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What You Won’t Do For Love

created by Drs. Tara Cullis, Dr. David Suzuki, Ravi Jain, and Miriam Fernandes

Experience a special evening with award-winning renowned environmentalists David Suzuki and Tara Cullis in What You Won’t Do For Love, a unique and intimate theatre experience that asks whether the love we have for each other can inspire us to take action for the planet.

Actors and real-life couple Miriam Fernandes and Sturla Alvsvaag navigate a poetic and playful dialogue on stage with David and Tara, who have been a couple for 5 decades. Through honest reflection and lively conversation, David and Tara share powerful insights and captivating stories garnered over a lifetime of environmental activism and the deep bond of their partnership.

Directed by Why Not Theatre Founder and Co-Artistic Director Ravi Jain (Mahabharata, Sea Sick, Prince Hamlet) with dramaturgy by Broadleaf Creative Artistic Director Kevin Matthew Wong (The Chemical Valley Project), What You Won’t Do For Love asks us to consider love’s capacity to inspire action and propel us all towards a healthier, sustainable planet.

After the show, the audience is invited to stay and explore these questions further during an informal Q&A with David, Tara, and members of the creative team.

This project is part of Why Not’s MAKE stream of activities. MAKE projects are created and produced by us, often touring across the country and the world.

Presented by Vancouver Civic Theatres.

February 13, 14, 16, 17, 2024
8:00pm
Vancouver Playhouse
600 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC

Runtime is approximately 90 minutes + 25 minute optional Q+A.

Written by
Tara Cullis, Miriam Fernandes*, Ravi Jain, David Suzuki with contributions from Sturla Alvsvaag

Director
Ravi Jain

Associate Directors
Miriam Fernandes, Kevin Matthew Wong

Performed by
Tara Cullis, Miriam Fernandes, Sturla Alvsvaag, David Suzuki

Production Manager
Crystal Lee

Stage Manager
Jenny Kim*

Sound Design
Meg Roe

Projection Design
Jamie Nesbitt

Lighting Design
André du Toit

Produced by
Kevin Matthew Wong

Dramaturgy
Broadleaf Creative

 

* The participation of these Artists are arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.

 

Originally co-presented and produced with support from TO Live and Soulpepper.

What You Won’t Do For Love is available as a film for digital screening, and playtext published by Coach House Books.

Why Not Theatre acknowledges the generous support of: The Slaight Family Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council

"Warm, wise and overflowing with generosity, this is a love story so epic it embraces all of creation. Yet another reminder of how blessed we are to be in the struggle with elders like David and Tara.”

- Naomi Klein (author, journalist, social activist, and filmmaker) and Avi Lewis (filmmaker, climate activist, educator)

“[Why Not Theatre] have earned their voice at the centre of Canada’s cultural landscape and are using it powerfully.”

Toronto Star

"A deeply personal, totally enchanting love story. David and Tara take us on a magical journey into the heart of commitment - to one another, to family, to community, to justice and to the planet. A testament to hope.”

Maude Barlow (Author and activist, founding member of the Council of Canadians, co-founder of the Blue Planet Project)

“At this turning point in our relationship with Earth, we work for an evolution: from dominance to partnership; from fragmentation to connection; from insecurity, to interdependence.”

– David Suzuki Foundation, Declaration of Interdependence