Presented in association with Native Earth Performing Arts

ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY
MONDAY DECEMBER 8th, 2014

The Aki Studio Theatre, Daniels Spectrum 
585 Dundas Street East, Toronto
Box Office opens at 7:00pm | Show starts at 8:00pm
Pay what you can | No advanced sales.
(As always, all proceeds will go to the Actors’ Fund of Canada)

#WB17
www.thewreckingball.ca

We live in a time of occupation, but as a society we would rather preoccupy ourselves than address the issues. Why is ‘Occupation’ is a buzzword for journalists and social media pundits alike? The ‘Israeli Occupation’, the ‘Russian Occupation’, the ‘Occupy Movement’, etc. remain often-rushed topic amongst major media outlets due to its contentious subject matter. With contested occupations of land and cultural imperialism throughout the world (and here in Canada), these are issues that demand deeper insight, and more importantly, more in depth discourse.

Presented in association with The Theatre Centre

ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY

MONDAY JUNE 16th 2014

The Theatre Centre | 1115 Queen Street West, Toronto
Box Office opens at 7:00pm | Show starts at 8:00pm
Pay what you can. No advanced sales.
(Proceeds from this event will go to the Actors’ Fund of Canada)

#WB16

Hot political artists. Vast gender inequality issues. One big social media stunt.

#YesAllWomen is the latest popular social media campaign which encourages users to share examples or stories of misogyny and violence against women. It began in response to the killing spree in Isla Vista, California, but has since opened up the discussion to the plethora of everyday sexist behaviour that women endure worldwide. It has even spawned the response campaign #NotAllMen. But is this just another fleeting social media stunt? Or will the discussion spread?

With Wrecking Ball #16, we decided to continue the conversation

This year, under a new generation of leadership, the Wrecking Ball is shifting its focus, presenting new work by not only esteemed playwrights from across the country, but a plethora of performance artists. The Wrecking Ball #16 includes:

-Governor General’s Award nominee Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
-Governor General’s Award Winner Nicolas Billon with Keavy Lynch
-Comedian Faisal Butt
-Spoken Word Artist Leonard Cervantes
-Bold Playwright Falen Johnson
-Emerging Playwright Colleen Osborn

and more!

In Wrecking Ball 16, a selection of Toronto’s most relevant and daring performance artists will have one week to create a piece, and one additional week to rehearse works connected to the surplus of issues that these trio of elections present.

Founded by director Ross Manson and playwright Jason Sherman in 2003, The Wrecking Ball has been the premiere event in Canada for showcasing political works for a decade. As the birthplace of new plays by Hannah Moscovitch, Michael Healey, Roland Schimmelpfennig, Erin Shields, Judith Thompson, Colleen Wagner, David Yee, Bea Pizano, Tara Beagan, and Sky Gilbert to name a few – there is no other event like it challenging theatre artists to respond to and address the vox populi.

On the occasion of the previous two Federal elections The Wrecking Ball went National; with ‘Wrecking Balls’ hosted by theatre artists in most major cities across the country. In both 2008 and 2011 these pan-Canadian dramatic responses to our politics garnered widespread national media attention. The Wrecking Ball is no longer a Toronto phenomenon, but an autonomous theatrical movement joined by a desire to explore current political questions, issues, desires and dreams upon the stage.

Current political theatre ripped from the zeitgeist and thrown upon the stage by:

Waawaate Fobister, Falen Johnson, Andrew Moodie, Yvette Nolan & Jordan Tannahill

Hosted by Andre Morriseau with Hoop Dance performance by Arik Pipestem & Song performance by Cathy Elliot

Wrecking Ball 13 Photography By Alex Williams

January 27, 2013 @ 8pm – Aki Studio Theatre at Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street E. Toronto

The Idle No More movement has risen in resistance to the Harper Government’s Bill C-45, which unilaterally infringes on Aboriginal and treaty rights protected by the Constitution Act (1982). The movement continuers to grow in new and unexpected ways: hunger strikes, days of action, drum circles, blockades, letters, editorials, online comments and acts of theatre. Motivated not by public opinion polls, but a desire to bring real and meaningful change to a country that ranks 6^th in development globally and 66^th for its indigenous people, #IdleNoMore asks the same question posed to Canada by a 2012 United Nations panel of human rights experts: “How long will this be ongoing?”

At Wrecking Ball 14, a selection of Toronto’s most relevant and daring playwrights will have one week to create a play, and directors and performers will have one week to rehearse works connected to the Idle No More movement and the questions and issues it has raised.

Founded by director Ross Manson and playwright Jason Sherman in 2003, The Wrecking Ball has been the premiere event in Canada for showcasing political works for a decade. As the birthplace of new plays by Hannah Moscovitch, Michael Healey, Roland Schimmelpfennig, Erin Shields, Judith Thompson, Colleen Wagner, David Yee, Bea Pizano, Tara Beagan, and Sky Gilbert to name a few. There is no other event like it challenging theatre artists to respond to and address the vox populi.

Wrecking Ball 13 Photography By Alex Williams

On the occasion of the previous two Federal elections The Wrecking Ball went National; with ‘Wrecking Balls’ hosted by theatre artists in most major cities across the country. In both 2008 and 2011 these pan-Canadian dramatic responses to our politics garnered widespread national media attention. The Wrecking Ball is no longer a Toronto phenomenon, but an autonomous theatrical movement joined by a desire to explore current political questions, issues, desires and dreams upon the stage.

Brought to you by Waawaate Forbister and Native Earth Performng Arts – Meegwetch! — and The Wrecking Ball Toronto Crew: Ruth Madoc-Jones, Michael Wheeler, Julie Tepperman, Nina Lee Aquino, Aaron Willis, Ravi Jain, Alan Dilworth.

 The Wrecking Ball 14: Idle No More is ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY.