R.I.S.K Youth Program – Voices with InReach

In 2009 Gargantua launched its most comprehensive and hands-on youth mentorship project to date in a 3-phase process:

Phase 1

With the help of sponsors like TD Canada Trust and TELUS, Gargantua brought together youth from Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods to attend the fall 2009 production of fIBBER at the Theatre Centre.

Phase 2

Core members of the Gargantua artistic pool, including Joel Benson, Diane Niec, Jacquie Thomas and Michael Spence, conducted a series of interactive creation workshops with the youth in their schools.

Phase 3

From the participant schools, the youth formed a small, yet dynamic company, which they titled Chaotic Cohesion. Mentored by Gargantua’s core members, the company created and performed an original piece called Voices With inReach at the Factory Theatre Studio in Spring 2010.

Voices With inReach explores themes of independence, substance abuse, family relationships, peer relationships, and their quest for money. Toronto Star dubbed the performance a work of genius, naming Jacquie Thomas a person making a difference in the Toronto cultural landscape.

Theatre Gargantua was pleased to have one of the youth participants back in action with us interning through the IMPRINTS rehearsal process, an opportunity made possible by TD Canada Trust. Olivia Brown was excited to be flexing her artistic muscles again and we were equally delighted!

Voices With InReach

A Chaotic Cohesion production

Ever wonder what it’s like to go through the thoughts of a teenager in 2010?

As a pilot project through Theatre Gargantuas Mentorship program, Chaotic Cohesion is a fresh collaboration of young minds, formed to bring youth together from opposite ends of the city to create multi-disciplinary performances. Performed in May 2010 at Factory Theatre Studio Theatre, Voices With inReach looked at independence, communication and the harsh realities of becoming an adult. The production incorporated the use of projection technology, original electronic music composed by the young artists themselves, and even interactive text messaging to blur the boundaries of the stage and bring the performers into close contact with the audience.

Generously sponsored by TELUS, with additional support from the Toronto District School Board, Friends of Community Schools and Factory Theatre, Chaotic Cohesion has developed all original texts and scores with guidance from the senior members of Theatre Gargantua. Combining music, original text and choreography, this young ensemble presented their perspectives and created this exciting piece, which offered a glimpse into the journey of finding your place in this ever-evolving world.

Chaotic Cohesion is: Mason Karim, Tawnya Rampersad, Chad Smith, Damone Stewart, Jonathan Chen, Aileene Aguelo, Daniel Boodoosingh, Olivia Brown and Joshua Aaron Cruz.