A series of free, interconnected, hybrid events, The Long-Term Care Trilogy will bring together actors, activists, authors, public figures and caregivers to perform readings of plays by Sophocles and Shakespeare as a catalyst for engaging diverse audiences – both in-person and on Zoom – in conversations about the challenges of caring for those our society has marginalized and left behind, especially elders. The Long-Term Care Trilogy will be broadcast live out of Tranzac, a community-oriented performance space in Toronto, in front of a small in-person audience. Using Zoom to join audiences – both physical and digital – in global dialogue, the project will also engage participants on their personal devices and gathering at “ground sites” linked to long-term care facilities throughout Ontario.
Featuring performances by Margaret Atwood, David Strathairn, The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson, Vanessa Sears, Jani Lauzon, Deena Aziz, Araya Mengesha, Evan Buliung, R.H. Thomson, Daren A. Herbert, Laura Condlln and a Chorus of Caregivers: Dee Hope, Michael Booth and Carol Lemen.
Event Info:
Date & Time: October 26 to 28, 7–9:30pm ET
Where: Online via Zoom
These events are free to watch with registration.
The Long-Term Care Trilogy will include:
October 26, 2022, 7–9:30pm ET
Theater of War: Philoctetes presents readings of Sophocles’ Philoctetes—an ancient Greek play about a warrior who abandoned by his friends on a desolate island on account of a chronic illness—as a catalyst for facilitated discussions about the challenges of witnessing suffering and healing wounds, both visible and invisible.
October 27, 2022, 7–9:30pm ET
The Oedipus at Colonus Project presents readings of scenes from Sophocles’ final play, Oedipus at Colonus, as a catalyst for powerful, community-driven conversations about the challenges of eldercare during and after the pandemic.
October 28, 2022, 7–9:30pm ET
The King Lear Project presents streamlined realigns of scenes from Shakespeare’s King Lear to engage diverse audiences—including older adults, caregivers, and family members—in open, healing, constructive discussions about the challenges of aging, dementia, and caring for friends and loved ones.
Each presentation will consist of three components:
- The Performance: A dramatic reading of scenes from plays by Sophocles or Shakespeare, performed by professional actors and community members. (45–70 minutes).
- The Panel: Comments from a panel of community members—caregivers, health care workers, family members, advocates, activists, patients, etc.—relating the ancient plays to their personal and professional experiences (15 minutes).
- Audience Discussion: A facilitated discussion about each play, its core themes, and how they relate to the challenges of caregiving and long-term care (60 minutes).
About Theater of War:
Theater of War Productions works with leading film, theater, and television actors to present dramatic readings of seminal texts—from classical Greek tragedies to sermons, books, speeches, and modern works of poetry— to provide a framework for engaging communities in powerful discussions about critical subjects, such as the visible and invisible wounds of war, political violence, genocide, the challenges faced by refugees and immigrants, homelessness, the pandemic, and the climate crisis. The company uses a combination of theater and guided dialogue to help diverse communities address pressing public health and social issues, helping break down stigmas and foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of complex issues. Learn more here.
Presented by Theater of War Productions, the Toronto International Festival of Authors, Family Councils Ontario and Writers Collective of Canada.
The Long-Term Care Trilogy is generously supported by Canada Council for the Arts and TD Bank – The Ready Commitment.
Support for Theater of War Productions’ digital programming is provided, in part, by the Mellon Foundation.
Translated, directed, and facilitated by Bryan Doerries. Produced by Marjolaine Goldsmith.
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