our place by Kanika Ambrose | Cahoots Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille Co-Production
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“There have been many fine new Canadian plays to premiere this season. But none has the clarity, emotional pull and power of Kanika Ambrose‘s our place…It feels like a new Canadian classic.” — Glenn Sumi @nowtoronto
Photo credit: Dahlia Katz
our place takes us to Jerk Pork Castle in Scarborough— “if you don’t know about it, you better be about it and ask about it!”— where newcomers Andrea and Niesha work in exchange for cash under the table. As the two scrape out a life in Canada, they must also navigate their status as undocumented workers.
This funny, keenly observant script unveils the lives of these undocumented Caribbean workers who go to desperate lengths to get Canadian citizenship — a moving, timely story of those rendered invisible in a ‘welcoming’ Canada.
Show Runs
November 18 – December 3, 2022
Runtime: 120min (there is no intermission)
Venue
Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace Theatre, 16 Ryerson Avenue, Toronto
Tickets
Pay What You Can Afford between three price points:
$10 | $30 | $60
Credits
Playwright
Kanika Ambrose
Director
Sabryn Rock
Producer
Lisa Alves
Dramaturge
Tanisha Taitt
Associate Producer
Samantha Vu
Production Supervisor
Rebecca Vandevelde
Stage Manager
Jennifer Stobart
Production Manager
Maya Royer
Rehearsal Stage Manager
Emilie Aubin
Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager
Wei Qing Tan
Assistant Stage Manager
Reva Lokhande
Set and Costumes Designer
Sim Suzer
Head of Props
Chynah Philadelphia
Set and Costume Design Mentor
Joanna Yu
Lighting Designer
Shawn Henry
Video Designer
Shayne Levine
Sound Designer
NON
Dialect Coach
Alicia Richardson
Intimacy Coordinator
Anita Nittoly
Ensemble
Virgilia Griffith
Sophia Walker
Pablo Ogunlesi
Tremaine Nelson
Image of Virgilia Griffith and Sophia Walker by Denise Grant
Tickets and showtime
our place runs November 18 – December 3, 2022! If you would like information on the topics or themes in our productions, or to determine the suggested age for attending a performance, please reach out to our Box Office staff at 416.504.7529 or by email at info@passemuraille.on.ca.
November 25th is Black Out Night!
Black Out Nights are performances exclusively for Black audiences. The spirit behind this evening is to provide a space for Black theatre-goers to experience a show for them, by them. The Black Out Night event also facilitates a safe environment for a personal and intimate discussion on the work made and performed by Black artists. We are committed to continue offering Black Out Night performances for all Black playwrights and artists in future seasons.
Learn more about the program here.
Showtimes are now available on the box office page! As always, don’t hestiate to reach out to our Box Office staff at 416.504.7529 or by email at info@passemuraille.on.ca.
This show will have English captions for all performances. Audio Description is available on Nov 27 and Dec 3 at 2pm and will be described by Rebecca Singh of Superior Description Services.
Click here to Listen to the pre-show Notes for the Audio Described performance
There are Q&As on the following performances
Nov 25 (Black out night* for Black audiences only)
Nov 30 (school matinee)
Dec 1 (a usual evening performance)
Cahoots Theatre is Canada’s home for artists from the edge. We aim to be a haven for the tale and the creativity of the outsider. These artists have spent most of their personal and artistic lives being treated as “the other”; that is, falling outside the norms of Eurocentricity and whiteness, heterosexuality, cisgender, able-bodiedness or any combination of the aforementioned.
These artists have the most compelling stories to tell, but the least opportunity to take centre stage. Cahoots was founded in 1986 by Beverly Yhap. Cahoots has the distinction of being the first professional company in Canada with a mandate to present culturally inclusive work, with a reputation for producing theatre of the highest artistic calibre and garnering many Dora Award nominations, bringing home eight over the seasons.
Throughout the last 34 years Cahoots has made it a priority to support, develop and present the voice of the underrepresented or marginalized artist, which has materialized in collaborations with Indigenous, POC, Deaf, Disabled, Blind, neuroatypical, and queer artists. Our work has and continues to centralize stories and experiences of “otherness”, thus challenging “normalcy”. We believe that all stories are relevant and the sharing of them enlighten and benefit society as a whole. If we are to be truly faithful to our mandate, then we must also consider the story of those with the least access to the art. By creating avenues of artistic expression and connecting artists with communities, we encourage artistic attendance, add to the value of living in Toronto and contribute to the endurance of culturally diverse theatre overall.
To schedule an interview with the artist, or staff members at Theatre Passe Muraille regarding this production, please email Red eye media at Suzanne@redeyemedia.ca. We will try out best to accommodate your media requests, however they are not guaranteed.
Click here to be directed to the media page.
Cahoots theatre would like to thank CCA, TAC, OAC, Incredible Printing, Kingfisher Foundation, and Trio General Contracting Inc.
Kanika Ambrose would like to recognize all the artists involved in Cahoots’ Hot House program and all the artists in its development workshops and readings. Thank you to my husband, for your stories which inspired this work. Special thanks to Indrit Kasapi and Marjorie Chan for your early and ongoing belief and all the people who are currently or have, in the past, had to shuffle in the dark.
Details coming soon!
Kanika is a playwright, librettist, screenwriter and Associate Artistic Director of Necessary Angel Theatre Company. As a playwright, her work has been presented at the Toronto Fringe, Cahoots Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, and Rhubarb Festival.
As a librettist, her works have been presented by Tapestry Opera, Curtis Institute of Music, and Opera Philadelphia. Her opera, Of The Sea, with composer Ian Cusson, Tapestry Opera and Obsidian Theatre Company will premiere in March 2023. She is currently in Canadian Film Centre’s Bell Media Primetime TV writing program.
Sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised especially for youth 12 or younger. Descriptions of Immigration discrimination experiences and deportation. For questions, please reach out to our Box Office staff at 416.504.7529 or by email at info@passemuraille.on.ca.
More about the show
“It’s incredible nowadays to hear about so many Scarborough artists and talents who are making strides — But then again, it’s not uncommon for areas where racialized folks live and that have been described as “troubled” in the media to eventually become “cool.” It’s also not uncommon for excellence to emerge from those same circumstances. “
Audio Promo
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