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Lower body close-up of a South Asian man seated on a decorative rug, legs crossed and hands raised over two small drum-like percussion instruments.
Lower body close-up of a South Asian man seated on a decorative rug, legs crossed and hands raised over two small drum-like percussion instruments.

Reclaiming identity Reclaiming identity

A journey shared through storytelling & music.

Home Events Performance bol, brown boy, bol (speak, brown boy, speak)

bol, brown boy, bol (speak, brown boy, speak)

Five performances only – from Wednesday, May 20 to Sunday, May 24, 2026 – CQC Arts presents Nawaaz Makhani’s award-winning play bol, brown boy, bol (speak, brown boy, speak), a cheeky, heartfelt solo show about Makhani’s journey of reclaiming his voice and cultural inheritance through learning tabla, a northern Indian percussion instrument. Presented in association with Blemme Fatale Productions at Native Earth’s Aki Studio.

Come for the story, stay for the chai, leave feeling seen

Twenty years of being a “coconut” has caught up to Nawaaz, who’s crashed into a dual crisis of identity and faith. Divine intervention sends him a musical Guru, who guides him on a journey toward self-acceptance and love.

Directed by Tiffany Wu, bol, brown boy, bol offers a rich musical landscape, merging Indian classical music with 90s Bollywood nostalgia, grunge, rap and hip hop. Weaving storytelling with the rhythms of tabla, creator and performer Nawaaz Makhani speaks up about the impact of Canadian racism on his identity and shares his story of finding his way back to himself.

bol, brown boy, bol premiered at the 2024 Toronto Fringe Festival, winning the North (519): Best of Toronto Fringe Award. Since then, the show has been further developed to expand the story and ideas, and was the recipient of the Inspirit Foundation’s inaugural New Narratives Fund in 2025.

Prior to the Toronto run at Aki Studio, bol, brown boy, bol will be presented at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Ottawa, Ontario on Thursday, March 26 and Friday, March 27; and at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.

About Nawaaz Makhani & CQC Arts

Nawaaz Makhani (he/him/his) is an educator, activist and interdisciplinary artist. He has been exploring different art forms (writing, water marbling and tabla) to better understand himself and his place in the world around him. Nawaaz’s work and collaborations often meet at the intersection of mental health, consent education, unwrapping toxic masculinity and healing generational trauma. CQC Arts is a BIPOC-owned small business where everything is designed in Ontario. It is an arts hub seeking to grow with the support of cherished community members who believe in a similar vision.

“A lot of people think we are stuck living in a divided world, but I disagree, I think there’s more that connects us than we realize, and this story is one way to share that. I’m hoping people leave this show with an expanded notion of what it means to grow up Canadian. I hope they feel seen, have had some laughs, and meet new people over a good cup of chai!”

– Nawaaz Makhani, creator & performer

Medium close-up of a bald, bearded South Asian man wearing a black t-shirt and beaded necklace, seen from the audience's point of view, with blurred images of two people in the foreground and blue fabric draped in the background.

(Photo credits: CQC Arts. Nawaaz Makhani. Photo by Josiah Bilagot.)

 

Event details

Presented by: CQC Arts, in association with Blemme Fatale Productions 

Type of event: solo theatre performance

Created, performed & co-directed by: Nawaaz Makhani 

Directed by: Tiffany Wu 

Dates: Wednesday, May 20 – Sunday, May 24, 2026 (preview May 20 & opening May 21).

Every show will have a talkback in the theatre and chai chats in the lobby after each performance. Please note: Masks are mandatory for the performance on Wednesday, May 20.

Start times:

  • Wednesday – Saturday evenings @ 7:30 PM ET
  • Sunday matinée @ 2:00 PM ET

Duration: 70 minutes (followed by a post-show talkback after every performance)

Cost: Pay-what-you-can (PWYC): C$15.00, $25.00 or $40.00

Location: Native Earth’s Aki Studio, Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St. East, #120, Toronto, ON, M5A 2B7, Canada

Booking link: Book your tickets here

Contact details: CQC Arts, cqcarts@gmail.com, cqcarts.ca; Production website: bolbrownboybol.ca

 

Content warning: This production contains references to racism, discrimination, colonialism, bullying and grief. Drumming and heightened emotional expression occur. 

Accessibility: Accessibility features at Aki Studio include wheelchair-accessible entrances, seating areas, assistive listening devices, accessible washrooms, service animal accommodations, sensory-friendly adjustments, staff assistance and online booking support for accessibility requests, detailed guidance and promoting an inclusive, barrier-free environment. Info here.

Health & safety policy: Masks are mandatory for the performance on Wednesday, May 20.