV series and gets a chance to challenge him about the treatment of the characters in his script. Serving Elizabeth by Marcia Johnson
Where the Blood Mixes (Interview with Kevin Loring)
Wed, 10 May 2023 04:11:00 EDT
Chris talks to writer Kevin Loring about his play that explores the intergenerational effects of the residential school system set in his hometown of Lytton, BC. He shares how one of the actors during a workshop reading of his play challenged him to dig deeper into his character’s alcoholism and why it ultimately shaped the development of his award-winning show. He also describes the emotional moment when his play was first performed in front of his community and his thoughts on the meaning of the word “survivor.” Where The Blood Mixes by Kevin Loring
Where the Blood Mixes (Part 1)
Wed, 03 May 2023 04:27:00 EDT
A funny and honest play about loss and redemption Floyd and Mooch are best buds. They like to hang together at George’s bar in the village of Lytton, BC, where Mooch can usually be found “mooching” drinks from his friend Floyd. Mooch is unemployed, troubled and usually steals his girlfriend June’s money to buy beer. She’s saving the money either to buy groceries or pay bills. When a letter arrives for Floyd from his long-lost family member, he grows anxious about the reunion and the circumstances that separated them all these years ago. Where the Blood Mixes by Kevin Loring
Where the Blood Mixes (Part 2)
Wed, 03 May 2023 04:18:00 EDT
A funny and honest play about loss and redemption Floyd and Mooch are haunted by their residential school experience. Mooch wants to talk about it but Floyd would prefer to leave the past in the shadows. When someone from Floyd’s old life arrives at the bar to reconnect with him, he isn’t ready to confront what has been left behind. Where the Blood Mixes by Kevin Loring
Where the Blood Mixes (Part 3)
Wed, 03 May 2023 04:11:00 EDT
A funny and honest play about loss and redemption. Floyd retreats home when his past catches up with him. He’s not ready to discuss what happened and provide the answers they desire. Mooch’s girlfriend, June, is left to pick up the slack and helps fill in some missing blanks. But Floyd can’t escape forever, and his visitor has come with their own surprises. Where the Blood Mixes by Kevin Loring
MixTape (Interview with Zorana Sadiq)
Wed, 05 Apr 2023 04:11:00 EDT
Laura talks to playwright and performer Zorana Sadiq about her love of making mixtapes when she was a kid. She shares how music can activate our limbic system transporting us to different places, which makes hearing our most sophisticated sense. She discusses how her very personal play about her obsession with music and sound impacted audiences and why she doesn’t think artists should worry about being “great.” MixTape by Zorana Sadiq
Wed, 29 Mar 2023 04:35:00 EDT
A solo show about a life told through the sounds and music Zorana shares her real-life story about discovering her love of music. A child of Pakistani immigrants who grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Zorana’s obsession with sound began at school. There she learned to play the flute at band camp, using her imagination to play the notes. When her teacher instructs her to visualize the notes in her mind, she discovers she can play the music she sees in her imagination. Suddenly becomes keenly aware of the sounds around her, including the angry voices of her parents as they fight. She loses herself in the music she compiles as mixtapes on her double-cassette player. Written and performed by Zorana Sadiq
Wed, 29 Mar 2023 04:20:00 EDT
A solo show about a life told through the sounds and music A fledging soprano, Zorana heads to arts high school to pursue her love of music and gets a lead role in the school musical. She’s discovering herself as an artist just as her parents’ marriage falls apart. Zorana graduates high school and moves to Montreal to study classical singing. But even there, she can’t escape her family drama. In the rehearsal hall, she begins to struggle with her confidence as a performer. Written and performed by Zorana Sadiq
Wed, 29 Mar 2023 04:11:00 EDT
A solo show about a life told through the sounds and music Zorana graduates from university. She no longer feels like singing anything. She takes a job at a call centre and tries to figure out who she is. She stumbles on something unexpected that helps open both her heart and mind. Written and performed by Zorana Sadiq
Wildfire (Interview with David Paquet and Leanna Brodie)
Mon, 06 Mar 2023 05:12:00 EST
Laura talks with award-winning playwright David Paquet and writer/ translator Leanna Brodie about how David’s research into his family’s past helped inspire his dark comedy, “Wildfire”. He shares how specific images and phrases help craft his unusual characters and why he feels drawn to those on the margins. Leanna Brodie opens up about her job of adapting the play for anglo audiences and why she’s tasked with translating more than just the language. They both reveal what it’s like to work as a writer today and why it's not just about making great art. Wildfire by David Paquet, translated by Leanna Brodie.
Mon, 27 Feb 2023 06:40:00 EST
A dark comedy about a family overcoming a difficult childhood. Claudette, Claudia, and Claudine are triplets who live in the same triplex. They are reeling from being raised by an unloving mother. They do what they can to get by. Claudette keeps her young son in a cage, Claudia has developed an unhealthy interest in her mailman, and Claudine has taken to befriending baked goods. The three sisters live nearby but never see each other and only communicate by phone. That is until Claudia leaves her apartment one day, reuniting the sister and forever altering their lives. Wildfire by David Paquet, translated by Leanna Brodie.
Mon, 27 Feb 2023 06:25:00 EST
A dark comedy about a family overcoming a difficult childhood. Carol is mourning the death of her beloved cat, the only thing she's ever truly loved. Callum is taking his brother's advice to get off his computer and out in the world to make friends. He meets Carol, and they share a love for movies and popcorn. Carol wonders if Callum shares her feelings, but her inability to articulate them is just one of the things they have in common. Wildfire by David Paquet, translated by Leanna Brodie.
Mon, 27 Feb 2023 06:11:00 EST
A dark comedy about a family overcoming a difficult childhood. Caroline has just put a hammer through her TV. She has issues that she's trying to drown out with vacuuming. There were hints of her problem during childhood when she accidentally killed her parents' beloved pet tarantula. She tries to bury her worries by collecting figurines. It helps soothe her mind for a while, but her urges are strong and can't be kept under wraps forever. Wildfire by David Paquet, translated by Leanna Brodie.
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Interview with Hannah Moscovitch)
Wed, 25 Jan 2023 03:10:00 EST
Chris talks with award-winning playwright Hannah Moscovitch about her unique childhood and how her socially engaged parents taught her to think critically about the world around her. She shares how sexual assault has been normalized in our culture and why she initially feared the audience’s reactions to her play “Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes,”: which she wrote before the #MeToo movement. Hannah lets in on what it’s like to take the leap from the stage to the screen and write for the hit TV show Anne Rice’s “Interview with A Vampire” and how despite her success, she’s experienced artistic disappointments. This episode contains coarse language and mature subject matter. Sexual Misconduct Of The Middle Classes by Hannah Moscovitch.
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Part 1)
Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:40:00 EST
A drama about a novelist and star professor who is tortured with self-loathing when he notices a pupil - a girl in a red coat. Jon finds himself amid another divorce, his third. He's grown bored with his job as a university lecturer and struggles to write his latest novel. Enter Annie, his attractive 19-year-old student and his super fan. She sits in the front row of his lectures and gazes at him with rapt attention. He can’t get her off his mind - until one day she shows up at his front door. Sexual Misconduct Of The Middle Classes by Hannah Moscovitch.
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Part 2)
Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:30:00 EST
A drama about a novelist and star professor who is tortured with self-loathing when he notices a pupil - a girl in a red coat. Jon swears that he’s never been tempted by the college girl fantasy. But there's something different about Annie. She’s smart and a talented young writer brimming with potential that he can help unlock. He knows how older male writers tend to reduce young women into cliché objects of desire, but he tells himself that he’d never fall into that trap. He tries to resist falling into what he knows is a bad situation. Sexual Misconduct Of The Middle Classes by Hannah Moscovitch.
Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Part 3)
Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:20:00 EST
A drama about a novelist and star professor who is tortured with self-loathing when he notices a pupil - a girl in a red coat. Time passes, and circumstances change. Turns out Annie is not just a good writer but a great one. Now in her 20s, she's an up-and-coming playwright, and from afar, Jon takes pride in following her success. After years apart, they meet In a hotel to catch up and share how their lives have unfolded while revisiting their forbidden past. Sexual Misconduct Of The Middle Classes by Hannah Moscovitch.
Sexy Laundry (Interview with Michele Riml)
Thu, 19 May 2022 05:10:00 EDT
Laura talks with playwright Michele Riml, who shares what it’s like to write a show that has gone on to be an international hit for almost 20 years. She talks about why she wanted to write a play about the sex life of a long-term couple, the reason we don’t often see these kinds of relationships reflected on stage and the surprising effect the show has had on audience members. Michele also gives her secrets to writing a comedy and confesses what it feels like to find success as a writer.
Thu, 12 May 2022 05:20:00 EDT
A touching comedy about a middle-aged couple trying to reignite their sex life after 25 years of marriage. Alice has had it with her husband, Henry. She’s no longer willing to put up with a stale sexless marriage, so she hatches a plan to rev their romance. She convinces Henry to go with her to a swanky hotel to try and bring back some heat into their relationship. Armed with a copy of “Sex for Dummies,” Alice employs some intimacy exercises, including sharing fantasies to try and re-connect with her husband. But Henry is happy to keep things the way they are, and he isn’t ready to hear about Alice’s deepest desires.
Thu, 12 May 2022 05:15:00 EDT
A touching comedy about a middle-aged couple trying to reignite their sex life after 25 years of marriage. Alice invites Henry to engage in an exercise that involves exploring each other’s bodies while blindfolded, but the exercise reveals more than sensuous pleasure. Alice discovers that Henry has been keeping a secret that’s made him grow distant. When Henry finally lets down his guard and shares his deep dark fantasy Alice isn’t ready to listen. It exposes insecurity within her that’s been bubbling to the surface for years. She believes it's the true reason behind their lack of a love life.
Thu, 12 May 2022 05:10:00 EDT
A touching comedy about a middle-aged couple trying to reignite their sex life after 25 years of marriage. Alice isn’t the only one who isn’t happy with their marriage. Henry has dreams and desires, but he keeps those thoughts to himself. He accuses Alice of blaming everything on him and not taking responsibility for her feelings of discontentment. Separately, Alice and Henry begin to fantasize about a life without each other and how it would feel to be single again. But Alice hasn’t completely given up on Henry yet and has one last sexy surprise that might finally get Henry’s attention.
Selfie (Interview with Christine Quintana)
Thu, 21 Apr 2022 07:10:00 EDT
Chris talks with award-winning playwright Christine Quintana, who shares what it was like being raised by a punk rock drummer in East Los Angeles before her family moved to British Columbia. She even has the claim to fame of being held as a baby by all of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. She talks about why she wanted to write about teens and consent, how she incorporated some of her own youth into the show and the surprising reaction to the play by both teen and adult audiences.
Thu, 14 Apr 2022 07:15:00 EDT
A drama about three teens figuring out the complexities of relationships, community and the nature of consent. Emma’s selfies from her time in Paris make her summer look amazing. Her friend Lily has some serious FOMO but is glad to have her back. When Lily and her older brother Chris throw an epic party, the booze flows. It’s the perfect opportunity for Emma and Chris to share their feelings for each other. Especially after several drinks, in his bedroom, behind a closed door.
Thu, 14 Apr 2022 07:10:00 EDT
A drama about three teens figuring out the complexities of relationships, community and the nature of consent. A doctor’s appointment confirms that Emma was sexually assaulted at Chris and Lily’s party. Lily posts a photo of her older brother and Emma making out at the party, and Emma finds herself being tried in the court of public opinion. The police get involved as much of her school turns against her. Lily must choose to stand with her brother, or her best friend – but what is true, and who is right?
Thu, 14 Apr 2022 07:05:00 EDT
A drama about three teens figuring out the complexities of relationships, community and the nature of consent. Emma, Chris and Lily all wish they could turn back time and rewrite events from the party where Emma and Chris hooked up. Emma confronts Chris and lets him know that not only does she not remember their encounter, but that she would have refused had she been able. Chris is devastated as he fully grasps the fallout from the party and his actions, and asks for forgiveness. Emma struggles to move on as she deals with the ramifications of a night that has changed her forever.
Buffoon (Interview with Anosh Irani)
Thu, 17 Mar 2022 11:10:00 EDT
Laura talks with award-winning playwright and novelist Anosh Irani, who shares what it was like to move from Mumbai, India, in the 90s to Vancouver, Canada, to pursue his literary career. He talks about how certain compelling images from his past inform his work, why he searches for the wound in the characters he creates, and the realities of “making it” as a celebrated writer.
Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:15:00 EST
A heartbreaking, hilarious tale about a clown looking for love at the circus by Anosh Irani. Felix is no ordinary clown. He’s a strange creation of his own making. Born in the circus to the Flying Olga, he was quickly rejected by his mother, who’s more interested in becoming famous than raising a son. He looks for love in other places. He finds it in a ticket seller who teaches Felix to read. He finds it through Aja, the seamstress’ adopted daughter. He feels it so much for her he might have a case of Loveria. It's like malaria, only deadlier.
Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:10:00 EST
A heartbreaking, hilarious tale about a clown looking for love at the circus by Anosh Irani. Felix’s love for Aja grows just as his parent's affection for each other fades. The Flying Olga wants a Mercedes and swimming pools, so she turns to The Great Gagoonda, who promises to fulfill her wildest dreams. All that Felix wants is to be loved, but Aja’s love is giving away all of her affection to the tentmaker's son. Felix drowns out his feelings with a bottle of wine and hatches a brilliant plan to win Aja’s heart. But something wonderful is always followed by something else.
Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:05:00 EST
A heartbreaking, hilarious tale about a clown looking for love at the circus by Anosh Irani. What is it about mothers that makes it so hard to accept that they might not love us? Felix and Aja share their first kiss, and now she is planning a future with a house and a pool and kids. His world is starting to feel uncomfortably familiar. And even though he’s a clown, Felix is learning that not everything in life is a joke. That things and people aren’t exactly as they appear. And bringing kids into this world is nothing short of buffoonery.
Controlled Damage (Interview with Andrea Scott)
Thu, 10 Feb 2022 06:40:00 EST
Chris talks with award-winning playwright Andrea Scott who shares what it was like to bring iconic activist Viola Desmond to life within her play. She talks about how she worked to humanize Viola by drawing from her own experiences as a Black woman to help flesh out her real-life character’s emotional world and examine why heroes are often only appreciated in hindsight.
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:10:00 EST
A drama about civil rights icon Viola Desmond by Andrea Scott. Viola is a young woman with big dreams. She was born to a white mother and a black father in 1914, uncommon at the time, so her very existence is controversial. Not willing to settle for the traditional role women were expected to play, Viola tries her hand at teaching but faces racism and unwanted sexual advances from her superiors. She finds her passion as a beautician and creator of makeup for Black women and wrestles with her desire to be an entrepreneur and her duty as a new wife.
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:05:00 EST
A drama about civil rights icon Viola Desmond by Andrea Scott. Viola has the magic touch of making other women look their best, and her beauty products for Black Women are selling like hotcakes. She’s an independent woman travelling all over Nova Scotia selling goods when her car broke down in New Glasgow one fateful day in 1946. She decides to take in a movie to pass the time and inadvertently sits in the ”‘all-whites” section of the theatre, changing the course of her life and history.
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:00:00 EST
A drama about civil rights icon Viola Desmond by Andrea Scott. After getting arrested and spending the night in jail, Viola is confronted with the gut-wrenching decision to fight her conviction. Should she risk her popular business to make a fuss? And what will happen to her already strained marriage? But Viola knows there’s more to be gained than the right to sit at the front of a movie theatre. And she’s about to discover the consequences for being brave enough to put up a fight against systemic racism.
New Magic Valley Fun Town (Interview with Daniel MacIvor)
Thu, 13 Jan 2022 00:10:00 EST
Laura talks to celebrated playwright and performer Daniel MacIvor, who shares what it was like growing up as a gay kid in the 70s in Cape Breton and how it influenced his writing. He talks about why being raised on an island has made him more aware of endings, how he modelled the protagonist of his play in New Magic Valley Fun Town after his real-life brother and why he’s drawn to creating characters who struggle with mental health.
New Magic Valley Fun Town (Part 1)
Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:10:00 EST
By Daniel MacIvor. Dougie is excited and maybe a little nervous as he prepares his mobile home in Cape Breton for a party with his childhood best friend. He hasn’t seen Allen in 30 years, and if Facebook is to be believed, he’s now a fit university professor who, unlike Dougie, still has his hair. Dougie’s church-going ex-wife Cheryl and their depressed adult daughter Sandy are there for the reunion. They bicker as they prep the booze and snacks for Allen’s arrival when Sandy upsets Dougie about Allen’s childhood nickname.
New Magic Valley Fun Town (Part 2)
Wed, 05 Jan 2022 00:10:00 EST
By Daniel MacIvor. After much anticipation, Allen arrives at Dougie’s mobile home in Cape Breton for a reunion after a 30-year absence. When Allen opts for water instead of alcohol, Dougie and Cheryl get nervous that they might be in for an awkward night. Allen finally agrees to a rum and coke, much to their relief, and he and Dougie catch up until Dougie decides he needs to get something off his chest.
New Magic Valley Fun Town (Part 3)
Tue, 04 Jan 2022 00:10:00 EST
By Daniel MacIvor. Dougie’s old friend Allen has a surprise for him. A piece of nostalgia from their childhood delights his ex-wife and daughter but makes Dougie uncomfortable. They decide to knock back some drinks and turn up the music, and the party becomes a raucous night of dancing and flirting. Tempers flare, insults are hurled, and Sandy crosses a line. She digs for the real reason Allen has come back home after so many years.
Fri, 31 Dec 2021 06:10:00 EST
As a holiday gift, we're re-releasing the radio versions of some of our favourite shows this year. These plays have been edited for a general audience, and enriched with playwright interviews. Today: Nicolas Billon's "Butcher," a wildly unpredictable crime thriller set on Christmas Eve. Warning: it's anything but holly jolly.
“Three Women of Swatow” (Clean version)
Wed, 29 Dec 2021 06:10:00 EST
As a holiday gift, we're re-releasing the radio versions of some of our favourite shows this year. These plays have been edited for a general audience, and enriched with playwright interviews. Today: Chloé Hung's ferocious comedy "Three Women of Swatow," about three generations of women linked by one fierce legacy.
Bed and Breakfast (Clean version)
Fri, 24 Dec 2021 06:10:00 EST
As a holiday gift, we're re-releasing the radio versions of some of our favourite shows this year. These plays have been edited for a general audience, and enriched with playwright interviews. Today: Mark Crawford's hit comedy "Bed and Breakfast," a heartwarming tale of a gay couple from the big city finding home and belonging in a small town.
This Is How We Got Here (Clean version)
Wed, 22 Dec 2021 06:10:00 EST
As a holiday gift, we're re-releasing the radio versions of some of our favourite shows this year. These plays have been edited for a general audience, and enriched with playwright interviews. Today: Keith Barker's "This Is How We Got Here," a story of two couples on a journey through grief following a young one's suicide.
Between the Sheets (Clean version)
Fri, 17 Dec 2021 06:10:00 EST
As a holiday gift, we're re-releasing the radio versions of some of our favourite shows this year. These plays have been edited for a general audience, and enriched with playwright interviews. Today: Jordi Mand's debut play "Between The Sheets," about a middle-aged mother, a teacher in her twenties, and confrontation that changes both their lives.
The Boy in the Moon (Clean version)
Wed, 15 Dec 2021 06:10:00 EST
As a holiday gift, we're re-releasing the radio versions of some of our favourite shows this year. These plays have been edited for a general audience, and enriched with playwright interviews. First up: Emil Sher's adaptation of "The Boy in the Moon" — Ian Brown's memoir exploring the "trials, tribulations and triumphs" of raising a child with a rare disability.
The Show Must Go On: “Take d Milk, Nah?” (Interview with Jivesh Parasram)
Tue, 28 Apr 2020 20:10:00 EDT
Laura talks to playwright and performer Jiv Parasram, who is currently quarantining at home in Vancouver and getting ready to take a play online. Parasram reflects on being the first in his family to grow up in Nova Scotia, his complicated feelings about identity plays, and why he made the bold request for some audience members to skip part of the story.
The Show Must Go On: “Take d Milk, Nah?” (Part 1)
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:09:00 EDT
Jiv is Canadian. Jiv is Indian. And Hindu. And West Indian. And Trinidadian too. Or maybe he is just colonized. In order to explore all these hyphenated identities, he creates the first-ever Hindu-Caribbean-Canadian identity play — even though he hates identity plays. He starts with a brief history of indentured servitude in Trinidad, and his family.
The Show Must Go On: “Take d Milk, Nah?” (Part 2)
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:08:00 EDT
Jiv is the first in his family to be born in Canada and raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Here some people call him black, while his own family calls him “white boy”. Jiv goes on a teenage quest to Trinidad to untangle his roots and become more legitimately “third world”. Things do not go as planned.
The Show Must Go On: “Take d Milk, Nah?” (Part 3)
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:07:00 EDT
Jiv shapeshifts again to prove identity is pretty trippy. Maybe we are all “Jiv”. Maybe this is all an illusion. But then a memory from Junior High brings him crashing back down to earth. Disaster strikes on 9/11 and Jiv feels forced to choose an “identity raft”. He’s not proud of his choice. He asks certain “Jivs” to skip to the next episode.
The Show Must Go On: “Take d Milk, Nah?” (Part 4: Epilogue)
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:06:00 EDT
We all meet again for one final thought from our multi-hyphenated hero. Here’s why it matters how we choose to define the divides between us, and within us.
The Show Must Go On: “Carried away on the crest of a wave” (Interview With David Yee)
Sun, 19 Apr 2020 20:10:00 EDT
Chris talks to Governor General Award-winning playwright David Yee, who is currently isolating from home and workshopping a new play over Zoom. Yee reflects on why “underused” actors of colour often resort to writing their own stories, and why he wanted “Carried away on the crest of a wave” to be too big for small theatres. He also shares where he was when he first heard about the devastating 2004 Tsunami, and why he felt compelled to write an anthological play about “the lives that it touched, brought together and destroyed."
The Show Must Go On: “Carried away on the crest of a wave” (Part 1)
Mon, 13 Apr 2020 20:09:00 EDT
In 2004, the deadliest tsunami in recorded history tore through over a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean. In a series of vignettes, David Yee imagines the people left behind in disaster’s wake. In Australia, a scientist notes that the planet got smaller the day of the disaster. In Malaysia, two brothers toss family treasures to save their house from descending into the sea. In India, a priest tries to prove that his parishioners were saved by divine intervention.
The Show Must Go On: “Carried away on the crest of a wave” (Part 2)
Mon, 13 Apr 2020 20:08:00 EDT
The tragedy travels all the way to Toronto where a radio DJ defies his bosses to perform a parody of Tears for Fears. In Sri Lanka, a man speaks frankly to a child orphaned by the tsunami. And in Thailand, a man mourns his beloved wife in the company of an highly-specialized escort.
The Show Must Go On: “Carried away on the crest of a wave” (Part 3)
Mon, 13 Apr 2020 20:07:00 EDT
The ripples extend far below the surface of the earth as two men endlessly fall down a hole. In Salt Lake City, an FBI agent questions a bereaved mother about the child she lost in the tsunami. And on a sandy beach in Ko Phi Phi Island, Thailand, two men sit together deciding who is responsible for the tragedy.
Crawlspace (Interview with Karen Hines)
Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:10:00 EDT
Laura talks to playwright and performer Karen Hines about her solo show Crawlspace. Hines explains how her play was inspired by her true-life experience of buying a home, how it fundamentally changed her as a person and redefined her concept of home.
Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:09:00 EDT
Writer Karen Hines dreams of homeownership so when she discovers a lemon yellow coach house advertised as a “condo alternative,” she decides to invest her life savings. She adores the granite countertop and the walk-in closet and its lack of basement. But on move-in day, she sits on the window sill and it crumbles beneath her. She soon learns that she hasn’t bought a coach house. She’s just sunk everything she owns into a glorified car garage.
Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:08:00 EDT
Karen learns that not only is her coach house actually a converted garage, but also that it’s encroaching on her neighbour’s property. And because her neighbour won’t sell her the land, she can’t sell the house. And because she spent all her money on the house, she can’t afford to do the repairs. She falls deeper into debt and despair, and then she notices a mysterious foul odour emanating from god knows where.
Mon, 09 Mar 2020 00:07:00 EDT
The stench pervading from somewhere is a mystery no one can solve. Karen incurs tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt to find the problem and … deal with it. Karen’s coach house goes from bad investment to a health hazard. She must get out.
The Boy in the Moon (Interview with Ian Brown and Emil Sher)
Mon, 27 Jan 2020 00:10:00 EST
Chris talks to playwright Emil Sher and journalist Ian Brown about Ian’s bestselling book-turned-play, The Boy in the Moon. Both tell the story of Ian’s quest to connect with his son, Walker, who was born with a rare genetic disorder. The two writers discuss the challenge of portraying Ian’s family on stage; the guilt and shame associated with disability; and why Ian had to rethink the idea of love and where to find it.
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:09:00 EST
An early delivery of their son catches Ian Brown and his wife Johanna Schneller by surprise. Their son Walker is born with a rare genetic disorder, which went undetected in the womb. His condition will impact everything from walking to talking to eating. And life changes, completely.
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:08:00 EST
Walker is diagnosed with Cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, a condition so rare only 300 people in the world have been diagnosed with it. Ian and his wife are faced with the task of raising a boy who can’t tell them anything, and soon find themselves imagining everything. They yearn to communicate with Walker and ask him questions. What do you dream at night? What do you think about? Why do you keep hitting yourself?
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:07:00 EST
Ian reflects on the beautiful moments — the private language of tongue clicks and the joys of an echoing hallway. He also recalls the worst moments — his wife at the bottom of the darkness, and well-meaning friends who cannot help. The family makes a decision with a profound impact; a turning point with no turning back.
BUTCHER: Interview with Nicolas Billon
Tue, 19 Nov 2019 00:10:00 EST
Laura talks to Governor General award-winning playwright Nicolas Billon about his play "BUTCHER", a dark political thriller set on Christmas Eve. Billon explains why he felt the need to invent a country, and a whole language, to tell the story he wanted to tell; how Hitchcock's thrillers inspire his writing; and what he thinks of the notion that "you can have peace or you can have justice, but you can't have both."
Mon, 11 Nov 2019 19:10:00 EST
At first, it seems like a Christmas miracle. The Lavinian interpreter arrives to find the old man moaning in pain. Besides being fluent in his language, Elena is also a nurse with some timely advice. As the four wait for an ambulance to arrive, she quickly deduces a lot more about the man — from the hook that hung around his neck to the missing fingernails on his toes. But tensions rise as it becomes clear: the old man isn’t the only one in the room with secrets.
Mon, 11 Nov 2019 19:10:00 EST
It’s Christmas Eve at a Toronto police station, and Inspector Lamb is no longer having a silent night. A drugged old man in a Santa hat and military uniform has been dropped on his doorstep. Around the man’s neck: a butcher’s hook spiked with a business card that reads “arrest me.” The cop makes two calls: to the lawyer on the card and an interpreter who speaks Lavinian. The lawyer arrives first.
Sun, 10 Nov 2019 19:10:00 EST
“Revenge is the confession of pain … it wants you to feel what it feels.” We all know what it means to kill someone, but what does it mean to break them? No one in the room is playing the same role as when they entered it. No one will ever be the same again.
PlayME NOW: Bunny by Hannah Moscovitch
Wed, 28 Aug 2019 12:00:00 EDT
Laura and Chris revisit the perfect play for summer, Bunny by Hannah Moscovitch. The play explores taboos of female sexuality when Sorrel, a grown-up married woman, finds herself alone in a canoe with a much younger man. She is wrestling with whether to give into her desires, or stick to what society expects for her.
Between Breaths (Interview with Robert Chafe)
Tue, 25 Jun 2019 12:00:00 EDT
Chris talks to Governor General award-winning playwright Robert Chafe about his play "Between Breaths", a life-affirming look at the life of Dr. Jon Lien who was known as the "Whale Man of Newfoundland". They discuss how Robert's experience growing up as a gay man in Newfoundland and how the death of one of his main collaborators impacted this work.
Tue, 18 Jun 2019 11:59:00 EDT
By Robert Chafe. Between Breaths tells the story of Dr. Jon Lien, the "Whale man of Newfoundland," known for his pioneering efforts in freeing whales from fishing nets. Told in reverse chronological order, the play portrays his final moments when he finds himself trapped in his own body, much like the whales he worked to free. Note: this play includes coarse language.
Tue, 18 Jun 2019 11:58:00 EDT
By Robert Chafe. Between Breaths tells the story of Dr. Jon Lien, the "Whale man of Newfoundland," known for his pioneering efforts in freeing whales from fishing nets. Told in reverse chronological order, the play portrays his final moments when he finds himself trapped in his own body, much like the whales he worked to free. Note: This play contains coarse language.
Tue, 18 Jun 2019 11:57:00 EDT
By Robert Chafe. Between Breaths tells the story of Dr. Jon Lien, the "Whale man of Newfoundland," known for his pioneering efforts in freeing whales from fishing nets. Told in reverse chronological order, the play portrays his final moments when he finds himself trapped in his own body, much like the whales he worked to free. Note: This play contains coarse language.
Huff (Interview with Cliff Cardinal)
Wed, 24 Apr 2019 12:00:00 EDT
Laura speaks with award-winning writer and performer Cliff Cardinal about his gut-wrenching play, Huff. He talks about the taboo subculture of Indigenous kids who abuse solvents and are at risk of suicide, how theatre saved him in high school, and what was like to grow up as the son of iconic actress Tantoo Cardinal.
Tue, 16 Apr 2019 11:59:00 EDT
By Cliff Cardinal. A gut-wrenching yet darkly humorous tale about Wind and his brothers, all caught in a cycle of solvent abuse following their mother's death. Wind's fantastic dream world bleeds into his haunting reality, as he's preyed on by Trickster. Please note: this play includes explicit language, difficult themes and graphic scenes depicting sexual violence, addiction and suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
Tue, 16 Apr 2019 11:58:00 EDT
By Cliff Cardinal. A gut-wrenching yet darkly humorous tale about Wind and his brothers, all caught in a cycle of solvent abuse following their mother's death. Wind's fantastic dream world bleeds into his haunting reality, as he's preyed on by Trickster. Please note: this play includes explicit language, difficult themes and graphic scenes depicting sexual violence, addiction and suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
Tue, 16 Apr 2019 11:57:00 EDT
By Cliff Cardinal. A gut-wrenching yet darkly humorous tale about Wind and his brothers, all caught in a cycle of solvent abuse following their mother's death. Wind's fantastic dream world bleeds into his haunting reality, as he's preyed on by Trickster. Please note: this play includes explicit language, difficult themes and graphic scenes depicting sexual violence, addiction and suicide. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
The Fish Eyes Trilogy (Interview with Anita Majumdar)
Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:59:00 EDT
Chris talks to Dora award-winning playwright Anita Majumdar about her one-woman, multi-voice play The Fish Eyes Trilogy. They discuss consent, cultural relevance and coming of age as a South Asian teen in a small town.
The Fish Eyes Trilogy (Part One: Boys with Cars)
Tue, 12 Mar 2019 11:59:00 EDT
By Anita Majumdar. Set in the hormone-filled halls of Port Moody Senior Secondary School, we meet Naznin. Her story is the first in three inter-woven Bollywood-meets-high school plays where cultures collide, women struggle for status, and heartbreak awaits at every corner.
The Fish Eyes Trilogy (Part Two: Let Me Borrow That Top)
Tue, 12 Mar 2019 11:58:00 EDT
By Anita Majumdar. Set in the hormone-filled halls of Port Moody Senior Secondary School, we meet Candice. Her story is the second in three inter-woven Bollywood-meets-high school plays where cultures collide, women struggle for status, and heartbreak awaits at every corner.
The Fish Eyes Trilogy (Part Three: Fish Eyes)
Tue, 12 Mar 2019 11:57:00 EDT
By Anita Majumdar. Set in the hormone-filled halls of Port Moody Senior Secondary School, we meet Meena (and her blunt auntie). Her story is the third in three inter-woven Bollywood-meets-high school plays where cultures collide, women struggle for status, and heartbreak awaits at every corner.
PlayME NOW: Better Angels by Andrea Scott.
Mon, 25 Feb 2019 12:00:00 EST
Who should be feared? Who should be grateful? And who should get to tell the story? These questions are as relevant today as they've ever been. As Black History Month winds down, the theatre-powered PlayME podcast resurfaces a work that connects past, present and future.
What A Young Wife Ought To Know (Interview with Hannah Moscovitch)
Tue, 22 Jan 2019 12:00:00 EST
Laura talks to award-winning playwright, Hannah Moscovitch about her haunting play, What A Young Wife Ought To Know. They discuss the inspiration for the piece, the birth control movement of the 1920s, and why a play set 100 years ago is so relevant today.
What A Young Wife Ought To Know (Part 1)
Mon, 14 Jan 2019 11:59:00 EST
By Hannah Moscovitch. Set in 1920s Canada, What a Young Wife Ought to Know tells the story of Sophie, a young working-class wife who has a lot to learn about love, sex, and birth control. The play is a brave and honest examination of fertility and family planning, inspired by real stories about young mothers during the early Canadian birth control movement.
What A Young Wife Ought To Know (Part 2)
Mon, 14 Jan 2019 11:58:00 EST
By Hannah Moscovitch. Set in 1920s Canada, What a Young Wife Ought to Know tells the story of Sophie, a young working-class wife who has a lot to learn about love, sex, and birth control. The play is a brave and honest examination of fertility and family planning, inspired by real stories about young mothers during the early Canadian birth control movement.
What A Young Wife Ought To Know (Part 3)
Mon, 14 Jan 2019 11:57:00 EST
By Hannah Moscovitch. Set in 1920s Canada, What a Young Wife Ought to Know tells the story of Sophie, a young working-class wife who has a lot to learn about love, sex, and birth control. The play is a brave and honest examination of fertility and family planning, inspired by real stories about young mothers during the early Canadian birth control movement.
PlayME NOW: Iceland by Nicolas Billon
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 12:00:00 EST
In the midst of a severe stock market correction, PlayME revisits Iceland by Nicolas Billon. Set against the backdrop of the 2008 banking crisis, Iceland unearths greed, selfishness, and other ugly human impulses that help fuel the fires of raging capitalism.
PlayME NOW: Vitals by Rosamund Small
Mon, 03 Dec 2018 11:59:00 EST
On the heels of the recent California fires, PlayME revisits a clip from past show, Vitals by Rosamund Small. Listen to get inside the mind of a paramedic in the heat of the action. PlayME NOW is a series of bonus episodes that explore the relevance of previous shows to today's headline events.
Prairie Nurse (Interview with Marie Beath Badian)
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 12:00:00 EST
Chris talks to Marie Beath Badian, the playwright of Prairie Nurse, about how her mother's immigration from the Philippines to the prairies in the 60s inspired her hit show.
Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:59:00 EST
By Marie Beath Badian. A comedy about two Filipino nurses who come to work at a small-town Saskatchewan hospital in the late 1960s. Cultural clashes, personality differences, homesickness, and the amorous but dim-witted goalie from the local hockey team complicate the women's lives. (1/3)
Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:58:00 EST
By Marie Beath Badian. A comedy about two Filipino nurses who come to work at a small-town Saskatchewan hospital in the late 1960s. Cultural clashes, personality differences, homesickness, and the amorous but dim-witted goalie from the local hockey team complicate the women's lives. (2/3)
Mon, 05 Nov 2018 11:57:00 EST
By Marie Beath Badian. A comedy about two Filipino nurses who come to work at a small-town Saskatchewan hospital in the late 1960s. Cultural clashes, personality differences, homesickness, and the amorous but dim-witted goalie from the local hockey team complicate the women's lives. (3/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:58:00 EDT
By Kat Sandler. A white playwright uses the shooting of an unarmed young black man by a police officer as a "jumping-off point" for his hit play, soon to be adapted into a major movie. As Hollywood comes knocking, the writer visits the officer involved. (1/4)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:57:00 EDT
By Kat Sandler. A white playwright uses the shooting of an unarmed young black man by a police officer as a "jumping-off point" for his hit play, soon to be adapted into a major movie. As Hollywood comes knocking, the writer visits the officer involved. (2/4)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:56:00 EDT
By Kat Sandler. A white playwright uses the shooting of an unarmed young black man by a police officer as a "jumping-off point" for his hit play, soon to be adapted into a major movie. As Hollywood comes knocking, the writer visits the officer involved. (3/4)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:55:00 EDT
By Kat Sandler. A white playwright uses the shooting of an unarmed young black man by a police officer as a "jumping-off point" for his hit play, soon to be adapted into a major movie. As Hollywood comes knocking, the writer visits the officer involved.
Bang Bang (Interview with Kat Sandler)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:54:00 EDT
Laura talks with Kat Sandler, the playwright and director of Bang Bang, about writing, cultural appropriation and who gets to tell which stories.
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:53:00 EDT
By Nicolas Billon. Set against the backdrop of the banking crisis, a confrontation between a real estate agent and a tenant takes an unexpected turn. (1/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:52:00 EDT
By Nicolas Billon. Set against the backdrop of the banking crisis, a confrontation between a real estate agent and a tenant takes an unexpected turn. (2/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:51:00 EDT
By Nicolas Billon. Set against the backdrop of the banking crisis, a confrontation between a real estate agent and a tenant takes an unexpected turn. (3/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:50:00 EDT
By Hannah Moscovitch. Aroused by inappropriate love, a young woman discovers the power of her own allure. Ever the outsider, she struggles with what's social acceptable only to find herself increasingly alone in her desires. (1/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:49:00 EDT
By Hannah Moscovitch. Aroused by inappropriate love, a young woman discovers the power of her own allure. Ever the outsider, she struggles with what's social acceptable only to find herself increasingly alone in her desires. (2/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:48:00 EDT
By Hannah Moscovitch. Aroused by inappropriate love, a young woman discovers the power of her own allure. Ever the outsider, she struggles with what's social acceptable only to find herself increasingly alone in her desires. (3/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:47:00 EDT
By Rosamund Small. A paramedic named Anna spends her days saving lives and dealing with the darkness, cruelty, and sheer incompetence of the people all around her. How many 911 calls can she deal with before she has her own emergency? (1/4)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:46:00 EDT
By Rosamund Small. A paramedic named Anna spends her days saving lives and dealing with the darkness, cruelty, and sheer incompetence of the people all around her. How many 911 calls can she deal with before she has her own emergency? (2/4)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:45:00 EDT
By Rosamund Small. A paramedic named Anna spends her days saving lives and dealing with the darkness, cruelty, and sheer incompetence of the people all around her. How many 911 calls can she deal with before she has her own emergency? (3/4)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:44:00 EDT
By Rosamund Small. A paramedic named Anna spends her days saving lives and dealing with the darkness, cruelty, and sheer incompetence of the people all around her. How many 911 calls can she deal with before she has her own emergency? (4/4)
Vitals (Interview with Rosamund Small)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:43:00 EDT
Laura talks with Rosamund Small, the playwright behind Vitals, about researching the life of a paramedic to write her solo show.
Lo (Or Dear Mr. Wells) (Part 1)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:42:00 EDT
By Rose Napoli. Laura, a 15-year-old school girl, is in an inappropriate relationship with her English teacher. She is in love, but he's in a complicated marriage he can't leave. Things ignite when his wife calls during the couple's secret night of passion. (1/3)
Lo (Or Dear Mr. Wells) (Part 2)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:41:00 EDT
By Rose Napoli. Laura, a 15-year-old school girl, is in an inappropriate relationship with her English teacher. She is in love, but he's in a complicated marriage he can't leave. Things ignite when his wife calls during the couple's secret night of passion. (2/3)
Lo (Or Dear Mr. Wells) (Part 3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:40:00 EDT
By Rose Napoli. Laura, a 15-year-old school girl, is in an inappropriate relationship with her English teacher. She is in love, but he's in a complicated marriage he can't leave. Things ignite when his wife calls during the couple's secret night of passion. (3/3)
Lo (Or Dear Mr. Wells) (Interview with Rose Napoli)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:39:00 EDT
Chris speaks with Rose Napoli, the playwright of Lo (Or Dear Mr. Wells), about her past life as an educator and what inspired her to write about an inappropriate relationship between a school girl and her teacher.
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:38:00 EDT
By Anna Chatteron. Maddie's sweet sixteen sister, Beatrice, is dating someone she shouldn't. Their brassy single mom, Sheila, makes up with her ex-boyfriend again. So fourteen-year-old Maddie is left to fend for herself with nothing but her bow and arrow. (1/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:37:00 EDT
By Anna Chatteron. Maddie's sweet sixteen sister, Beatrice, is dating someone she shouldn't. Their brassy single mom, Sheila, makes up with her ex-boyfriend again. So fourteen-year-old Maddie is left to fend for herself with nothing but her bow and arrow. (2/3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:36:00 EDT
By Anna Chatteron. Maddie's sweet sixteen sister, Beatrice, is dating someone she shouldn't. Their brassy single mom, Sheila, makes up with her ex-boyfriend again. So fourteen-year-old Maddie is left to fend for herself with nothing but her bow and arrow. (3/3)
Quiver (Interview with Anna Chatterton)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:35:00 EDT
Laura talks with Anna Chatterton about being a playwright and librettist. She delves into the inspiration for her 14-girl-old character of Maddie and her dysfunctional family.
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:30:00 EDT
By Andrea Scott. Akosua is a young woman from Ghana who has come to Canada to work as a nanny for a couple in Toronto. They insist she is a member of their family, but when they increasingly deny her pay she comes to a chilling realization: she has become their prisoner. (1/2)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:29:00 EDT
By Andrea Scott. Akosua is a young woman from Ghana who has come to Canada to work as a nanny for a couple in Toronto. They insist she is a member of their family, but when they increasingly deny her pay she comes to a chilling realization: she has become their prisoner. (2/2)
Better Angels (Interview with Andrea Scott)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:28:00 EDT
Chris and Laura talk with Andrea Scott, the playwright of Better Angels, about domestic slavery, racism, and making the transition from acting to writing.
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:27:00 EDT
Grade 8 looks at what it means to be a black father today, and the role men play in young girls' lives as they grow up and become women. Told through spoken word, this one-man show is part beat poetry and part urban lyricism. (1/2)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:26:00 EDT
Grade 8 looks at what it means to be a black father today, and the role men play in young girls' lives as they grow up and become women. Told through spoken word, this one-man show is part beat poetry and part urban lyricism. (2/2)
Grade 8 (Interview with Dwayne Morgan)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:25:00 EDT
Laura talks with Dwayne Morgan, the playwright of Grade 8, about being a spoken word artist and the trials and triumphs of raising a girl.
The Philosopher's Wife (Part 1)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:24:00 EDT
By Susanna Fournier. The Philosopher's Wife, is a modern Gothic subverting notions of education, sex, power, and submission. (1/3)
The Philosopher's Wife (Part 2)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:23:00 EDT
By Susanna Fournier. The Philosopher's Wife is a modern gothic subverting notions of education, sex, power, and submission. (2/3)
The Philosopher's Wife (Part 3)
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:22:00 EDT
By Susanna Fournier. The Philosopher's Wife, is a modern gothic subverting notions of education, sex, power, and submission. (3/3)
PlayME Monologues: d'bi young anitafrika & Mami Wata
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:21:00 EDT
Laura and Chris host conversations with some of Canada's most celebrated playwrights in front of a live audience. Together, they dive deep into their favourite monologues. d'bi young anitafrika talks about her monologue Mami Wata.
PlayME Monologues: Judith Thompson & Palace of The End
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:20:00 EDT
Laura and Chris host conversations with some of Canada's most celebrated playwrights in front of a live audience. Together, they dive deep into their favourite monologues. Judith Thompson talks about her monologue from Palace of The End.
PlayME Monologues: Keith Barker & This Is How We Got Here
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:19:00 EDT
Laura and Chris host conversations with some of Canada's most celebrated playwrights in front of a live audience. Together, they explore their favourite monologues. Keith Barker talks about his monologue from This is How We Got Here
PlayME Monologues: Daniel MacIvor & Who Killed Spalding Gray
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:18:00 EDT
Laura and Chris host conversations with some of Canada's most celebrated playwrights in front of a live audience. Together, they explore their favourite monologues. Daniel MacIvor talks about his monologue from Who Killed Spalding Gray.
Bonus Interview with Dramaturg Erica Kopyto
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 11:17:00 EDT
Chris talks with Erica about the role of dramaturgy in playwriting. Erica walks us through what makes for a great play.
PlayME trailer (New Season with CBC Podcasts)
Wed, 24 Oct 2018 11:59:00 EDT
PlayME has joined CBC Podcasts. Coming soon: Prairie Nurse, What a young wife ought to know, Huff, Between Breaths, and The Fish Eyes Trilogy. Welcome to your Digital Theatre.