Laura and Samara spend their days as non-profit unicorns and fill every spare minute exploring the world of musical theatre as BFFs (that’s Broadway Friends Forever). Follow @bffs613 on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
One of the wonderful things about the Ottawa theatre scene is that it’s full of incredible talent and has some fantastic programs to support them. The TACTICS Development Series provides independent theatre creators and producers with development and presenting outlets, to give artists the opportunity to try new material and ideas.
As part of that series, the workshop of the show Terminally Ill will be presented this weekend at LabO. Ottawa-born doctor and author Melissa Yuan-Innes’ award-winning mystery novel has been turned into a comedic play and includes a large, diverse cast of mostly Asian actors — very fitting for a workshop during Asian Heritage Month!
The very talented cast includes actors who have won multiple Dora awards, performed at the Stratford Festival, some with Ottawa-theatre pedigrees, others with aerial acrobatics skills which will be put to use, A Company of Fools’ alumni, and more.
Front row (L-R): Melissa Yi, Eponine Lee, Stefanie Hitgano, Melissa Landry
Back row (L-R): Brandon Nguyen, Jon Dickey, Micah Jondel DeShazer, Richard Lee. Photo provided by Melissa Yuan-Innes.
Playwright/producer/actor and author Melissa Yuan-Innes is also incredibly talented. An emergency physician by day, she weaves her experiences into her many shows and the novel for the basis of this show. Her play I Am The Most Unfeeling Doctor in the World (And Other True Tales from the Emergency Room) was selected for the Stage One Festival of New Canadian Work at Calgary’s Lunchbox Theatre and was also seen at the Ottawa Fringe Festival in 2019.
Saturday’s workshop has Micah Jondel DeShazer directing the presentation of the first half of the show, where the characters attempt to solve a near-murder. Audience members will then follow the various characters, immersing themselves in the story and becoming detectives themselves.
If you want to see this incredible show in the very process of creation, now’s your chance! Be sure to catch it before the undercurrents festival masses and more!
The complete Terminally Ill play is scheduled for the undercurrents festival in February 2024.
Terminally Ill previews as part of the TACTICS Development Series on May 13 at LabO. The performance begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are by donation.
