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Studio headshots of Augusto Bitter, Alex Bulmer, and Joelle Peters holding election signs
Augusto Bitter, Alex Bulmer and Joelle Peters, The Election. Theatre Passe Muraille presents a Common Boots Theatre Production in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct. Photos by John Lauener.
Studio headshots of Rose Stella, Natasha Greenblatt, and Anand Rajaram, holding election signs.
Rose Stella, Natasha Greenblatt and Anand Rajaram, The Election. Theatre Passe Muraille presents a Common Boots Theatre Production in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct. Photos by John Lauener.
Four people stand back to back, wrapped in phone cords.
Joelle Peters, Agusto Bitter, Rachel Cairns and Anand Rajaram in The Election. Theatre Passe Muraille presents a Common Boots Theatre Production in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct. Photos by John Lauener.
Studio headshot of Yolanda Bonnell and Natasha Greenblatt holding election signs.
Yolanda Bonnell and Natasha Greenblatt, The Election. Theatre Passe Muraille presents a Common Boots Theatre Production in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct. Photo by John Lauener.
Tickets
About the Show
Cast & Creative
Show Times
Events and Activities
Accessibility
About the Show

Theatre Passe Muraille presents a Common Boots Theatre Production in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct

October 9 – 27, 2019 

Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Avenue)

Written by Natasha Greenblatt & Yolanda Bonnell with the Company
Directed by Jennifer Brewin
Cast: Augusto Bitter, Rachel Cairns, Joelle Peters, Anand Rajaram, Rose Stella, and Courtenay Stevens
Running Time: 2 hours (with a 15 min intermission)

Following the wildly successful run of The Public Servant, Common Boots Theatre delivers a provocative and hilarious investigation of how Canadians engage in democracy.

In 2015, a group of theatre makers signed up with the Canadian Federal Election as volunteers for three major political parties and documented their interactions. Exploring the intersection of Indigenous, Settler and Newcomer experiences with the political process, The Election sparks urgent dialogue just as Canadians are about to take another swing at the ballot box. With a live vocal score, this play asks: Do we have a voice and does that voice count?

Using integrated audio description with a live vocal score, all performances are accessible for Blind audiences and those with low vision.

The Election was developed with the support of Studio 180 Theatre and the Banff Playwrights Lab.

Click here to listen to the Audio Flyer for The Election!

What Toronto’s top publications are saying about The Election in their Fall Feature articles:

“Must-see viewing before casting your ballot” – NOW Magazine

“Promises a peek behind the scenes of how our democracy works (and doesn’t)” – The Globe and Mail

“…funny and provocative” – The Toronto Star

Cast & Creative

Written by Natasha Greenblatt & Yolanda Bonnell with the Company
Directed by Jennifer Brewin
Assistant Directed by Theresa Cutknife
Starring Augusto Bitter, Rachel Cairns, Joelle Peters, Anand Rajaram, Rose Stella, and Courtenay Stevens
Set and Projection Design by Anahita Dehbonehie
Lighting Design by Kaitlin Hickey
Costume Design by Jackie Chau
Costume Assistance and Head of Wardrobe by Farnoosh Talebpour
Composer and Music Direction by Alex Samaras
Dramaturgy by Yvette Nolan
Accessibility Dramaturgy by Alex Bulmer
Production Managed by Katherine Smith
Production Stage Managed by Meghan Speakman
Assistant Stage Managed by Elizabeth Kenny

Show Times

Thursday October 10 – 7:30PM (Preview)
Saturday October 12 – 7:30PM (SOLD OUT – Opening Night)
Sunday October 13 – 2:00PM (PWYC)

Tuesday October 15 – 7:30PM
(PWYC & Captioned Performance) *Emerging Artist Night
Wednesday October 16 – 7:30PM
*The Prelude – pre-show discussion 6:45pm
Thursday October 17 – 7:30PM
*Post-Show Talk- The Democratic Engagement Exchange with John Beebe and Kathleen Wynne
Friday October 18 – 7:30PM
Saturday October 19 – 2:00PM (PWYC & Captioned Performance)
Saturday October 19 – 7:30PM (Captioned Performance)
Sunday October 20 – 2:00PM (PWYC; Relaxed Performance & Childcare)

Tuesday October 22 – 7:30PM (PWYC)
Wednesday October 23 – 7:30PM
*Pre-Show Talkback – Women in Politics 6:45pm
Thursday October 24 – 7:30PM
Friday October 25 – 7:30PM (Captioned Performance & Touch Tour)
*Post-show Talkback – Deaf and Disability Community Talk Back with Alex Bulmer and Natasha Greenblatt
Saturday October 26 – 2:00PM (PWYC & Touch Tour)
Saturday October 26 – 7:30PM (Touch Tour)
*Post Show Discussion – The Tamil Community and the Canadian Political Landscape
Sunday October 27 – 2:00PM

STUDENT MATINEES
Friday October 11 – 1:00PM (12:30PM pre-show) *Student special, $10 with student ID
Wednesday October 16 – 1:00PM (12:30PM pre-show)
Thursday October 24 – 1:00PM (12:30PM pre-show)
Tickets for the student matinees can be purchased at the door or by contacting info@theatredirect.ca.
Click here to book your student group!

Calendar the Elections

Events and Activities

Tuesday, Oct 15 – Emerging Artist Night
Presented by Theatre Direct
Post show gather and meet with the four producing companies

Wednesday, Oct 16 – The Prelude
doors open at 6:30 pm, talk starts at 6:45 pm
Presented by Theatre Passe Muraille
Pre-show conversation with the new TPM Artistic Director, Marjorie Chan

Thursday, Oct 17 – Politics meets Theatre
The Democratic Engagement Exchange Talk Back
Presented by Common Boots Theatre
Post show talk back with Kathleen Wynne (Former Premier of Ontario) & the Company
hosted by John Beebe (Director, Democratic Engagement Exchange, Faculty of Arts, Ryerson University)

Wednesday, Oct 23 – Pre-show Chat – Women in Politics
Doors open at 6:30 pm, talk starts at 6:45 pm
Presented by Nightwood Theatre
Nightwood Theatre hosts this discussion between some of the city’s most exciting female politicians about the state of affairs in gender equity in Canada and the future of women in politics.

Friday, Oct 25 – Post show talk back- Deaf and Disability Community Talk Back with Alex Bulmer and Natasha Greenblatt
Presented by Common Boots Theatre
Common Boots hosts this discussion between The Election‘s Accessibility Dramaturg, Alex Bulmer, and one of the play’s co-creators, Natasha Greenblatt..

Saturday, Oct 26 – Post Show Discussion about Tamil Community and the Canadian Political
Landscape

Presented by Common Boots Theatre
with special guests Gary Anandsangaree & Rathika Sitsabaiesan.

Accessibility

The Election has been written with integrated audio description within the script. All performances are accessible for blind audiences.

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