what is the emerging producers festival?

Theatre of the Beat’s Emerging Producers Festival was an initiative that unfolded in two phases.

First, a 10-week residency program that provided hands-on training for four emerging producers. During the residency program, emerging producers gained practical experience in curation, production, and community engagement from an established theatre company. Emerging producers witnessed how a theatre company creates and produces work, and were paired with experienced mentors to learn the intricacies of arts administration.

In the second phase (festival phase), emerging producers gained invaluable experience in every aspect of production. The producers curated and produced a multidisciplinary theatre festival, presenting original works on themes of social justice and community impact. They collaborated to plan and implement the festival, while also working independently to produce their own work. Productions included staged readings, works in progress, and fully realized one-act shows that showcased the creativity of new voices in Canadian theatre.

WHEN

August 22th, 23rd, 24th

1-9pm

WHERE

Danforth Mennonite Church, Toronto, ON

2024 EPF producers

Click on their images below to read all about this year’s emerging producers!

MENTORS

Emerging producers witnessed how a theatre company creates and produces work, and were paired with experienced mentors to learn the intricacies of arts administration. Emerging producers were paired with one of the following mentors: Indrit Kasapi from Theatre Passe Muraille, Himanshu Sitlani from Native Earth Performing Arts, Laura McCallum from Outside the March, or Daniel Chapman-Smith from Project: Humanity.

2024 Emerging Producers Festival Wrap-up Video

But First, let me breathe

Written by Peace Akintade-Oluwagbeye

Directed by Stephanie Fung

Produced by Sara May Jarvie-Clark

CAST: Mercedes Isaza Clunie, Vica Pelivan Gauri Prasad & Paul Smith

A boarding house for international students, a final collaboration before university ends. Two broken hearts, one spleen cracked, and four people are responsible. Follow four first-generation immigrants as they collaborate on an ex-machina multidisciplinary showcase.

“But First, Let Me Breathe” is a dramedy, with poetry, about the untold, de-glamorized side of being in a melting pot. What happens when the intersections of race, culture, and language become too much? What happens when you are stuck for four years with the same people? Do we create our own individualism, or is it inherited by society's perspective? What happen if the We vs Them debate was given steroids? Ash, Bev, Cue, and Dee must create a show to make their communities proud, but betrayal, love, and ignorance keep getting in the way.

with fervor burning: The Odd Occurrence of the Burnt-Up Flag Outside the Filipino Community Centre in Plamondon One Fine Saturday Morn

Written by Revan Badingham III

Directed by Danik McAfee

Stage Managed by Tanvi Vyas

Produced by Kay Wong

CAST: Ray Jacildo, Edgar Allan Dela Cruz, Alecks Ambayec & Alia Rasul

One Saturday outside a Filipino community centre in Montreal, the neighbourhood wakes to find that someone has committed a heinous crime: they’ve burned the flag of the Philippines flying outside. Despite public outrage and a fevered investigation to find the culprit, the representatives of the community centre fall mysteriously silent about the whole affair. Through the lies and accusations, just one question remains: what really happened that fateful morning? Based on a true story, With Fervor Burning is a bold, funny exploration of the struggles and contradictions of the Filipino diaspora in Canada.

***CONTENT ADVISORY: Coarse language, Slurs and depictions of homophobia, misogyny, racism, Shouting and occasional loud noises

Jealousy, my brother

Written by Roselyn Kaleda-Sedra & Suchiththa Wickremesooriya

Directed by Alexandra Rizkallah

Produced by Sivert Das

CAST: Abi Akinlade, Samer Dagher, Alex Joseph & Hannah Sunley Paisley

Jealousy, My Brother is about the deep frustration and brokenness that occurs when biracial siblings are wedged apart by circumstances, trauma and different cultural expectations. Family comes first. This is particularly true in global majority cultures. What happens when that family is what hurts you the most? What happens when you need to break away in order to heal or even define yourself outside of the standards imposed on you by the people who are supposed to love you the most? The play explores how we feel the gaps between us. We insulate ourselves against people we love who don’t understand us or our experience of colour and other-ness. Nothing is more isolating than jealousy.

***CONTENT ADVISORY: Mentions of both childhood sexual assault and sexual assault of an adult

Soufflé

Written By Nina Katz

Directed by Zoe Marin

Produced by Oprah Lemorin

CAST: Sierra Small & Kaitlin Condle

Best friends Willa and Carmen are spending an afternoon baking soufflés for their friend JJ's birthday potluck, a stressless and relaxing experience for Willa because she definitely isn't suppressing feelings for him. As the two friends unwind, Carmen's slip of the tongue unleashes the floodgates of suppressed resentment in their friendship. They must navigate their differing experiences of body dysmorphia and the inadvertent ways their negative self-talk have hurt each other. How can friendship flourish through layers of guilt and shame? With wry humour, Soufflé examines the differing effects fatphobia has on women's self-esteem and relationships, and navigates the shame behind discussing bodies that defy the norm.

***CONTENT ADVISORY: Coarse language, Fatphobia, Eating Disorders, Body dismorphia

thank you

This opportunity is made possible with the generous support of Canada Summer Jobs and the Canada Arts Presentation Fund through the Government of Canada.