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PROGRAM NOTES
A BRIMFUL OF ASHA
WHY NOT THEATRE
CENTRE IN THE SQUARE, KITCHENER
The title A Brimful of Asha comes from a song written by British alternative rock band
Cornershop.
Cornershop Asha is my mother’s name. In Hindi it means Hope. This play is for my family,
whom I love very much, and am only now beginning to understand. Thanks for coming over
and being part of our story.
ABOUT WHY NOT THEATRE
Founded in 2007, Why Not Theatre is a Toronto-based theatre company with an
international scope. Under the Artistic Direction of Ravi Jain, Why Not has established a
reputation as a company synonymous with inventive, experimental, cross-cultural
collaborations resulting in shows featuring new Canadian writing, company-devised and
site specific shows alongside revitalized interpretations of classics. Over the last 6 years we
have developed over 14 productions, touring to 15 different cities on 4 continents. We strive
to be undefinable, creating theatrical experiences that engage an audience beyond the
confines of the theatre. In recent years, the company has also become known for its
presentation of international productions and workshops from diverse cultures and artistic
practices, along with support for the development of emerging artists, and producing
consulting services for other arts and culture organizations.
CAST & CREW
RAVI JAIN (creator and performer)
Ravi is a multi-award-winning actor, director, producer, educator, curator and Artistic
Director of Why Not Theatre. His acting credits include the Dora Awardwinning SPENT (Theatre Smith-Gilmour/Why Not Theatre/TheatreRUN) and A Brimful of
Asha (Why Not Theatre/Tarragon). Ravi was the 2010 Urjo Kareda Resident Artist at
Tarragon when he began to develop A Brimful of Asha. His company was in residence at the
Theatre Centre when he developed I'm So Close (winner of Spotlight Award at
SummerWorks 2009, and toured to Dublin and Vancouver). He has assisted notable
directors Daniel Brooks (Necessary Angel's Hardsell), Richard Rose (Tarragon's Courageous)
and Jennifer Tarver (Stratford Festival's King of Thieves), the latter as part of the inaugural
Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction at the Stratford Festival. Select
directing credits for Why Not include The Prince Hamlet, I'm So Close, A Brimful of Asha,
Greenland (winner of NOW Audience Choice Award and Best Production
SummerWorks ‘09), Iceland (winner of NOW Audience Choice Award and Best New Play
SummerWorks '12). Ravi directed Nicolas Billon's triptych of plays entitled Fault Lines which
recently was awarded The Governor General's Literary Award for Drama. In 2011 Ravi was a
member of the DiverseCity Fellows program, which aims to diversify leadership across
sectors in Toronto. Ravi is engaged in many different arts organizations and creations
across the city and the globe, including the programming committee for the Daniels
Spectrum as well as the Artist Advisory Committee for ArtReach Toronto. He was recently
awarded the 2012 Pauline McGibbon Award, is a resident artist at Soulpepper Theatre
Company and is the inaugural Artistic Director-in- Residence at the Theatre Centre for
2013.
ASHA JAIN (creator and performer)
Asha grew up in New Delhi, India. Upon completion of her Master’s Degree, she married in
1974, which led to her immigration to Canada. While supporting her husband Ramesh in
the founding of his own business, she raised two boys, Anurag and Ravi. She is a wonderful
mother, wife and now a very funny actor. She is excited to be sharing this story with the
world, in order to finally prove her son wrong.
JULIE FOX (Set Designer)
Julie’s recent theatre credits include Tarragon (The Little Years; The Patient Hour; I, Claudia;
Faust; The Designated Mourner; The Cryptogram), Soulpepper (Endgame, The Long Valley, The
Play’s the Thing, A Christmas Carol), Stratford Festival (The Best Brothers, The Little Years, For
the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again), Crow’s Theatre (Someone Else; Seeds; I, Claudia; The
Country), Buddies in Bad Times (The Maids, Blasted, Breakfast), Necessary Angel (Civility, The
Eco Show, Insomnia), Canadian Stage (Cosmonaut), Segal Centre (Geometry in Venice),
Theatre Passe Muraille (Possible Worlds), Citadel Theatre (Frozen), Theatre Junction (Little
Red River, On the Side of the Road), and Buddies in Bad Times (Arigato, Tokyo). Opera:
Volcano/Classical Music Consort (A Synonym for Love). Dance: adelheid/Factory Theatre
(Still Here), Susanna Hood (Shudder), Chartier Danse (Bas-Reliefs). She has received three
Dora Awards for Outstanding Set Design and many nominations, and is a graduate of the
National Theatre School of Canada.
BETH KATES (Lighting and Video Designer)
Beth is a Lighting, Projection, Set and Costume designer and the co-creative director
of Playground Studios which created the installations Night Light Travels and The ToyBox,
designed projections for the Ross Petty pantomimes The Wizard of Oz, Snow White, and The
Little Mermaid; and Ragtime (Shaw Festival). For WYRD Beth designed MacHomer, Bigger
Than Jesus (Dora Award), etc. Other highlights: Assassins (Birdland), Bloodless
(Theatre20) Yichud (Seclusion), Rob Kempson’s The Way Back to Thursday, Same Same But
Different (Nightswimming), The
Backyardigans, and Dora
the
Explorer (Koba).
Upcoming: Road to Mecca (Soulpepper), and her co-creation with Steven McCarthy - The
Memory Play. www.bethkates.com
ANDRÉ DU TOIT (Technical Director & Stage Manager)
André is an award winning lighting designer, the Artistic Producer of the Lab Cab Festival
and the Producer of Canadian Rep Theatre. His selected lighting designs
include SPENT (Theatre Smith Gilmour, Why Not Theatre, TheatreRUN); The
Double (Theatre RUN), for which he won a Dora Award for Outstanding Lighting Design; As
I Lay Dying (Theatre Smith- Gilmour); Dear Liar (Why Not Theatre); andDirty
Butterfly (Bound to Create Theatre). Andre tours with Why Not Theatre as the Technical
Director and Stage Manager of A Brimful of Asha.
WHY NOT THEATRE’S SPONSORS
Why Not Theatre is grateful for the support from Canada Council for the Arts and
Ontario Arts Council's
Council National and International Touring program for supporting the tour
of A Brimful of Asha. The show was originally developed and presented by the Tarragon
Theatre in Toronto. A Brimful of Asha is represented by Menno Plukker Theatre Agent Inc.
Inc
for international touring.