LIFEGUARD: THE ONLY JOB AI CAN'T DO to Premiere at Toronto Fringe Festival

LIFEGUARD: The Only Job AI Can't Do, a new solo show written and performed by actor, comedian, and storyteller Kathryn Haggis will premiere at the Toronto Fringe Festival and is directed by acclaimed solo theatre artist Tracey Erin Smith.

Part comedy, part memoir, and part meditation on human connection, LIFEGUARD explores resilience, purpose, and the uniquely human qualities that technology cannot replicate.

"Water is one of the only places left where we can connect with ourselves and families without a phone," said Haggis. "AI can process data, but it takes human connection to pull you to safety."

At a time marked by rising costs, growing isolation, and concerns about automation and job displacement, the production invites audiences to unplug and reconnect through personal storytelling. Drawing on her own experiences, Haggis examines the emotional strength and perseverance that helped her find stability and happiness both in and out of the water.

The production features dramaturgy by celebrated Canadian playwright Judith Thompson, a two-time winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for Drama whose work has received international acclaim. Direction is by Tracey Erin Smith, the award-winning theatre director, performer, television host, and bestselling author of Flying Solo.

Haggis has been a familiar presence on the Fringe circuit for decades. In 1996, NOW Magazine named her one of its "Top Ten Performers to Watch" following her solo show All My Life's a Benefit. She later co-wrote and performed Queen for a Day at the 2006 Toronto Fringe Festival and Taste of the Danforth at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre's Rhubarb Festival.

Her theatre credits also include a performance in Judith Thompson's Watching Glory Die at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Beyond the stage, Haggis was a member of The Second City Touring Company and has appeared in numerous film and television projects, including all three installments of the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise as Cousin Marianthi.

"Swimming has saved me — financially, physically, and emotionally — many times over," said Haggis. "This year's Fringe celebrates a lifetime of skills and choices I'm grateful for, both on and off the stage."

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