Bad Hats Theatre Launches NEW BAD IDEAS LIVE: An Evening Of New Ideas, New Music, and New Stories

Building on the acclaimed success of their development incubator New Bad Ideas, Bad Hats Theatre has announced the launch of a vibrant new concert-style showcase: New Bad Ideas Live.

Playing only on September 6, 2025 at the Burdock Music Hall, New Bad Ideas Live invites audiences into the first sparks of creation. Directors Fiona Sauder and Matt Pilipiak have curated four dynamic teams of Toronto's most exciting writers and composers to debut short musical stories alongside previous hits from New Bad Ideas projects, all led by Music Director Adam Sakiyama and performed by a knockout ensemble of Canadian talent: Belinda Corpuz, Joel Cumber, Matthew Joseph, Sierra Holder, Jacob MacInnis, Heeyun Park, Alex Samaras, Julia Schwartz, and Anika Venkatesh.

"Since the program's inception, New Bad Ideas has been a home for unbridled creativity - good ideas, bad ideas, and ideas so wild they just might work. It's been a safe place for artists to fearlessly test and develop their ideas - resulting in over a dozen new works that have transformed through the program, with many going on to be presented on stages across Canada. To celebrate that evolution, we wanted to curate a night that honours what New Bad Ideas has always been at its core: a playground of "what ifs"; a space to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. We've paired some of our favourite writers and composers, given them a jumping-off point, and tasked them to create a short story that features music. We've brought on some of our favourite artists to help tell those stories - live, and for the very first time - in front of the one thing New Bad Ideas hasn't yet had: an audience.

We hope you'll join us for an evening of exciting new stories and music, celebrating just how good some bad ideas can be." - Matt Pilipiak & Fiona Sauder, NBI Live Curators and Directors.

New Bad Ideas Live is the latest branch of Bad Hats' larger New Bad Ideas initiative, a program founded in 2018 that has supported over 25 emerging and mid-career creators to create 13 new musical works for young audiences and families through dedicated financial, dramaturgical, and production support. Designed to launch projects into future development, the program boasts over 75% of its projects continuing on towards future development and production.

New Bad Ideas Live features new commissioned short stories by four writing duos:
- Ahmed Moneka (King Gilgamesh and the Man of the Wild, Soulpepper) & Fiona Sauder (Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan);
- Margot Greve & Ben Kopp (Iris (Says Goodbye), Killing Time, Mixtape Productions);
- Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster (Stillwater School for Mosquitos, The Mulligans/Bad Hats) & John Millard (The Cave, Luminato);
- Mark Crawford (The Birds and the Bees, The New Canadian Curling Club, Bed & Breakfast) & Kevin Wong (Soft Magical Tofu Boy(s), Polly Peel)