PlayME

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 que...

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...

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...

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 pande...

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 Ca...

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...

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 h...

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 wr...

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 enra...

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. Amid...

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 Santaluci...

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 a...

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 secr...

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-Canadi...

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...

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 mom...

A funny and honest play about loss and redemption Floyd 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...

A funny and honest play about loss and redemption Floyd 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...

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...

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 t...

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’...