Fireworks Plays

Past Cohorts

2019-2023

May 13-14, 2023

2024 Fireworks Showcase

Teesri’s Rangshala Studio
Facilitated for the second year by Dramaturges Vishesh Abeyratne and Jen Cressey, this program employed two (2) seasoned dramaturges, ten (10) breakout playwrights, and thirty-five (35) actors of diverse backgrounds.

Cohort

Lila Ciesielski, Alice Wu, Deidre Walton, Kamal Pandya, Yasna Khademian, Chelsey Fawcett, Leya/Luke/Lore Graie, Parastoo Geranmayeh, Laurie Dumont-Bal, Fred Azeredo

May 13-14, 2023

2023 Fireworks Showcase

Teesri’s Rangshala Studio
Facilitated by Dramaturges Vishesh Abeyratne and Jen Cressey, the public readings were delivered in person for the first time in 3 years, marking a triumphant return to Fireworks in-person programming. In all, this program employed two (2) seasoned dramaturges, six (6) breakout playwrights, and nineteen (19) actors of diverse backgrounds.

Cohort
Trusha Chauhan, Banafsheh Hassani, Danna-Rae Evasiuk, Shailee Rajak, Ella Kohlmann, Yifan Li.

Trusha Chauhan: To Her Who Knocks

Cast: Natasha Fagant, Mahin Sekendra, Ambica Sharma
Banafsheh Hassani: Azadi

Cast: Niyayesh Golestani, Sean Henderson, Shadi Yazdani
Danna-Rae Evasiuk: We Don’t Blink at Wolves

Cast: San Choi, Gio Imola, Natasha Fagant, Leigh-Ann Taylor
Shailee Rajak: the Women who launched the Wars

Cast: Charity Adzie, San Choi, Tiernan Cornford, Rahul Gandhi, Leya Graie, Nazifa, Natasha Fagant, Leigh Ann Taylor
Ella Kohlmann: Corps

Cast: Tiernan Cornfordd, Robyn Erin Ellison, Leya Graie, Natasha Fagant, Tevin Sawyer, Ambica Sharma, Leigh Ann Taylor Advisor on physical disability: HeatherEllen Strain
Yifan Li: Vanity of Vanities All is Vanity

Cast: San Choi, Arash Ebrahimi, Sean Henderson, Gio Imola, Gabriel Lezza, Mizra Sarhan

2022 Fireworks Showcase

The 2022 Fireworks Mentorship Program was facilitated by dramaturges Lib Spry and Lydie Dubuisson. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our 2022 Fireworks showcase was presented fully online for the second consecutive year allowing the program to reach a record-breaking number of community members. In all, this program employed two (2) seasoned dramaturges, eight (8) breakout playwrights, and over forty (40) actors of diverse backgrounds.

Cohort:
Caroline Lou, Nathaniel Hanula-James, Debdeep Chatterjee, Tiernan Cornford, Carolyn Fe, Caren Hwitte-Phagget, Sangeeta Wylie, and Heather White.

Caroline Lou: And Then We Parted

Directed by Sophie Gee Cast: Hilary Wheeler, Caroline Mawhinney, Sarah Talbot, Schubert Pierre-Louis, Julie D’Entremont, Jeremy Cabrera
Tiernan Cornford: Essential Work

Directed by Gabe Maharjan Cast: Riel Reddick-Stevens, Faïza Boukaria, Vishmayaa Jey, Jonathan Patterson, Johnny Abilach, Gabrielle Banville
Debdeep Chatterjee: Tales of an Imaginary Search for Workers

Directed by Masha Bashmakova Cast: Julie Phan, Duy Nguyễn, Carolyn Fe, Ambica Sharma, Jake Cohen, Chimwemwe Miller, Zeshaun Saleem
Caren Hwitte-Phagget: [N-word] In Pontreal

Directed by Esi Callender Cast: Grégory Yves, Dakota Jamal Wellman, Espoir Segbaya, Joy Mwandemange, Charity Adzie, Oprah Lemorin, Sarah Nairne
Carolyn Fe: Go Fish!

Directed by Lib Spry Cast: Jane Luj, Emilee Veluz, Nouella Grimes, Linda Nourse, Alexandra Valassis
Nathaniel Hanula-James: Death and Dolores

Directed by Quinlan Green Cast: Chadia Kikondjo, Rochelle Laplante, Sarah Nairne, Chole Giddings, Kwaku Okyere
Sangeeta Wylie: Father

Directed by Summer Mahmud Cast: Sherry Duggal, Ivan Smith, Amitai Marmorstein, Avery Marilyn

2020 Fireworks Showcase

Due to COVID-19 there was no showcase for the 2020 Fireworks cohort.

Participants: Dipti Gupta, Alida Esmail, Laura Flynn, Baharan Banaihmadi, Seely Quest, Camille Mankumah, Kay Komizara, Charles Gao, Summer Muhmad, Nicole Leroux, Min Kyungseo, Zaynab Bourezza, Azin Mohammadi.

Facilitated By: Deborah Forde

November 24, 2018

2019 Fireworks Showcase

Montréal, arts interculturels (MAI) Studio

Playwrights: Gabe Maharjan, Oliver Koomsatira, Dipti Gupta, Candace H. Blake-Amarante, Maryline Chery, Seeley Quest, Shannon Thompson

Cast: Oliver Koomsatira, Trevor Barrette, Dakota Jamal

Facilitated By: Deborah Forde

Following several weeks of intensive workshops, two plays were selected from the participants of the Fireworks program to be performed in a public presentation.

Caroline Lou: And Then We Parted

Tiernan Cornford: Essential Work

Debdeep Chatterjee: Tales of an Imaginary Search for Workers

Caren Hwitte-Phagget: [N-word] In Pontreal

Carolyn Fe: Go Fish!

Nathaniel Hanula-James: Death and Dolores

Sangeeta Wylie: Father