We are delighted to announce the return of RISER to The Theatre Centre, BMO Incubator this spring. Created as a collaborative producing model for independent theatre artists and now celebrating its 10th year, RISER transforms in 2023 through a ground-breaking collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Performance. This year, RISERx presents three new productions, featuring performances by Toronto Met’s graduating class of actors, and direction by three talented theatre makers: Caleigh Crow, Keshia Palm, and Nikki Shaffeeullah.

The new partnership between Why Not and Toronto Met’s School of Performance this year builds on the legacy of RISER Toronto. RISERx is dedicated to fostering the next generation of performance makers with a focus on developing emerging actors, mentoring emerging technicians and designers, and nurturing emerging directors. This year’s cohort of directors will be coached and supported through their process by Sarah Garton Stanley, Artistic Producer of the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund, with the actors receiving coaching and support from Toronto Met’s Cole Lewis and Paul De Jong.

In addition to the new partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University, RISERx 2023 is supported by a network of a dozen established theatre companies (or Senior Partners) who generously contribute resources and mentorship toward the development of RISER productions and artists. 2023 Senior Partners include fu-GEN Theatre, Necessary Angel Theatre Company, Nightwood Theatre, and The Theatre Centre, all of which have contributed to this collaborative producing model since its inception. 

RISER is made possible through the generous support of RBC Foundation, TD Bank Group, the Government of Canada, and a network of Senior Partners. The first three years of RISER were made possible by Toronto Arts Council’s Open Door program.

About RISER: 

Founded in 2013, RISER was developed to help address the challenges of producing independent theatre in Toronto. RISER brings together senior leadership from the theatre community with emerging artists in order to maximize existing infrastructure, share resources and risk, and support a commitment to create and innovate. Since its inception, RISER has supported the development of 41 new Canadian works and nurtured over 300 artists, with audience numbers reaching over 25,000 across RISER shows. These works have garnered 50+ awards and nominations, and have secured more than 100 post-RISER engagements and six publications. RISER has also begun a national expansion, with iterations in both Edmonton and Regina this year.

About the Directors:

Caleigh Crow (she/her) is a queer Metis theatre artist from Mohkinstsis. She is the co-founder and Artistic Lead of Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre. Her work tends towards themes of metaphysics, class struggle, magic, and joy. Playwriting credits include HEXEN, The Order of the Poor Ladies, Kill Time Before Time Kills You, and There is Violence and There is Righteous Violence and There is Death; or The Born Again Crow, most recently performed in partnership with Gwaandak Theatre in Whitehorse. Caleigh’s play shrooms was shortlisted for Persephone Theatre’s BIPOC Play Commission in 2020. She was the assistant director for Gender? I Hardly Know Them’s HTTPEEPEE in 2020, and Episode 2 of the webseries. She also directed Round and Round for Lunchbox Theatre’s Stage One Festival. Caleigh was Assistant Director at Vertigo Theatre for Sherlock Holmes and the Vanishing Thimble and The Extractionist. She also directed Napi and the Rock, a short film for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in partnership with Making Treaty 7. She has performed in the Revolution They Wrote: Feminist Short Works Theatre Festival, the Montreal Anarchist Theatre Festival, Sage Theatre’s Ignite! Festival, NextFest, One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo 35×35. You can hear her in the Alberta Queer Calendar Project’s Without You by Elena Belyea, in the role of Andrea, and as Meena in The Strid, by Kiana Wu produced by Downstage Theatre.

Keshia Palm (she/they) is a storyteller seeking to spark connection and conversation through live, shared experiences in thoughtful and inclusive art/spaces. Keshia has developed and performed new works with IBPOC, immigrant, queer, women, non-binary and trans artists with companies from coast to coast. They are particularly interested in sharing stories with unconventional perspectives using theatre magic and highly integrated design. Keshia’s a fan of flexible and collaborative processes — director, performer, dramaturge, playwright, and producer are all artistic hats they wear depending on the day! Since 2016, they’ve worked to bring artists together and support emerging and independent artists through producing ArtistProducerResource.com (2018-2021), and as Artistic Producer of the Paprika Festival (2021-now). Select Credits — Playwriting/Co-Creation: Shadow Girls (Pencil Kit Productions), Make Me an Alleycat (#ArtApart). Direction: As a Former Fat Kid, Tangled (Nightwood Groundswell Festival). Assistant Direction: The Year of the Cello (Theatre Passe Muraille), Beautiful Man (Factory Theatre), The Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare in the Ruff). Performance: The Cherry Orchard (Modern Times), Shadow Girls (Rhubarb Festival).

Nikki Shaffeeullah (she/her) is a theatre and film artist, facilitator, producer, writer, curator, equity worker, and community organizer. Currently, she is leading the multi-year artistic research and creation project Stages of Transformation, which explores the intersections between theatre and abolition movements, with National Arts Centre – English Theatre. She produces artistic work, creative research, and sector-change projects through her organization Undercurrent Creations, and is a founding member of Confluence Arts Collective, a group of artists-activists who believe in transformative justice and a world without prisons. Nikki creates work as a director, writer, and performer, and has held residencies with organizations including Canadian Stage, Why Not Theatre, The Theatre Centre, Summerworks, and others. She is a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators. Her past work includes serving as Artistic Director of The AMY Project; Editor-in-Chief of alt.theatre: cultural diversity and the stage; and Assistant Artistic Director of Jumblies Theatre. Nikki believes that art should disrupt the status quo, centre the margins, engage with the ancient, dream of the future, and be for everyone.

About Why Not Theatre:

“Good” isn’t good enough. At Why Not Theatre, we’re out for better. We shake up the status quo to make the world we want to see. A world where everyone can achieve their full potential. We question everything. Rethink how stories are told and who gets to tell them. We believe in art. It’s how we make change. We push boundaries, build community, and find new ways. We represent Toronto, at home and on the world stage. Founded in 2007, we are led by a core team of Ravi Jain, Miriam Fernandes, and Karen Tisch.

About Toronto Metropolitan University School of Performance:

Performance at Toronto Metropolitan University empowers and transforms through bold creative expression. With a BFA offered in three disciplines—Acting, Dance, and Production + Design—we provide the highest standard of arts education for exceptionally talented performers and practitioners who go on to become world-class artists, leaders, and global citizens. We raise the standard of professional practice in performance disciplines, pursuing excellence to provoke curiosity and risk-taking in changing political and social world contexts.

RISERx 2023 

Set Design by Delia Yuan
Costume Design by Carlyn Rahussar Routledge
Lighting Design by Gavin MacDonald
Sound Design by Sam Ferguson

The Theatre Centre, BMO Incubator at 1115 Queen Street West, Toronto

April 11 – 22, 2023
Pay What You Can Afford Tickets:
SHOWS: $12.50, $22.50, $35, $50

Available for purchase online at tickets.theatrecentre.org

www.whynot.theatre/risertoronto

Media Contact: Kelly Read, [email protected]