We had the opportunity to officially meet you at the 10th Anniversary Fun(d)raiser back in May but we wanted to take this opportunity to dig a little deeper. Below we answer some of the questions we didn’t get to at the event and re-visit some of our favourites.
What is your favourite park snack?
Jeff: Oh what a question. I’m gonna give a non-answer answer. Loukoumades are a great snack for Withrow because we’re so close to all the lovely Greek places on the Danforth, but that’s not an every park snack. If chips are present at the park I’ll always partake, but that isn’t necessarily my favourite. When I think of an all parks snack I think of cut fruit. Delicious squares/spears of pineapple & watermelon, cherries and various berries. But if I were to talk about something that I’d bring along to the park it’s like a tie between beef jerky and popsicles. Perhaps my favourite park snack is indecision and gluttony.
Christine: At the Fun(d)raiser, my 4-year-old daughter Dorothy offered popsicles as her favourite park snack and I have to agree.
PJ: ice cream, any kind of pie/cake, raspberries, chips and dill pickle dip and charcuterie…. Watermelon all the way. I do love most park snacks, park or no…. I had bison summer-sausage the other day with Buffalo soft cheese and it was mind blowing….and that was just in my own kitchen.
Trish: Popcorn. By far my favourite snack regardless of location, but I have been known to pop a bag in advance and bring it to Withrow to catch a Ruff show.
Kwaku: My fave park snack is FOOD. Period. Why you might ask? Because I am a human dumpster (true story)! I absolutely love food of all kinds, and really, who am I to discriminate against any tasty morsel? I’m pretty active and have been known to play volleyball with friends in many of TO’s lovely parks into the wee hours, so a hydrating park snack is always good to have on hand. Watermelon? Don’t mind if I do 😏😏
What was your favourite park growing up?
PJ: I grew up in northern Saskatchewan and loved being outside where our horses ran; they always made their own trails in the pastures. We went to some beautiful lakes(Kimble, Loon,Turtle, Buffalo Narrows) for swimming and fishing, which in hindsight was idyllic to grow up in, and also swimming pools and the waterpark my mom took me to were dreamy…
Jeff: I grew up in Mississauga near a place called Streetsville. As a child, I remember Streetsville Memorial Park as a place we went to often. I recall it had at the time what I thought was a massive carousel-like structure. Carousel-like as in it would turn round and round, but didn’t have horses and was rather like several stacked benches welded together in an octagonal pattern that kids would stand on. Loads of fun.
Kwaku: Oh, I LOVE this question! My fave park growing up is mos def Chinguacousy Park in Brampton where I grew up. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it… So many beautiful memories were made in that park in my youth. I should definitely pay Chinguacousy a visit sometime; I’m sure it’s changed in the most beautiful way!
Trish: I grew up in Orleans, Ontario just outside of Ottawa and lived beside a massive park in Old Orleans (IYKYK). It had Bilberry Creek running through it which was the location of a lot of my youthful shenanigans. It was the park I had to cross to get to the Blockbuster and local mall.
Christine: All I can think of is what we called “the school park”, which was quite literally the park/play structure at my elementary school. My memory of it is that virtually every component was incredibly dangerous and it was built on a bed of sharp stones.
Favourite Shakespeare Quote OR Favourite Character OR favourite ancient myth?
Jeff: Tough one for sure. Lately I’ve been thinking about Hamlet and how his drive for vengeance is somewhat tied to the idea of filial piety. It’s a very surface connection at the moment but it’s been occupying space for sure. I’ll always be fond of Beatrice and Benedick and As You Like It will always hold a bit of a special place in my heart.
Christine: Tough one! There are a lot of quotes and characters that I love. But I had the honour of co-adapting and assistant directing R+J at the Stratford Festival this past summer, eleven years after having played Juliet in High Park. I was even more in love with that character this time around. I think she’s extraordinary. Brave and intelligent and true. So… in this moment I’ll say Juliet.
PJ: I’m especially partial to Cleopatra- it doesn’t get much more epic than she… Lady M has such extraordinary guile and I will forever love Cordelia’s heart when the world went to hell.
Kwaku: “O wonderful, wonderful, and most wonderful wonderful! And yet again wonderful, and after that, out of all hooping!” This line is spoken by Celia in As You Like It. It’s ridiculous and fanciful and a complete explosion of joy, and I get a lil dopamine hit every time I say it! Try saying it right now and tell me you don’t feel at least 10% better afterwards!
Trish: I love reworking stories. It’s one of my favourite things to talk about and study. I would love to see a production and reworking of Shakespeare’s Timon Of Athens live. I really connect with that play but have only ever seen video productions of it.
Why collective leadership?
Trish: Five minds are better than one?
PJ: There is great strength, stability and remarkable vision in this grouping. Also, kindness and truly acknowledging each other’s voices goes a mighty long way and simply, it’s far less lonesome than flying solo.
Jeff: Outside of having multiple perspectives on Shakespeare, which can be challenging material to make inclusive in this day and age without; each member of our collective are also incredible artists in their own right. We each bring a varied wealth of knowledge and experience which I believe will also help us examine and grow the structure of how theatre companies can be run.
Kwaku: I truly believe in order to vividly reimagine Shakespeare, it takes a village (of 5 to be exact 😉)!!! The Bard has had a stronghold on “classical” theatre since forever, and it’s high-time we interrogate that. I am constantly in awe of the artists that make up Ruff’s collective leadership collective, and the prospect of continuing Ruff’s legacy of making Shakespeare inclusive and accessible, risky and audacious, and joyful yet thought-provoking is an enterprise I am so behind!
Christine: I love Shakespeare, but I think it’s really important that we continually examine why we keep doing these plays. Collective leadership of Ruff means that examination is coming from a lot of different perspectives at all times. Plus I really like these people.
BONUS: If you were a plant what type of plant would you be and why?
Christine: Something that does better in the shade.
Kwaku: I’d be the pothos that is absolutely THRIVING in my living room at the moment! I remember when she was just a wee thing, and now her tendrils are snaking up the walls!
Trish: I love looking at maple trees, but I think they are too noble to pretend that I would be one if I were a plant. Maybe I would be something sturdy and helpful? A pumpkin vine maybe?
JEFF: A plant that does well in the heat, but doesn’t hold water very well. Something green with a pop of colour.
PJ: I love bright purple and fuscia fireweeds… and blueberry patches that come in first after a wildfire….Hope in that cycle and rebirth. Also tumbleweeds are equal parts comical and mournful in the way of a sad clown, which I’m drawn to— and I admire the wide-open landscape journey of them. When do they decide it’s time to hit the road? Prairie rose bushes and wild tiger lillies—I love them because they are reminders of home.
We hope that you had the opportunity to learn something new about us. Yes, we are excited to make theatre in Withrow Park but we are EVEN MORE excited to get to know all of you. We would love to hear from you! Leave your replies to the questions in the comments so that we can start putting fun facts to faces!
What is your favourite park snack?
What was your favourite park growing up?
Favourite Shakespeare Quote OR Favourite Character OR favourite ancient myth?
How do you feel about Collective Leadership?
BONUS: If you were a plant what type of plant would you be and why?