Week of small actions toward hope
April 28, 2025
“Hope is a verb, it requires action, and the action comes from a belief that those actions matter. Meanwhile despair, hope’s opposite, is the enemy of action. Why take action when nothing we do matters anyway?”
— Prompt from our September Community Gathering
“…And yet these moments are the portals to other worlds. Just worlds. Loving worlds. The kind of worlds I want to live in. The worlds that we are creating in real-time. Right now. Together.”
— Justine Abigail Yu, September Community Gathering
Illustration by Emily Jung, based on the comic Gunshow by KC Green
The Theatre Centre aims to be a space for living and breathing civic conversations that react to the real time events happening around the world and close to home. This May, we have dedicated one week to political conversations and live art that raises big questions.
Illustration by Emily Jung
Wrecking Ball: MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!
May 12, 2025, 7:30pm
The Wrecking Ball T.O. Collective
Supported by Volcano Theatre Passe Muraille, Commonboots Theatre, and The Theatre Centre
Location: Franco Boni Theatre
Tickets: $15 or Pay What You Can.
The Wrecking Ball swings again in 2025, reigniting its fearless, political spirit. Originally founded in 2004, this electric gathering champions bold, unapologetic theatre in response to political upheaval. Now, amid global unrest and rising authoritarianism, its return feels more urgent than ever. A powerhouse lineup of Toronto’s most daring artists—playwrights, performers, comedians, and musicians—will create and stage politically charged work in just weeks. Expect a night of unfiltered political outrage, biting humour, and community. Join us in a space where politics meets performance—where art doesn’t just reflect the world, but rises up to challenge it.
Scenographer/Visual Artist: Bianca Guimarães
This is Not What I Want to Tell You
May 14-18, 2025
Workshop presentation by Rimah Jabr in partnership with The Theatre Centre
Location: Franco Boni Theatre
Tickets: $30, with financially accessible tickets available upon request
This is Not What I Want to Tell You is a 50-minute performance/installation about a 15-year-old sleepwalker who one day wakes up by a settlement fence while getting arrested. But did she really commit anything?
Through a fusion of performance and installation featuring sun prints, this dream-like experience invites audiences to engage with the narrative from multiple perspectives while witnessing the live creation of visual elements that embody unspoken truths and unspeakable realities.
Illustration by Emily Jung
24 hours of Palestinian Poetry and Altar
May 15, 2025, 00:00-24:00
Organized by Poetry for Palestine Toronto, in partnership with The Theatre Centre
Location: Franco Boni Theatre
Tickets: FREE or by donation
From early morning (00:00) May 15th to midnight May 15th (24:00), join us for 24 hours of Palestinian poetry marking Nakba Day. This event is free. Come and go as you wish.
Altar offerings, flowers and your presence are welcomed at our companion community altar and art installation curated by Camil@ Diaz-Varela and Rica Gudiño.
Free WiFi will be available and coffee and tea will be available for purchase at the café/bar. Donations to cover costs will be accepted at the event. Any remaining donated funds will be donated to TPFF.
Presented by Poetry for Palestine Toronto and The Theatre Centre. Co-sponsored by Toronto Palestine Film Festival, Another Story Bookshop and Aluna Theatre.
We believe art is political
We believe art is not made in a silo: it is connected to the world around it. It’s part of The Theatre Centre’s mission and history to host and not shy away from civic debate and political conversations. Recent programming include: Election Results Watch Party (a Theatre Centre tradition!), 10 for 10 Community Gathering and Reading, and Community Meeting: Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector.
