ASKING FOR IT Playwright Brings World Premiere Of WHAT I CALL HER To Crow's Theatre

One year after the sold-out run of Asking For It, playwright Ellie Moon returns to Crow's Theatre with her sophomore play What I call her, directed by Sarah Kitz (winner of Crow's Theatre's 2017 RBC Emerging Director Prize).

The estranged mother of 25-year old Kate is on her deathbed. A Facebook post becomes the subject of heated debate. Then, a knock on the door. What I call her is a play about gaps in how people perceive and understand the world they live in, female generational rage, and the loneliness of holding onto one's own truth.

Ellie Moon describes What I call her as "post-MeToo, because it presupposes a world in which women have power. It's striking to hear people say they understand why something they experienced as benign was considered abuse by someone else. I began to think about how the same experiences are processed so differently by people-and how many people have different experiences within the same family."

What I call her features a dynamite cast of emerging talent: Michael Ayres (Chariots of Fire / Grand Theatre, We Are Proud to Present... / Theatre Centre) Ellie Ellwand (The Nails / Summerworks, National Theatre School Class of 2017) and Charlie Gould as Kate (Richard III / Shakespeare in the Ruff, The Tempest / Theatre Calgary/Shakespeare by the Bow).

Ellie Moon's playwriting debut, Asking For It, opened Crow's Theatre and Nightwood Theatre's 2017/18 seasons, produced independently by In Association. Asking For It sold out its run and was called "a sly, intelligent piece of documentary theatre" (Globe & Mail), "timely, personal and riveting" (NOW), and "a vital piece of theatre" (Intermission). Ellie is Tarragon Theatre's Bulmash-Siegal playwright-in-residence, as well as a Dora-nominated actor, appearing next in A Doll's House, Part 2 at Montreal's Segal Centre in November 2018.

Director Sarah Kitz describes What I call her as "exactly the kind of incendiary and cunning theatre that we need in our contemporary moment. Ellie's work is fresh, unafraid, non-reductive and vital. It will stay with you long after the show." Sarah recently participated in both the Michael Langham Workshop at the Stratford Festival of Canada and the Shaw Festival's prestigious Neil Munro Intern Directors Project. Her directing credits include Agamemnon (Next Stage Theatre Festival), Aperture (AMY Project/Summerworks) and Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare in the Ruins). As an actor, Sarah recently appeared in Out the Window (Luminato/Theatre Centre).

What I call her is the fourth production in Crow's Theatre's 2018/19 season. Artistic Director Chris Abraham says, "With What I call her, Ellie delivers another hugely compelling drama about truths that divide us. As she did with Asking For It, Ellie does a deep dive into a problem, examines it from all angles, and creates a stunning portrait of two sisters trying to come to terms with the past."

In Association is an independent company dedicated to creating theatrical offerings that examine power, morality and the female protagonist. The company was founded by Ellie Moon in 2016 with the purpose of bringing Asking For It, Ellie's debut documentary play about sexual consent, to Crow's Theatre. Asking For It resonated deeply with its Toronto audiences, opening the day that #MeToo broke out globally. The production received widespread critical acclaim, as well as a Dora nomination for Best Ensemble (Independent Theatre category).

WHAT I CALL HER

An In Association Production, in partnership with Crow's Theatre

Written by Ellie Moon

Directed by Sarah Kitz

Produced by Annie Clarke

Starring Michael Ayres, Ellie Ellwand & Charlie Gould

November 16 - December 8, 2018

Opening Night: November 21, 2018

Scotiabank Community Studio, Streetcar Crowsnest, Toronto

Monday - Saturday 8:30 pm, Wednesday & Saturday 2:30 pm, Tickets $28.25 - $50.85

For more info & to purchase tickets, please visit crowstheatre.com

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