Les Zinspiré.e.s : Onze calme et on continue

Original. Unique. Eagerly awaited by some. TfT presents the eleventh edition of Les Zinspiré.e.s. This series of shows continues to generate admiration and enthusiasm from audiences and critics alike.

Les Zinspiré.e.s is a writing contest in Southern Ontario schools where more than 200 teenagers submit their stories; writings that highlight their preoccupations and the current subjects that inspire them. In the end, five stories are chosen and brought to the stage by a team of professional artists.

Humorous. Tragic. Burlesque. The writing styles intertwine and complement each other thanks, once again this year, to an ingenious staging by Constant Bernard.

SYNOPSIS:

SYNDROME DE L’IMPOSTEUR (IMPOSTER SYNDROME) by Shannon Villeneuve (É.s Père-René-de-Galinée, Cambridge) coached by Lara Arabian

In a dystopian future, it’s illegal to be multiracial. Shan finds herself forced to choose between her
two races.

LES PRINCESSES ET L’ÉPÉE (PRINCESSES AND THE SWORD) by Alexandra Pokas (Don Mills Collegiate Institute, Toronto) coached by Djennie Laguerre

Ready to fight for her starving kingdom, Ophelia must face a mountain, a dragon and another princess as sassy as herself to save her prince.

ZARATHUSTRA by Philippe Paré (É.s.c. Renaissance, Aurora), coached by François Macdonald

Freely inspired by Nietzsche’s character, this great sage will have to come down from
the top of his mountain and face up to the ridiculous idiocies that plague
mankind in 2023.

LA FILLE N’EST PAS MORTE (THE GIRL’S NOT DEAD) by Leyao Xiao (Havergal College, Toronto) coached by François Macdonald

Juliette is struggling to come to terms with the death of her best friend Stella. She decides to wake her from her eternal sleep with black magic, but soon realizes that the zombie version of her friend is not what she had imagined.

JE SUIS (I AM)* by Sephora N’Kosi (É.s.c. Saint-Frère-André, Toronto) coached by Merlin Simard

A slam poem. An ode to Generation Z, questioning and reclaiming the identity of today’s teenagers.

*WARNING: This poem includes the use of the N-word.

CAST

Jenny Brizard, Meilie Ng, Merlin Simard, Aimée Tremblay Woodman, Xavier Yuvens

CREATIVE TEAM

Written by: Sephora N’Kosi, Philippe Paré, Alexandra Pokas, Shannon Villeneuve, Leyao Xiao
Writing Coaches: Lara Arabian, Djennie Laguerre, François Macdonald, Merlin Simard
Directed by: Constant Bernard
Costume and props design: Melanie McNeill
Lighting and set design: Sébastian Marziali
Sound and music design: Al Thomas-Hall
Stage manager and assistant director: Jeff Soucy

TfT wishes to thank:
BMO, Ontario’s Ministry of Education, University of Ottawa’s Theatre Department, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, Collège Boréal