Created and performed by Waawaate Fobister Director and Dramaturg Ed Roy. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre kicks off the 2008-2009 Season with the world premiere of Agokwe, a new work from 23-year-old Ojibwa artist Waawaate Fobister.
Created and performed by Waawaate Fobister Director and Dramaturg Ed Roy
Original Music by Marc Nadjiwan Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell
Set Designer Andy Moro Costume Designer Erika Isteroff
Sound Designer Lyon Smith Stage Manager Tracy Lynne Cann
Agokwe explores unrequited love between teenage boys from neighbouring reserves. They meet briefly at a post hockey-tournament party where they bashfully confess their desire for each other. However youth, distance and isolation strive to pull the threads apart when tragedy intervenes.
Agokwe is a multi-character monologue performed and danced by Waawaate Fobister (Death of a Chief – NAC/Native Earth Performing Arts). Agokwe began as a short monologue, performed as part of Buddies’ 2005/06 PrideCab, a collectively created, youth-driven cabaret created over 12 weeks and performed as part of Buddies’ Cultural Pride Festivities. During the 2006/07 Season, Agokwe was further developed as part of Buddies’ Young Creators Unit, during which Fobister was teamed up with award-winning director Ed Roy. The world premiere of Agokwe marks the first time that one of Buddies’ mainstage presentations has been entirely developed through all stages of Buddies’ Queer Youth Arts Programme. This is also the case with Mark Shyzer’s Fishbowl, which premieres in the latter half of Buddies’ 2008-2009 Season.
Renowned for provocative, rhythmic and visually-rich productions, award-winning director Edward Roy has a long history of working with young artists as instructor for institutions such as the National Theatre School of Canada and Humber College. As a playwright and director, Roy has been lauded for a varied roster of works for youth and adult audiences, including The Other Side of The Closet (Dora Award), A Secret Life (Chalmers Award), and White Trash Blue Eyes (Chalmers Award w/Daniel MacIvor). Most recently Roy premiered Dead Ahead at The Lorraine Kimsa Theatre For Young People (co-production w/Topological Theatre) and The Golden Thug at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (co-production w/Topological Theatre).
For the premiere of Agokwe, Fobister and Roy are joined by an accomplished team of designers which included Andy Moro (Set), Kimberly Purtell (Lighting), Erika Isteroff (Costumes) and Lyon Smith (Sound). Original Music for Agokwe is being created by Marc Nadjiwan.
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Starts: Sep 23, 2008
Ends: Oct 12, 2008
At: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto Playing: Thursday Friday Saturday Wednesday Tuesday Sunday
Times: 8 pm, Sun 2:30 pm Cost: Tues - Wed $20, Thurs - Fri $25, Sat $29, Sun PWYC, Youth Under 25 & Student Rush (after 6pm) $15
Getting there:
For more information contact:
Erika Hennebury Phone:
416-975-9130 x40 Email:
erika@artsexy.ca
