Toronto Fringe Discusses Gun Violence in THE DECEMBER MAN

In honor of the one-year anniversary of the Danforth shooting in Toronto, the creative team at Theatre@Eastminster felt compelled to present The December Man (L'homme de décembre), by Canadian playwright Colleen Murphy as part of the 2019 Toronto Fringe Festival.

With the recent shootings at Queen & Ossington and at the Raptors Parade, this piece is more topical than ever. Now Magazine gave The December Man 4N's calling the piece "a deeply moving rendition of a relevant story."

Murphy's play is set in the aftermath of the 1989 Montreal Massacre and is a harrowing exploration of the supports necessary to help individuals impacted by this kind of horrific violence, and what happens when these supports are absent. Mooney on Theatre raves The December Man is "...a consummately phenomenal cast... [that] traverses the intangible, explosive tinderbox of grief and mental illness..."

Following each performance, audience members are invited to participate in a discussion on the themes explored in the work, facilitated by expert partners*. Theater@Eastminster's creative team hopes that, by sparking discussion in a safe space, they are offering a rare and unique opportunity for the community to come together for open dialogue.

The creative team and partners are available to discuss the work of Theatre@Eastminster and the compelling conversations being generated by the community talk backs on this incredibly relevant and pressing topic.

*Talk backs are being facilitated by the Sashbear Foundation, which provides support and training for families impacted by emotional dysregulation, joined by Mark Farrant, an expert on the subject of PTSD and violent crime, and East End United's reverend, Sarah Miller.