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What You Won’t Do For Love

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

Why Not Theatre presents What You Won’t Do For Love, a hybrid live-theatre and film performance starring renowned environmentalists Drs. David Suzuki and Tara Cullis. Suzuki and Cullis reflect on their 50-year romantic relationship and their shared adventures and  advocacy for the planet. This charming and conversational show asks, can we learn to love the planet as much as we love other people?

Directed by Why Not Theatre Founder and Co-Artistic Director Ravi Jain (Mahabharata, Sea Sick, Prince Hamlet) with co-direction and dramaturgy by Broadleaf Creative Artistic Director Kevin Matthew Wong (The Chemical Valley Project, Benevolence Hall), 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.

On Wednesday, October 2, 2024, two visionary leaders, David Suzuki and Mark Carney, will come together to discuss ways we can balance the urgent need to protect the planet and build a thriving economy. The talk, moderated by Val Pringle, will occur over an elegant dinner at the Ritz Carlton, followed by the performance of What You Won’t Do for Love at TIFF Lightbox. Click here to purchase VIP Supporter Gala tickets

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 at Upper Canada College

Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Thursday, September 26, 2024
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Upper Canada College
200 Lonsdale Road
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1W6

Runtime is approximately 90 minutes plus a post-show Q+A

Presented at TIFF Lightbox

Wednesday, October 2, 2024
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM

TIFF Lightbox
350 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 3X5

Runtime is approximately 90 minutes

Purchase VIP Supporter Gala tickets for the Mark Carney/David Suzuki fundraiser event at the Ritz-Carlton. Includes access to the TIFF Lightbox show.

Fall 2024 Creative Team:

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, Jeff Irving, David Suzuki

Production Manager
Crystal Lee

Film Directors
Kevin Matthew Wong and Ravi Jain

Music and Sound Design
Meg Roe

Lighting Design
André du Toit

Film Production
Pool Service Productions

Local Film Editing Support
Noel Pendawa

Produced by
Kevin Matthew Wong

Assistant Producer
Ishan Sandhu

Dramaturgy
Broadleaf Creative

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.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Champion Sponsors

Andy and Valerie Pringle

Crestpoint Logo

"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