The Theatre Centre's SEA SICK to Return to Toronto, 10/29-11/2

Sea Sick, Alanna Mitchell's critically acclaimed production about the state of the global ocean, returns to The Theatre Centre this fall from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. Kicking off a national tour, The Theatre Centre is thrilled to share the production that opened its permanent home at 1115 Queen St. W. with new audiences. Directed by artistic and general director Franco Boni with Ravi Jain and performed by Mitchell, Sea Sick is a deeply personal solo performance that reveals how the global ocean is changing and why it matters. Following the Toronto production, Sea Sick will head off on tour. Full tour details, including dates and stops, to be announced.

"When we first started creating Sea Sick, it was something new for all of us," said Boni. "It was Alanna's first foray into making theatre, and we were in the process of moving The Theatre Centre to our new home. Looking back, it's exhilarating to see how far the piece has come. Alanna impressed all of us when she took all of her data and scientific discoveries and created this compelling piece of theatre. It's entertaining - in fact, parts of it are hilarious - but it also takes a deep look into the issues affecting the sea. I'm truly excited to have her back in the theatre, and to share her story with audiences across Canada."

In March 2014, Mitchell impressed both critics and audiences with her powerful story about the current state of the world's ocean and how humans are altering everything about it. After opening at The Theatre Centre, Sea Sick went on to Montreal for a successful run at USINE C theatre. The Toronto production was later nominated for a Dora award for outstanding new play. In her first creation for stage, Mitchell uses science and her own delicate wit to tell us about her journey to the bottom of the ocean, the demons she discovered there, and her hope for the future.

"My goal for this piece was simply to help audiences participate in an emotionally and intellectually satisfying exploration of the world's ocean," says Mitchell. "I'm not an actor, so it was definitely challenging to put my story on stage, and tell it myself. The fact that so many people have embraced this play has been an extraordinary experience, and it's fantastic to continue on the journey together - there's still more of the story to tell."

Mitchell is an award-winning Canadian journalist and author (New York Times, CBC's Quirks & Quarks, Globe and Mail, and more) who writes about science and social trends specializing in investigative reporting. Sea Sick is inspired by her international bestseller and award-winning book of the same name.

Sea Sick will be presented at The Theatre Centre (1115 Queen St. W.) from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. Performances run Wednesday to Saturday at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. The performance is approximately 75 minutes long, without an intermission. Tickets from $25 to $30 are available online at theatrecentre.org or by phone at 416-538-0988.

Photo by Chloë Ellingson