An Open Letter from Ray Hogg

Dear Community,

We chose to launch Prime Mover Theatre Company on June 7th, 2020 in response to the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing reckoning that occurred around the globe, and particularly in the Canadian theatre industry.  In celebration of our first anniversary milestone our team has been working tirelessly to report on one incredible year of operation, announce some celebratory activities, and unveil our plans for our 2021/2022 season.  We are so proud of our work and of our community.

And then...

And then, almost to the day, the news broke that the remains of 215 children were found on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.  News that confirms what our Indigenous siblings have been insisting on for years: that countless children were abused, tortured, and died while in the supposed “care” of the government and the churches that created, administered, and ran these so-called “schools.”

And then…

And then, not even a week later came the tragic news from London ON, that a terrorist chose to murder the Afzaals, a Muslim Pakistan family, while they were out for an evening walk.  News which confirms how deeply every person living in Canada is affected by systems of colonialism (aka white supremacist systems).  Some of us are affected by threats to our dignity and personal safety, others are affected so deeply that their innate grace, kindness, and empathy are replaced by hate and fear.

This was intended to be a month of celebration at Prime Mover Theatre Company.  But we are not celebrating.  We are mourning.  These two  tragedies remind us that we all have an active role to play in reconciliation, in protecting children, and in building community so that when we are faced with injustice again (and we will be), we do so together.  

In the immediate aftermath of these two tragic events, we have chosen to stay silent regarding our celebration this month.  Instead, we have shifted our focus to healing, self-care, and caring for you - our community.  We are offering the three free one-hour workshops to help you to rebuild resilience, connect with your body, and stay grounded in peace and personal well-being (se below for details).

Moving forward, we will not let our light be dimmed again, instead, we will be defiant in our joy and steadfast in our commitment to building bridges between marginalized and dominant cultures so that all of us can feel a deep sense of belonging in our industry and in our communities.  

Please reach out to the artists within your community that you care about and invite them to join in, to be in relation with our larger community, and to participate in some healing activities with us.  

To register, email ray@primemovertheatre.com, with your name and the workshop(s) you wish to attend.

All my best,

Ray Hogg

Founding Artistic Director, Prime Mover Theatre Company

Ayanna Sealey

Ayanna Sealey is a mental performance coach who incorporates her unique experience as a theatre artist and her Master’s in performance psychology to help artists, high-level executives, and athletes realize their potential and achieve peak performance. Ayanna imparts her personal experience becoming a world-renowned performer, despite an on-going battle with Lymphedema, to help others actualize their own potential.

Dillan Chiblow

Dillan is a storyteller from Garden River First Nation who has taught at McGill University and Sheridan College. He is a graduate from Sheridan's Music Theatre Performance program and holds his Master's Degree from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He has a passion for teaching and exploring de-colonial storytelling. Dillan believes we have a responsibility as storytellers and artists to seek out stories that share truths that have been kept from us as a result of colonization. Over the past decade Dillan has been redefining his artistic practice by incorporating Indigneous teachings and cultural knowledge.

Andrea Nann

Andrea Nann is the founding artistic director of Dreamwalker Dance Company. She creates work for the stage, film and outdoor sites; investigating contemporary approaches to creation through collaboration with individuals from all artistic disciplines. Andrea devises, constructs and delivers movement based opportunities for diverse peoples to come together and share unique lived experiences.