THE RUNNER season sponsor Supporting the arts, WELCOME locally. I love the stories we are able to tell favourite actors. I met him years ago here on the McManus Stage. This and had the great fortune to work space allows for intimate experiences with him in a very gentle play about that would be lost on our larger Spriet Leonardo da Vinci. He spent the Stage. And I find this production play in long robes walking around of The Runner exciting for a couple the stage at a slow pace. And he was of good reasons. It is intentionally mesmerizing and convincing. What a provocative. Where do you stand? mark of his talent to see him in a play Whose side are you on? Does your that requires a completely different opinion change as the story unfolds? set of skills and talents—he moves a Theatre that leaves you debating little quicker here. these questions is truly thrilling. This I am sure The Runner will be travelling production comes to us from Human to many other theatres following ours. Cargo Theatre after an acclaimed It is an honour to have this production premiere last season in Toronto. The Each year, through various donations visit us here in this magical room—up innovation and originality of the stag- and sponsorships, we are committed close. to helping our local communities. ing will keep your heart racing. This entire production rests on We’re proud to be the 2019/2020 season dennis garnhum sponsor of the Grand Theatre. the shoulders of one actor. In this artistic director instance, it is Gord Rand—one of my CAST & CREDITS mcmanus stage, november 5 to 16 opening night november 6 CAST Jacob GORD RAND Grand Theatre presents PRODUCTION TEAM Artistic Director of Human Cargo CHRISTOPHER MORRIS A Human Cargo production & Playwright Director DANIEL BROOKS Associate Director SEVERN THOMPSON Set & Costume Designer GILLIAN GALLOW Lighting Designer BONNIE BEECHER Composer & Sound Designer ALEXANDER MACSWEEN Production Manager & JEFF PYBUS Associate Lighting Designer THE Stage Manager JUDY FARTHING Assistant Stage Manager ADA AGUILAR RUNNER Producer SUE BALINT The Grand Theatre is an active member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and engages, under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement, By Christopher Morris professional artists who are members of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. The Grand Theatre acknowledges with thanks the co-operation of Locals 105 and 828 Starring Gord Rand of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists, and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada, and The London Musicians’ Association Local 279. The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTES I first heard about ZaKa in 1991 when I was “I’M INTERESTED IN WHAT a high school student in Markham, Ontario. HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE ARE There was a news report on CBC about a group of Orthodox Jewish men in Israel who PUSHED TO OUR SPIRITUAL, were collecting the remains of people killed MORAL AND EMOTIONAL LIMITS in a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. They were members of a newly formed group called BECAUSE IT’S AT THESE TIMES ZaKa. My response to these men was: THAT WE SEE THE BEST, AND Who the hell does this kind of work? WORST, OF WHO WE ARE.” How do they know how to properly collect and identify every piece of skin and drop of interested in what happens to us when we are springbanK parK London ontario view of thames river at sunrise (Alamy). blood that they find? pushed to our spiritual, moral and emotional limits because it’s at these times that we see How are they able to emotionally handle this? the best, and worst, of who we are. Over the years, I couldn’t stop thinking LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Runner focuses on the pushback a ZaKa about ZaKa and felt that one day it would member experiences when his devotion Hi, I’m Megan Watson, Artistic Associate at make a great piece of theatre. In 2010 I made to serve others—regardless of their race the Grand Theatre. I was born in Calgary, my first research trip to Israel to begin work- or creed—clashes with the divisive beliefs Alberta, and now live in London, Ontario. My ing on the script. On that trip, and over the of the community around him. As we slide father came to Canada from Scotland in the following three research trips I made (the further down the path of political and social 1955, and settled with his parents and brother most recent being last October with actor division, now more than ever, we need to on the traditional lands of the Algonquin in Gord Rand), I spoke with ZaKa members, champion those who put human decency the Ottawa Valley. As I reflect on my family’s met with a family from the Dheisheh refugee above tribalism, while knowing full well the arrival in this country, I also recognize and camp whose seventeen-year-old daughter consequences they’ll face. acknowledge the historic relationship of blew herself up in a Jerusalem terror attack, Indigenous peoples to this land. and spoke with people from all walks of life This play is dedicated to Jakoff Mueller, a to learn about what life is like living in Israel/ ZaKa member in Israel who passed away in We would like to welcome you to the Grand Theatre, where we operate on the traditional lands West Bank. February 2018. He first welcomed me into of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral) people and territories associated with various his home in 2010 and over the years we spent treaties of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, and Lunaapewak. The Attawandaron peoples I embraced the fact that I was a Canadian, many hours talking about the experiences he once settled this region alongside the Algonquin and Haudenosaunee peoples, and used this with no religious or cultural ties to the region, had working with ZaKa, from the harrowing land as their traditional beaver hunting grounds. as it provided an objectivity on my journey to the profound. He was my beacon of light deeper into ZaKa and the religious/political as I navigated the murky currents of this play. In London, our treaties include the 1796 London Township Treaty and the 1822 Longwoods currents they exist in. Any play set in Israel Jakoff was a beautiful soul, full of compas- Treaty. The London Township Treaty was a regional treaty signed by diplomats representing has the potential to evoke divisiveness, so sion and self-deprecating humor. While pass- all parties living on the land that today we know as southwestern Ontario. it was crucial for me that the entire creative ing away from cancer, he was surrounded by Locally, there are three First Nations communities. They are the Chippewas of the Thames process for this play, and the characters/ his loving family and friends, and in death, First Nation, the Oneida Nation of the Thames, and the Munsee Delaware Nation. We would circumstances within it, be informed by was shown the same tenderness and care he also like to recognize the growing Indigenous urban population, comprised of First Nations, the historic and ongoing prevalence of offered to so many. Métis, and Inuit people. global anti-Semitism and recognition of the endemic denial of Palestinian rights. With love, Jakoff, thank you. We value the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (also known as North America), and I want to create theatre that explores the acknowledge the traditional lands upon which we operate. extremes of the human condition. I’m christopher morris HUMAN CARGO Human Cargo is a Toronto-based theatre company mandated to the creation, production and touring of new theatrical works. Founded in 2007 by artistic director Christopher Morris, Human Cargo creates innovative, theatrical experiences that provide audiences with a safe environment to engage in a thorough and provocative discussion of ideas. We collaborate with theatre artists and companies in Canada, and around the world, to create our work. We develop our plays over long periods, in the countries and communities the play is set in, and present these productions in Canada and the places they were developed. To date, Human Cargo has worked in Nunavut, Iceland, Greenland, Israel, Palestinian Territories, Republic of Georgia, CFB Petawawa, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Central African Republic, and presented theatre in English, Inuktitut, Icelandic and Dari. Committed to removing the geographic/financial/cultural barriers between potential audiences and our work, we implement a touring/presentation model that reaches out to a new generation of viewing public. We believe this is the only way to engage 21st Century audiences in Toronto, Canada and the World. Projects currently in development are The China Project (a collaboration with the Beijing play- wright Zhuang Yi), Le Jardin D’os (a collaboration with Doctors Without Borders/Toronto) and Annie Pootoogook: Portrait of an Artist (a collaboration with Inuk theatre artists Tiffany Ayalik and Miali Buscemi). Humancargo.ca gord rand in the premiere production of the runner at theatre passe muraille in 2018 (photo credit: Lyon smith). Human Cargo Theatre is a Registered Charity 814510616 RR0001 The Runner is a touring production. To discuss touring possibilities, please contact Brief History of the runner Human Cargo’s Artistic Director Christopher Morris at [email protected]. The Runner was developed in Israel and Toronto between 2009 to 2018 and had its world premiere at Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto as part of their 2018/19 season, running from November 27th to December 9th, 2018.