Living with Drones
A live journalism show
Living with Drones is a live journalism show about the sounds of war and their devastating, traumatic impact on the residents of Gaza. By tying together first-person stories from the ground in Gaza with wartime diaries from story-sharers, this show weaves a narrative about drone technology.
The show is produced by stitched!, a live journalism studio at the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada.
All proceeds from ticket sales for both performances will be donated to PSSAR (Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk) to support more students from Gaza in securing fully funded opportunities for graduate studies in Canada. To date, PSSAR has assisted 102 Palestinian students and is striving to support even more in 2025. Their support covers application and visa fees, and they collaborate with partners to fund flight tickets, settlement costs, and additional expenses. To learn more, please visit https://pssar.ca.
Supported in part by The Creative School and Journalism Research Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Presented by Labour in the Arts, Theatre Artists for Palestinian Voices and Artists Against Artwashing, in association with The Theatre Centre.
Storyteller: Christin El-Kholy is a journalist and writer from Scarborough, Toronto with roots in Cairo, who focuses on reporting cultural, urban and social issues across borders.
Storyteller: Laila Hashem is a Palestinian journalist and storyteller passionate about advocating and exploring displacement and colonialism’s enduring effects.
Community gatherer/Storyteller: Sonya Fatah is a journalist who teaches at the School of Journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her teaching, research and practice employ decolonial approaches to storytelling.
Musician: Mariam Shak’a is a Palestinian musician, Oud player, singer, and composer from the city of Nablus, Palestine known for her contributions to Arabic music. Mariam is a winner of several awards for Arabic music internationally and locally. One of them was second place in the Palestine youth competition affiliated to the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in 2021. As well as a Winner of the Marcel Khalifa Prize in the International Oud Competition in Lebanon 2022.
Audio Producer: Dima Mironov is a student journalist with a focus in audio production and live journalism.
Sound Designer: Eric Croda is a Mexican-Canadian musician who pushes musical boundaries and breaks genre norms through experimentation, eccentric sound design and emotional storytelling.
Stage and Lighting Designer/Social Media: Hania Noor is a storyteller who works in various formats, such as production, live journalism, documentary, and audio storytelling. She’s interested in bringing unique stories to life — from the page to the stage that fits them best.
Social Media Producer: Rahaf Farawi is a Palestinian journalist with AJ+. She completed her Master of Journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022.
Producer: Diurnus is a journalist and TMU graduate with experience reporting on the ground in Canada and internationally like Israel & Palestine. Media criticism is an essential part of their work, which also involves producing engaging live journalism shows.
Fact Checker: Saman Dara is a recent Master of Journalism graduate and has a background in communications. She is an early-career Toronto-based journalist who has previously performed and worked on two other live journalism shows.
Fact Checker: Rochelle Raveendran is a freelance journalist based in Toronto, Canada. She reports on local news, with a particular interest in social justice and court reporting. Her work has appeared in CBC News and various student papers. She has been nominated for two John H. McDonald Awards for Excellence in Student Journalism.
We would like to thank all of the volunteers who are making this presentation possible, including journalism and production team from stitched! live journalism studio, artists and arts workers from Labour in the Arts, Stop Artwashing, Theatre Artists for Palestinian Voices. The space and technical labour has been generously donated by The Theatre Centre.
Sound Design Consultant: Ashley Naomi
Performance Consultant: Blythe Haynes.
February 28, 2025
& March 1, 2025
Tickets are PWYC: $10, $20, $30, $40
All proceeds from ticket sales for both performances will be donated to PSSAR (Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk) to support more students from Gaza in securing fully funded opportunities for graduate studies in Canada.
This performance is 120 minutes
Franco Boni Theatre
Friday, February 28 — 8pm
Saturday, March 1 — 8pm (This will be a masked mandatory performance, and strobe lights will not be used)
Saturday March 1 — 2pm (This teach-in is FREE and registration is required. Masks are strongly encouraged)
Content Warnings
The performance uses the personal stories and accounts of lived experiences gathered from Palestinians in Gaza as they endure ongoing bombardment. The performance includes sensitive subject matter and references abuse, trauma, and violence.
Environment Warnings
- The use of live-performed music and amplified sound is taken from real-life warfare experiences on the ground in Gaza.
- The use of projected still images, and video that includes documentary audio.
The use of strobe (only on Feb. 28th) and flashing lights. - As part of the set design there are some interactive materials and surprise elements in this live journalism show that do not require mandatory engagement.
For further information regarding the above-outlined warnings please contact [email protected].
For further access-related questions, please contact [email protected].
Masked Performance — March 1
The performance on March 1 is a mask mandatory performance. The story-sharers on stage will not be masked. Audiences can bring their own masks, or they will be provided with a KN95 (or equivalent) mask at the theatre. Please note that other parts of The Theatre Centre, including the box office, café/bar, and the downstairs theatre, will not be mask enforced.
October 15, 2024
On September 23, The Theatre Centre hosted a Community Gathering & Reading, as part of our 10 for 10 programming (ten unique offerings over ten months), which celebrates ten years since we moved into our forever home on 1115 Queen Street West. This is the first of a series of texts that were read from our invited...
