Don’t miss Cahoots sole production of the 2023/24 season!
Set 20 years after the American Civil War, a small Florida farm gets a remarkable import – a talking mango tree who is desperate to bear fruit but lacks confidence. The Mango Tree goes on a journey of enchanted growth with the help of a farmer’s daughter (Sweet Pea), her dad (Ralph) and the soulful songs of the sun (Dee), but the landowner (Zucker) has a rotten plan to steal The Mango Tree’s magic. As a brutal winter threatens the future of the farm, will love or greed prevail?
Cahoots Theatre, in association with Roseneath Theatre, presents the world premiere of Alicia Richardson’s Sweeter, from Saturday, December 2 to Sunday, December 17, 2023 in Native Earth’s AKI Studio. Directed by Cahoots Artistic Director Tanisha Taitt, this is Cahoots’ first Theatre for Young Audiences production – a play that people of all ages will enjoy. The cast includes Alicia Plummer, Daren Herbert, Emerjade Simms, Uche Ama and Sébastien Heins.
“Sweeter is a beautiful, compelling allegory that children will engage with in one way, and adults will experience on an entirely different level. That duality attracts and moves me.”
– Tanisha Taitt, Cahoots Theatre Artistic Director & Director
About Alicia Richardson
Alicia Richardson is an actor/writer and vocal coach from Boynton Beach, Florida. A graduate of York University’s MFA Acting & Diploma of Voice Teaching Programs (Toronto, ON), she’s now a permanent resident of Canada and calls Toronto home. Her body of work spans television, film, theatre and voice-over. The first draft of Sweeter was developed from 2016-2018 in Cahoots’ HOT HOUSE creation unit and completed while she was Playwright-in-Residence of Young People’s Theatre.
“How did Black folks redefine their personhood? What was it like to be the first generation born free? My play is set in Eatonville, Florida in the year 1887 — the same year that a collection of freed men founded the town. I am deeply empowered by these Black pioneers, the ones that my history books forgot.”
– Alicia Richardson, playwright
About Cahoots Theatre
Based in Toronto, Cahoots Theatre is the first Canadian professional theatre company with a mandate dedicated to cultural diversity. Committed to presenting racially inclusive work, it’s become known as the theatrical home for artists from the edge – those who live beyond the boundaries of Eurocentricity and whiteness, heterosexuality, cisgender and/or able-bodiedness. Recently, Cahoots expanded its mission to support, develop and present the voices of marginalized creators, collaborating with Indigenous, POC, Deaf, Disabled, Blind, neuroatypical and queer artists. These artists often have the most compelling stories to tell, but the least opportunity to take centre stage – and they know the feeling of being “the only one” in the room.
About Roseneath Theatre
Roseneath Theatre is a Toronto-based professional theatre company delivering artistically excellent original Canadian productions that engage and inspire young audiences. Creating and producing small cast, high-quality theatre for youth and family audiences, their plays address provocative issues relevant to today’s youth – encouraging youth to both self-reflect and consider their place within the community.
(Photo credits: Cahoots Theatre.)
Event details
Hosted by: Cahoots Theatre, in association with Roseneath Theatre
Type of event: theatre performance
Written by: Alicia Richardson
Directed by: Tanisha Taitt, with Assistant Director Amaka Umeh
Cast: Alicia Plummer, Daren Herbert, Emerjade Simms, Uche Ama & Sébastien Heins
Dates: Saturday, December 2 – Sunday, December 17, 2023
Start time:
- Tuesday – Saturday evenings @ 7:00 PM ET;
- Wednesday matinées @ 12:00 PM ET;
- Sunday matinées @ 1:00 PM ET
Duration: Approximately 2 hours (+ 15-minute intermission)
Cost: Pay-what-you-can-afford: C$15.00, $25.00 or $35.00; School groups can contract samantha@cahoots.ca to take advantage of school group pricing.
Location: Native Earth’s AKI Studio, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto, ON, M5A 2B7
Booking link: Book your tickets here
Contact Details: Cahoots Theatre, 388 Queen Street East, Unit #3, Toronto, ON, M5A 1T3, Canada; 416-203-9000, info@cahoots.ca, cahoots.ca
Accessibility: See Native Earth’s AKI Studio accessibility info here.
COVID-19 policy: See Native Earth’s AKI Studio COVID-19 policy here.
Refund policy: Please contact the organizer.