Factory Presents the Toronto Premiere of Nightswimming's BROKEN TAILBONE

FACTORY is proud to launch their 50th Anniversary season with its first CrossCurrents Canada presentation of 2019-20a?? - the Toronto premiere of the critically acclaimed Nightswimming production, BROKEN TAILBONE. Written and performed by Carmen Aguirre, and commissioned and produced by Nightswimming, this extraordinary production integrates stories of intimacy, politics, culture and the forgotten origins of the salsa into an interactive dance party and will be presented in the Factory Studio Theatre, October 2 - 13, 2019 (Opening Night October 3).

"Do you want to know how I actually broke my tailbone?" - Carmen Aguirre, Broken Tailbone

A rare, intimate journey into the hidden world of Latinx dance halls in Canada, BROKEN TAILBONE explores themes of culture and sexuality through Carmen Aguirre's hilarious and moving personal stories, while leading the audience in an unforgettable salsa dance lesson. Inspired by the playwright's experiences in Canada's Latinx dance halls and featuring DJ Don Pedro's irresistible musical environment, this extended salsa lesson exhibits the power of radical protest through dance, music and the power of our bodies.

Playwright/performer Carmen Aguirre is a Vancouver based artist and activist who has written over 20 plays and two best-selling memoirs. Aguirre's work is often autobiographical and explores themes of exile, loss, alienation, and isolation. Carmen is the recipient of many awards, including the 2014 Ten Most Influential Hispanics in Canada Award, the 2014 Latincouver Inspirational Latin Award for Achievement in Arts and Culture, and the 2011 Union of B.C. Performers Lorena Gale Woman of Distinction Award.

Brian Quirt is the Artistic Director of Nightswimming and Director of the Banff Centre Playwrights Lab. Nightswimming credits include national tours of works by Anita Majumdar and Carmen Aguirre, and the premiere production of Anosh Irani's Bombay Black. Brian has created eight of his own plays, including Why We Are Here! (High Performance Rodeo; Harbourfront; Belfry Theatre) and These Are The Songs That I Sing When I'm Sad (Boca del Lupo; Blyth Festival). He was Factory's Dramaturg from 1998-2004.

DJ Don Pedro is a first-generation Latinx-Canadian theatre artist who was born and raised in Chetwynd, BC. He received his BFA in Theatre Performance from SFU. He then went on to co-found rice & beans theatre. Pedro is a performer, director, playwright, and theatre jack-of-all-trades. Pedro was the Artistic Resident at Neworld Theatre in 2014 and the guest curator of the 2018 rEvolver Festival.

Founded in 1970, Factory was the first theatre company in the nation to devote itself to producing 100% Canadian content. 50 years later, Factory continues to lead in the development and sharing of Canadian stories, having produced more than 300 productions from a diverse source of Canadian playwrights and launched the careers of countless theatre professionals.

Factory would like to thank the government funding bodies, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, the Toronto Arts Council, and The Government of Canada, BMO, our CrossCurrents Canada Sponsor TD, as well as our generous donors who make developing, producing, and presenting Canadian theatre possible.

Factory stands on the land under The Dish With One Spoon Wampum Covenant, a treaty between the Anishinaabe, Mississaugas andHaudenosaunee that binds them to share the territory and protect the land.Subsequent people (Indigenous and settlers alike) have been invited into this treaty in the spirit of peace, friendship, and respect. Today, the meeting place of Toronto (Tkaronto) is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island. Factory would like to acknowledge with gratitude all the storytellers, stewards, and caretakers - recorded and unrecorded - who have continued to host Factory at this gathering place for over 30 years.

Nightswimming is an award-winning Toronto-based dramaturgical theatre company. The company's focus is on research, creation, and performance through commissioning and developing new Canadian plays, musical works, and dance. a??nightswimmingtheatre.com