Inspired by Dr. Jane Fraser’s book GRAMMA
SAWITRI Theatre Group – World premiere – 16 performances – An Ontario 150 project – From July 20th to August 4th 2017
Mississauga, June 17, 2017 –Can uncovering pieces of family history solve the puzzle of who you are and who you are not? The new Canadian play “Gramma”, set in old Meadowvale, is a modern treasure hunt through family artifacts that inspires a young woman to realize who she can be today. Mississauga’s heritage is brought to life in the most intimate way through one person’s journey through her family’s past.
“We took the anecdotal history book by Dr. Jane Fraser and asked what would her fictional granddaughter think?”, says playwright Jasmine Sawant, “We developed an amusing insightful look into Mississauga life then and now with a diversity twist that shapes the new Mississauga.”
The Creative Team – Directed by Christina Collins; her sixth production with SAWITRI. Production design by Joe Pagnan, the amazing new generation designer; costume design by Shruti Shah. The production features five professional, emerging, new generation artists – Amy Osborne, Lucy Winkle, Ivana Bittnerova, Jesse Anderson and Carlos Felipe Martinez. Stage Manager, Jeremy Pearson.
SAWITRI Theatre Group – Founded in January 2003, SAWITRI Theatre Group is an award-winning, incorporated not-for-profit organization under the artistic leadership of Jasmine Sawant and Shruti Shah, presenting original, challenging and exciting works featuring established professionals as well as emerging artists. It strives to educate, entertain and heal through theatre arts that are South Asian in character, origin or topic and foreground women as well as issues of social or political importance. A preeminent producer and presenter of South Asian Theatre Arts in Mississauga, SAWITRI Theatre Group is known to take risks, bringing unique theatre experiences to its audiences, producing plays in some of India’s many languages, including English. Operationally, SAWITRI Theatre Group is supported by The Open Space, Nitin Sawant, and the unstinting support of family, friends and volunteers. Partly supported by the City of Mississauga through annual operating grant. This production has received support from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. www.sawitri.ca
Dates & Place
Dates: Thu July 20 – Sun July 23, Tue July 25 – Sun July 30 and Tue Aug 1 – Fri Aug 4
Weeknights – 8 pm; Saturdays – 2 pm & 8 pm; Sundays – 2 pm
Venue: Sampradaya Theatre, 3250 Ridgeway Drive, Unit #4, Mississauga, ON L5L 5Y6.
Tickets: Adults – $25; Seniors and students (25 and under) – $20; PWYC Tuesdays – suggested minimum $15
Box Office: CLICK
Contact: www.sawitri.ca – www.facebook.com/SawitriTheatreGroup – Twitter – @SawitriTheatre
Jasmine Sawant – Playwright & Artistic Co-Director
Co-Founder, Artistic Co-Director, Actor, Writer and Manager – Jasmine has worked extensively in both community and professional theatre in India and Saudi Arabia before coming to Canada. At SAWITRI, Jasmine is responsible for artistic and strategic planning, project management, communications, development, as well as general administration.
Christina Collins – Director
Christina Collins has been acting in Film, Television and Theatre for over 35 years – across Canada and the United States. She studied at NYU and Circle-In-The-Square in NYC where she also earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from New York University. She has performed at a wide variety of theatres across Canada and the United States, including: Circle in the Square, and The Collonades Theatre Lab, (both in NYC); The Ethel Kweskin Theatre in Stamford Connecticut; The Bathurst Street Theatre, and The St. Lawrence Center, in Toronto; The Arbor Theatre in Peterborough; Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton; The Manitoba Theatre Centre, and Prairie Theatre Exchange, in Manitoba; and the Sudbury Theatre Centre. Some of her theatre highlights include; Laura in The Glass Menagerie, Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Charlotte in Night of the Iguana, Libby in I Ought to Be in Pictures, Margherita in “We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay!”, Darlene in Balm in Gilead and Ms. White in Reservoir Bitches, for the NYC Fringe.
Joe Pagnan – Production Design
Joe Pagnan is a scenographer based in Toronto Ontario. Joe is an associate member of Associated Designers of Canada. www.joepagnan.com
Shruti Shah – Artistic Co-Director & Costume Designer
Artistic Co-Director, Actor, Writer and Administrator – B.A. in Sociology, Diploma in Creative Writing from the British Council (India) – Shruti has worked extensively in professional theatre in India before coming to Canada. She works with Jasmine in artistic programming, communications and general administration.
