Artistic Director’s Message

Shift

a season in two acts.

How does one plan a theatre season in the midst of all this uncertainty? With faith and hope.

This is what our 2021/2022 season is about. It’s no longer about responding to challenges, but being resilient to them. It’s no longer about pivoting, but persevering. It’s no longer about being in an unprecedented state, but wholeheartedly embracing impermanence as the new normal.

Shift is a reflection of where we are right here, right now and looks towards the future with hope; it acknowledges the reality of where we are, but holds on fiercely to optimism. Because we must in order to move forward to the next page of our script. This season combines the exciting theatrical adventures we’ve been through (and learned from) the pas 18 months AND live, in-person production that we have all dearly missed and are craving to witness once again. It is the best of what we already know how to do and what we’ve recently discovered theatre can be.

And no matter what challenges we are about to face in the coming months, Factory is ready for it all. Our season was created with the utmost care for our audience’s safety and well-being, while still providing a rich playground of all sorts of theatre-making for our artists to thrive in, grow their craft and re-define what theatre means in Canada.

As this is my final season as the Artistic Director of Factory, Shift is my ultimate love letter to all of you. It’s a season that represents a little bit of everything we’ve gone through together on this wild artistic journey and I have savoured every minute of it. It’s my most personal curation of works and artists to date, and I made sure not to hold off on collaborating with some of the best artists that I’ve either been a huge fan of, had a hand in nurturing, or have had the privilege of working with before.

This season’s graphics visually hint at the inspiration and driving force behind the entire season. It’s an intimate look a the creative process, putting the extraordinary magic of the first draft of a play front and centre; It’s a harkening back to the most fundamental ingredient in all of our shows, in-person or virtual. Because whatever form our productions may take, to me, it will always start with the words on the page. And with ten world premieres and non commissions, we’ve got pages and pages of stories to tell. And then once the bodies are set in our spaces, all we’ll really need is you, our dear audiences, as witnesses.

And what great witnesses you have all been. Thank you for the most perfectly imperfect ten seasons. I’m looking forward to seeing you all walk through both our virtual and literal building!

See you at the theatre!

Nina Lee Aquino, Artistic Director