(Only1AndyWright / composition: Nichol Comyn)
This season is a big one for MT Space.
It marks 20 years of existence on this land and the return of our first full presenting series since pandemic shut-downs. It also marks two years since we lost Majdi, the visionary artistic director who founded this organization. As emerging artists, we (Hiyam and Nada) have the bittersweet honour of carrying on Majdi’s vision with the rest of the MT Space team under the mentorship and leadership of Pam Patel.
We know, for ourselves and our communities, this season is being presented in the context of difficult years:
It is overshadowed by chronic burnout within the theatre sector. It bears the weight of constant political assaults against the marginalized. It is rooted in the cinderblock shoes of a crumbling economy.
All the while, there is active genocide taking place across the ocean in Palestine.
We have experienced a variety of loss and are still coming out of the isolation endured for the sake of public health. Tensions are mounting and we are meeting one another at a critical point in time and history.
With all this, as MT Space enters adulthood, we invite you to look ahead with hope.
This season is a chance to look forward to the inevitable future where a multicultural place evolves into an intercultural one. Now is the time to come together:
To turn away from colonialism and white supremacy; to explore intersectionality actively and make room for the clash of difficult conversations; to learn from our differences and embrace a new way of being that prioritizes community; to come together in collaboration and in celebration.
Let this season’s theatre fill your cup, ignite your passion, and move you to action in the spirit of justice.
Warmly,
Hiyam Mahrat & Nada Abusaleh,
General Manager & Apprentice Artistic Director
