Toka by Indrit Kasapi | A Theatre Passe Muraille and lemonTree creations Digital Co-Production
Video visual descriptions CW: Fake blood.
Video begins with a slow motion of a dancer, wearing a white knitted sweater with a red collar, turning. The scene cuts to hands, being washed in a bucket. A distressed man in a black jersey jacket is trying to wash something off his hands. Video intercuts between the dancer and the man. The man holds his hands up, it is dripping in blood. As drums disappear, the dancer stops and gazes at the camera. Her hair is messy from the movement and she is breathing. Video ends with brand logo and show information, available on our website here.
Toka tells the story of siblings who wrestle with a long-standing land dispute that has resulted in generational death after death, and is threatening to come to a brutal climax. This startling work of physical theatre about modern-day blood feuds in post-Communist Albania, is delicate, evocative and heart-breaking.
Credits
Written & Choreographed by
Indrit Kasapi
Directed & Dramaturged by
Cole Alvis
Additional Dramaturgy by
Marjorie Chan, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Set Design by
Andjelija Djuric
Lighting Design by
Melissa Joakim
Sound Design by
Maddie Bautista
Composition by
Kejd Kuqo
Costume Design by
Rachel Forbes
Head of Wardrobe
Joyce Padua
Sound Engineer
Kai Masaoka
Scenic Painter
Anna Treusch
Production Manager
Giuseppe Condello
Stage Manager & Script Supervisor
Kat Chin
Assistant Stage Manager
Malina Patel
Digital Producer & Editor
Ulla Laidlaw
Production Assistant & Camera Operator
Dorjee Shavo
Cast
Christopher Manousos
Kat Khan
Michael Caldwell
Nicole Joy-Fraser
Pulga Muchochoma
William Yong
Born in Albania, Indrit Kasapi and his family are privileged to make Tkarón:to their home since 2000. He is the Founding and current Artistic Producer for lemonTree creations and Associate Artistic Director for Theatre Passe Muraille. Indrit has been a company member of the award winning dance theatre company CORPUS since 2008. Through Corpus he has helped develop and premiere two new works (Machina Nuptialis, House Guests) and continued touring other repertoire to North America, Europe and Asia. He’s a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, a 2018 Harold Award Recipient and a 2020 Dora Nominated performer. Indrit believes his art must provide necessary discourse to fight against white supremacy, colonialism, heteronormativity and misogyny.
Cole Alvis (she/her) is a 2 Spirit Michif (Métis) artist based in Tkarón:to with Chippewa, Irish & English ancestors from Turtle Mountain. She is one of the leaders of lemonTree creations, manidoons collective, AdHoc Assembly and is on the board of the Dancers Of Damelahamid.
Recently, Cole performed in Louis Riel (Canadian Opera Company & National Arts Centre) and directed the Dora-nominated bug by Yolanda Bonnell (manidoons collective, Theatre Passe Muraille & Native Earth Performing Arts), Lilies by Michel Marc Bouchard (lemonTree creations, Why Not Theatre & Buddies in Bad Times Theatre) and, alongside fellow Dora-nominated Michael Greyeyes, co-directed an Indigenous opera double bill called Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin / Gállábártnit (Signal Theatre, National Sami Theatre Beaivváš & Soundstreams).
This spring, Cole is calling on the women in her matriarchal line to remember together their Michif ancestors.
To schedule an interview with the artists, or staff members at Theatre Passe Muraille regarding this production, please email Emily Jung at emilyj@passemuraille.on.ca. We will try out best to accommodate your media requests, however they are not guaranteed.
Event information coming soon!
Creators of Toka would like to thank
Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Brand and Concept Design: Louis Duarte | Photography (poster): Dahlia Katz | Promo Photography: Peter Riddihough
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