Pleiades Theatre kicks off Part One of their 2024-25 season on Sunday, November 3, 2024 with a one-day only public workshop presentation of Karma, a new play by Aksam Alyousef, with dramaturgy* by Pleiades’ Executive Director Ash Knight.
An expertly woven together tale of horror and hope
A young man named Adeeb claims that he had lived a previous life in Syria. His mother Karma is worried about his mental health and forces him to bury this idea as he grows up. Now an adult, he must travel to Syria on a quest that leads him to members of his former family, and explore the intersections between his past and current lives.
Karma is a play inspired by reincarnation and the choices we make, exploring the question: how does the environment in which we are created affect our thoughts, beliefs and actions? And how might this change in different circumstances?
The cast features Nabil Traboulsi, Roula Said, Lara Arabian, Sam Khalilieh and Samer Dagher.
After their most noteworthy season ever, Pleiades will keep the momentum going with a scale of work requiring a split of its season into two parts.
“This year’s theme is FRAGMENTATION. 1st and 2nd generation Canadians can sometimes feel fragmented from each other, and their families both here and in other lands. Both generations can struggle with figuring out where they belong and how others see them, and therefore how they see themselves. This fragmentation of identity can become isolating. I’m hoping to use the work we are doing this year to show all Canadians that this fragmentation can unite us all as a shared experience. Every 1st and 2nd generation Canadian can share this feeling of fragmentation and celebrate themselves, together.”
– Ash Knight, Artistic Executive Director of Pleiades Theatre
About Pleiades Theatre
Established in 1997 by Founder and Artistic Director, Emeritus John Van Burek, Pleiades Theatre’s mission is to redefine what it means to be “Canadian” by sharing stories from first- and second-generation Canadians with each other, Tkaronto (Toronto) and the world. Through partnerships with community organizations, they provide theatre artists from underrepresented communities (particularly artists of colour, but through intersectionality also deaf artists, artists with disabilities, artists living with mental illness, New Gen artists, 2SLBTQIAP artists and Indigenous artists) with practical and financial support to bring their stories to the stage. They also provide training** and mentorship opportunities; and engage in customized, multilingual and educational in-school programs that focus on theatre, language and storytelling at all levels of education. They also currently have a nationwide call for 1st and 2nd generation Canadian stories. This is for theatre artists across Canada, not only for playwrights located in Toronto. If you identify as 1st or 2nd generation Canadian and have a first draft of a play that you are looking to develop, send it to them. Read more about Pleiades Theatre’s history here.
*Dramaturgy is the practice of adapting and editing a story to be played out on stage.
** Pleiades’ next “Get out of Your Head: An Acting? Workshop” takes place on Sunday, October 27th, 2024, at 3:00 PM EST at Snelgrove Community Centre in Brampton, ON, in a partnership with the Punjabi Arts Association. Get in touch with Pleiades for more info.
(Photo credits: Pleiades Theatre.)
Event details
Hosted by: Pleiades Theatre
Type of event: public workshop presentation of a new play
Written by: Aksam Alyousef
Dramaturgy by: Ash Knight
Cast: Nabil Traboulsi, Roula Said, Lara Arabian, Sam Khalilieh & Samer Dagher
Date: Sunday, November 3, 2024
Start time: 3:15 PM ET (doors at 2:45 PM ET), with a talkback following the presentation at 5:15 PM ET
Duration: The presentation itself will be approximately 90 minutes (intermission & talkback duration TBA)
Cost: Pay-what-you-can: C$5.00 – $15.00
Location: Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, ON, M5A 2B7
Booking link: Book your tickets here
Contact Details: Pleiades Theatre, S30-401 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V 3A8, Canada; 416-203-1227, info@pleiadestheatre.org, pleiadestheatre.org
Content warning: TBA.
Accessibility: Daniels Spectrum and the Aki Studio Theatre are fully accessible. The Aki Studio Theatre is equipped to provide hearing assist to patrons. In addition, The Aki Studio is excited to now provide various accessibility packages. A surtitle package or ASL interpreters are available for all performances. Please ask for more information if you are interested in
participating in a fully accessible performance.
COVID-19 policy: See Aki Studio’s COVID-19 safety measures here.
Refund policy: Please contact the organizer.