Back to Directors Lab 2024

Chitra

Inspired by a short story in the Mahabharata, Chitra sheds light on the ways in which human love can progress from the material to the spiritual. A warrior of Manipur; we follow Chitra on her journey to learn self-love and through this, love for another.

CONTENT AND SENSORY ADVISORIES: Moderate sexual content. Bright, sudden lighting, incense burning

RUN TIME: 90 minute Triple-Bill, two 10 minute intermissions (paired with How to Drink Mate and WELTAMULTIEK)

MASK MANDATORY PERFORMANCE: Thursday May 16

ACCESS NOTE: Printed scripts will be available to patrons upon request

Chitra

  • Director: Hemali Ratnaweerna
  • Playwright: Rabindranath Tagore
  • Stage Manager: Laurie-Anne Rohaly
  • Costume Designer: Camila Farah
  • Lighting Designer: Eden Phillips
  • Sound Designer: Natasha Senanayake
  • Choreographer: Vedika Jha

Schedule

Part of the 2024 Festival

This production is made possible through lead support of the Stratford Festival. The Costume Design is made possible Young People’s Theatre as the Design Lab Wardrobe + Shop Partner

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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Hemali Sankalya Ratnaweera

Hemali (She/Her) has a background as a director and actor. Having completed her studies in Theatre and Economics at the University of Toronto, she is passionate about stories that uncover the complexities of our minds and environment, as well as how our identity and history (from our own life and before) inform our performance and how we choose to tell our stories. Her previous work as a director includes Between the Sheets (VCDS) and Cursed! (Bad Monster Theatre). She is excited for the opportunity to direct Chitra for this year’s Paprika Festival and thanks the Paprika Festival for this opportunity, as well as the cast and creative team for their hard work and time dedicated to this project.

Camila Farah

Camila Farah (she/her) is a queer Brazilian-Canadian actor and costume designer. She is a Randolph College for the Performing Arts graduate. Credits as a costume designer include: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus; Pinkalicious: The Musical; The Rainbow Fish Musical; Princess and the Pea; Elephant and Piggie’s: We Are in a Play!; One Christmas Carol (TYT); The Other Place (Talk is Free Theatre); I Love You and it Hurts; Selah’s Song (Theatre of the Beat); A Dispute (Randolph). Follow her fabric and musical adventures on Instagram: @camilafarah.