Paul Smith (he/il, they/iel) is a Thursday-born performer, writer, director, dramaturg, and producer from Stittsville, ON., based in Toronto, ON. With their practice held in the foundations of the West-African principle Sankofa (to go back and get it in order to move forward), they have an overall interest in theatre & performance that tests new modes of creation, presentation, and consumption, and sees “process” just as if not more integral than “product”. Today, they are exploring where bridges can be made to connect and care for both new and late-generation artists, how Black and African cultures are two sides of the same coin, and how spirituality, identity, and myth can adapt narratives that center marginalized bodies into stories of reclamation, innovation, or protest. In addition to being funded by the Ontario and Toronto Arts Councils, projects of theirs include Anansi v. God(s) (Toronto Metropolitan University & Tarragon Theatre), The Gathering (Diaspora Dialogues & Tarragon Theatre), the Acting and Writing Cohorts of TEPS (Factory Theatre), Bearbie (PlayersTO), Bush of Ghosts (BlueBird Theatre Collective), Rockabye (ARC Stage), and the Artist Mentorship Program (Black Theatre Workshop & the National Arts Centre). When not developing their newest plays “Mark of the Beast” and “Woke”, thinking about the relationship between theatre and film, or moderating a talkback, Paul is in residency with ARC Stage, training with Factory Theatre, and listening to Frank Ocean (on repeat). For more, find Paul here: linktr.ee/paulcecsmith.