THE JOURNEY – A LIVING HISTORY OF THE REGENT PARK REVITALIZATION by Mitchell Cohen, adapted and directed by Anne-Marie Woods, with Jackie Richardson, Thompson Egbo-Egbo, Lisa Henry, Jeremiah Sparks, Trevlyn Kay, Britta B and Steve Harmony. Presented by Artscape and the Daniels Corporation at Ada Slaight Hall, Daniels Spectrum (585 Dundas East). Community presentation Friday (June 19), 6:30 pm (sold out) public event Saturday (June 20, sold out). journeyregentpark.ca.
The revitalization of Regent Park has altered lives and transformed the city. And now it’s inspired a show.
Through theatre, songs, stories and choreography, The Journey chronicles the downtown neighbourhood’s 70-year history leading up to the current changes. That’s a lot to pack in, but Anne-Marie Woods is well qualified to do it.
The multidisciplinary artist has experience in spoken word, theatre, writing, education, producing, directing and community organization.
“I’m sort of the chef, cook and bottle-washer on this,” she says, laughing, but with obvious enthusiasm for the project, speaking a few days before its two sold-out performances.
Woods’s involvement goes back to 2012, when The Journey was a gala concert and dinner fundraiser. She was hired to work on a rap number and sing backup on a couple of songs. Afterwards, the writer and musical director, Mitchell Cohen and Henry Heillig, asked her to help expand the show, and that resulted in a sold-out production in 2013. Now it’s back, but with two more songs (by Cohen) and more theatricality.
The focus is a day in the life of three Regent Park residents, one who’s lived there for the past few years (played by Britta B), and two others (Steve Harmony and Trevlyn Kay) with deeper roots. All three performers hail from the ‘hood.
Also involved are younger actors portraying their siblings and friends who help tell and drive their stories. Underlying the show are themes like friendship, change and the sense of community.
New this year is the opening, set at a town hall meeting where some heated debate unfolds about the direction of the neighbourhood.
“It’s a musical rap number and includes the great Jackie Richardson rapping,” says Woods. “I was partly inspired by seeing LL Cool J and Hugh Jackman sing from The Music Man at the Tony Awards, and also by one of the mayoral debates that happened at Ada Slaight. At the debate, people yelled things out, were passionate about issues. I wanted to create the same type of feeling with rhythm, music and acting.”
Also included are some of the area’s key historic moments, like when the community elders – called “the Grannies” – collected money and went to City Hall to get a community centre, a safe place for children to play.
Music and theatre icon Richardson is just one of the professionals in the cast. Pianist Thompson Egbo-Egbo, gospel singer Lisa Henry and veteran stage actor Jeremiah Sparks are also involved. Part of the joy of the production is witnessing the mentoring going on between these pros and the younger artists.
“I love the intergenerational casting,” says Woods. “I’ll see [one of the younger actors] Simba Wetu asking Jackie about their motivation in a scene. Just seeing them sharing space is incredible.”
The production also has a youth chorus, dancers and artists, with choreography by neighbourhood artists like COBA’s Charmaine Headley, Coleman-Lemieux’s Laurence Lemieux and Gadfly.
“It’s opening doors,” says Woods. “I’m not sure all the young people get what’s happening. It’s giving them exposure and opportunities they might not otherwise have.”
glenns@nowtoronto.com | @glennsumi
