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Dream House/Doll House

After being kicked out of her ex-boyfriend’s apartment, Holly Pugliese, 20something trans woman and high femme fashion doll obsessive, is forced to crash with her sister Anna and her fiancé. The two sisters’ lives have wildly diverged, with Anna aspiring to settle down into middle class normalcy and Holly recovering from a traumatic coming out that lead to her being estranged from the two’s parents. Holly’s seeming childishness and hyper-femininity run in direct contrast to Anna’s down-to-earth pragmatism, leading to clashes over what it means to be a woman, enacted via them playing with dolls. The two have competing ideas on the meaning of “normal” heterosexual womanhood and explore the boundary between compassion and control, as Holly tries to imagine an independent future for herself.

Presented with support from Playwrights Canada Press

CONTENT AND SENSORY ADVISORIES: Transphobic, homophobic & misogynistic language, depictions/discussions of sex, discussions of abuse and familial trauma.

ALL PERFORMANCES ARE MASK MANDATORY

RUN TIME:
2 hour 15 minute double-Bill, 15 minute intermission between pieces (paired with Made of Glass and Kim is dead.)

Gwen would like to thank: Taylor Marie Graham, Dasha Plett, Brendan Campisi, Emily Posteraro, Valerie Ferkol, Everyone at Paprika, Suleekha and Melissa for being amazing playwriting cohorts and Merlin (for being a doll who gets it).

Dream House/Doll House

  • Playwright: Gwen Gabriella Caughell

Schedule

Part of the 2026 Festival

Location

Native Earth Performing Art’s Aki Studio

250-585 Dundas Street East
Toronto, ON M5A 2B7
https://www.nativeearth.ca/akistudio/

Accessibility

Native Earth Performing Arts and Artscape strive to provide equal treatment to and equitable benefits of its services, programs and facilities in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

  • The Dundas Street entrance provides barrier-free access to the building
  • Two elevators are located in the South Lobby
  • All floors have accessible washrooms and stalls, as well as accessible drinking fountains
  • Signage throughout the building is written in Braille
  • A hearing enhancement system is available in Aki Studio and the Ada Slaight Hall

NATIVE EARTH PERFORMING ART’S COVID HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

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Paprika Artist Participant

Gwen Gabriella Caughell

Playwright

Gwen Gabriella Caughell (she/her) is a playwright, short story writer and critic based out of Toronto. She is excited by all sorts of theatre, but is drawn to work that is queer, difficult and loud. Her writing as a theatre critic has appeared in Intermission. She loves pretentious art movies, kitsch television, & overthinking the hidden meanings in pop music.