The SoT Creative Cohort is a group of artists and arts organizations who are exploring how abolition and transformative justice can impact theatre-making in process, content, form, and dissemination.
In partnership with Chromatic Theatre, Gwaandak Theatre, lemonTree creations, Rumble Theatre, TODOS Productions, and Undercurrent Creations, Stages of Transformation is commissioning five artists to undertake theatrical creation processes that explore the project’s themes of abolition and transformative justice. The resident artists are Raven John, Keira Nolting, Sobia Shaheen Shaikh, Kris Vanessa Teo Xin-En (张欣恩), and Ravyn Wngz.
Through an emergent process weaving individual and collective work, the activities of SoT Creative Cohort may result in the creation of new performance pieces, dramaturgical approaches, creation methods, and/or creative relationships. Additionally, Yasmine Espert will work as an embedded critic alongside the resident artists, creating a written piece that will document and reflect on their creative exploration. Photography and multimedia artist Raven Davis will also spend time with the SoT Creative Cohort, documenting and reflecting on their process.
Works-in-progress resulting from the Creative Cohort’s explorations will be presented in association with Rumble Theatre’s Tremors Festival, in Vancouver in May 2023.