Gateway Theatre announced their 2019/2020 season productions last Friday and all of the productions this coming season will be directed by women.
“We are particularly delighted that our season features all women directors and continues our commitment to diversity both onstage and through our playwrights and creative teams,” said Barbara Tomasic, interim producer for Gateway Theatre.
According to Tomasic, the new season, which was curated by former Artistic Director Jovanni Sy, will “take the audience on a tour” from contemporary North America, to old China, early 19-century Newfoundland, and as far back as biblical times.
“We are excited that our 2019/2020 plays will cross the globe to tell the diverse stories of our country and our community,” she said.
Gateway Theatre’s 2019/2020 Season:
China Doll
Oct. 17–26, 2019
Bound by tradition, Su-Ling’s world is closing in around her. Her grandmother is determined that she will marry well and bring prosperity to them both. But when she learns to read, Su-Ling’s mind is opened to new possibilities, setting her on a dangerous path to independence.
The Double Axe Murders
Nov. 14–23, 2019
On an evening colder than frostbite itself, Sarah, Payne, and Pelly wait out a winter storm. Is that a tree branch knocking on the cabin wall? And why does the howling wind sound more like a wailing Banshee?
Based on true events, this psychological thriller, steeped in Newfoundland folklore, will have you sleeping with the lights on.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Dec. 12–31, 2019
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of the most well-loved musicals of all time.
A joyous re-imagining of the biblical story of Joseph, Jacob, and the coat of many colours, this heartwarming hit will have your whole family humming along.
Straight White Men
Feb. 6–15, 2020
In this satirical comedy, three brothers return home for the holidays. Regressing to trash-talking and sibling pranks, they are caught off guard by a shift in the family dynamic, forcing them to examine the effects of traditional masculinity.
O’wet
March 19–28, 2020
In O’wet, playwright and performer Quelemia Sparrow explores her identity as a mixed-race aboriginal woman in the present-day, colonized world. Taking the audience on a journey of discovery, Quelemia weaves real-life stories with spiritual awakening to reconnect with her First Nations heritage.
O’wet (oh-wee): a verb used to denote propelling a canoe. O’wet is also connected to a shaman’s canoe ride to the land of the dead to retrieve a lost soul.
From Alaska
April 16–25, 2020
A troubled teenager escaping from the world breaks into the house of an elderly woman. Time passes with the unpredictable rhythms of grief as the seemingly mismatched pair share their feelings of love and loss.
Moving effortlessly between street-smart humour and lyrical elegance, From Alaska explores the intense connection between young and old, the limits of language, and the ways in which we come to both change and mirror the ones we love.