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We produce contemporary works of art and performance through a political and/or form-fucking lens.
Informal Upright Theatre Collective is based in both Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo. We are first-generation children of immigrants, united around questions of theatre's utility as a political practice and how best to use it as a tool to shift perspectives and create the world we wish to experience. Thus, are drawn to each other from an interest in art that is politically progressive and formally inventive--as well as a simple secular agapé. We are excited by theatre’s function to congregate new communities and encourage progressive conversations while entertaining with creative playfulness. We produce in both Kitchener-Waterloo and Toronto. We are accountable to wonderful (ir)responsibilities!
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Leadership:
Sukhpreet Sangha is a lawyer and artist originally from Kitchener, long now a Torontonian. After studying English and theatre at the University of Waterloo, she studied law at Osgoode Hall and questions that decision regularly. She has practiced criminal and poverty law, and presently works in legal education at a non-profit dedicated to youth. Sukhpreet writes, directs, and acts. Most recently, she directed and co-produced Hamburger at the Toronto Fringe Festival (“Not to be missed!”), and toured to British Columbia in Theatre of the Beat’s Forgiven/Forgotten. Before law, she co-founded and, for its first season, artistic-directed Kitchener’s Standard Deviation Theatre Company and performed in George F. Walker’s TOUGH at the Magnetic North Festival, directed by Ken Gass. Sukhpreet struggles and strives to live a life that both allows her to use her legal education to help those being marginalized and to find opportunities to feed her creative impulses.
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Ciarán Myers holds an MFA from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. While in the UK, Ciarán had two full-length plays premiere in Edinburgh and Off-West-End, respectively: TOUCH (5/5 stars) and The Adding (4/5 stars). Original plays produced in Canada include an updated production of TOUCH (GreenLight Arts), House of Fun (GLA), Emergency Only—performed by women incarcerated at Grand Valley Institution (Theatre of the Beat), a short early draft of Sweet Mama and the Salty Muffins (Alumnae), Hamburger (Registry & IUTC), and Creation Story (ind). Five different <10-minute pieces have seen audiences in three countries, including Coffee Bombs, which is forthcoming with Playwrights Canada Press. He’s had two collections of poetry published locally in 2007 and 2013. Ciarán co-founded both Informal Upright and the Whiskey Ginger Collective and was the first creator-in-residence at GreenLight Arts. He is a former-champion Irish dancer and now teaches acting to youth and adults in the Region of Waterloo.
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Former and founding members:
Shawn deSouza-Coelho and Reid Vanier have been tremendous helpers, thinkers, creators, and supporters along the way. Both are now using their many talents to pursue other worthy endeavours: Shawn continuing to write and publish original literary and academic works across genres and Reid in public-facing administrative roles at the wonderful Yukon Arts Centre.