How can a dramaturge support non-traditional styles of theatre creation? Can these skills function in a horizontal structure? How can directors and dramaturges in collective creations collaborate with groups to refine material generated in a creation period?
Panel discussion about the role of the dramaturge in devised and collectively created processes, featuring Jacquie Thomas (Theatre Gargantua), Eric Rose (Ghost River Theatre), and Taiwo Afolabi (University of Regina Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre), hosted by PARC’s Artistic Associate Director, Lara Lewis.
WHEN
May 10, 2025
2-4 pm EDT | 3-5 pm ADT | 3:30-5:30 pm NDT
WHERE
Virtually Via Zoom
To learn more and register, click HERE.
Dr. Taiwo Afolabi
Dr. Taiwo Afolabi is an interdisciplinary artistic scholar from Africa with internationally recognized expertise in research-based theatre focusing on social justice, human rights, postcolonial theory, and anti-racism education among Indigenous, immigrant, and marginalized communities. Through global theatre projects/publications, his practice-based research encompasses issues of policing, sexual health education, Sustainable Development Goals, African theatre, homelessness, immigration, and language revitalization. He is the Founder and Director of the Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre (C-SET) and is the Canada Research Chair in Socially Engaged Theatre (Tier II). Further, as a theatre manager and entrepreneur, Dr. Afolabi’s interest is in amplifying voices and experiences and re-centring governance models, strategies and systems on the margin through the lens of decolonization, equity and anti-oppressive approaches. His experience in over a dozen countries across five continents in a variety of contexts focused on socially engaged and community-based creative practice for transformational change. Through storytelling, devised theatre, art-based methods and interdisciplinary approaches, he works with communities on social issues pertinent to them, and his research continues to advance broad-minded thinking across different domains. Dr. Afolabi has co-edited five books and published over 50 articles in various books and reputable journals. He is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa and the founding director of Theatre Emissary International (TEMi) in Nigeria and Canada. Dr. Afolabi served as the vice president of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (CATR) (2022-2024). He is a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. He has presented his research at various universities, including Stanford University, and holds a visiting research fellowship at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.
Jacquie Thomas
Jacquie P.A. Thomas founded Theatre Gargantua in 1992, inspired by her experiences training and working with international creation-based companies. Since then she has maintained an unwavering commitment to producing original Canadian theatre and to the development and support of the artist, including young and emerging artists. Since its inception, Theatre Gargantua, a pioneer of Canadian multi-disciplinary devised theatre, has used an evolving methodology to create numerous award- winning works and has become an eclectic fixture in Toronto’s vibrant independent theatre community.
Melding provocative text, acrobatic-like choreography, live vocal compositions, and media into a signature style, Ms. Thomas’ work explores socially relevant themes through dynamic theatricality that engages a broad and diverse audience. Her works are created in a two-year cycle involving co-creators and audience through multiple phases of development before premiering a work. This methodology has earned Gargantua a distinct place within the theatre ecology, and within classrooms and universities where the process is regularly studied and she and other senior members of the company facilitate new creation workshops.
Ms. Thomas’ work with Gargantua has been seen in multiple Canadian districts; across the UK where the company also held residencies at The Royal Exchange in Manchester and The Riverside Theatre in London; as well as at the Portland International Performance Festival in Oregon. At home her work has been presented in environments such as the caves and the ruined mill of the Rockwood Conservation Area, and in Toronto at The Theatre Centre, Artword Theatre, The Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, the Harbourfront Theatre Centre and by Mirvish Productions at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.
This year Jacquie P.A. Thomas celebrates her 33rd Season as the Artistic Director of Theatre Gargantua. She is one of the longest serving female Artistic Directors in the country. In addition to her role as Artistic Director, she has served Gargantua as an actor, director, producer, composer, choreographer, dramaturge and writer, earning Twelve Dora nominations and two awards for her artistic contributions to the company. Her most recent directorial projects include: Dissonant Species, WaterFall, A Tonic for Desperate Times, The Wager, Reflector, Avaricious, The Sacrifice Zone, and Raging Dreams – into the visceral. Other selected credits include the Ossetynski Actors Lab in Los Angeles, Roy Hart Theatre in France, The National Theatre of Greece and the Gardzienice Theatre Association of Poland. She was awarded a Harold Award for contributions to Toronto’s independent theatre community, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013 for contributions to Canadian Culture and Community. In addition to crafting a catalogue of bold and compelling award-winning works Ms. Thomas has fostered successful initiatives dedicated to mentoring, training and expanding artistic practice including Gargantua’s Emerging Artist Roundtable, Producing and Artistic Internship Programs, and their RISK Youth Workshops. The SideStream program, introduced in 2013, supports associate artists in the creation of original, sometimes experimental work, emphasizing projects that challenge their practice.
Eric Rose
Eric is an award-winning director, deviser, playwright, educator, and the Artistic Director of Calgary’s acclaimed Ghost River Theatre (GRT). Eric’s work is fueled by his dyslexic brain and is characterized by a striking audio-visual aesthetic that embraces the impossible, constantly reframing and rediscovering what theatre is and what it is capable of. Eric’s passion for the creative process has inspired the diversity of his theatrical experience, spanning large-scale contemporary and classical theatre, site-specific and immersive performance, experiential design, devising theatre, and dance.
As a sought-after teacher, Eric has shared his unique approach to theatrical creation with students and professionals all over the world. For GRT, Eric has taught its 4-Day and National 3-Week Devised Theatre Intensives for the last 15 years. He has taught for the Young Vic in London UK, Prague Quadrennial of Performance and Design, Kathy Knowles Theatre Company in Accra, Revolutions International Festival in Albuquerque, and across Canada at various post-secondary institutions and festivals. Eric has been honoured to be the Playwright in Residence at Alberta Theatre Projects, be named to Avenue Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40, and receive the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Artist Award for his body of work as a theatrical innovator.
Recent GRT credits include: playwright /director STRUCK (Betty Nomination Best New Play); director/co-playwright SensoryBox; director/co-playwright GIANT (Betty Mitchell Nomination Outstanding Director & New Play – Award for Outstanding Ensemble); concept/direction/co- creation of Intuition Project; co-adaptor, sound designer and director Tomorrow’s Child (Edinburgh Fringe), director/co-playwright The Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst (Betty Mitchell Awards for Outstanding Production, Direction, New Play and shortlisted for the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Prize in Playwriting).
Additional credits include directing a lab workshop of Troilus & Cressida for Stratford Festival; concept/co-creator I am Canada, Canadian Museum for Human Rights; concept/co-creator TropiCalgary, GLOW Festival; director/co-creator A Date With The Night for The Globe Theatre; director/dramaturg a new version of Hannah Moscovitch’s The Huron Bride for Vertigo Theatre; director the Canadian premiere of The Kite Runner for Theatre Calgary/Citadel Theatre; director/co-playwright Once Upon an Atom Bomb with Jennie Esdale and David Rhymer for the Green Fools Physical Theatre; director/co-playwright Peril in Paris with Ethan Cole (Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play) a new musical for Lunchbox Theatre; director/dramaturg The Forbidden Sacrifice for the Kathy Knowles Theatre Company in Ghana.
For Film and TV, Mr. Rose recently co-wrote the feature documentary Close the Divide (AMPIA Award Best Screenwriter). He co-wrote / directed a new 5 part, soon-to-be-released streaming series, So Dark the Sky, and is currently in post-production for a film adaptation of his play, STRUCK.