stage left: Infinithéâtre’s Pipeline Play Reading Series
Infinithéâtre
November 29, 2024
TEXT CONTENT FROM GRAPHIC ABOVE
Title of project: Infinithéâtre’s Pipeline Play Reading Series
Run dates: Saturday, December 7th, 2024 (3pm + 7pm)
Performance venue: White Wall Studio - 4532 Avenue Laval, Montréal, QC, H2T 2B2
Tickets: Free Admission, RSVP here.
Give us an elevator pitch of the project.
Pipeline is Infinithéâtre’s annual public play reading series when we spotlight the winning selections from our full-length playwriting competition Write-on-Q. This year, we’ll have two plays in the line-up, with back-to-back readings in the heart of the Plateau on Saturday, December 7th. The selected plays for the readings are this year's Write-on-Q winner, Parricide / The Harpy by Jojo O'Neil, and third-place winner, Oro by Christine Rodriguez.
Parricide / The Harpy by Jojo O’Neil
A violent, gothic, coming-of-age solo play, Parricide / The Harpy follows EMELIA, who recently began her transition from male to female, as she finds herself in an abandoned church looking for her deceased mother. As she traces through her past, being led by the questionable chirps of the cicadas from the woods, we watch EMELIA transform from a little bug, into a vengeance fueled monster.
Oro by Christine Rodriguez
Two families of African descent, one based in a South American jungle, the other in Canada, are living parallel livesa . The South American family survives off the land and works in mines. They eke out manageable existence that’s put at risk by standing up to poor environmental and unfair labour practices at the local mine. On the flip side, the Canadians, part of an immigrant Caribbean family, have flourished, reaching great heights, both professionally and financially. And yet, the fates of these two families are deeply intertwined, not only because of the Canadian mine that operates in the South American jungle but also due to the legacy of the African diaspora.
What is your favourite part of this project?
This is a fabulous way to catch new plays and their playwrights, often at the moment when they meet live audiences for the very first time. It’s a precious moment for the playwrights to hear their words lift off the page, and a dynamic occasion to open dialogue between artists and audience around the writing, the story, and the themes.
Why should audiences come to these readings?
It’s not every day that audiences get to converse with playwrights, to discuss their writing choices, and share their responses… All with the knowledge that the playwright remains IN PROCESS, still crafting the world of their play. It’s a really organic and interactive way to engage with the creative process.
How does this project align with your company’s mission or artistic vision?
Pipeline, along with our annual Park ’N Play, and the two associated playwriting competitions, are a precious way of discovering new works, and talented artists. It’s always such a privilege to discover such a vast array of plays, a veritable range of styles, and unique themes approached from a truly diverse collection of life experiences. Of course we wish we could provide a spotlight for so many more plays, but we’re honoured to support these works every occasion we can.
How does this project fit into the broader season or future plans for your company?
The Pipeline is often used as an important stepping stone for new plays. Over the years, several Pipeline plays have gone on to be produced by Infinithéâtre or other theatres across Montreal and Canada. It’s an occasion for ADs to discover new scripts, for Infini to discover new artists and to take the pulse of our community’s interests.
The Pipeline: Play Reading Series
By Infinithéâtre
December 7, 2024
White Wall Studio