© Amber Williams-King

Transformation Talks and other audio

Transformation Talks is an audio interview series, created by Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah, about how the theatre community can better integrate the calls, work, and vision of abolition and transformative justice movements into our practice as theatre-makers, arts workers, and audiences.

In Season 1 (episodes 1, 2, and 3), co-hosts Mpoe and Nikki discuss the words of seminal abolitionists, and then interview a theatre artist who is engaging with transformative justice in their work. 

In Season 2 (episodes 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) co-hosts Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf speak with curators and artists involved with the Stages of Transformation project about their journeys to the intersection of art and abolition.  

In The Harold Tree, Sarah Garton Stanley interrogates the institutional origins of the Canadian theatre sector, and reflects on legacies of disruption.

Featured artists

  • raven-davis
    Raven Davis
  • Santiago Guzmán
  • mpoe-mogale-credit-liam-mackenzie
    Associate Curator Mpoe Mogale
  • Playwright, director, dramaturg, actor, and educator Yvette Nolan
  • Curator Nikki Shaffeeullah
  • VP of Programming, Arts Commons Sarah Garton Stanley (SGS)
  • Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
  • tanisha-taitt-credit-dahlia-katz
    Tanisha Taitt
  • miki-wolf
    Miki Wolf
  • olivia-wheeler-credit-drew-lyall
    Olivia Wheeler
  • ravyn-wngz-credit-jackie-brown-photography
    Ravyn Wngz
Transformation-talks episode1-taitt-2

Episode 1: Conflict is a Door

In Episode 1, Conflict is a Door, Nikki and Mpoe reflect on the words of Mariama Kaba and Ruth Wilson Gilmore, and chat with Tanisha Taitt, Artistic Director of Cahoots Theatre, about the concept of “conflict transformation” for theatre artists.

Featuring Tanisha Taitt
Created by: Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler

Transformation-talks episode2-yvette-nolan

Episode 2: Governance Models

In Episode 2, Governance Models, Nikki and Mpoe reflect on the words of adrienne marie brown and Robyn Maynard, and chat with playwright, director, dramaturge and researcher Yvette Nolan, about models of governance for arts organizations.

Featuring Yvette Nolan
Created by: Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler

Transformation-talks episode3-donna

Episode 3: Investing in the Before

In Episode 3, Investing in the Before, Nikki and Mpoe reflect on the words of Prentis Hemphill and Kai Cheng Thom, and chat with playwright, theatre director, emcee, and arts administrator, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, about accountability vs. liability within non-profit arts organizations, and what abolition can look like in artistic collaboration.

Featuring Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Created by: Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler

The collage shows portraits of Santiago Guzmán et Miki Wolfon a dark blue background. Purple vines, leaves, and blue circles decorate the backdrop, adding a touch of nature and movement to the composition.

Episode 4: It’s More Achievable (and Less Scary) Than We Think

In Episode 4, hosts Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf introduce themselves and discuss each of their journeys to abolition as theatre artists, reflecting on the humanness of creation, how to move away from punitive ways of working, and the joy of centering care.

Hosted by Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf
Sound design and editing by Olivia Wheeler
Original series created by Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah

The collage shows portraits of Santiago Guzmán, Nikki Shaffeeullah et Miki Wolf on a dark blue background. Purple vines, leaves, and blue circles decorate the backdrop, adding a touch of nature and movement to the composition.

Episode 5: Moving Slowly

In Episode 5, hosts Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf speak with Stages of Transformation’s curator Nikki Shaffeeullah about the genesis of the project, rejecting neoliberal approaches to change, and the value of moving slowly and relationally.

Hosted by Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf
Featured guest: Nikki Shaffeeullah
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler
Original series created by Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah

The collage shows portraits of Santiago Guzmán, Mpoe Mogale et Miki Wolf on a dark blue background. Purple vines, leaves, and blue circles decorate the backdrop, adding a touch of nature and movement to the composition.

Episode 6: Freedom is Life in Rehearsal

In Episode 6, hosts Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf speak with Stages of Transformation’s associate curator Mpoe Mogale about grace, freedom-making, and the magic that can happen when we center process over product. 

Hosted by Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf
Featured guest: Mpoe Mogale
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler
Original series created by Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah

The collage shows portraits of Santiago Guzmán, Ravyn Wngz et Miki Wolf on a dark blue background. Purple vines, leaves, and blue circles decorate the backdrop, adding a touch of nature and movement to the composition.

Episode 7: We Are Each Other’s Wealth

In Episode 7, Miki Wolf speaks with artist and activist Ravyn Wngz about “abolitionist integrities”, the importance of understanding oneself in abolitionist work, and her upcoming piece Signals, a new performance with lemonTree creations as part of her Stages of Transformation residency. 

Hosted by Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf
Featured guest: Ravyn Wngz
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler
Original series created by Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah

The collage shows portraits of Santiago Guzmán, Raven Davis, and Miki Wolf on a dark blue background. Purple vines, leaves, and blue circles decorate the backdrop, adding a touch of nature and movement to the composition.

Episode 8: Embodied Documentation

In Episode 8, Santiago Guzmán speaks with artist and activist Raven Davis about their lifelong understanding of the carceral state, how our bodies can be vessels of archival information, and the transformative and healing power of artistic spaces. 

Hosted by Santiago Guzmán and Miki Wolf
Featured guest: Raven Davis
Sound design and editing by: Olivia Wheeler
Original series created by Mpoe Mogale and Nikki Shaffeeullah

Listen-sgs

The Harold Tree

In this space of sonic contemplation, I present the concept of The HaroldTree as a potential avenue for challenging the entrenched ideals of professionalism that were solidified by the Massey Commission of 1951. It is a nostalgic recollection of the potential for transformative change, while simultaneously acknowledging the contributions of those who have preceded us. Should we eliminate the tree that has encroached upon our dwelling, or should we allow it to fall naturally? Perhaps we should seek guidance from an arborist to determine the most appropriate course of action.

Harold Kandel might have been one of the earlier arborists.  He was always at odds – in the most disruptive way – with the institutional agreements of “the theatre”. His disruptions were beloved and legendary and, in truth, they were rarely easy. Additionally, how can we lend homage to all teachers, all the arborists, especially those who disrupt the norm, by recognizing the value they bring? This piece serves as a tribute to Harold Kandel, an audience member who loved independent Toronto Theatre creators. Through his passing, the Toronto Theatre community collectively came together to honor one another in an intergenerational and unregulated manner of celebration and recognition. It presents a modest example of how abundance can flourish, even within constraints – a glorious unruly, and unregulated tree nurtured by love, known as the Harold Tree.

 - Sarah Garton Stanley