This is the Point
A joyous and unflinching portrait of four individuals whose lives have been shaped, in part, by cerebral palsy.
Dan and Christina are parents searching for the best way their disabled son Bruno can share his voice. Tony is a non-verbal adult who won’t shut up. Liz is his long-time romantic partner grappling with the judgements that society makes about their love and sexuality. Through a series of staged conversations and theatrical reenactments, these two couples draw from their personal lives to explore and debate questions of representation, the nature of companionship and whether people of different abilities can ever connect with each other on equal terms.
This new play has been developed in Residency at The Theatre Centre. It incorporates high and low tech augmented communication aids (devices used by non-verbal people to express themselves), as well as projected live video feeds, to create a heightened naturalistic style that simultaneously connects and contrasts the physical body with the technologies we use to communicate.
Winner of 2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards including Outstanding Production and Ensemble!
credits (2017)
Written by Tony Diamanti, Dan Watson, Christina Serra, Karin Randoja and Liz MacDougall
Directed by Karin Randoja
Performed by Tony Diamanti, Liz MacDougall, Christina Serra and Dan Watson
Projection Design by Melissa Joakim
Lighting Design by Andre duToit
Set & Costume Design by Sonja Rainey
Sound Design by Tim Lindsay
Stage Management by Pip Bradford
credits (2016)
Written by Tony Diamanti, Dan Watson, Christina Serra, Karin Randoja, and Liz MacDougall
(Based on the original play by Tony Diamanti)
Directed by Karin Randoja
Performed by Tony Diamanti, Liz MacDougall, Christina Serra, and Dan Watson
Lighting & Video Design by Melissa Joakim
Set & Costume Design by Jenna McCutchen
Sound Design by Miquelon Rodriguez
Production Stage Management by Alexa Polenz
★★★ (out of 4) “This was an entirely original theatrical experience for me – watching a monologue, speaking it and being moved by it all at once.”
– Kelly Nestruck, Globe and Mail
★★★1/2 (out of 4)
“…anyone who’s feeling anxious or isolated or in need of connection can look to these four performers, who are communicating and connecting with each other, their kids and the audience — with love, above all else.”
“…anyone who’s feeling anxious or isolated or in need of connection can look to these four performers, who are communicating and connecting with each other, their kids and the audience — with love, above all else.”
– Carly Maga, The Toronto Star
“A whip-smart play about, love, sex and disability in all its gritty, messy humanness.”
– Lynn Slotkin
Suvendrini Lena
Writer and Creator
Leah Cherniak
Co-Creator, Co-Director
Franco Boni
Director
Ravi Jain
Co-Director
Shawn Kerwin
Set & Costume Designer
Shawn Kerwin
Set & Costume Designer
Tim Lindsay
Sound Designer
Rebecca Picherak
Lighting Designer
Melissa Joakim
Stage Manager and Touring Lighting Designer
Melissa Joakim
Stage Manager and Touring Lighting Designer
- Toronto // The Theatre Centre (premiere) // November 2016
- Toronto // The Theatre Centre // December 2017
- Peterborough // Market Hall Theatre // January 2019
- Vancouver // The Cultch // January 29–February 2, 2019
- St. Catharines // First Ontario Performing Arts Centre // February 2019
- Oakville // Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre // February 2019
- Mississauga // Living Arts Centre // February 2019
- Brampton // The Rose Theatre // March 2019
- Kingston // The Grand Theatre // March 2019
- Burlington // Burlington Performing Arts Centre // March 2019
- Kitchener/Waterloo // Theatre for the Arts (University of Waterloo) // March 2019
Developed in Residency at The Theatre Centre by Suvendrini Lena and Co-creators Leah Cherniak and Trevor Schwellnus with Lyon Smith. With support from lead Residency sponsor BMO Financial, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and The Wuchien Michael Than Foundation.