Why Not Theatre to Continue 10th Anniversary Season with Reimagining of HAMLET

Under Artistic Director Ravi Jain, and Artistic Producers Owais Lightwala and Kelly Read, Why Not Theatre will mark a decade of work with a new production of the company's inaugural show, Ravi Jain's reconstructed Prince Hamlet, and the 4th round of the RISER Project, both at The Theatre Centre this spring.

Ravi Jain's reimagining of Hamlet has re-ordered scenes, action instead of exposition, and a filmic language that illuminates the contemporary relevance of a 400-year-old text. Prince Hamlet is a play about the struggle of a young adult trying to understand the world they live in. What is the right thing to do? What is Hamlet's responsibility? How does someone exist in a world that is not their truth?

At the dawn of a new decade, Why Not Theatre finds itself at similar crossroads, asking the same existential questions. Directed by Ravi Jain, this new 2017 production of Prince Hamlet stars Christine Horne as Hamlet, RickRoberts as Claudius, Karen Robinson as Gertrude, Jeff Ho as Ophelia, Maria Vacratsis as Polonius, Dawn Jani Birley as Horatio, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah as Laertes, Miriam Fernandes as Rosencrantz and Hannah Miller as Guildenstern.

In order to ensure accessibility to this production, all tickets are Pay-What-You-Can-AFFORD. There are four price points - $5, $25, $50, $75 - and all tickets are general admission.

More than just a theatre company, Why Not is also interested in building a healthier performing arts ecology in Toronto. RISER Project is a Why Not initiative to help overcome venue rental and technical costs for indie and emerging theatre artists by providing a shared resource opportunity and mentorship through production. RISER Project 2017 features four world premieres to be presented over four weeks with two shows a night.

Karin Randoja directs Sharada Eswar's The Draupadi Project, a half-history, half-mythology, wholly-magical reimagining of the ancient Indian epic, The Mahabharata, as told from a feminist perspective. American World-Wartime gAl Pearle Harbour sets-up her Chautauqua Tent at The Theatre Centre for Pearle Harbour's Chautauqua, a show that's part revival, part cabaret, part drag and part tragicomedy. Created and performed by Justin Miller, directed by Byron LaViolette.

Rimah Jabr and Natasha Greenblatt meet in Toronto. Rimah was born a Palestinian Muslim. Natasha was born a Canadian Jew. Two Birds One Stone investigates two women's histories and the forces that push them through time and across continents to find each other. Playwright and director Marilo Nuñez presents El Retorno/I Return, an search for answers to childhood questions when, for one year her family was part of The Return Plan - the return to Chile to help fight against the brutality of the Pinochet dictatorship.

RISER Project also brings together a community of senior leadership to work with, and lend support, in all capacities to the artists including mentorship, providing office and rehearsal space, and partnering with the artists for future productions. The 2017 partners are Necessary Angel, Modern Times Stage Company, Nightwood Theatre, The Theatre Centre and fu-Gen Asian Canadian Theatre Company.

Why Not Theatre's tenth year also includes the Mirvish Productions presentation of the Why Not production of Butcher by Nicolas Billon at the Panasonic Theatre; tours of Mouthpiece (from RISER Project 2015); tours of Brimful of Asha, starring Ravi Jain with his mother Asha Jain, including the UK and the Yukon; A Brimful of Asha in New York with Soulpepper; and ThisGenevents in Vancouver and New York.

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Why Not Theatre (Ten Years as Creators and Accelerators) - 2017 Season:

Why Not Theatre presents
in association with Soulpepper Theatre Company
Prince Hamlet
Directed and Adapted by Ravi Jain
Starring Dawn Jani Birley, Miriam Fernandes, Jeff Ho, Christine Horne,
Hannah Miller, Rick Roberts, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah, Karen Robinson, Maria Vacratsis
Set and Costume Design by Lorenzo Savoini
Lighting Design by Andre du Toit
Sound Design by Thomas Ryder Payne
April 17-29, 2017
Opening Night: Wednesday, April 19 @ 8pm
Monday-Saturday @ 8pm, Saturday @ 2pm
Franco Boni Theatre, The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen Street West
Pay-What-You-Can-AFFORD Tickets: $5-$75
To purchase tickets tickets.theatrecentre.org
For more information visit theatrewhynot.org

Why Not Theatre presents
RISER Project 2017
The Draupadi Project
Written by Sharada Eswar
April 17-26, 2017 • Opening Night Tuesday, April 18 @ 7pm
Pearle Harbour's Chautauqua
Written by Justin Miller and Sandra Balcovske
April 19-26, 2017 • Opening Night Thursday, April 20 @ 9:30pm
Two Birds One Stone
Written by Natasha Greenblatt and Rimah Jabr
May 3-13, 2017 • Opening Night Thursday, May 4 @ 7pm
El Retorno/I Return
Written by Marilo Nuñez
May 5-13, 2017 • Opening Night Saturday, May 6 @ 7pm
Performances run Tuesday-Saturday at 7pm and 9:30pm
BMO Incubator, The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen Street West
Tickets $15 each show • $20 for any two shows in RISER
To purchase tickets tickets.theatrecentre.org
For more info visit riserproject.org

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Founded in 2007, Why Not Theatre is a Toronto-based theatre company with an international scope. Under Artistic Director Ravi Jain and Artistic Producers Owais Lightwala and Kelly Read, Why Not has established a reputation as a company synonymous with inventive, experimental, cross-cultural collaborations resulting in shows featuring new Canadian writing, company-devised and site specific shows alongside revitalized interpretations of classics. In recent years, the company has also become known for its presentation of international productions and workshops from diverse cultures and artistic practices, along with support for the development of local emerging artists and companies.

Essential to our creative process are the collisions that arise from our different cultures, languages and experiences provoking us to seek new styles, stories and forms. Our theatre is international in the truest sense of the word: it is created between nations and transcends the borders of race, celebrating all cultures, languages and forms.

"While working in Nairobi, Kenya I learned of Ngugi wa'Thiongo. He was a pioneer of Kenyan theatre, who was exiled for rediscovering a Kenyan theatre, which challenged the British rule and history of the country. Someone wrote of his work, "he was searching for alternative visions of existence". That phrase has stuck with me ever since, and is the bedrock of everything I do. For our company, it means challenging the status quo and what kinds of stories are being told and who is telling them."
- Ravi Jain

Guided by our core values of innovation, community and collaboration, our three main streams of activity are Creating, Presenting and Innovating.

Pictured: Prince Hamlet with Christine Horne. Photo by Dahlia Katz.

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