The staff and Board of Cahoots Theatre
would like to welcome our new
Managing Producer, Lisa Alves!
Cahoots Theatre proudly announces the appointment of Lisa Alves as Managing Producer of Cahoots Theatre. A producer, educator, and artist, Alves comes to the company with a background in business and in human resources management. The newly envisioned and created position replaces the former General Manager role. Alves joins Cahoots as co-leader alongside Tanisha Taitt, who became the company’s new Artistic Director in October.
With smiles we share that Jordan Laffrenier climbs into the Cahoots canoe as Dramaturg for our 2020 HOT HOUSE LIFT OFF Playwrights’ Unit. Also the Metcalf Intern Artistic Director at Musical Stage Company, Jordan is a York U theatre grad with a specialization in playwriting and new work dramaturgy, and was the playwright assistant for the Broadway production of Amélie. He’s also a nice guy. Happy to have you in the boat, Jordan!
COVID-19 Update
Hello friends. We hope you are all staying healthy and well in this, our eighth week of physical distancing. For anyone who is or has been ill, our thoughts and hugs are with you. We know what a difficult time this is for people — socially, physically, and/or financially — and send each and every one of you of our best wishes and encouragement as we not only weather this storm as a community, but as individuals with our own distinct fears and needs.
We at Cahoots continue to work from our homes, and intend to do so for the foreseeable future. As well, our Creation Studio will remain closed until at least Canada Day. If you are interested in renting the studio for the Fall or later, please note that we will not be responding to space requests before then. Kindly contact us again on July 2nd.
It is a very difficult time to be in the performing arts. Our industry centres around coming together in groups to create collaboratively, then inviting larger groups to share a space — people sitting side by side — to take in the artistic offering we’ve made. Theatre IS, at its very core, communal. Right now we do not know when we will be able to gather together again, either to rehearse or to watch. Does that make us sad and a bit scared for the future? Yes. Does it make us feel for a moment that theatre is behind us? Not a chance.
Our hearts are heavy at the cost of this pandemic thus far — first and foremost the loss of life and tremendous suffering on all levels. We also share the weights of our colleagues at theatre companies and schools across the country who have had to bid goodbye to incredible projects in process or that never even started. Freelance artists don’t know what comes next. But through all of it, our commitment to community & art is as strong as ever. We are storytellers, and the tale of COVID-19 is one more story in the annals. One day we will tell it, amongst many others, from our stages. Let us all hang in there together.
Much love, TT
