A new five-part series from Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre and CBC Radio’s IDEAS will be filmed in front of a live audience next year.
“Ideas at Crow’s Theatre” will be recorded at the theatre between January and June 2024 and hosted by journalist Nahlah Ayed.
The series will be centered around plays in the theatre’s 2023-2024 40th anniversary season and include expert voices across a broad range of topics.
Plays include, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy, Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekhov, Dana H, by Lucas Hnath, which follows the true story of the writer’s mother’s abduction, Huff, by Cliff Cardinal, and The Wrong Bashir, by Zahida Rahemtulla.
Guests will hear from various speakers such as McGill University professor and world literature scholar Sandeep Banerjee, Giller Prize-winning novelist and poet Ian Williams, social justice education scholar Miglena Todorova, Anishinaabe scholar Riley Yesno, and for its final taping, novelist and immigration and refugee lawyer Jamie Chai Yun Liew.
The talks will be guided by the themes of each play and will seek to answer crucial questions about the values that shape our world.
Each session will feature a 45-minute talk followed by an on-stage interview conducted by Ayed.
The filming will take place on Sunday mornings, and be recorded for later broadcast on IDEAS. A matinee performance of the play in question will follow.
“At a time of polarization and division, we are proud to be part of an effort aimed at bringing meaningful conversations to audiences old and new,” Ayed said in a joint press release from Crows Theatre and CBC.
“Theatre has long been one of the best venues for fostering debate and discussion, where plays tell stories that resonate deeply with our lives…these five thinkers will bring deep knowledge and wide curiosity to our collective stage, bringing fresh perspectives to some of the most urgent problems of our time,” Ayed concluded.
Crow’s Theatre Associate Artistic Director Paolo Santalucia said the series reiterates the importance of theatre in contemporary conversation and modern day culture.
“Through these interviews, patrons will be granted the opportunity to engage more deeply with our productions and the themes that drive them. I hope the impact of these conversations will resonate long after the final curtain falls and leave audiences with a heightened appreciation of the enduring value of our craft,” Santalucia said in a statement.
The talk series is free for the public to attend. However, separate tickets must be purchased for each play performance to stay.
To reserve a free ticket to a broadcast taping, click here.
Ideas at Crow’s Theatre will be broadcast on CBC’s IDEAS throughout the 2024 season.
