Announcing Tarragon Theatre’s 2024/25 Season

April 18, 2024, TORONTO – Artistic Director Mike Payette and Managing Director Andrea Vagianos are excited to announce Tarragon Theatre’s 2024/25 season. The 53rd season embraces the impact of coming together and celebrates the rich scope of bold Canadian storytellers. In a season focused on collaboration, featuring stories of revitalization and courage, Tarragon unveils an electric year of new works that will inspire, move and delight.

“It’s an exciting moment for Tarragon as we champion the breadth of powerful artists that create, explore and premiere beautiful stories that speak to today’s world. In the 24-25 season, we are steadfast in our mission of inviting audiences to undiscovered worlds in a season that welcomes back and introduces groundbreaking Canadian storytellers on and off the stage. We look forward to a year of laughter, passion and heart in this unforgettable collection of stories,”reflects Artistic Director Mike Payette.

Tarragon’s season begins with the Toronto Premiere of GOBLIN:MACBETH, a Spontaneous Theatre Creation from Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak. Having wowed audiences in Stratford and Calgary, the Goblins make their home in “the Six”, bringing their hilariously unique, partly improvised, and entirely immersive take on Shakespeare’s text of Macbeth. From the team that brought smash hits Blind Date and Undercover to Tarragon, it’s the perfect way to begin, as we enter the season of wicked delights. This Toronto premiere is onstage October 3  – 27, 2024.

Across the lobby, Tarragon welcomes back Governor General’s Award finalist Rosa Laborde (Léo, Light) for the world premiere of Interior Design. Directed by Dora Award-winner, Kat Sandler (Mustard, Yaga), Interior Design is a fast-paced and timely comedy where an attempted intervention leads to a series of messy truths between a tight-knit group of girlfriends. Featuring four powerhouse performers, including Sara Farb (Fun Home, Musical Stage Company) and Anita Majumdar (Boys With Cars, Nightswimming/YPT). The world premiere of Interior Design will be onstage from October 15 – November 10, 2024. 

Next a co-production with Modern Times Stage Company, innovators supercharging the voices of marginalized communities. Written by Rouvan Silogix (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Modern Times/Crow’s) and Rafeh Mahmud (Daytime Emmy Award-winner) with direction from Tarragon Artistic Director Mike Payette (Cockroach 曱甴; Choir Boy, Canadian Stage), Craze is a sexy, surrealist, laugh-out-loud comedy, featuring an outstanding cast including Augusto Bitter (Year of the Rat, Factory Theatre), Ali Kazmi (Behind the Moon), Kwaku Okyere (Choir Boy, Canadian Stage), Lisa Ryder (Orestes – Online) and Louisa Zhu (Lady Sunrise, Factory Theatre). The biting Craze evokes the traditional living-room comedy into a sensorial feast for a modern audience.  This world premiere is onstage November 19 – December 15, 2024.

The new year starts by welcoming Nightswimming Theatre, as in-association partner for an intimate and exciting world premiere offering. An engaging and powerful theatrical exploration, The Wolf in the Voice invites performers Neema Bickersteth (Treemonisha, Volcano in association with Canadian Opera Company/Soulpepper/Luminato/Movable Beast), Jane Miller (These Are The Songs I Sing When I’m Sad, Nightswimming) and Taurian Teelucksingh (My Fair Lady, Shaw Festival)  to share their stories of vocal artistry through song, and asks audiences “Is your voice warmed up?” Created by Martin Julien and Brian Quirt (Why We Are Here!, High Performance Rodeo – Calgary) in collaboration with the performers, The Wolf in the Voice will have its world premiere February 4 – February 23, 2025.

Next, the thrilling Toronto Premiere of Guillermo Vedecchia’s Feast. Directed by Dora Award-winner, Soheil Parsa (Wildfire and Monster, Factory Theatre), Feast is a charged look at the globalized world in which some are movers and some are moved, and how long we can last when family falls apart. Featuring Rick Roberts (The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, Stratford) in a powerful return to Tarragon’s stage. This Toronto premiere is running from April 1 – April 27, 2025. 

From the lauded creative mind of Kevin Matthew Wong (The Chemical Valley Project) comes the world premiere of Benevolence. Developed, in part during our inaugural Greenhouse Festival, this intimate and revelatory story speaks to intergenerational legacy and heritage; opening a world into the experience of a thriving Hakka community. Guided by Mike Payette’s direction, Wong makes his Tarragon mainstage debut in this world premiere run from April 8 – May 4, 2025. 

Closing the season is the highly-anticipated co-production of Tarragon’s 2023 Bulmash-Siegel Award Winners Rose Napoli (Mad Madge, Nightwood Theatre) and Suzy Wilde’s (Retold, Musical Stage Company) new musical After the Rain. In partnership with Musical Stage Company – the first time Tarragon and Musical Stage Company have partnered on a project – this premiere is based on a heartwarming true story that unflinchingly embraces the throes of growing up and growing together through the exceptional healing power of music. Directed by Marie Farsi (15 Dogs, Crow’s) and featuring Eva Foote (Fall On Your Knees, Canadian Stage/NAC/Grand/Neptune) in her Tarragon Theatre debut, After the Rain is sure to be an unforgettable spring treat. This world premiere is onstage May 27 – June 22. 

Tarragon is also excited to welcome dance Immersion as 24/25 Company-in-Residence, which will invite unique mentorship opportunities to artists, as well as the Toronto premiere of the acclaimed touring presentation Black & Rural; an artistic inquiry into the hearts and minds of Black folks tucked away on Canada’s countryside. With 30 years of experience producing, promoting and supporting dancers and dances of the African Diaspora, dance Immersion is one of the city’s most dynamic dance companies that will bring an exciting disciplinary and new creation bridge to Tarragon.

For the past year, Tarragon has been proud to offer programming that invites young people and the young at heart to experience the magic of theatre together. We look forward to furthering this mission with the continuation of The Sally Stavro Family Series. Welcoming programming for a variety of artists with a youth focus to Tarragon, this initiative is supported through the Steve and Sally Stavro Family Foundation.  The series offers free tickets to youth under 12 years old on select Saturday mornings throughout the season and beginning in October.

Closing the series, Tarragon looks forward to hosting the 11th edition of the Wee Festival, a unique curated offering of presentations inspired by theatre and performing arts from around the world created for children 0-6 years and their families.

Tarragon’s 2024/25 season emboldens the scope of Canadian voices and their stories within an ever-shifting world, bringing communities and theatre-goers together in celebration of the breadth of artistry and generations. We hope you’ll join us.

Tarragon Theatre’s 2024/25 Season At-a-glance

GOBLIN:MACBETH (Toronto Premiere)
A Spontaneous Theatre Creation
by Rebecca Northan & Bruce Horak with music by Ellis Lalonde

October 3 – 27, 2024
Mainspace

When three Goblins come across a copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, they’re eager to take over a theatre and take a stab at Macbeth. A unique blend of comedy and tragedy, with a spatter of improvisation, GOBLIN:MACBETH is a fresh-blood take on a Shakespearean classic.

Created by Spontaneous Theatre, who brought you Blind Date, and Undercover, this is like no Macbeth you’ve ever seen.

INTERIOR DESIGN  (World Premiere)

A Tarragon Theatre Production
Written by Rosa Laborde
Directed by Kat Sandler

October 15 – November 10, 2024
Extraspace

Tarragon commissioned 

True friends stab you in the front. – Oscar Wilde

An attempted intervention between a group of girlfriends backfires spectacularly in this new play from award-winning playwright Rosa Laborde (Léo, Light) and directed by Tarragon favourite Kat Sandler (Mustard, Yaga) Interior Design is a comedy of messy renovations and even messier truths.

CRAZE (World Premiere)

A Tarragon Theatre and Modern Times Stage Company Co-Production
In Association with Theatre ARTaud
Written by Rouvan Silogix and Rafeh Mahmud
Directed by Mike Payette

November 19 – December 15, 2024
Mainspace

Out of the storm and straight into the inferno.

Two couples shelter from an epic storm for a late night drinking session where technological mayhem and sexual frivolity may turn into something more… At times surrealist, dangerous, and laugh-out-loud outrageous, Craze is sure to keep you right on the knife’s edge.

THE WOLF IN THE VOICE (World Premiere)

A Tarragon Theatre production in association with Nightswimming
Created by Martin Julien & Brian Quirt

February 4 – February 23, 2025
Extraspace

An exploration of the very first musical instrument…the singer’s voice. 

From Nightswimming (These Are The Songs I Sing When I’m Sad, Tarragon Greenhouse Festival) comes a trio about trios. Join Neema Bickersteth, Jane Miller and Taurian Teelucksingh for an intimate and uplifting evening as they swap stories and songs about their struggles and triumphs as singers, and the mystery of The Wolf in the Voice.

FEAST (Toronto Premiere)

A Tarragon Theatre Production
Written by Guillermo Verdecchia
Directed by Soheil Parsa

April 1 – April 27, 2025
Mainspace

A culinary tour, a global crisis, and yet, still always hungry.  Can one ever be truly full? From celebrated artist Guillermo Verdecchia, Feast is a biting look at a world where some are movers and some are moved, chaos, and how long we can last when your family is falling apart. 

Mermaid or siren? Paradise or dystopia? Travel the globe, just don’t forget your loved ones…or your soul. 

BENEVOLENCE (World Premiere)

A Tarragon Theatre Production
Created and Performed by Kevin Matthew Wong
Directed by Mike Payette

April 8 – May 4, 2025
Extraspace

Kevin is a theatre creator. Kevin is Hakka (客家)…he thinks. Out of the blue, he gets a phone call asking him to write a play about Hakka identity. For seniors. In Markham.

From creator and performer Kevin Matthew Wong (The Chemical Valley Project) comes a charming and intimate story that transforms into a layered Chinese-Canadian tale spanning continents, migrations, and generations.

AFTER THE RAIN (World Premiere)
A Tarragon Theatre & Musical Stage Company Co-production
Supported by the Bulmash-Siegel Foundation

Written by Rose Napoli & Suzy Wilde
Directed by Marie Farsi

May 27 – June 22, 2025
Mainspace

Tarragon and Musical Stage Company co-commission 

Her parents are famous. Her boyfriend is stupid. And Suzie is a mess.

When she accepts a mature piano student obsessed with mastering only one song, Erik Satie’s “Gymnopedie No. 1”, struggling songwriter Suzie’s life takes an unforeseen turn. Full of family turmoil, life’s complexities, and centred around a devastating discovery, After the Rain is a musical based on a true story about the healing power of music.

 

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HOW TO GET TICKETS TO TARRAGON SHOWS:

Subscriptions and tickets can be purchased online at www.tarragontheatre.com, by phone at 416-531-1827 or in person at the Tarragon Theatre Box Office at 30 Bridgman Avenue.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Tarragon Theatre continues to offer the most flexible subscription packages in the city, allowing patrons to choose their productions and change their dates free of charge, and offering many different price points to suit all schedules and budgets.

2024-25 Earlybird Subscriptions

7-Play, 5-Play and 3-Play subscriptions are currently on sale, with discounted subscriptions for Students and Artsworkers. Early bird Subscriptions are available until June 30, 2024.

ABOUT TARRAGON THEATRE

Tarragon Theatre is a creation and playwrights’ theatre. We seek to create theatre that investigates artistic form, which may incorporate non-traditional practices and methods of storytelling, and may integrate other disciplines such as movement, music or non-text based performance – all toward creating enriching and provocative theatre experiences for the artist and audience. Our philosophy is to create an environment that fosters artistic discourse within the ecology of Canadian theatre, new play development and dramaturgy practice. We open our doors to celebrate and learn from the scope of voices that make up our country and the various artistic practices that resonate within them. To that end, Tarragon is equally a hub for creation and development as it is a production company, with the ultimate goal of creating a meaningful experience for our artists to thrive and bridge their ideas from concept to realization. Mike Payette has been the Artistic Director since September 2021.

For more information visit www.tarragontheatre.com.

The 2024-25 season is generously sponsored by BMO Financial Group.

 

Twitter: @tarragontheatre

Facebook: /TarragonTheatre

Instagram: @tarragontheatreto

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For media inquiries please contact:

Danielle Morgan

daniellemorganpr@gmail.com | 416.904.8046