Unfolding

In the spring of 2016, we began research and development for a brand new community play.  Co-created by residents and artists over 3 years, Unfolding was inspired by history and stories of Scarborough.  We worked together, using many different artforms, to create scenes and moments that would showcase diverse community performers and artists. 

We used weaving with a big loom as a form of arts-based research throughout the process, and weaving became a metaphor in the show for the fabric of our community and our sense of identities in this place. Themes of home, change, departures and arrivals, transformation and hopes for the future were central to the show.

Presented in 2019 on the grounds of Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, Unfolding featured original songs, spoken word, choreography, giant puppets, masks, shadow puppetry, a parade, marshmallow roasting, interactive site installations,
and more.

Project Credits

  • Concept Creator & Director: Beth Helmers

    Assistant Directors: Jamie Oshkabewisens*, Tijana Spasic*

    Puppetry Coach: Jesse Wabegijig

    Performance Coach: Diana Tso

  • Lead Designer & Interlacing Concept: Sonja Rainey

    Site Designer: Julia Tribe

    Ice Age Puppet Designer: Ange Loft

    Assistant Designer: Karis Jones-Pard*

    Photographer & Maker: Katherine Fleitas

    Wardrobe Head: Oshan Starreveld***

    Sewer: Joanna Prescod

    Textile Artist: Marianne Alas

  • Lead Spoken Word Artist: Randell Adjei

    Spoken Word Artists: Lexi Salt, Levyi A. Love

    Writers: Sharada K. Eswar, Leanne Minichillo

    Poets: Kamala Ramasurian, Mangayakarasi Sivasubramaniam, Paramjothy Ratnajothy, Ragupathy Ratnasabapathy, Sivamany Sivapatham, Thambiah Selvaratnam

    Dramaturgy Assistance: Lisa Codrington

  • Composer, Music Director, Accordion: Cathy Nosaty

    Songwriter: Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone

    Songwriter & Carnatic Musician: Sharada K. Eswar

    Songwriter: Dovie Rochester

    Choir Assistant: Natalie Fasheh

    Percussionist: Brandon Valdivia

    Harmonium: Mangayakarasi Sivasubramaniam

  • Lead Choreographer & Performer: Lilia Leon

    Contributing Choreographers: Aria Evans, Norma Araiza

    Assistant Choreographer: Nimikii Couchie****

  • Outreach & Project Manager: Joanna Prescod

    Production & Stage Manager: Rebecca Vandevelde

    Production Assistants: Ahmed Hegazy △, Aloka Wijesundara △, Connor Fischer △, Kaitlynn Rodgers △, Kelly Lui △

    Poster Artwork & Designer: Helah Cooper 

    Videographer & Program Designer: Adrienne Marcus-Raja*****

    Catering: Marianne Alas

    Driver: Tim Dollack

    Childcare: Fiona Pereira

    Production Support: Sam Egan*****

    Production Mentor: Ruth Howard*****

  • Ahmed Abduljaleel, Alejandra Nunez, Alex Eddington, Ashley Riley, Gehan Kolamba Tantrege, Sarah Miller, Sarah Leung, Sasha Tate-Howarth (Interlacing), Nikki Shaffeeullah, Waleed Abdulhamid

  • WEAVERS: Diana Tso﹢, Lady Pearline H. Morris, Sonia Rai

    STORY FLAGBEARERS: Ahmed Hegazy, Aloka Wijesundara, Connor Fischer, Cynthia Walker,  Gehan Kolamba Tantrege, Kamala Ramasurian, Lilia Leon, Melissa George, Sherry Yaseen, Tijana Spasic, Tisa Elizabeth George-Ouellet 

    RACOONS: Kelly Lui, Samuel Fernandes

    SQUIRRELS: Jacob Fernandes, Katrina

    FOXES: Lucie Leach, Victoria Fernandes

    DEER: Violet Archer

    SKUNK: Jayden Antoine Caron-Ouellet

    ICE AGE PUPPETS: Ahmed Hegazy, Esther Adebisi, Jamie Oshkabewisens, Kaitlynn Rodgers, Tijana Spasic, Tisa Elizabeth George-Ouellet, Lousie Boehler, John Pyette, Josiah Bailey, Selina Fisher, Karis Jones-Pard

    POETRY READERS: J. Pathmawathy, Kamala Sivasubramaniam, Mangayakarasi Sivasubramaniam, Padma Krishnamurthy, Paramjothy Ratnajothy, Ragupathy Ratnasabapathy, Sivamany Sivapatham

    SPOKEN WORD PERFORMERS PERFORMERS: Levyi A. Love, Lexi Salt, Randell Adjei  

    DANCERS: Aloka Wijesundara, Cynthia Walker, Kaitlynn Rodgers, Kamala Ramasurian, Lilia Leon, Pathma Mahalingam, Parameswary Ponnampalam, Sherry Yaseen, Tijana Spasic

    CHOIR: Aruna Logendrakumar, Padma Krishnamurthy, V. Sarojini, Yogeswary Gangasabapathy & Full Cast

    SOLO SINGERS: Aqua Nibii Waawaaskone, Dovie Rochester, Cynthia Walker, Lady Pearline H. Morris, Ahmed Hegazy, Natalie Fasheh, Sharada K. Eswar, Phillip Matthiyas 

    SHADOW PUPPETEERS: Jamie Oshkabewisens, Tijana Spasic, Jacob Fernandes, Kelly Lui, Louise Boehler, Lucie Leach, Samuel Fernandes, Victoria Fernandes

    SHADOW PUPPET NARRATORS: Gehan Kolamba Tantrege, Kamala Ramasurian, Kaitlynn Rodgers, Lady Pearline H. Morris, Leanne Minichillo, Melissa George, Tisa Elizabeth George-Ouellet 

    ﹢appears courtesy of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association

  • Ciara Prince, Connie Tong, David McNiven, Doodoo Hammook, Emelda, Fenix, Haile Kelly, Jaala Prescod, John Fisher, Junior Balkissoon, Kai Masaoka, Kathy Wolfer, Katrina Balkissoon, Kiran Fisher, Lily Ma, Louise Boehler (additional set and costume assistance), Lovina D’Souza, Magregor Bowman, Marc and Clarita Wong, Maria Tong, Munzir Rahman, Nages, Nekori, Sylvie Stojanovski, Yasmeen Safawi, Yutian Yan, Fred Victor Wellness Program (painting Ice Age puppets), Family Residence Youth (sculpting Ice Age puppets), Cedarbrae High School grade 10 art (sculpting Ice Age puppets),  Dharashana Jayapathy and the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities Tamil Seniors’ Wellness Program (writing and performance), Debbie Lee and Scarborough Village Seniors (writing and performance), East Scarborough Storefront (Hanging at the Hub - tribute lanterns, small looms, parade development), Diana Keep and students at Willow Park Jr. Public School (building lanterns), St. Richard’s Catholic School, Malvern Library kids (shadow puppets), East End Storytellers & Morningside library, Malvern Library and Town Centre (weaving), Sewing Room participants and David Morales at 4301 Kingston Road (costumes), youth artists from East Scarborough Boys & Girls Club (design and making), Scarborough Village Community Garden volunteers and residents near Fred Johnson Park (weaving and puppetry development), The Hub Mid-Scarborough/ SCHC summer camp, Polycultural Immigrant Services summer camp (animal character development), Native Child & Family Services summer camp (weaving)

  • In Partnership with Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

    City of Toronto 

    Toronto Arts Council

    Arts in the Park  

    Toronto Arts Foundation

    Ontario Arts Council

    Theatre Ontario

    Canada Council for the Arts

    Government of Canada

    Province of Ontario

    Miziwe Biik

    Metcalf Foundation

    Cultural hotspot

    Scarborough Centre For Healthy Communities

    Toronto Community Housing

    East Scarborough Storefront

    Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

    R.I.S.E.

    Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery

    MABELLEarts

    Jumblies Theatre

  • Anonymous, Bill & Nancy Helmers, Catherine Cavanaugh, Chris & Mindy Helmers, Emma Manchester, Evanne Ketchabaw, Junyee Wang, Kathleen Dore, Lisa Marie DiLiberto, Miranda Bouchard, Rod & Mary Ann Archer, Ruth Howard, Sarah Lawrence, Sarah Schwartz

  • Ojibwe language consultation: Amy Desjarlais and Isabel Cada

    Placement students: Haro Thaya (York), Kerraine Dennis (Centennial College) Jason Chung, Monish Ghosh (UTSC)

    Volunteer transcription, INTERLACING: Aruna Panday, Carly Wolowich

    Loom Consultation: Caroline Hollway

    Robin, Violet and Malcolm Archer

    Cathy Stubington of Runaway Moon for the dance inspiration of weaving with big fabric

    Varrick Grimes, Lisa Marie DiLiberto

    Liz Rucker and Arts4All

    Leah Houston, Karen Kew and MABELLEarts summer staff

    City of Toronto and Cedar Ridge staff: Nadira Pattison, Margaret Chan, Julie Frost, Tina Harper, Karen Harkins, Deanne Andrews, Andrea Cnudde, Mohamed Ali Zainudeen, Thava Sivagnanam and all the facility attendants

    Chris Martin and all the gardeners of Cedar Ridge park

    Karen Neeson, Joy Hughes, and Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery volunteers

    Jumblies Theatre & Arts, founder of the Community Arts Guild over a decade ago, and producing and mentoring partner for this production.

* Metcalf Foundation courtesy of Jumblies
** OAC Compass courtesy of Jumblies 
*** Miziwe Biiik courtesy of Jumblies 
**** Cultural and Human Resources Career Council courtesy of Jumblies 
***** Courtesy of Jumblies
△ funded by Canada Summer Jobs and Summer Experience Program

In 2019, we brought Unfolding to Toronto’s Nuit Blanche. Click below for more info and for project credits.

Unfolding: NBTO 2019