You won’t find a Broadway spectacle at Theatre Passe Muraille. There are no chorus lines, no time-honoured musicals re-spun to fit current cultural trends, no sparkles or spandex. Surprisingly, you might not always find yourself attending plays written by renowned Canadian playwrights starring famed actors. What you will find is unique, interactive, avant-garde theatre grounded in the culture of Toronto. More like a feast at your grandmother’s house than an expertly styled gourmet meal at a fashionable restaurant. Just as delicious and made with love.
It’s not that Theatre Passe Muraille doesn’t work with some of the best writers and performers in the city – they do. But unlike theatres that feature works by prominent playwrights, Theatre Passe Muraille encourages collaborative works by multiple artists. The idea is to encourage cooperation between the many diverse communities in Toronto to capture the life of our city.
Teamwork has been part of Theatre Passe Muraille since its inception in 1968, according to artistic director Andy McKim. “There isn’t a single creative producer, but a myriad of people that contribute to the creation of a piece,” he explains. “That creative enterprise has always distinguished this theatre.”
