It Comes In Waves

Note from Jennifer Tarver

“In the late 90’s, just after moving to Toronto, I came across the work of a daring young collective of artists who focused solely on original, site-specific and immersive performance.  Their work spoke to me in an extraordinary way.  It asked me to look at things from a different angle, and to listen and respond in ways that no other productions did at the time. They made space alive and unpredictable, disarming all expectations of behaviour, the nature of meaning, and the audience/performer relationship.

17 years later, just weeks after I had taken the job as artistic director with Necessary angel, Stephen O’Connell (founding member of the bluemouth collective) asked me to be the first outside director in the company’s 20-year history, and to help guide the creation of their latest project.

I responded enthusiastically “yes!” and our two companies united in a co-production to create and produce IT COMES IN WAVES.”

Jennifer Tarver, Artistic Director
Necessary Angel Theatre Co.

Image Gallery

Photo credits: Michel Mersereau & Jeremy Mimnagh

Video

Talent

Jennifer Tarver - Director
Jennifer Tarver is a Canadian director and creator working internationally in both theatre and opera. She has directed for the major theatre companies of the region including The Taragon, Canadian Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Over the past five seasons at Stratford her works have included The Homecoming, Krapp’s Last Tape, Zastrozzi and the world premiere of George F. Walker’s King of Thieves. Her original works include Not Faust, History Play and the award winning She’s Gone Away a collaboration with choreographer Susanna Hood.

Ciara Adams – Performer + Artistic Director, bluemouth inc.
Ciara is a musician, theatre creator/performer and artist-educator. Ciara has been a co-artistic director with bluemouth inc. since 2009, and an associate artist since 2003. After studying Opera at Queen’s University, Ciara moved to London, England to train as an actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In the U.K. she worked at the Royal National Theatre, Northern Stage, and the RSC among others. In Canada, Ciara has been an associate artist with Theatre Gargantua creating and performing in four of the company’s cycles between 2003-2014. As a musician, Ciara has released two albums to date Live at Le Select Bistro and Last of the Bohemians. She is a mentor artist-educator with the Royal Conservatory of Music Schools and she teaches private voice from her home studio in Toronto. www.ciaraadams.ca

Stephen O'Connell - Performer + Artistic Director, bluemouth inc.
From 1990 to 1997, Stephen was co-Artistic Director of Radix Theatre in Vancouver, a site-specific interdisciplinary performance collective. His collaborations include experimental films which have been screened at The Vancouver International Film Festival, The American Dance Festival, and the Moving Pictures Festival in Toronto. He is also the Co-Founder of FREE FALL, a biennial festival in Toronto, Canada of new and interdisciplinary performance and a core member of the Toronto/Brooklyn based performance collective bluemouth inc.

Lucy Simic - Performer + Artistic Director, bluemouth inc.
Lucy is a writer, dancer and theatre artist creating experimental performance pieces for over ten years. She is a founding member of bluemouth inc., working with the company both in Toronto and NY. She has also worked in Vancouver, as co-Artistic Director of Radix Theatre, in Montreal and London. She has taught movement for actors at Humber College, Pilates at Long Island University and teaches movement improvisation in the bluemouth workshops. She holds a degree in French, Dance and Mathematics from Simon Fraser University and an MFA in Playwriting from York University.

Richard Windeyer - Performer + Artistic Director, bluemouth inc.
Richard is a composer, percussionist and sound designer. His research focuses on the impact of audio technologies and generative systems on the creative process, live performance, and experiential design. He is a co-founder of the Canadian Association for Sound Ecology, and has taught courses and workshops in music technology, electroacoustic music, sound recording and design since 2000. Richard is currently a doctoral student at the University of Toronto, through a collaboration between the Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies and the Knowledge Media Design Institute. (www.richardwindeyer.com)

Jordan Tannahill - Playwright
The Globe and Mail recently called Jordan “...the poster child of a new generation of (theatre? film? dance?) artists for whom “interdisciplinary” is not a buzzword, but a way of life”. His plays have been presented across Canada, and his films have been exhibited at venues such as the Toronto International Film Festival, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the British Film Institute. Jordan has received several awards for his work including a 2014 Governor Generals Award for his book Age of Minority: 3 Solo Plays, the 2014 John Hirsch Prize, and Dora Awards for his plays rihannaboi95 and Concord Floral. He has upcoming productions at the National Arts Centre and Canadian Stage, and his book Theatre of the Unimpressed was recently published by Coach House Press. In collaboration with William Ellis, Jordan runs the alternative art space Videofag.

Gabi Charron-Merritt - Musician
Gabi Charron-Merritt is a musician and artist-educator who sings, plays guitar and trumpet. Gabi received a bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in 2012. She majored in Music with a focus on composition, free improvisation, flamenco guitar and Balkan music. Gabrielle has been an active member of the Toronto music scene since 2006. She has composed, performed and collaborated with many groups, such as TTWW, Skyn Flynt and The Walls are Blonde. She is currently a member of four musical ensembles: Ah! La lettre!, Howl Canyon, Moe Yet and Runt Club. Gabi currently works as a self-employed music teacher. She mentors musicians of all ages to explore the language of music. Her work as a musician and as a teacher are intrinsically tied. She values the unexpected nature of musical play and aspires to have an impact upon the culture and education of humans.

This is Gabi’s fifth collaboration with bluemouth inc., which includes the first production of DANCE MARATHON (2009), as well as FIELD GUIDE in Trinity Bellwoods Park (2013) and on Toronto Island (2014), the precursors of IT COMES IN WAVES.

Andjelija Djuric - Designer
Andjelija's recent credits include set and costume design for The Room's Brown Bull Of Cuailnge and costume and prop design for Fujiwara Dance Invention's Eunoia (Dora nomination for best dance production in 2014). In the past Andjelija loved studying Scenography in Montreal, London, Utrecht and Seville and working with Pleiades Theatre, Theatre Smith Gilmour, Aluna Theatre, Canadian Stage, Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and Queen Of Puddings Music Theatre, among others. She is looking forward to collaborating with Gerry Trentham and company of Pounds Per Square Inch Performance on a new dance about peace at Fort York. Andjelija is a recepient of Pauline McGibbon award and two Dora award nominations.

Patrick Lavender - Designer
Patrick is honored to be working with such a talented ensemble, and he appreciates the opportunity to be part of Necessary Angel’s newest creative endeavor. Patrick works as a freelance production manager for Acting Up Stage Company, Volcano Theatre, Obsidian Theatre, and Soundstreams. Patrick also works as a lighting and set designer with small but dedicated Toronto theatre companies. His recent work includes; Birth of Frankenstein (Litmus Theatre), Late Company (Suburban Beast and surface/underground theatre), When the World Was Green (surface/underground theatre), Dying City (surface/underground theatre), and Matchbox Macbeth (Litmus Theatre).

Lisa Humber - Stage Manager
Lisa is thrilled to be returning to Toronto Island with the team involved to create It Comes In Waves & is excited to share in this unforgettable experience. Recent credits include: Stage Manager- Dance Marathon 2015 (bluemouth inc), Hooked (Theatre Passe Muraille) The Heart of Robin Hood (Mirvish Productions). Assistant Stage Manager- Les Miserables and War Horse (Mirvish Productions). Upcoming: Stage Manager- The Indigenous Dance Residency Program (Banff Centre). Lisa has worked across Canada with companies such as the Stratford Festival, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Second City and The Banff Centre. Lisa is the co-founder of the artist collective aBabe Music in Toronto (ababemusic.com), originally from Sudbury, ON, Lisa is a graduate of the Humber College Theatre Program. Many Thanks to her family and friends for their ongoing love and support. Livin’ The Dream…

Emilie Aubin - Asst. Stage Manager
Emilie is an assistant stage manager and stage manager for theatre, opera, and musical theatre based in Toronto.  Recent credits include M’dea Undone (Tapestry Opera); Century Song (Volcano Theatre); Harper Regan (Canadian Stage); James and the Giant Peach (Young People’s Theatre); Beatrice & Virgil (Factory Theatre); Late Company (Suburban Beast and surface/underground theatre); No Great Mischief (Thousand Islands Playhouse).  She is very pleased to be on this journey to the lighthouse with this extraordinary team.

Nathalie Bonjour - Producer, bluemouth inc.
Nathalie is a performing arts producer and consultant. She has worked in leadership positions in the performing arts in Canada for over 20 years. She has produced and toured numerous new theatre and opera works. Companies she has worked for include: Saidye Bronfman (now Segal) Centre, MAI (Montreal, Arts Interculturels), Just for Laughs Festival, National Arts Centre, Nightwood Theatre and Queen of Puddings Music Theatre. In the past couple of seasons Nathalie has worked as a consultant and has provided producing, organizational development and strategic planning services to several theatre companies. In January 2014 she joined bluemouth inc. to work on the development and premiere of It Comes in Waves and to tour the Dance Marathon to the Magnetic North Festival in June 2014 and to the UK and Germany in 2015. She also currently works for Subtle Technologies and as a professional life coach.

Mariel Marshall - Asst. Producer, bluemouth inc.
MARIEL MARSHALL is a multidisciplinary artist and administrator. Credits include:  in acting: Mourning Dove (Sudbury Theatre Centre), The Ghost Ship (Sundown Theatre), The Selkie of Kincardine (Sundown Theatre), and original music composition for Birth of Frankenstein (Litmus Theatre); assistant direction for Infinity (Volcano Theatre/Tarragon Theatre), Stockholm (Seventh Stage Theatre Productions); Matchbox Macbeth (Litmus Theatre), The Mill: Part II, The Huron Bride (Theatrefront).  Upcoming: in acting: Tuesdays and Sundays (Sundown Theatre), The Tale of a Town Kincardine (Fixt Point/Sundown Theatre). Other: Mariel is the founder and Artistic Director of Sundown Theatre in Kincardine Ontario,  and is a graduate of the devised theatre program at York University.

Matt White - Producer, Necessary Angel
Matt is a producer, director, educator and actor. Some highlights from over five years at Necessary Angel include producing Graham McLaren’s Andromache at Luminato 2011, Daniel MacIvor’s This is What Happens Next and our production of Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis.  Other highlights include launching the incite! program and our two-year arts education program in Weston-Mt. Dennis. He is honoured to be able to help such a fantastically talented group of artists make It Comes in Waves a reality. This will be Matt’s final show with Necessary Angel as he will pursue taking his theatre company, green light arts, to the next level in Kitchener ON where he lives with wife Carin and three girls (all under the age of 6).

About bluemouth inc.
bluemouth inc. creates original, immersive performance events in alternative spaces. Continually searching for innovative ways to engage its audience members, it challenges them to new levels of interaction with the performers, always asking the question, “What level of experience are you committed to having?”

Formed in 1998, bluemouth inc. comprises four core members skilled in various artistic disciplines, brought together by a common vision of sharing their diverse practices and inviting the audience to join in new forms of play. bluemouth inc. creates performances collectively, combining choreographed movement, text, dialogue, sound design, original live music, video and film, to create a multi-sensory theatrical journey. Themes are universal and strive to be a vital witness to our time.

About PANAMANIA
PANAMANIA, presented by CIBC, is the 35-day arts and cultural festival that will enrich the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games experience. More than 250 unique performances and exhibitions, both free and ticketed, will take place across Toronto from July 10 to August 15. PANAMANIA will showcase the diverse cultures and artistic excellence of Ontario, Canada and the Americas through music, theatre, dance, visual arts and fashion. http://www.toronto2015.org/panamania

It Comes in Waves

Presented by Necessary Angel, bluemouth inc., and PANAMANIA presented by CIBC.

Written by Jordan Tannahill with bluemouth inc.
Directed by Jennifer Tarver

July 13-24, 2015
Toronto Island