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Four geometric shapes on a black background. Top left: SummerWorks Survival Mode with black font inside a yellow hexagon. Top right: Close-up photo inside a green square of a hand holding a thin yellow block of wood between a blue & white vase and a marble base. Bottom left: Close-up photo of two hands in a pink circle, the left holding a small chunky yellow block and the other about to cut it with a pair of scissors. In the centre is a yellow flower. Bottom right: Close-up photo in a blue diamond of a hand holding a thin yellow block between a small pink balloon and a cactus plant.
Four geometric shapes on a black background. Top left: SummerWorks Survival Mode with black font inside a yellow hexagon. Top right: Close-up photo inside a green square of a hand holding a thin yellow block of wood between a blue & white vase and a marble base. Bottom left: Close-up photo of two hands in a pink circle, the left holding a small chunky yellow block and the other about to cut it with a pair of scissors. In the centre is a yellow flower. Bottom right: Close-up photo in a blue diamond of a hand holding a thin yellow block between a small pink balloon and a cactus plant.

Exploring the idea of survival Exploring the idea of survival

at an annual curated summer performance festival of brave new works.

Home Events Performance SummerWorks Performance Festival 2024

SummerWorks Performance Festival 2024

From Thursday, August 1 to Sunday, August 11, 2024, SummerWorks Performance Festival returns with its annual curated program of bold new works – both fully developed and in development – plus free performances and art, workshops and professional development. This year’s Festival features 40+ events and activities, with 100+ artists presenting 35 projects over the course of 11 days, including theatre, comedy, dance, music, staged readings, installations and more – with projects engaging the theme of survival. The 2024 Festival also marks the launch of Cahoots at SummerWorks, a new community partnership with Cahoots Theatre that will feature annual staged readings of new, unproduced plays. This new series of presentations will share and raise awareness of works that both SummerWorks and Cahoots believe deserve further development and require resources to bring them to the stage.

Performances include Bimbos in Space, a sexy satire inspired by the transgressive cult classics and ‘xploitation B-movies of the 1960s, by Claud Spadafora; dynamic, soulful jazz performances by trumpet player Rudy Ray and his Rudy Ray Trio Band; and a free (registration required) staged reading of Carolyn Fe’s Aye Caesar, a new play exploring elder loneliness and AI’s/Deepfake’s capabilities, presented as part of Cahoots at SummerWorks.

“We’ve all been wrestling with a lot right now. As we consider this question, we must acknowledge that for so many people around the world, and in our closest neighborhoods and communities, there is no entry or exit from any kind of mode – survival is just life itself.”

– Michael Caldwell, Artistic Director, on the question “What is survival mode?”

Each performance and event falls under one of SummerWorks’ four streams of programming and is identified as such:

  • SummerWorks Presentations present fully developed new works.
  • SummerWorks Lab, a place for exploration, experimentation and process, with diverse performance works at crucial stages of development, forging connections between artists and audiences.
  • SummerWorks Public Works, features free performances and artworks that aim to bring artists and audiences together to experience public space in new ways.
  • SummerWorks Exchange, which includes community workshops and professional development, facilitated discussions, mentorship, and networking opportunities for artists, audiences and industry professionals.

And, from Wednesday, June 26 to Wednesday, August 21, SummerWorks partners with Union Station for SummerWorks at Union to celebrate the vibrancy of summer in the city, offering live performances on eight Wednesday nights from 6:00 – 8:00 PM ET.

 

Photo of a large group of people outdoors during the summer, standing around and sitting at wooden picnic tables under a wooden canopy structure, with skyscrapers in the background.

(Photo credits: SummerWorks Performance Festival. SummerWorks at Union.)

About SummerWorks Performance Festival

Entering its 34th year, SummerWorks Performance Festival expands the possibilities of performance as Canada’s premier curated live performance festival. They are a leader, collaborator and community builder at the forefront of contemporary performance – asking crucial questions, nurturing artistic innovation, and presenting works that reflect the complexity and diversity of our society. They are widely recognized as one of the most important platforms for launching new and innovative Canadian work.

 

Photo of a woman with long wavy brown hair tied in a ponytail, dressed as a sexy astronaut, smiling at us as she holds her helmet under her right arm, her left hand on her hip. Stars, planets and mysterious creatures hover in the background.

(Photo credits: SummerWorks Performance Festival. Claud Spadafora, writer & performer in Bimbos in Space. Photo by Teryn Lawson.)

Black & white photo of three men playing music on the sidewalk outside a building. One (seated) plays guitar, one plays upright bass and the other a trumpet.

(Photo credits: SummerWorks Performance Festival. Rudy Ray & Co, featuring Rudy Ray, Jared Higgins & Max Simpson. Photo by Michael Novalski.)

Photo of an older woman seated at a desk in her home, her back to us as she peruses three computer monitors in front of her, her hands resting by the keyboard.

(Photo credits: SummerWorks Performance Festival. AI-generated image for Aye Caesar. Photo supplied by playwright/performer Carolyn Fe.)

 

Event details

Hosted by: SummerWorks

Type of event: performance festival, featuring theatre, dance, music & more, all curated and designed around the idea of gathering together in public space

Performances, events & companies: Various; please see the list of performances and events.

Dates & times:

  • The Festival runs from Thursday, August 1 – Sunday, August 11, 2024. Dates & times for individual performances and events vary; please consult the programming page.
  • Live performances for SummerWorks at Union happen Wednesdays from 6:00 – 8:00 PM (except July 24). 

Duration: Varies; please consult the programming page above for individual performance and event running times.

Cost: Some events and performances are free, with some requiring advance registration. Otherwise, tickets are Pay-What-You-Decide, ranging from C$15.00 – $45.00. See individual events and performances for ticket pricing. 

Locations:

  • SummerWorks at Union (June 26 – August 21) takes place at Toronto’s Union Station, 65 Front Street West, Toronto, ON, M5J 1E6.
  • Festival performances and events (August 1 – 11) take place at various venues around Toronto, at Aki Studio, The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance, The Esplanade, Evergreen Brick Works, Factory Theatre, Lisgar Park, Regent Park, The Theatre Centre, Theatre Passe Muraille. Please refer to individual events and shows on the programming page for specific locations.

Booking link: Purchase your tickets & register for free events here. All shows start on time, with general admission for all seating. Latecomers are not guaranteed entry.

Contact Details: SummerWorks; 423-401 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V 3A8, Canada; 416-597-8594, boxoffice@summerworks.ca, summerworks.ca

 

Content warning: Please consult the programming page for individual performance synopses.

Accessibility: General info here. For venue-specific accessibility info, please consult the individual performance venues.

Refund policy: No refunds or exchanges.