update : 09.26.08
Performance | The Last 15 seconds
Presentation of Workshop Production at The Registry Theatre
The Multicultural Theatre Space cordially invites you to join us as we present the results of our recent development workshops for The Last 15 Seconds
The Last 15 Seconds will be performed on October 9, 10, 11 at 8pm at The Registry Theatre (in Kitchener) and tickets are pay what you can with a suggested donation of $10 per person.
About The Last 15 Seconds:
This project explores the topic of terrorism starting from the tragic death of Syrian-American filmmaker Mustapha Akkad and his daughter Rima during a series of co-ordinated attacks that hit three prominent hotels in the Jordanian capital Amman in 2005. Akkad is the director of two major films both starring Anthony Quinn, The Message: The Story of Islam (1976) and Lion of the Desert (1981). Akkad saw these films as a way to bridge the gap between the Western and Islamic world. He was also the producer of the Halloween film series.
The work constructs an imagined physical and verbal dialogue between Mustapha Akkad and Rawad Jassem Mohammad Abed, the suicide bomber who carried out the explosion that killed Akkad. The work also looks at the imagined lives and memories of both the victim and his killer at the time of the explosion.
Date & Time:
October 9, 10, 11 2008 | 8:00pm
Location:
The Registry Theatre, directions Here.
Official Media Release:
Open or Download in PDF format. PDF
Video Preview:
update : 09.23.08
Performance | Across the Veil
as part of UW hate crimes forum
The MT Space is pleased to be performing Across the Veil at the University of Waterloo's Hate Crimes Forum. Across the Veil has been receiving tremendous audience reviews from all across Ontario. We welcome you to experience this performance and to be active participants in this special forum.
Please see the details below and RSVP to Farida with an email to:
info@miag.ca or call (905) 270-6252.
Date & Time:
Saturday, September 27, 2008 | 1:00pm
the conference takes place 10:00am - 3:00pm
Location:
Arts Lecture Hall Complex, University of Waterloo
About the performance:
In partnerships with the Centre for Community Based Research and the Somali Muslim Association of Etobicoke, The MT Space (as part of our Theatre For Social Change program) originally presented Across the Veil, at the Somali Muslim Hate Crime Summit on July 12, 2008. This play was based on the observations and stories of members from the Somali-Muslim Community in Toronto to depict incidences of hate crimes and social injustices taking place in Canada.
"Toronto's black and Muslim communities are among the most victimized groups."
(Toronto Police Service Hate/Bias Crime Statistical Report, 2006).
Included in these alarming statistics are only the Somali Muslim individuals who have reported crimes. Still, in our community, many hate incidents go undocumented and unaddressed because victims are often reluctant to talk with police, and too often, Somali Canadians are lacking in knowledge about Canadian laws, and about victim services.
update : 08.11.08
Job Posting: Call for Experienced Stage Manager
The MT Space Theatre is looking for an experienced stage manager for it's upcoming production of The Last 15 Seconds. The show is a new work to be created by the ensemble in rehearsal, and will involve video and music developed specifically for this production. Rehearsals began September 15th and the show runs October 2nd - October 11th at The Registry Theatre, Kitchener.
Please submit resume and references to info@mtspace.ca, attention: Nicole Lee Quesnel, production manager. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
update : 07.01.08
Somali Muslim Hate Crime Summit
Public Performance
For anyone who missed our piece on Hate Crimes in Canada, The MT Space and our community partners at The Centre for Community Base Research (CCBR) would like to invite you to attend our special performance on July 12 in Etobicoke as part of the Somali Muslim Hate Crime Summit. And for audience members who did attend the performance for Spotlight Festival, we encourage you to come out again and be active participants in the Summit. Please see the details below and RSVP with an email to: scae@somali-canadian.com.
Date & Time:
Saturday July 12, 2008 | 3:00pm - 7:00pm
Location:
Thistletown Multi-Services Center 925 Albion Rd , Auditorium Etobicoke North
Featuring:
- Theatre presentation by award-winning MT Space Theatre
- Discussion of strategies and next steps for prevention of hate crimes and response for victims of hate Crime Victims
- Refreshments provided
Join our dialogue. All are welcome.
Please RSVP:
scae@somali-canadian.com
Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke
925 Albion Road, Etobicoke
About the performance:
In partnership with the Centre for Community Based Research, The MT Space (as part of our Theatre For Social Change program) will be previewing a 15-min theatre piece about Hate Crime in Canada. The preview will be followed by a 45 min open discussion session around the topic. This play is based on the observations and stories of members from the Somali-Muslim Community in Toronto.
Toronto's black and Muslim communities are among the most victimized groups (Toronto Police Service Hate/Bias Crime Statistical Report, 2006). Included in these alarming statistics are only the Somali Muslim individuals who have reported crimes. Still, in our community, many hate incidents go undocumented and unaddressed because victims are often reluctant to talk with police, and too often, Somali Canadians are lacking in knowledge about Canadian laws, and about victim services.
This project has been commissioned and will be presented as part of the Somali Muslim Hate Crime Summit to be held on July 12, 2008.
update: 06.5.08
The Last 15 Seconds
Casting Complete!
The MT Space has finished casting for our upcoming production, The Last 15 Seconds. We have casted a talented and diverse group of actors and we are very excited to start our August workshops for the show. Our initial public performances for The Last 15 Seconds will be taking place October 2 - October 11, 2008, at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener. Please see below (The Last 15 Seconds) for more details about the production.
update : 05.27.08
Hate Crime in Canada
Public Performance
The MT Space cordially invites you and your friends to attend the free public preview of our theatre piece about hate crime in Canada.
Date & Time:
June 6, 2008 | 5-6pm
Location:
The MT Space / Studio 20 | 141 Whitney Place | Kitchener, ON
Note: This event is open and free to the public as part of the OAC's spOtlight: Celebrate Our Artists festival.
About the performance:
In partnership with the Centre for Community Based Research, The MT Space (as part of our Theatre For Social Change program) will be previewing a 15-min theatre piece about Hate Crime in Canada. The preview will be followed by a 45 min open discussion session around the topic. This play is based on the observations and stories of members from the Somali-Muslim Community in Toronto.
Toronto's black and Muslim communities are among the most victimized groups (Toronto Police Service Hate/Bias Crime Statistical Report, 2006). Included in these alarming statistics are only the Somali Muslim individuals who have reported crimes. Still, in our community, many hate incidents go undocumented and unaddressed because victims are often reluctant to talk with police, and too often, Somali Canadians are lacking in knowledge about Canadian laws, and about victim services.
This project has been commissioned and will be presented as part of the Somali Muslim Hate Crime Summit to be held on July 12, 2008.
Supported by:
update : 05.16.08
The Last 15 Seconds
Main Stage Production Coming Soon
We have started to work on our upcoming production titled The Last 15 Seconds.
The Last 15 Seconds will examine the issue of terrorism by looking at the final moments in the lives of Syrian-American filmmaker Mustafa Akkad and his killer. Akkad was killed in the Jordan suicide bombings of 2005. It is a story of a man who spent his life promoting Islam to the West and was killed by a Muslim extremist.
We will be conducting development and creation workshops for this production from August 11 – September 30, 2008 with initial public presentations at the Registry Theatre starting October 2, 2008.
We look forward to getting your feedback, so please mark your calendars!
update : 05.16.08
IMPACT 09
International Theatre Festival
Olga Barrios, Nicholas Cumming in Seasons 08
Photo: Frank Chen
Our inaugural international theatre festival IMPACT (Intercultural Multicultural Platform for Alternative Contemporary Theatre) will take place from September 24 – October 4, 2009 here in the Waterloo Region.
IMPACT 09 will present the extraordinary works of several national and international theatre companies. The festival will create a space for meaningful interactions between artists, audiences and the community at large.
update : 05.16.08
Join us on Facebook
the MT Space has a new Facebook Group
We would like to invite you and your friends to join our Facebook Group The MT Space. Visit us on Facebook for direct updates and for exclusive group member rewards.
update : 05.16.08
(qatalyst) Magazine Article
May '08 Issue features interview with Artistic Director Majdi Bou-Matar
Our friends at (qatalyst) magazine have published an article entitled "Enter MT Space" in their latest issue.
Please pick up a copy of the May issue of (qatalyst) Magazine, found throughout the KW, Cambridge and Guelph area.
update : 03.27.08
1400 people celebrate Seasons of Immigration
A magical night filled with laughter and high energy!!
back | Tanya Williams
middle | Olga Barrios, Badih abu Chakra
bottom | Nicholas Cumming, Athena Guy, Gary Kirkham
Photo: Frank Chen
Olga Barrios, Nicholas Cumming, Badih abu Chakra,
Tanya Williams, Gary Kirkham
Photo: Frank Chen
The MT Space would like to thank all of our audience members who attended Seasons of Immigration at Centre in the Square for their overwhelming support and for the standing ovation at the end of the show!
We were extremely delighted to see our record audience of 1,000 people at the Tuesday night public performance, and we were equally as happy to see the 400 students who attended the Wednesday matinee! The Waterloo Region Record has described the Tuesday night crowd as “one of the largest audiences ever assembled for a local professional theatre presentation.”
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our friends at the Centre in the Square for giving us this opportunity and for their generous hospitality!
As well, we would like to offer a big thank you to our audience members, sponsors and partners for filling our hearts and our dreams at The MT Space!
Related Media:
- Immigration Stage / Review (Waterloo Region Record)
- Footage Shot by Phil Bast / Interview (Waterloo Region Record)
- Seasons of Immigration comes to life at Centre / Review (Waterloo Chronicle)
- Every new arrival comes with a story / Preview (Observer)
- Martin DeGroot on Theatre in the Region / Op/Ed (Waterloo Region Record)
from left | Athena Guy, Olga Barrios, Nicholas Cumming, Tanya Williams, Badih abu Chakra, Gary Kirkham
Photo: Frank Chen
update : 03.15.08
Seasons of Immigration at Centre in the Square
Laughter, tears and triumphs.all in one suitcase!
This highly acclaimed 2005 production of the MT Space is returning to Kitchener's Centre in the Square for one night only on March 18, 2008.
Seasons of Immigration was inspired by a collection of stories submitted by immigrants to this region.
One additional student performance: March 19, 2008. For details, please contact the Centre in the Square box office.
Dates & Location
March 18th, 2008 | Centre in the Square | 101 Queen Street North, Kitchener ON
Show Times
8pm | with Student Matinee March 19 @ 10:00 am
Tickets
To Book Tickets please call 519-578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977 or Book Online
Review and Multimedia
A recent Review in the Record can be read here and video of rehearsal seen here.
update : 02.21.08
Auditions Complete / Welcome!
We are pleased to welcome Olga Barrios to the Seasons of Immigration ensemble. Olga comes to us with extensive experience in dance and dance theatre. Read more about her – her bio, her website: www.olgabarrios.k25.net.
Thanks to all those who came out to audition.
update : 02.21.08
New Festival Producer
The MT Space is pleased to announce the hiring of Frank Chen as the new General Manager/Executive Producer. Frank is a local, highly motivated individual who promises to bring his energy, knowledge and passion to the organization. Frank will be working with Artistic Director Majdi Bou-Matar on planning and implementing IMPACT 09. IMPACT (International Multicultural Platform for Alternative Contemporary Theatre) is a new bi-annual festival to be launched on September 24, 2009. The festival runs Sep. 24 - Oct. 4, 2009.
update : 01.15.08
A Trillium Grant to Launch IMPACT
The MT Space has been fortunate to receive a new grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in the amount of $147,000 over the period of two years. The grant is to support the creation of IMPACT, a new bi-annual international theatre festival of world class caliber in Waterloo Region. The MT Space would like to thank the OTF for this generous support, and to acknowledge the commitment of its hard-working staff and volunteers to further developing the multicultural artistic expression of this community.
We were also the recipient of a Great Grants Award from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2007.