OPEN HOUSE
Written by Drew Hayden Taylor
Direction and Dramaturgy by Dian Marie Bridge
Direction and Dramaturgy by Dian Marie Bridge
Written by Drew Hayden Taylor
Cast
Rebecca Gibian - Eve
Christian Paul - Adrian
Kerrin-Lee Whyte- Tammy
Cara Rebecca - Ruth
Jovanni Sy - Ned
Jesse Ash: Sound Designer
Elisabeth de Medeiros: Costume Designer
Joanna Gourdin: Set Designer
Tim Rodrigues: Lighting Designer
Aurora Torok: Associate Lighting Designer & Technical Director
Danielle Skene: Stage Manager
Corey Weiser: Apprentice Stage Manager
Amber Hood: Head Tech
Presented at Factory Studios
2000 Rue Notre Dame E, Montréal, QC H2K 2N3
Closest Metro Station Papineau
Running April 18th-28th, 2024
Thursday, April 18th - 8pm Preview
Friday, April 19th - 8pm Opening
Saturday, April 20th - 2pm Talkback
Saturday, April 20th - 8pm
Sunday, April 21st - 2pm Pay-What-You-Decide
Tuesday, April 23rd - 8pm Talkback
Wednesday, April 24th - 8pm
Thursday, April 25th - 8pm Talkback
Friday, April 26th - 8pm
Saturday, April 27th - 2pm
Saturday, April 27th - 8pm
Sunday, April 28th - 2pm
Drew Hayden Taylor was Infinithéâtre's inaugural Artist in Residence during our 2021/22 season as he developed Open House.
We are thrilled to be presenting this world premiere by one of Canada's most prolific writers!
“Drew Hayden Taylor is credited with being able to bridge the gap between cultures by tickling the funny-bone. When you see one of his plays you know exactly what that means.”
Five individuals show up at an open house, hoping to find their perfect home. Each feels the most deserving to win the prize. Debate ensues and emotions ignite. Open House is a literal and philosophical examination of our tendency to compare and compete, frequently along cultural lines, and the human tendency to attach ourselves emotionally to the concept of land-ownership.
“Open House was an idea I’ve had for a while now, exploring the concepts, humorously, of which culture could claim the right to have been the most oppressed in Canadian history.”
Playwright
Drew Hayden Taylor
An Ojibway from the Curve Lake First Nations in Ontario, Drew Hayden Taylor has worn many hats in his literary career, from performing stand-up comedy at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., to being Artistic Director of Canada’s premiere Native theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. He has been an award-winning playwright, a journalist/columnist (appearing regularly in several Canadian newspapers and magazines), short-story writer, novelist, television scriptwriter, and has worked on numerous documentaries exploring the Native experience. An author of more than 20 plays, his popular plays such as Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock, Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth, The Berlin Blues, and Cottagers and Indians have left their mark on the Canadian theatre scene. In the world of prose, he enjoys spreading the boundaries of what is considered Indigenous literature.
Director and Dramaturge
Dian Marie Bridge
Dian Marie Bridge is a nationally respected, award-winning writer, director and creative producer who has worked to open spaces, provide platform, and engages in community-bridge building. She is currently Artistic Director at Black Theatre Workshop, was previously Associate-Artistic Director at Luminato Festival Toronto, Artistic Director intern at Obsidian Theatre, Artist-in-Residence at Necessary Angel Theatre, Founding Artistic Producer of Cric Crac Collective, and member of the Stratford Festival’s Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction. Dian holds a degree in Theatre Arts and Dramatic Literature from Brock University and was enrolled in the University of Minnesota’s Theatre Arts and Dance program (Twin Cities).Noted work includes, Every Day She Rose (Black Theatre Workshop), Mac Beth (U of Windsor), Beloved: A Celebration of Toni Morrison and Black Women Writers, Golden Hour docu-series, Guided by Starlight docu-series (Luminato Festival Toronto), The Mountain Top (Persephone Theatre), Made In Congo (Theatre Row United Solo Festival), Aneemah’s Spot (Cric Crac Collective/Motion Live).
“…A play ripe with irony, skating along the edge of satire, and hopefully leaving the audience questioning their complicity in shaping and accepting the way our culture and economy works”
Performer- Eve
Rebecca Gibian
Rebecca Gibian is a bilingual actor, director, and the artistic director of Persephone Productions. Selected stage credits include Halfway There (upcoming, Drayton Entertainment); Perfect Wedding (Drayton Entertainment); Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre, META nom. Outstanding Supporting Actor); Clean Slate (META winner Outstanding Ensemble Talisman Theatre); The Madness of George III (Shaw Festival); Dracula (Shaw Festival.) Recent directing credits include The Flick at Centaur produced by Persephone Productions; meta-nominated Pool No Water at the Segal Studio produced by Persephone Productions; All Shall Be Well, Repercussion Theatre; Indecent, Studio 180 (assistant dir.) Rebecca was also awarded the 2020 RBC Emerging Director Prize through Studio 180, and was recently appointed artistic associate at Centaur Theatre.
Performer- Adrian
Christian Paul
Christian Paul has been performing in Theatre, TV and Film for over 25 years. His most recent role was in Donna Michelle St-Bernard’s Diggers, co-produced by Black Theatre Workshop and Prairie Theatre Exchange. His previous theatre credits also include She Said/He said and The Meeting where he played Dr. Martin Luther King. Latest film roles include French Girl, Murder at the Altar, and Les Jours Heureux. You can also catch him on TV series Avant Le Crash and Détective Surprenant. He is currently finishing his short film Maljo to be released in 2024.
Performer- Tammy
Kerrin-Lee Whyte
Criminal defense lawyer by day, actor by night. Kerrin-lee is thrilled to be part of Open House and to work alongside so much talent. She hopes audience members enjoy the performance and leave with both laughter and important conversation topics to broach. Kerrin-lee made her speaking-role debut as “Tree 2” in the Wizard of Oz as a child, but more recent and prominent credits include Demon (Red Paper – Montreal Fringe 2023), Josephine Strong (Urinetown), Orin Scrivello (Little Shop of Horrors) and The Maid (The Strange Case of Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde). In the world of comedy, Kerrin-lee is also a regular performer at Montreal Improv. In the future, you can see her in Attached as part of the 2024 Montreal Fringe Festival.
Performer- Ruth
Cara Rebecca
Cara Rebecca is an actor, fight director, and budding director based in Montreal. An award-winning, and META nominated actor, she has performed for theatres across the country. Select acting credits: Extra/ Beautiful/ U (Infinitheatre); The Importance of Being Earnest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (St Lawrence); Fall On Your Knees (Canadian Stage/Neptune/NAC/Grand); Cowgirl Up (ATP); Indecent (Segal). Select fight direction credits: POTUS (upcoming), The Flood (Imago), Bone Cage (Assembly), Ladies Day (New Stuff), Sugar Baby (TMU), When We Meet Again (Timescape). Cara is a graduate of the National Theatre School, McGill, and is accredited with the Academy of Dramatic Combat. She is a co-founder of the Ragtag Collective, and is a participant of the QDF Director’s Intensive. Outside of work, Cara can be found reading, rolling around on the floor and adoring every dog she meets. @caractor_rebecca
Performer- Ned
Jovanni Sy
Jovanni Sy is a playwright, director, performer, and the former Artistic Director of Cahoots Theatre (Toronto) and Gateway Theatre (Vancouver). His plays include A Taste of Empire, The Five Vengeances, Nine Dragons (Jessie Richardson Award), The Tao of the World (PGC Comedy Award), and Kowloon Bay (PGC Drama Award). He received a Silver Commission from the Arts Club (Vancouver) for his new farce Fan Tan Alley. Directing credits include: The Orchard (After Chekhov), Yoga Play,《食盡天下 》(Vancouver); Murder on the Orient Express (Calgary); Stitch (Toronto); and Blackbird, Antigone, God of Carnage (Hong Kong). Jovanni played Mr. Miyagi in the pre-Broadway tryout of The Karate Kid, the Musical. Other recent acting credits include Forgiveness (Theatre Calgary/Arts Club) and Prison Dancer (National Arts Centre/Citadel Theatre). This summer, he will direct the world premiere of his play Salesman in China (co-written with Leanna Brodie) for the Stratford Festival.
Sound Designer
Jesse Ash
Jesse Peter Ash is a Sound Designer, Engineer, and Musician based in Montréal with work spanning a wide variety of projects and roles over his career including Composition, Sound Design, System Design and Integration, and Live Mix and Engineering. Over the years Jesse has collaborated with world class artists and companies including Robert Wilson, Collectif CHA, Francois Girard, the Stratford Festival of Canada, Moment Factory, Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, and Robert Lepage’s Ex Machina. Additionally he's credited on several world premieres and original installations, including works by Daniel MacIvor, Robert Wilson, Judith Thompson, Morris Panych, Derek McCormack, and the cabaret musical The God That Comes featuring Hawksley Workman. Parallel to his work in theatre and experiential art Jesse teaches Sound and Sound Design at John Abbott College and has previously taught at the National Theatre School of Canada and lectured at OIART and Concordia University. More information at jessepeterash.com
Costume Designer
Elisabeth de Medeiros
Recent Credits: Costume Designer: Ointment (CSL Dramatic Society) She Kills Monsters (Bishop's University) The Drawer Boy, The Savannah Sipping Society, Jonas and Barry in the Home, Private Lives (Hudson Village Theatre). Set Designer: Sages of Chelm, A Bintel Brief (Segal Centre). Set and Costume Designer Mazel Tov (Infinitheatre) Clue, Everybody, Unity 1914, Jarpteetza/The Firebird (Bishop’s University). Film/TV: Chaos Walking, The X-Men Franchise Training/Experience: A decade of experience in set, costume, props and puppetry design. Et cetera: Currently the Wardrobe Coordinator at The Segal Centre for Performing Arts and works as the Production Designer for their after-school Academy Programs.
Set Designer
Joanna Gourdin
Joanna Gourdin is a set and costume designer for theater, dance, and events. Originally from Paris, she started her school journey in France with a literary baccalaureate; a technician certificate in space design; and a year at Paris 3 University in theater studies. She then settled in Quebec, obtained a DEC in visual arts, and graduated from the National Theater School of Canada in 2021. As a designer, she had the pleasure of creating the symbolist decor for Catastrophe and other dramas at the Monument National in 2020. She has since designed for Ensevelies by Caroline Bélisle (costume design), INNA by Nina Chati (set and costume design), as well as And Then They Were None, according to Agatha Christie (set design), by Martin Leclerc productions, which is touring in Quebec until 2025. She believes the theater is a sacred temple; and can't wait to dream alongside you.
Lighting Designer
Tim Rodrigues
A former dancer/choreographer turned lighting designer, Tim Rodrigues has worked with an array of companies on creation-based projects and international tours. Notable lighting designs include: Serving Elizabeth (Theatre Aquarius); English (Soulpepper / Segal Centre); Paint Me This House Of Love (Tarragon Theatre); The River (Magnus Theatre); Marjorie Prime (Segal Centre); How Black Mothers Say I Love You (Black Theatre Workshop); From The Stars In The Sky, To The Fish In The Sea (Geordie Theatre). Tim is a four time Montreal English Theatre Awards nominee for Outstanding Lighting Design, and was the recipient of the award in 2023. In addition to his designs, he proudly serves on the Board of Directors for Mainline Theatre and Parts+Labour_Danse.
Associate Lighting Designer & Technical Director
Aurora Torok
Aurora Torok (she/her/by name) is a queer and hard-of-hearing (using hearing aids) artist currently living on Tio'tia:ke (Montreal). Her experience in the live arts is primarily in theatre after graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in Production Design and Technical Arts, as well as from Concordia University with a BFA - Specialization in Design for the Theatre. Other disciplines include contemporary dance, outdoor art installations, comedy and visual arts. Aurora was nominated for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre by the METAs in 2022.
Stage Manager
Danielle Skene
The last time Danielle worked with Infinithéâtre, she was a fresh faced apprentice working on one of her first productions (Ars Poetica). She is now a grizzled veteran of the Montreal theatre scene having worked for a variety of Montreal theatre companies such as Black Theatre Workshop (Pipeline, Rendez-Vous with Home, Bluenose, She Said, He Said, Binti’s Journey, Gas Girls, and Harlem Duet), Geordie Theatre (Virginia Wolf, Reaching for Starlight, Around the World in 80 Days), Centaur Theatre Company (Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes, Paradise Lost, The Last Wife, Motherhouse, The St. Leonard Chronicles, The Envelope) as well as the Segal Centre for Performing Arts (Times, They are A Changin’, Same Time, Next Year, Waiting for the Barbarians, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Forever Plaid, Tribes). Thank you to the team at Infinithéâtre and the most gratitude possible to her family who have always supported her theatre adventures.
Apprentice Stage Manager
Corey Weiser
Corey is a graduate of John Abbott College's Professional Theatre Technical program. During his time at school, he developed interest in several theatre disciplines, however, Stage Management remained his true passion. At school, he was fortunate to experience working as ASM on Peter and the Starcatcher and as SM on Decomposed Theater; Or, The Human Trashcan. Since graduation, he has had the opportunity to Stage Manage Saltzman’s Antiques at the Montreal Fringe Festival and a workshop of Remarkable Voices by Gabrielle Soskin. Most recently, he took on the role of Production Manager at the 2023 Just For Laughs Montreal Festival. Corey is excited to be returning to Infinithéâtre as their Apprentice SM for the 2023/24 season.
Dates and Times
Thursday, April 18th - 8pm Preview
Friday April 19th - 8pm Opening
Saturday, April 20th - 2pm Talkback
Saturday, April 20th - 8pm
Sunday, April 21st - 2pm Pay What You Decide
Tuesday, April 23rd - 8pm Talkback
Wednesday, April 24th - 8pm
Thursday, April 25th - 8pm Talkback
Friday, April 26th - 8pm
Saturday, April 27th - 2pm
Saturday, April 27th - 8pm
Sunday, April 28th - 2pm Closing
Open House is generously supported by CCA, CALQ, CAM and The Cole Foundation.
