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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.
Don’t freak out. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Or her. Runners can’t have a witness. They’ll blame you. And Brooklyn.
Tunnel Runners is a new seven-episode original series from the creators of the award-winning PlayME Podcast.
We need more people. If we don’t let them in, we disappear! We can’t keep losing to the Shadows-
Tunnel Runners is a new seven-episode original series from the creators of the award-winning PlayME Podcast.
You’re 100 feet underground. In an enclosed hole in the wall. In the dark. With a stranger. -Anything could happen.
Tunnel Runners is a new seven-episode original series from the creators of the award-winning PlayME Podcast.
I’ve been in abandoned buildings, on rooftops, through construction sites. But nothing beats the underground. Rules don’t exist down here. But I’m always looking for a bigger challenge. A new place to explore. Where no one’s ever been before.
Tunnel Runners is a new seven-episode original series from the creators of the award-winning PlayME Podcast.
When Cam, a gifted teen from Toronto, finds himself drowning in anxiety and depression, he turns to prescription meds and endless urban exploration videos on YouTube to numb the pain. After suffering a devastating panic attack at school, he escapes into the sprawling subway tunnels beneath the city, desperate for solace. Underground, he stumbles upon a shadowy world filled with a hidden subculture thriving in the darkness.
Tunnel Runners is a new seven-episode original series from the creators of the award-winning PlayME Podcast.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
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
A funny and honest play about loss and redemptionFloyd 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
A funny and honest play about loss and redemptionFloyd 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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
PlayME will be back in January. In the meantime, here's something we think you’ll like. Limited Capacity is a collection of six short stories about the strange and twisted ways we interact with the internet, and with each other. Each immersive episode is packed with intimate and jarring stories that are both completely familiar and somehow confoundingly alien. It’s like Black Mirror for your ears. From the fiendishly clever mind of Rob Norman, co-creator of the hit podcast Personal Best. More episodes are available at: smarturl.it/limitedcapacity
Chris talks to actor and playwright Mark Crawford, who shares how growing up as a gay kid on a farm in southwestern Ontario has impacted his writing and the audience he likes to reach. He talks about why he feels rural theatre-goers are ready for queer narratives, why he doesn't mind being "accessible" and what he’s learned from eavesdropping on audiences.
By Mark Crawford. In the dark, a phone rings. Early-morning calls are never good news. Brett and Drew wake up to learn that Brett’s Aunt Maggie has died. Then they learn they've lost yet another Toronto house they were trying to buy. Soon they find themselves on a road trip to attend Aunt Maggie's funeral. Once they arrive at her small town, they get another surprise: Aunt Maggie has left Brett her century-old home. When Drew is passed over for a much-anticipated work promotion, the couple decides to ditch Toronto, move to Aunt Maggie’s house and start a B&B. But how will the residents of this small community receive a gay couple from the big city?
By Mark Crawford. Brett and Drew throw themselves into transforming Aunt Maggie’s home into a chic and modern getaway. They meet the locals and befriend a lesbian couple who help make them feel at home. They quickly become involved in the community and even find themselves volunteering to help organize the local Santa Claus parade. But one day they come home to find their house vandalized with homophobic slurs. Not everyone in the town wants them there.
By Mark Crawford. Brett and Drew’s neighbours rally around the couple to show their support. Meanwhile, Brett starts digging into Maggie’s past, asking questions about a photo he found of her when she was young. Their renovator Doug investigates the culprit behind the ransacking of their home and uncovers a family secret. Brett and Drew learn something that has them questioning whether they can ever call this place home.
Chris talks to playwright Keith Barker, a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, who explains why he's drawn to writing about loss and how his family has been touched by suicide. He also reflects on what it might mean to "feel deep love and no regrets," how nature helps us grieve and why he does his best writing when he like giving up.
By Keith Barker. We meet Paul as he tries to visit his estranged wife, Lucille, on the first anniversary of their son Craig’s death. But Liset, Lucille’s protective sister, sends him away. “Some days are better than others and today is not one of those days.” Then, Paul is visited by Jim — his best friend and Liset’s husband. The two men have grown distant, and an argument about “fruits'' quickly turns into something deeper.
By Keith Barker. We trace family tensions back in time. They start off arguing about one thing — dirty laundry, smashed plates, a broken hand — but eventually get to the thing no one really knows how to talk about. A son and nephew, “a good kid,” who took his own life. Sharp words and serious accusations fly. But Lucille finds hope in a creature who keeps visiting the garden.
By Keith Barker. We keep moving back and forth in time. Paul confronts Jim about a perceived betrayal, later to find out it may have been an act of mercy. Liset drives the creature from the garden, and her sister disappears into the backwoods to find it. Paul and Lucille finally meet by the tracks and remember an old story. “One day, as sometimes happens, things changed.”
Laura talks to playwright Jordi Mand. The Toronto-based playwright, who has worked with some of Canada’s most prominent companies, shares why she’s drawn to female-driven narratives and why she loves to craft characters that represent some of her greatest fears. Jordi also shares the audience’s emotional reactions to her hit show and how it led to some candid post-show confessions.
By Jordi Mand. Accusations fly from both sides as the women argue about how they’ve arrived in an adversarial situation that threatens Marion’s family. Marion corners Teresa with probing and intimate questions about her personal life. Teresa refuses to answer her queries until she can’t take it anymore and decides to fight back. She lands a blow that promises to blow up Marion’s home life.
By Jordi Mand. Marion, a middle-aged working mother, arrives at her son Alex’s private elementary school — ostensibly for the school’s parent/teacher night. Teresa, Alex’s twenty-something teacher, wasn’t expecting her but reluctantly agrees to a brief meeting about Alex’s academic progress. The two share a tense exchange about school policy and Teresa’s teaching style until Marion reveals the real reason for her unannounced visit.
By Jordi Mand. Marion digs for details about Teresa’s future and starts to poke holes in her naive plans. Teresa’s inexperience shows as Marion lays out what life might look like for her a few years from now. Teresa reveals she has a lot more at stake than Marion knows, and they realize they share some common ground and have both experienced heartbreak. Marion asks Teresa for help to get her life back to the way it once was, but Teresa discovers the depth of Marion’s revenge.
Laura talks to playwright Amanda Parris. The Governor-General Award-Winning writer and CBC host shares how sitting in a prison waiting room filled with women sparked the idea for “Other Side of the Game.” In a world saturated with shows about the justice system, she says stories tend to follow those arresting or being arrested. “They don’t follow the woman who has to clean up the mess...” She also explains why she isn’t a purist when it comes to theatre and why it’s so important to preserve the work of Black female artists.
By Amanda Parris. Beverly is a university student in the 1970s looking to join the Black activist movement in Toronto. She meets resistance from Khalil, the male leader who questions her commitment to the cause. Decades later, in 2006, Nicole is a new mom trying to create a better future for her young son. She runs into her ex-boyfriend Devonte, who’s fresh out of jail. Both Beverly and Nicole work to understand these complicated men.
Warning: this episode contains coarse language and a racial epithet.
By Amanda Parris. Beverly gets asked by Khalil to write a speech for an upcoming march. Still, she can’t help but notice the struggles of the other female members of the group, like Akilah, who doesn’t get those kinds of opportunities anymore. Back in the 2000s, Nicole faces the roadblocks of expensive childcare while helping her friend Shevon, who is caught up in a toxic relationship with her gun-dealing, cheating boyfriend.
Warning: this episode contains coarse language and a racial epithet.
By Amanda Parris. Beverly tries to help Kahlil, who is growing more paranoid. But he wants something from her that she isn’t willing to give him. The day of the march arrives, and suddenly Khalil has changed his mind about letting Beverly deliver her much-anticipated speech. Then suddenly Kahlil is arrested, Akilah is wanted and Beverly is pulled in a million directions. Meanwhile, Nicole bails Devonte out of jail while Shevon is arrested. Both women question where to place their loyalty.
Warning: this episode contains coarse language and a racial epithet.
Chris talks to Marcus Youssef and James Long. The award-winning Vancouver playwrights and performers shared how they accidentally created their hit show while playing a warm-up game for a different show they were co-writing. They also share the rules they put in place for their intentionally "dangerous" semi-improvised play, and what they've learned at the "edge of the potential loss of friendship."
By James Long and Marcus Youssef. Real-life friends Marcus and James play a game. They sit across from each other and pick people, places and things to declare either “winners” or “losers.” They start with microwaves and Mexico but soon move to more personal matters. Who has more street smarts? Who has more privilege? And which man was raised by a loser?
By James Long and Marcus Youssef. The game moves to the tense terrain of Marcus and James’ fathers. Marcus says his dad is a big winner because he emigrated from Egypt, went to Berkeley University, and became a wealthy, successful executive. James doesn’t want to talk about his dad. But Marcus reminds him, that’s how the game works.
By James Long and Marcus Youssef. Some tougher topics and deeper jabs prompt James to decide it’s time to debate his dad. His life couldn’t be more different than that of Marcus’s dad, and all the ugly stories start to spill out. Then, with parents out of the way, the friends turn on each other. The game gets as personal as personal gets.
The longest, shortest, weirdest, most surreal year in our recent history is about to come to an end and we wanted to celebrate. PlayME’s special 2020 episode features five shows that we feel speak to this unique moment in time. Plays, mostly recorded remotely during the age of physical distancing, that have inspired, moved and transported us during this turbulent time. Plus, we pull back the curtain to share how we pulled this off working from home (ft. eavesdropping spouses and minor earthquakes).
Now that the nights are longer, we find ourselves at the time of year when we’re most willing to give into our fears and visit the darkest places of our imagination. PlayME's special Horror Highlights episode features some of the most haunting shows we've featured on our podcast. We have a Pandora's box full of horrors and thrillers that we wanted to resurrect in time for Halloween — because listening to scary stories makes us feel a little less alone with our fears. (Warning: this episode contains strong language and graphic imagery.)
A couple of overwhelmed Quebecois parents are caught off guard when their children make a power-play. A thriller by Governor General's Award winner Erin Shields.
A swanky restaurant invites a naive food reviewer to taste a truly rare dish. A humorous horror by Dora Award winner Kat Sandler.
A strained relationship between two sisters, who are separated by much more than a border. A family drama by Dora award winner Rosamund Small and Governor General Award winner Nicolas Billon.
Travel to a distant future where Rihanna rules the world and people are mandated to socialize ... or else. A sci-fi by Secret Life of Canada co-host Leah-Simone Bowen.
A couple at a lakeside cottage is haunted by a mysterious presence trapped between two worlds. A Japanese-infused horror story by Governor General Award winner Hiro Kanagawa.
Deep within the Prado in Madrid, an art historian restores Velázquez's famous Las Meninas painting while society crumbles outside. A drama by Governor General Award winner Jordan Tannahill.
A novice baker is gifted a sourdough starter with a mind of its own. An absurd comedy by Mark Crawford, 2020 nominee for the Leacock Medal for Humour.
You hover on the edge of two realities. Behind you is the life you’ve always known, growing more distant with each passing hour. Ahead is a world you could never have imagined. This summer, PlayME proudly presents: The Quarantine Chronicles. The chronicles are seven short works of audio fiction written by top Canadian playwrights. Namely: Jordan Tannahill, Kat Sandler, Hiro Kanagawa, Erin Shields, Mark Crawford, Leah Simon-Bowen, Rosamund Small and Nicolas Billon. All were invited to write short audio plays that capture the spirit of our distanced, disorienting and deranged times — with wonderfully weird results.
Laura talks to Drew Hayden Taylor, who was visiting Toronto from Curve Lake First Nations. They talk about why he decided to tackle the daunting task of writing a comedy about Sir John A MacDonald, how he went from self-taught to nationally celebrated and why he's actually feeling quite good in these uncertain times. (Hint: he's been quite busy!)
Bobby Rabbit has some unfinished business with Canada’s first prime minister. When he finds out his grandfather’s medicine bundle has been rotting away in a British museum, he talks his buddy Hugh into taking a road trip with him all the way to Kingston. There they plan to pull off the ultimate heist. At a roadside McDonald’s they meet a university student named Anya who is licking her wounds after a nasty breakup. She joins them on their journey.
At a bar on a break from the road, Bobby and Hugh share the real reason they are heading to Kingston with Anya. She storms off after a heated debate and Hugh warns Bobby that he has to stop making smart women angry. Hugh convinces her to continue on the journey to Kingston as he doesn’t want to leave her alone in the middle of nowhere. Anya reveals she has secrets of her own. In Kingston, Bobby is confronted with an unexpected presence.
Back on the road, tensions in the car mount between Bobby and Anya as they square off about everything from racism to colonialism to the lingering effects of residential schools. They both know their fair share of history but see it from different perspectives. Hugh borrows Anya’s knife to makes some peanut butter road trip snacks, but when he accidentally lets slip their plans, she pulls it and a can of bear spray on them and demands answers.
Chris talks to Chloe Hung who is currently living and working in LA. The Three Women of Swatow playwright shares why her relationship with her two grandmothers inspired her to write about family lore, how she likes to subvert people’s expectations about demure Asian women, and the differences she has learned between writing for the stage versus the screen.
Grandmother is drinking gin naked while reading the Bible when she hears an anxious voicemail from Mother. The message says she wants to know how to make drunken chicken, which is odd because she is a vegetarian. Only her abusive husband eats meat at their home. Grandma keeps her worries to herself when Daughter comes home and the two quarrel over alcohol, weight, and life in general. Grandmother decides to go to Mother’s apartment. There she makes a grim discovery.
After arriving at Mother’s home, Grandmother is confronted with a grisly mess in the bathtub that she must help clean up. The two generations of women argue over tea, emojis, and who is responsible for the bloody crime scene that has unfolded. They try to scrub the bathroom of evidence when the Daughter unexpectedly arrives. Dark family secrets are revealed.
The women flash back through a history of abuse. Grandmother has had to watch Mother repeat her mistakes and is determined to keep Daughter from following in the same footsteps. Three generations of Swatow women discover they are bound by more than blood.
Laura talks to Anna Chatterton who is physically distancing at home in Hamilton with her family. The Cowgirl Up playwright explains how she got interested in rodeo culture, the parallels she’s discovered between artists and cowgirls, and reveals which real-life women inspired some of her characters.
The crowd goes wild as cowgirl Cassidy and her trusty horse Starbright successfully qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer Alberta, but first-time jitters make for a disastrous first run. Just as Cassidy considers calling it quits, the rookie pair catch the attention of three cowgirl goddesses who miss the crackle and the hustle of barrel racing. Joyce, Effie and BB have returned to Earth from their skybox above to mix with the mortals. They pledge to teach Cassidy how to cowgirl up.
After a huge win at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, fledgling cowgirl Cassidy wants a little time away from her horse and the Goddesses to celebrate. She saddles over to the bar and meets Jed, a Cowboy who doesn’t think much of Cowgirls or "can chasing." After some whiskey and a two-step on the dance floor, Cassidy leaves her beloved horse out in the pen until the wee hours. Neither she nor her horse feel great the next day. Has she already blown the big race that will lead them all the way to the Calgary Stampede?
With the stakes as high as ever, Cassidy and her horse Starbright enter the ring for the next barrel race, but something isn’t right with her mare. After a nail-biting ride, they manage to win but Cassidy knows her horse. Starbright won’t’ be up for the next competition and it’s all Cassidy’s fault. The Goddesses try to comfort her and encourage her to work with a new horse for the next race. But after coming all this way with Starbright, can she really compete without her trusted friend?
Chris talks to playwright Christopher who is self-isolating at home in Toronto, about how he first became interested in the Jewish volunteer force ZAKA when he was just a teen growing up in Markham. He also shares why it took almost a decade and several trips to Israel to write The Runner, and why he is compelled to write characters who are pushed to extremes.
Where is Jacob? He doesn’t know. All he does know is that he is a volunteer for Z.A.K.A, an Israeli organization responsible for putting the bodies of Jews back together following accidents or terror attacks. And he is cold and wet. As he grapples with the memory of an attack, he starts to piece together the moment when he rushed to a scene of violence to find a dead Israeli soldier and a dying Arab girl clinging to life. He makes a life-altering decision.
The Arab girl haunts Jacob’s every thought. He thinks of her when he is sent to Ukraine to unearth remains from a mass grave. And when he slips through the door into a crowded nightclub in Tel Aviv on a hot and humid night. He wonders if God is punishing him for what he does in the dark. Then the head of Z.A.K.A calls him in and breaks some bad news.
Reeling from the loss of his job at Z.A.K.A, Jacob flees to his brother Ari’s home in an Israeli settlement. The two brothers, on opposite sides of an ideological argument, get into a dispute and Ari tells Jacob he doesn’t belong in Israel. Jacob decides he must see the Arab girl once again. He finds her home and bangs on her door. Not long later, he realizes exactly where he is.
Laura talks with Hannah, Maev, and Ann-Marie who are all working from home and mothering during isolation in Halifax, Toronto, and Lunenburg, N.S. The three women share how they wrote (and re-wrote and re-wrote) the story, why they wanted to complicate cheerful talk about motherhood and how damaging it is to keep women in the dark. "No one tells birth stories publicly or honestly."
Two months after giving birth to her son, a mothering app sends Hannah Moscovitch a tip: “Consider getting back in the sack with your husband, even if you don’t feel ready!”(Let's just say it didn't find her in the mood.) Together with friend and performer Maev Beaty, Hannah sets out to write the antithesis to the chirpy notification: the untold realities of motherhood and the taboo subjects that moms don’t openly share … starting with miscarriage.
Hannah, played by Maev, confides her fear that she — someone who can tune out oncoming traffic — won’t be a good mother. Also, would the pain of labour expose something ugly at the bottom of her psyche? After hours of contractions, gas to relieve the pain, and a team of doctors staring at her, she finds out.
After her son Elijah’s birth, Hannah is struck by the urge to sing him traditional Hebrew songs mixed with a smattering of Céline Dion. Both Hannah and Maev reveal their birthing war wounds before they agree that labour isn’t even the hard part. They wrestle with guilt and shame for having ambitions beyond raising babies. Then one boozy summer in Stratford, they give each other a special kind of permission they both need.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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."
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.
Laura talks with Kat Sandler, the playwright and director of Bang Bang, about writing, cultural appropriation and who gets to tell which stories.
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Laura talks with Rosamund Small, the playwright behind Vitals, about researching the life of a paramedic to write her solo show.
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)
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)
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)
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.
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)
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)
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)
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.
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)
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)
Chris and Laura talk with Andrea Scott, the playwright of Better Angels, about domestic slavery, racism, and making the transition from acting to writing.
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)
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)
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.
By Susanna Fournier. The Philosopher's Wife, is a modern Gothic subverting notions of education, sex, power, and submission. (1/3)
By Susanna Fournier. The Philosopher's Wife is a modern gothic subverting notions of education, sex, power, and submission. (2/3)
By Susanna Fournier. The Philosopher's Wife, is a modern gothic subverting notions of education, sex, power, and submission. (3/3)
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.
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.
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
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.
Chris talks with Erica about the role of dramaturgy in playwriting. Erica walks us through what makes for a great play.
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.