I have had the privledge of working with stellar collaborators on fantastic projects. Here you will find some examples of a range of projects I have led and collaborated on.
Cracked: new light on dementia
Cracked: new light on dementia is a multi-project initiative (2011-2018) and was developed to provide opportunities for different stakeholders to think about ‘the tragedy discourse’ of dementia and how this stigmatizes people living with dementia. We used different media, including live theatre, film, and digital platforms, to make different aspects of the initiative accessible.
As the lead artist-researcher, I was the project’s playwright, director and producer. I worked with subject matter experts (including people with lived experience, other artists, and senior researchers) to create the play, and also worked with Reciprocity Media Collective and Anthony Grani to produce the film. To expand access to the ideas further, I recently collaborated with Toronto-based design firm Forge Media to co-develop a digital educational platform.
In addition to the artists listed above, researchers included Dr. Sherry Dupuis (University of Waterloo), Dr. Pia Kontos (KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute), Dr. Christine Jonas-Simpson (York University), and Dr. Gail Mitchell (York University).
Our script is published in ReView: an anthology of plays committed to social justice (a collection I edited).
Visit our project website for details about our team, our research and other resources.
ReView: an anthology of plays committed to social justice
I developed an edited collection of three playscripts committed to opening public conversations about addressing oppression in people’s lives leading to social justice. The collection features exclusively Canadian plays, and has been taken up in classrooms across North America and internationally. The anthology is part of the prestigious Social Fiction series, edited by Dr. Patricia Leavy, and was short-listed for the Patrick O’Neill Award in 2017 (Canadian Association of Theatre Research).
Into the Light: Living Histories of Oppression & Education in Canada
I collaborated with a diverse team at Re-Vision Centre at the University of Guelph, led by Dr. Evadne Kelly, Elder Mona Stonefish, and Dr. Carla Rice. Through this project the team developed a digital space to engage educators and students with stories of activist-survivors about their experiences in institutions (for example residential schools, residential homes). The project builds on a museum exhibit called Into the Light, which was a joint project between Re-Vision and The Guelph Civic Museum.
In my role, I co-developed and executed the vision for the Welcome and Opening page for the project. Through video and text, this section invited viewers into the digital learning space. This included bringing attention to the ways the stories describe violence and experiences of oppression, and suggestions for how viewers/learners could care for themselves as they engaged with sensitive and potentially triggering stories.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Research Lab
I led several projects with Dr. Angela Colantonio and her ABI Research Lab to engage different audiences about brain injury research, including experiences of brain injury survivors and brain injury prevention. Below are two examples of projects I spearheaded.
after the crash: a play about brain injury
After the Crash was initially developed to highlight the importance of client-centred care for persons with traumatic brain injury, and why and how it is currently lacking in clinical settings. As the lead artist-researcher, I produced, wrote and directed this live theatre production, which toured hospitals and community settings Ontario and the Toronto region, and conferences across Canada.
In addition to the actors listed above, the research team included Dr. Angela Colantonio, Dr. Pia Kontos, Dr. Michelle Keightley, Dr. Julie Gilbert and Dr. Kate Rossiter.
concussion in the workplace (animation)
This project, based on qualitative research findings, aimed to raise awareness that concussion is possible in a range of workplaces, as well as the importance of prevention. As the lead artist-researcher I wrote and produced this animation with the team at Kukuzoo Videos.
The project team consisted of health researchers, clinicians and industry partners, including Dr. Pia Kontos, Dr. Alisa Grigorovich, Dr. Angela Colantonio, Dr. Tatyana Mollayeva, Dr. Mark Bayley, Dr. Gary M. Liss, Dr. Brian Gibson, and Dr. John Lewko.
Fit for Dialysis
This short narrative film was developed based on social and health research about the facilitators and barriers to exercise for older dialysis patients while on dialysis. The film focused on the perceptions of illness, wellness and physical activity in older dialysis patients.
As the lead artist-researcher, I was the screenwriter, co-director (with Mark Huisman) and producer. The interdisciplinary team included Dr. Pia Kontos, Dr. Gary Naglie, Dr. Vanita Jassal and Dr. Dina Brooks. We collaborated with Marchlight to produce this film.
If you are looking for information about my academic publications, you can find that here.