TAKWAHIMINANA to Have World Premiere at Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre
Performances will run from Apr 30-May 11, 2025.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 19, 2025
Punctuate! Theatre will present the world premiere of Takwahiminana by award-winning playwright Matthew MacKenzie (First Métis Man of Odesa, Bears). This innovative cultural mashup will debut at Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre from Apr 30-May 11, 2025.
TAKWAHIMINANA is a darkly funny exploration of love, identity, and cultural collision. It follows Sharon, a Métis woman born in India, who returned to her ancestral home in Alberta as a teenager, forever caught between cultures. Now an adult, she finds herself at a lavish foodie dinner party hosted by her longtime paramour, marking the unofficial 20th anniversary of their extramarital affair. But as the evening unfolds, simmering tensions boil over-her Indigenous knowledge is both appropriated and fetishized. In the face of erasure and exploitation, can her Kohkom's teachings guide her toward healing?
The production is directed by Mike Payette (Artistic Director, Tarragon Theatre). Blending biting satire with mesmerizing Bharatanatyam choreography by Anoshinie Muhundarajah (Pan Am Closing Ceremony, Canada's Got Talent)-an acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and influencer with close to 50,000 followers-this world premiere marks her theatre choreographic debut. Known for pushing boundaries by fusing traditional Bharatanatyam with contemporary styles like hip hop, Muhundarajah brings a bold, dynamic vision to the stage in a theatrical feast you won't soon forget.
Starring celebrated Métis actor Michaela Washburn (Dora Mavor Moore Award winner for her performance as Métis leader Louis Riel in Confederation & Riel), whose commanding presence brings depth and nuance to the role of Sharon, and who is returning to a Toronto stage for the first time in five years.
"This play is different from anything we've done before," says Matthew MacKenzie, playwright and Artistic Director of Punctuate! Theatre. "When you blend a family history from India and Alberta, there's a lot of tension-and comedy! It's very much my style like Bears and The Particulars-one central character speaking in third person, while an electric chorus of dancers transforms the stage into something that is both intimate and epic."
Punctuate! Theatre has gained national recognition for its commitment to innovative, thought-provoking theatre that challenges audiences and sparks conversation. The company has received multiple Dora Awards, including Outstanding Production, Outstanding New Play, and Outstanding Direction for First Métis Man of Odesa, as well as Outstanding Production and Outstanding New Work for Bears, both written by Matthew MacKenzie. With Takwahiminana, the company continues its mission to produce work that is artistically daring, socially relevant, and deeply engaging.
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