ANNOUNCING OUR 2014-15 SEASON: INSPIRING DIALOGUE
April 15, 2014, MONTREAL— This year, Geordie presents a culturally diverse season that celebrates differences. In response to Quebec’s proposed Charter of Values, which sought to divide the multi-cultural society that we have worked hard to build, we at Geordie have started a discussion about racism, tolerance, and choosing – about freedoms, religion, and power. About being new in a strange place, about fitting in, and about what is important.
Some of us are different. Some of us are really different. Different: not the same. But what is the same? What is exactly the same? What’s important? What’s inside? Deep inside? These are tough questions that we think we should all be talking about. Our 2014-15 season, entitled “Inspiring Dialogue”, journeys through landscapes that speak about religion, racism, difference, and embracing one’s own cultural roots.
Our five plays feature strong young characters that come face to face with identity politics on their own journeys, and spark discussion about the choices we make in the face of outside pressures that don’t always fit with our own set of rules and values. Geordie Artistic Director, Dean Patrick Fleming remarks,
This past year has seen topics raised which are important enough to create an entire season of work around. I wonder what it’s like to be a young person today, constantly being told to be inclusive and to celebrate differences, and yet to see a conversation happening which limits people in how they are allowed to be different. I believe that the theatre has the power to inspire dialogue and this season I am excited to help that happen.
Inspired by the multi-cultural and multi-lingual society that we live in, we think that religion, culture, and language should be a choice that each individual has the right to make. We think that talking about our differences can lead to a healthy and interesting conversation about who we are. The spectrum of colours of skin, religions, styles of clothes, religious symbols, and the languages we speak all reference the rights and choices we have. These topics all fit into a category of “differences” and we think that these differences should step into the spotlight and onto our stage.
Geordie’s 34th year will premiere two newly commissioned plays, present a work from Toronto, create a new production of an existing work, and tour into the United States for the first time in over a decade.
THE GEORDIE SCHOOL TOUR
September 2014-April 2015
The Geordie School Tour was the beginning of Geordie Productions as we now know it. Since its inception in 1980, Geordie has annually produced a two-play tour, with a single team of actors, which travels into schools across Eastern Canada with one play created for elementary schools and one for high schools. The tour currently presents an average of 200 performances over an eight month period and is performed for approximately 40,000 children.
The Game Changers For elementary schools (New commission)
by Alexandria Haber, directed by Alain Goulem
Calliope is 10 years old. She is a really good speller and soccer player. She wears wings. Dex is also 10. He is really good at math and video games. He wears mirrored glasses and flippers. Emppie is an adult and is the rule maker. He creates the CHARTER “One Rule for Everyone Everywhere All the Time” – no more wings and no more flippers. Emppie tells the Wingeds the Flippereds are making the rules. He tells the Flippereds the Wingeds are making them. He thinks he has everyone fooled until Calliope and Dex show up at Emppie’s Head Quarters to protest the Rules. It is only when they realize that it is Emppie they must beat, and not each other, that the rules of the game change.
We are more similar than different. Underneath what we choose to wear, be it a pair of torn jeans, flippers, a crown or a hijab, we are all people and what we share because of our humanity makes us more alike than different.
Offensive Fouls For high schools
By Jason Long, directed by Dean Patrick Fleming
On this particular day, celebrating their 6 month anniversary, Christine and Joey’s future plans and dreams may come to a serious halt. When Christine’s uncle, a local corner store owner becomes a victim of a racially-charged hate crime, it quickly becomes the talk of the town. Christine has it on good authority that Joey’s brother was there when it happened. This incident causes both Joey and Christine to analyzing their relationship, their beliefs, their assumptions, and their biases related to each other’s cultural identity.
Offensive Fouls is a thought-provoking exploration of cross-cultural relationships, racism, violence and respect seen through the eyes of a teenage couple.
US TOUR
Geordie will also take its 2012-13 production of Jabber into the United States this fall. After a successful run
as part of Geordie’s 2-Play Tour in Quebec and the Maritimes in 2012-13, and after a run at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre in 2013, Jabber is expanding into an international field, which contributes to the success of the production.
Jabber (2012 commission)
Written by Marcus Youssef, directed by Amanda Kellock
In Jabber, it is appearances, and judgements based on those appearances that are challenged. Some of those judgements arise out of our images of the Middle East, some arise out of our image of working class, teenage boys. All are filtered through the particular cultural laboratory of our schools where, unlike almost anywhere, people of all histories and backgrounds are thrown together, and where young people of all kinds must learn about what they believe in, and how far they are willing to go to defend those beliefs.
View our video season announcement that features Geordie’s audience members and best supporters: young people!
ON THE MAINSTAGE
Chloe’s Choice:
The True but Not Entirely Reasonable Holiday Fable of Chloe Rebecca Ramadan, Aged 9 3/4
New commission by Marcus Youssef, directed by Dean Patrick Fleming
December 5th – 14th, 2014, playing at Centaur Theatre
Almost 10-year-old Chloe’s parents have just divorced; the ghost of her grandma has just moved into her room; and now it’s Christmas: her first split between two homes, two families, and two religions. And now her Mom doesn’t believe in Christmas…something that Chloe has celebrated her whole life. How does Chloe resolve all this? How does she decide on which tradition or which religion to embrace? How does she figure out what is true anymore? What she chooses is a huge surprise to them all. Funny, thoughtful and heartwarming, Chloe’s Choice is a holiday fable for the whole family no matter what your beliefs are.
Beneath the Banyan Tree*
a Theatre Direct Production
by Emil Sher, with choreography by Lata Pada, directed by Lynda Hill
February 20th – March 1st, 2015, playing at Centaur Theatre
When Ajji presents her granddaughter with a beautiful traditional outfit to wear for her 12th birthday, Anjali is stuck. Fearing mockery from her friends, she rejects the outfit as well as her aluminum tiffin lunch carrier as “too Indian.”Beneath The Banyan Tree explores the immigration experience of a young girl who has recently moved to Canada from India. We witness Anjali’s struggle to adjust to her new life and her efforts to “fit in.” We also witness how newfound friendship, family, and the power and richness of her culture provide her with the strength to be herself. At the heart of the story are the themes of identity, cultural tradition, and cultural pride.
*Theatre Direct’s acclaimed production of Beneath the Banyan Tree comes to Montreal in 2015 as part of a special 10th anniversary tour.
MAINSTAGE PACKAGES
Subscriptions for two plays (before taxes)
Adults $23.90 | Children $20.30 | Students & Seniors $23.10
Single tickets are also available
Adults $18.50 | Children $14.50 | Students & Seniors $16.50
Join us for our Talkbacks (dates TBA), Grandparents’ Day, and other Family activities!
GEORDIE THEATRE SCHOOL RETURNS
GTS offers the opportunity for children to learn from leading professional theatre artists. Theatre classes for kids aged 6-12 and teens from 13-17 are offered during fall and winter sessions. Registration will be opened as of May 1st. Early Bird registrations are available until the end of June (10% off regular prices). For more information please contact Education and Outreach Manager, Jessica Abdallah at schools@geordie.ca
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Geordie Productions Inc. 4001 Berri Suite 103. Montreal QC H2L 4H2 Tel: 514.845.9810
info@geordie.ca www.geordie.ca
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