What Was My Backyard?

This co-production between Community Arts Guild, Jumblies and Theatre Direct Canada is an interactive musical, developed as a collaborative school and community project. Inspired by a news article from 1908 that speaks about 11,000 year-old footprints found in clay beneath Toronto Harbour, WWMB brings awareness of Indigenous lives and history, asking us to think about the land we occupy and share, and what was here long ago where our homes, playgrounds, parks, streets and backyards now stand. Students work alongside professional artists and community choirs to bring the performance to life.

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  • Composers: Britta Johnson, Binaeshee-Quae Couchie-Nabigon

    Director/Producer: Beth Helmers

    Musical Director: Shifra Cooper

    Choreographer: Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey

    Guest Writer: Sarah Gartshore

    Designers: Ruth Howard, Sherry Guppy, Kay Jones

    Makers: Catherine Moeller, Cindy Dzib, Sharon Tung

    Stage Manager and Associate Production Manager: Olivia Zotti

    Production Manager: Cadman Brooks

    Lighting Designer and Technician: Keith McNair

    Sound Technician: Camilo Diaz Varela

    Production Assistant: Celēs Emmerson

    Performers and Lead Facilitators: Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey, Cindy Dzib, Jesse Wabegijig, Kennedy Bomberry, Tijana Spasich

    Solo Singer (Water): Nicole Joy-Fraser*
    * The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.

    Water Choir
    Gather Round Singers, Jumblies’ all-abilities all-ages community choir
    ASL Lyrics: Tamyka Bullen
    Director: Shifra Cooper
    Assistant Director: Natalie Fasheh
    Manager: Ahmed Hegazy
    Choir Staff (not mentioned elsewhere): Rakefet Arieli, Tasmeen Syed, Hodan Ibrahim, Mollie McGregor

    Community Arts Guild Choir
    Interim Director:     Suzanne Maziarz
    Manager: Ahmed Hegazy
    U of T Scarborough Singers
    Director:     Patrick Murray
    Musicians: Daev Clysdale (piano), Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk (Metis fiddle), Aine Schryer O’Gorman (fiddle), Morgan Gardener (trumpet)
    ASL Interpreters: Debbie Garniss, Kimberley Johnson, Tara Everett

    Funders: Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Metcalf Foundation, Government of Canada (Young Canada Works), Miziwe Biik (2020)

    Previous Contributors: Adrienne Marcus Raja, Ashley Bomberry, Ceilidh Carberry, Damien Scott, Jamie Oshkabewisens, Lochlan Cox, Marc Blouin, Oshan Starreveld, Ruedi Narowski-Vesely, Victoria Freeman and many others

    Thanks to: Sam Egan, Florencia Bernstein, Ruth Howard & other Jumblies staff, Lisa Marie and Kate from Theatre Direct, Toronto Community Housing