Created by Ken Harrower, Erin Brandenburg, Johnny Myrm Spence and The Flin Flon Cowboy Collective
A Flin Flon Cowboy Collective & Theatre Passe Muraille Co-Production in Association with Why Not Theatre
Graphic design by Emily Jung
Picture by Colin Medley
Country music and Queer Crip Love. Freedom and Fetishes. Consent and Accountability. A rebel outlaw bursts out of institutional confines on the prairies to find a new home in the big city. Ken Harrower croons original tunes alongside a live country band revealing his real life story of self-discovery and defiance.
The Flin Flon Cowboy is a new autobiographical musical that chronicles the extraordinary life of Ken Harrower, a gay disabled artist and singer. Set to the sounds of original country music, Ken‘s story begins in the enigmatic town of Flin Flon, Manitoba, and unfolds through his harrowing experiences as a child with a disability in Winnipeg’s foster care system. Defying expectations and refusing to submit to life in an institution, Ken escapes the prairies and embarks on a journey to find connection and belonging in Toronto’s vibrant gay community.
Show Dates
October 19th – November 2nd, 2024
Running Time: 150 minutes including the intermission
Location
Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Avenue) Mainspace Theatre
Tickets
Pay-What-You-Can-Afford
$15 | $40 | $65
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.
Relaxed Environment – Full Run, for more information and the Peer Support Performance dates visit our Relaxed Environment page.
The Flin Flon Cowboy Access Guide
Captions– Full Run, for more information visit our Captioned Performances page.
Blind Friendly– Full Run, for more information visit our Blind Friendly page. Touch Tours are available on Friday October 25 and Saturday November 2 at 6:45pm.
Mask Mandatory Performances:
- October 20th at 2pm
- October 26th at 7:30pm
Peer Support: Peer support persons will be available on specific performances to provide one-on-one emotional support if requested. The Peer Support person will be available in the lobby for participants to talk through any thoughts or emotions that may come up due to the event’s content. They will have mental health resources on hand if further support is needed. For the run of The Flin Flon Cowboy Peer Support will be in attendance on the following dates:
- October 19 at 7:30 pm
- October 20 at 2:00 pm
- October 24 at 7:30 pm
- October 25 at 7:30 pm
- October 26 at 7:30 pm
- October 30 at 7:30 pm
- November 1 at 7:30 pm
- November 2 at 7:30 pm
Live Music & Amplified Sound
Live Video & Projection
Strong Language
Described violence, suicidal ideation and self-harm
Sexual Content – including references to Sexual Assault
Mentions of substance abuse and addiction
Read the Digital Program
Credits
Co-Creator/Performed by
Ken Harrower
Co-Creator/Directed by
Erin Brandenburg
Co-Creator/Musical Direction/Composition/Sound Design by
Johnny Myrm Spence
Performed by
Greg Campbell
Artist Support, Ensemble
STARLIGHT
Stage Management by
Jules Vodarek Hunter
Dramaturgy by
Debbie Patterson
Set, Costume and Properties Design by
Jung-Hye Kim
Lighting Design by
Echo Zhou 周芷會
Projection Design by
Laura Warren
Captions Projection Designer
Nicole Eun-Ju Bell
Movement Direction by
Monica Dottor
Accessibility Movement Consulting/Coaching by
Frank Hull
Intimacy Direction by
Corey Tazmania
Band Member – Vocals, Keyboards, Accordion
Johnny Myrm Spence
Band Member – Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion
Mara Nesrallah
Band Member – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Drums, Percussion
Steven Foster
Band Member – Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
Kate Palumbo
Production Management by
Carlos Varela
Technical Direction by
Nathan Gregory
Head of Props and Wardrobe Assistance by
Maria Nguyen
Sound Operation/Mixing by
Sam Gleason
Captions Operation by
Kasie Rayner
Vocal Coaching to Ken Harrower by
Mara Nesrallah
Live Line Assistance to Ken Harrower by
Mandy E. MacLean
Art Assistance to Ken Harrower by
Razan Azhari Ali and Anne Campbell
Ken Harrower’s Osteopathy by
Marinella Nesso
Blind Consultation by
Alex Bulmer, Vivi Dabee
Production Therapist
Daniel Martin from Soft Landings Psychotherapy
Producing by
Brian Postalian
The Flin Flon Cowboy Collective is a dynamic group of award-winning theatre artists and musicians who came together in 2018 to bring to life the powerful, autobiographical story of Ken Harrower in the new musical, The Flin Flon Cowboy. United by a commitment to exploring the intersections of disability, identity, and community, this collective has worked tirelessly to develop and produce a piece that speaks to the experiences of those often left unheard. The collective is led by creators of the titular show Ken Harrower, Erin Brandenburg, and Johnny Spence. The collective also includes Debbie Patterson and Jules Vodarek Hunter.
As a new musical, The Flin Flon Cowboy has been in development for the past five years through the The Flin Flon Cowboy Collective. In November 2022, a workshop production was presented at the Rendezvous With Madness Festival through Workman Arts at the CAMH Theatre. We are now preparing for a full-length production premiere as part of Theatre Passe Muraille’s Fall 2024 season and looking for touring opportunities in 2024/2025 and beyond.
To schedule an interview with the artist, or staff members at Theatre Passe Muraille regarding this production, please email B-Rebel Communications at ashley@b-rebelcommunications.com. We will try our best to accommodate your media requests, however they are not guaranteed.
The TPM Book Club meets online monthly to discuss books – selected in collaboration with our artists – that spark a deeper conversation on the themes of our current season.
For The Flin Flon Cowboy, we will be reading Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by writer and activist adrienne maree brown. Sign-up for our virtual book club here.
“Red Circle Events” is our annual community event series inspired by the productions in our current season. To celebrate the arrival of The Flin Flon Cowboy, we’ll be singing Queer Cowboy Karaoke with TPM favourite Pearle Harbour after the show on Friday October 25. More information available at this link.
If you have any questions about our community programs, please contact our Community Engagement Coordinator Angela by emailing outreach@passemuraille.on.ca or by calling 416-504-8980 (ext. 2140).
Relaxed Environment – Full Run, for more information and the Peer Support Performance dates visit our Relaxed Environment page.
The Flin Flon Cowboy Access Guide
Captions– Full Run, for more information visit our Captioned Performances page.
Blind Friendly– Full Run, for more information visit our Blind Friendly page. Touch Tours are available on Friday October 25 and Saturday November 2 at 6:45pm.
Mask Mandatory Performances:
- October 20th at 2pm
- October 26th at 7:30pm
Peer Support: Peer support persons will be available on specific performances to provide one-on-one emotional support if requested. The Peer Support person will be available in the lobby for participants to talk through any thoughts or emotions that may come up due to the event’s content. They will have mental health resources on hand if further support is needed. For the run of The Flin Flon Cowboy Peer Support will be in attendance on the following dates:
- October 19 at 7:30 pm
- October 20 at 2:00 pm
- October 24 at 7:30 pm
- October 25 at 7:30 pm
- October 26 at 7:30 pm
- October 30 at 7:30 pm
- November 1 at 7:30 pm
- November 2 at 7:30 pm
The Nov 1 performance of The Flin Flon Cowboy will be followed by a Talkback with members of the production’s team.
Sponsors
The Flin Flon Cowboy is made possible with the support of Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts and Community One Foundation.
