An Interesting Experiment in Multilingual Theatre: In Sundry Languages: March 4-6, 2016

Poster: In Sundry Languages
A new theatre experiment conducted by the Toronto Laboratory Theatre
Investigating the phenomenon of multilingual acting
Performed in 10 different languages with no translation.
March 4-6, 2016 at Luella Massey Studio Theatre, Toronto, ON

The Toronto Laboratory Theatre
and The Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies

present

in Sundry LANGUAGES
A dangerously hilarious experiment in multiple languages with no translation involved
Devised and conducted by the Toronto Laboratory Theatre

Where: The Luella Massey Studio Theatre
Address: 4 Glen Morris Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2Z9
One street north of Harbord and Spadina

Friday, March 4 at 8:30pm
presented for the 26th Annual Conference of the Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Toronto
Saturday, March 5 at 1:30 and 8:30 pm
Sunday, March 6 at 1:30 pm (includes a pre-show talk)

After playing to sold-out houses in May 2015, this one-of-a kind experiment in multilingual theatre is back!

“In Sundry Languages” strings together a series of outrageously comical vignettes about the unexpected discoveries that come with living, laughing and crying in a second language. Languages used and abused: various dialects of Mandarin, Farsi, Russian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese among many others. Translation: none!

It’s a perfect theatre outing for both native speakers of English and English language learners.

Cast:
高子莹 / Ziying Gloria Gao
Clayton Gray
李明颖/ Joy Lee-Ryan
Mario Lourenço
Юрий Ружьёв / Yury Ruzhyev
Sepideh Shariati/ سپیده شریعتی
Արտ Բաբայանց /Art Babayants

Additional Dramaturgical Support: 
Gabrielle Houle, Shelley Liebembuk

Tickets:
Adults: $20, Students/Seniors/Children: $10

Get tickets online: 
Brown Paper Tickets: In Sundry Languages

Google Map: 4 Glen Morris Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2Z9

Find more about this Toronto's first multilingual show with no translation:

Screenshot: The Toronto Laboratory Theatre "In Sundry Languages"

Credit: torontolab.org

The Toronto Laboratory Theatre 

"In Sundry Languages": Investigating the phenomenon of multilingual acting

Is stage multilingualism possible? Do we always yearn for translation? How different are multilingual actors from monolingual actors? How does a multilingual and multicultural audience react to a multilingual production?

In Sundry Languages is a new theatre experiment conducted by the Toronto Laboratory Theatre with a group of professional, semi-professional and relentlessly unprofessional actors performing in their dominant and non-dominant languages.

The stories told on the stage are the stories of immigration, displacement, hybrid identities, constant learning and unlearning.

Languages used and abused: various dialects of Mandarin, Farsi, Russian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Esperanto among many others.

Translation used: none. It is a theatrical and linguistic adventure like no other.

First stage of experimentation: March-June 2015

Second stage of experimentation: October 2015-March 2016

PUBLIC PRESENTATION: March 4-6. Click here to BUY TICKETS

Image: facebook events: In Sundry Languages

links:
Phoenix Theatre New Production: Couldn't We Be

First Impression by Anya: Couldn't We Be, Phoenix Theatre
A Play by Vladimir Milman; Directed by Art Babayants; Phoenix Cultural Diversity Theatre
July 26-27, 2008; Palmerston Library Theatre; Toronto, ON, Canada

A New Play at Robert Gill Theatre: The ... Musician, An Etude

The ... Musician, An Etude, A New Play at Robert Gill Theatre: March 29-April 1

Poster: The ... Musician, An Etude
A New Play, Conceived and directed by Art Babayants
Based on the novella by V. Korolenko
March 29-April 1, 2012 at Robert Gill Theatre

Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies
University of Toronto &
Toronto Laboratory Theatre

p r e s e n t

The ... Musician
An Etude

Conceived and directed by Art Babayants
Based on the novella by V. Korolenko
Scenography and lighting design by Paul Stoesser
Co-conceived by the collective
Featuring Kevin Kashani, Shelley Liebembuk, Didier Morelli and Art Babayants

March 29, 30*, 31* (Thu-Sat) at 8 pm – $ 10
April 1 (Sun) at 2 pm - PWYC

Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College St
(St. George St. Entrance, 3rd floor)

Reservations: 416-978-7986

Based on a famous novella written by a 19th century Russian/Ukrainian writer, The ... Musician tells a powerful story of struggle, suffering and sacrifice as faced by one who is eternally robbed of an essential element of human experience.

Through a complex interplay of lighting, spoken text, physical gestures and live music, the show aims to challenge the audience’s perception by inviting the spectators to dive into a world where the most common signs of communication are perpetually concealed.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

* On March 30, 31 a talkback with the creators of the show will follow the performance.

Details: utoronto.ca: The ... Musician. An Étude

links:
Phoenix Theatre New Production: Couldn't We Be

First Impression: Couldn't We Be, Phoenix Theatre, Toronto
A Play by Vladimir Milman; Directed by Art Babayants; Phoenix Cultural Diversity Theatre
July 26-27, 2008; Palmerston Library Theatre; Toronto, ON, Canada
by Anya

First Impression: Couldn't We Be, Phoenix Theatre, Toronto

First Impression: Couldn't We Be, Phoenix Theatre
A Play by Vladimir Milman; Directed by Art Babayants; Phoenix Cultural Diversity Theatre
July 26-27, 2008; Palmerston Library Theatre; Toronto, ON, Canada

Couldn't We Be
Drama (and ballroom dance): She is well-settled, 19. He is 40, no prospects for the future... Couldn't we be: two artistic maverick souls....
The plot of the play is based on a true story: two artistic souls run across each other in the contemporary world of pragmatic indifference. She is the only child of two well-settled and practically oriented parents, who have anticipated a certain life path for her, while he is a 40 years old recent newcomer to Canada, an actor with poor English and no prospects for the future. As the story develops, we can see where this takes the two maverick souls.

Couldn’t We Be

Anyone who has experienced immigration knows that it is not easy. The culture shock, language barrier, unemployment are only a few obstacles ready for a fresh immigrant. And if a newcomer is gifted and aiming for success it is often a tragedy when the great expectations aren’t met. The play "Couldn’t We Be" by Vladimir Milman presents a drama of a Russian immigrant actor that struggles to stay true to his art despite the adversity of life in an alien environment. In his search for accomplishment and creation, he sacrifices everything he holds dear, his country, his family and his love for one purpose; and that purpose is devotion to life even when it’s gone.

In the play the work of an artist is a desire to live passionately and Vikenty Varchuk is an actor who came out of obscure poverty in Ukraine and rose to stardom as an actor in Moscow, hoping to conquer the rest of the world he decides to come to Toronto. But here, at his late age and in foreign culture, he faces what many immigrants go through, he is not needed; he lives on the street and has only one activity – teaching dance to a very young woman named Julia, who is also of Russian descent. What transpires is a meeting of different generations of immigration - one Russian, that has just arrived and another that is culturally Canadian and yet spiritually Russian.

The age difference, religious backgrounds and outlooks on life are presented in lively and humorous scenes. Julia’s parents portrayed a Russian Canadian family native to Toronto with Ukrainian background and Jewish heritage. Even though Vikenty is accepted by the family and is loved by Julia, he is different; Julia has a gift of an actress - the love of life, and Vikenty wants to achieve perfection and yet is completely alone. In Toronto he is not known and the problem is how Julia and he could be together. This is a story of true love, true art and it is also a true story.

The actors conveyed emotions very naturally with pathos and heart. Jane Milman was very passionate and spirited in her expressions and danced beautifully. She was particularly honest in showing Julia’s emotions, and excitement about life. Marie Carriere Gleason was wild playing Julia’s eccentric mother, throwing tantrums and fits, many mothers can be associated with this character. Philip Soiffer portrayed a calm, understanding and wise father figure; he was a vital contrast to Julia’s mother. Peter Nelson was genuinely Russian in his portrayal of Vikenty and the Russian condition: "I expressed what is truly inside Vikenty’s heart, which is loneliness," says Peter Nelson.

There are great dances and music in the play, the director is Art Babayants. He has recently come from Moscow where he has his own musical theatre. 'Couldn’t we be' is his first dramatic production in Toronto of Vladimir Milman’s play. It is also the first time that the play is performed in English by Canadian actors. It is performed on July 27-28 at Palmerston Library Theatre. "I care for struggling artists that have to find ways to survive for the sake of art, which is why I wanted to show the story of an artist Vikenty," says Art Babayants.

Vladimir Milman dedicated the story to Leonid Grill.

2008 © Anya

links:
Phoenix Theatre New Production: Couldn't We Be
livewithculture.ca: Couldn't We Be

Phoenix Theatre New Production: Couldnʼt We Be

Poster: New Production of "PHOENIX - Cultural Diversity Theatre" Couldnʼt We Be
true love...true art...true story

Dear Friends,

I am happy to invite you to the new production of "PHOENIX - Cultural Diversity Theatre" called Couldnʼt We Be.
I'm co-producing it with Peter Nelson, a member of Canadian Actorsʼ Equity Association, and I will be very pleased to see you there.

The plot is based on a true story: two artistic souls run across each other in the contemporary world of pragmatic indifference. Only she is the only child of two well-settled and practically oriented parents, who have anticipated a certain life path for her, while he is a 40 years old recent newcomer to Canada, an actor with poor English and no prospects for the future.

Come and see where it takes the two maverick souls and how the story ends.

Written by: Vladimir Milman (Toronto, Canada)
Directed by: Art Babayants (Moscow, Russia)
Starring: Marie Carriere Gleason, Jane Milman, Peter Nelson and Philip Soiffer

Dates/Times: Saturday, July 26 at 4 and 7 PM;
Sunday, July 27 at 2 (PWYC) and 6 PM

Location: Palmerston Library Theatre
560 Palmerston Avenue, Toronto, ON
in front of the Bathurst Subway station (exit to Markham road)
Municipal parking is available.

Tickets: $20, students/seniors - $15;
can be ordered in advanced and/or picked up at the door

See you there.

Yours,

Vladimir Milman

Information:
416-978-1671
416-633-7720
vmilman@oisa.utoronto.ca