CBC and Crow’s Theatre Partner to Offer New Five-Part Talk Series, ‘Ideas at Crow’s Theatre’

CBC AND CROWS THEATRE PARTNER TO OFFER NEW FIVE-PART TALK SERIES, IDEAS AT CROWS THEATRE

Tickets available now for CBC IDEAS episodes to be recorded at Crows Theatre for broadcast throughout 2024 on CBC Radio and CBC Listen

WEBWIRE – Friday, December 15, 2023

CBC RadiosIDEASand TorontosCrows Theatreare announcing a new collaboration to explore the ideas that animate great art and the crucial questions that shape our world.IDEAS AT CROWS THEATRE=11ptis a five-part talk series to be recorded at Crows Theatre in Toronto from January to June 2024, inspired by five plays in the Theatres 2023/24 40thanniversary season. This series is a forum for artists and scholars to develop new ideas, and for audiences to engage directly with the pressing questions of our time.

Each IDEAS AT CROWS THEATRE event will feature a 45-minute talk followed by an onstage interview conducted by IDEAS hostNahlah Ayed,and will take place on a Sunday morning prior to a matinee performance and be recorded for later broadcast onIDEAS.

TheIDEAS AT CROWS THEATREseries will begin on January 7, 2024, with McGill professorand world literaturescholar=11ptSandeep Banerjeedelivering a talk on love and art in times of war, inspired byNATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812byDave Malloy.

On February 25, 2024, Giller Prize-winning novelist and poetIan Williams(Reproduction) will explore the relationship between the past and future, inspired by the Crows Theatres production ofAnton Chekhovs timeless classicUNCLE VANYAbeing presented by David Mirvish at the CAA Theatre.

The series continues March 24, 2024, whenSocial Justice EducationscholarMiglena Todorovaexplores the roots of patriarchy and violence against women in a talk inspired byLucas HnathsDANA H., the true story of his mothers abduction.

On Sunday April 28, 2024, Anishinaabe scholarRiley Yesnowill explore Indigenous futurism and the connection between dreams and new realities, inspired by Governor General Award-winning playwrightCliff CardinalsHUFF, his solo show about how three brothers cope with the death of their mother and struggle with solvent abuse.

CBC IDEAS Host Nahlah Ayed:

At a time of polarization and division, we are proud to be part of an effort aimed at bringing meaningful conversations to audiences old and new. Theatre has long been one of the best venues for fostering debate and discussion, where plays tell stories that resonate deeply with our lives.

These five thinkers will bring deep knowledge and wide curiosity to our collective stage, bringing fresh perspectives to some of the most urgent problems of our time.

Crows Theatre Associate Artistic Director Paolo Santalucia:

This partnership captures the importance theatre holds in modern culture. It serves as a powerful platform through which the questions shaping our time find meaningful discourse, hopefully fostering a deeper understanding of each other and the world around us.

Through these interviews, patrons will be granted the opportunity to engage more deeply with our productions and the themes that drive them. I hope the impact of these conversations will resonate long after the final curtain falls and leave audiences with a heightened appreciation of the enduring value of our craft.

The 2024IDEAS AT CROWS THEATREseries concludes on June 2, 2024, when novelistand immigration and refugeelawyerJamie Chai Yun Liewexplores how our ideas of kinship and family shape the way we understand community, citizenship, and belonging. Her talk will accompanyTHE WRONG BASHIR,a laugh-out-loud farce that explores personal freedoms, familial expectations, and cultural traditions,byZahida Rahemtulla.

To reserve a free ticket to an IDEAS AT CROWS THEATRE broadcast taping, visithttps://www.crowstheatre.com/about-crows/news/ideas-at-crows-theatre.

PLEASE NOTE: The free ticket is for the talk series only and is available to anyone who wishes to participate. A separate ticket must be purchased for each play performance in order to attend the show as well.

  • Sunday January 7, Sandeep Banerjee atStreetcar Crowsnest:Singing in Dark Times

  • Sunday February 25, Ian Williamsat theCAA Theatre:The Endless Procession of Days

  • Sunday March 24, Miglena Todorova atStreetcar Crowsnest:The Making and Unmaking of Violent Men

  • Sunday April 28, Riley Yesno atStreetcar Crowsnest:(Land) Back to the Future

  • Sunday June 2, Jamie Chai Yun Liew atStreetcar Crowsnest:Community, Citizenship and Belonging

All talks take place from 10.30am-12.00 noon in advance of the afternoon play performances. All events take place at Streetcar Crowsnest (345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto) except for the Feb 25th talk and play being presented at the CAA Theatre (651 Yonge Street, Toronto).

IDEAS streams free anytime on CBC Listen, and can be heardweekdays at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC Radio. IDEAS AT CROWS THEATRE will broadcast on CBCs IDEAS throughout the 2024 season. For more information visitwww.cbc.ca/ideasand subscribe to the weekly IDEAS newsletter.

ABOUT CROWS THEATRE

For 40 years, Crows Theatre has been a leading force in the Canadian theatre landscape, recognized for provocative and award-winning new theatre works that premiere in Toronto often followed by national and international tours. Crows Theatre is distinguished as a preeminent cultural destination for its far-reaching imagination, ideas, exchange, diversity, and grassroots belief that the arts are essential to healthy and thriving communities.

Led by Artistic and General Director, Chris Abraham and Executive Director Sherrie Johnson, Crows Theatre is located at the corner of Carlaw Avenue and Dundas Street East in Torontos east end. Our home at Streetcar Crowsnest is comprised of four venues for dynamic cultural and community programming: the Guloien Theatre (200 seats); Studio Theatre (80 seats); the Nada Ristich Studio Gallery (80 seats); the full-service Lobby Bar; as well as an onsite restaurant which can accommodate 60 seated indoors and 75 on the outdoor patio.crowstheatre.com

ABOUT CBC IDEAS

Launched in 1965 as “The Best Ideas Youll Hear Tonight, and soon shortened to its present name, CBC Radios IDEAS is a deep dive into contemporary thought and intellectual history. Anchored in a powerful legacy and expansive archive spanning over five decades, its topics are boundless. The nature of consciousness. The history of toilets. The roots and rise of authoritarianism. Near death experiences. No idea is off-limits. Each episode cracks open a concept to see how its played out over place and time and uncovers why it still matters today.

IDEAS is hosted by Nahlah Ayed, an award-winning veteran of foreign reporting. A former parliamentary reporter for The Canadian Press, Nahlah is a graduate of Carleton Universitys Master of Journalism program. She also holds a Masters degree in interdisciplinary studies (Philosophy, English, and Science), and a Bachelor of Science in genetics from the University of Manitoba.www.cbc.ca/ideas

ABOUT CBC/RADIO-CANADA

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canadas national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canadas trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs, and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

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