[ID: An image of an icon made of wood. Pink text curved over it reads Tamasha-O-Tamasha. RCAT +ACC + This Might Be Satire Productions logos in a white text box, white text on pink and black text boxes reads Present Tamasha – O -Tamasha by Azal Dosanjh.]

Table of Contents
Land Acknowledgement
Synopsis
Playwright’s Note
Development History
Cast and Creative Team
Thank Yous
Seat Campaign
Volunteer At The Hall
Donors
CAPE Fund
Endowment Fund

RCA Theatre Company + ACC + This Might Be Satire Productions Present Tamasha-O-Tamasha

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Land Acknowledgement

RCA respectfully acknowledges that the land on which we currently create, perform, and gather is the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, whose culture has now been erased forever. The island we call Newfoundland is the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq. Labrador is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut. We ask that before you watch the performance tonight, you take a moment to reflect on whose land you are standing on, whose land you were born on, and whose land you currently live on. We ask that you reflect on how that land was taken care of, and how it is taken care of now, and finally who currently walks freely on it. If this reflection makes you uncomfortable we ask that you sit in that feeling and question it. Let it help you work towards reconciliation, something we can only achieve together. Thank you.

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Synopsis

Tamasha O’ Tamasha is a political satire focused on the struggles of the everyday person under the thumb of unsympathetic leaders, told through eccentric humour and absurd situations. A new work aimed at redefining and reengaging in political theatre for today, the narrative of this piece is formed through new translations of the short plays of much lauded playwright Gursharan Singh Bhaji, with a brand new connective story by playwright, director, and principle adapter Azal Dosanjh. It is a tale we are all familiar with. It is a story we know. Tamasha O’ Tamasha follows a Fool’s journey. As this Fool leaves their home to travel a whole wide world, they begin to understand this is not the world they had hoped for. This time, the fool is a far-off villager wanting to make a change. Next time, it might be you. 

General warnings: Course language, drug references, mild violence, use of haze, occasional loud sound effects.

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Playwright / Director’s Note

So, what is Tamasha O Tamasha trying to do?

Bhaji used to say, if you do not ask questions to our society, why do theatre?

If theatre’s a mission, if we collectively decide that this mission, is to ask society questions or to simply adopt the philosophy of ‘theatre is change’ – how is that mission possible if the first step to make that happen is to make sure theatre is not commodified?

We have a massive hole when it comes to distribution of theatre amongst the people who have been disconnected or are unaware of the idea that ‘theatre is change’.

Theatre has become an art form that you need to indulge in certain sectors, under certain conditions, under certain capital.

It is hard, very hard to work outside those bounds that capitalistic theatre has created for this industry. Initially, when I moved to Canada and realized that people actually pay to go see theatre, I was mesmerized. However, that mesmerization quickly faded. Where I grew up, paying to see theatre was not a thing. Maybe once in a blue moon, a national tour of some celebrity-infested show would come along selling actual tickets. I will not get into the complexities of why that was (or still is), but it certainly was not because the companies already had enough money. Money simply did not exist – at least not in the way the North American arts ‘economy’ operates with ‘money’. As a child, when I would go to watch a live show, especially a popular one, I would go down and sit on the floor next to the already filled front row. The whole theatre would be packed any second, and I didn’t want to miss any action sitting all the way back in the last row. Many others would join me on the floor, of course. Theatre halls brimming with people, the mysticism of intense drama, hysterical laughs, the collective breath of the room – all of it overspilling from seats and cascading the entire theatre. A little gross, a little “fuck safety regulations,” but a lot of… fun. That’s one part of the kind of theatre I grew up watching and participating in.

This project is also a culmination of my understandings and perceptions of two culturally unique and amazing but broken systems, and a search for the place between and inside them. Through these last 5 years of consciousness – sprinkled with a historical pandemic – amidst chaos, political shenanigans, and societal changes and cycles, one thing has emerged clearer than all others: we are going through some shit, y’all. While this journey of understanding and need for action shall go on, I have at the moment only this show and only one thing to say: The downtrodden shall not remain so forever.

All theatre should be free.

AND

All artists must be paid fairly.

Finally, I leave you all to allow yourself laughter. Then after, allow yourself to engage in conversations, to question, to look around yourself and ask why?

Thank you for coming, I hope you enjoy the show.

-Azal

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Development History

I started translating Gursharan Singh Bhaiji’s work in 2018. Five to six short political satires originally in Punjabi were used to craft this original story of Tamasha O Tamasha. Late Bhaji Gursharan Singh is the most influential figure in Punjabi theatre. His work and philosophy are important; therefore, they need to be spread through other theatre cultures around the world.
The biggest challenge along this journey was on how to make these different plays, albeit short plays, satirizing a variety of issues work as one story.

Andy Jones had helped me in 2020 with my first translations of Laare and Rahat. In 2021, Dalbir Singh helped me as my dramaturge through PARC with two more new translations.
In early 2022, Guillermo Verdecchia came on board as a script consultant/dramaturge to help fulfill the very task of turning this idea into one story. Without him, or Andy or Dalbir this show would not exist. The actors have worked increasingly hard and tirelessly through the workshops and the rehearsal process to make this production come to life.
The people behind the scenes, the designers have done incredible work.
This show is built by all of these people.

In 2024, right now, we are particularly thankful for RCAT and ACC as they have come together to co-produce this iteration of the show. We are beyond ecstatic to be at the historic LSPU Hall.
This show does not exist. It is not conceived or even thought of without Gursharan Singh Bhaji.

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Cast and Creative Team

[ID: Azal is a brown person with brown eyes in their mid 20s with mid length black hair. They are wearing a sweater with straw hat in a b/w picture.]

AZAL DOSANJH
Playwright and Director

Azal Dosanjh is a theatre artist from India, now residing in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Azal is honored to have Tamasha O’ Tamasha and the legacy of Bhaji Gursharan Singh flourish at the LSPU Hall stage. Azal directs, writes, and produces, always keeping the goal of connecting communities at the centre of their practice.

[ID: Sarah is a white woman in her mid-twenties. She has long brown hair with blonde highlights and hazel eyes. She is wearing a black dress and is sitting in front of a grey background.]

SARAH CONWAY
Actor

Sarah Conway (she/her) is an actor, writer, and comedian living on the lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ nations known colonially as Vancouver. Select credits: Diana Hudson (The Bright Young Things, Vancouver Fringe), Amanda-Lynn (The Flying Doctor, Perchance Theatre), Stephano/Boatswain (The Tempest 2023, Perchance Theatre), Gonzalo/Iris (The Tempest 2022, Perchance Theatre), Jackie Coryton (Hay Fever, Perchance Theatre), Reporter & Local Reporter (Son of a Critch), writer/performer (GoFundYourself, Ottawa Fringe). Her play Budding premiered as part of the Six of One: New Play Festival at Studio 58. Sarah wrote and directed her first short film Jenny the Goblin earlier this year.  She has performed at the Ottawa, Montreal, and Baltimore improv festivals. Catch her doing improv, sketch, or performing as burlesque clown Cleo the Taurus at a bar near you. Sarah is a graduate of Studio 58. sarahconway.ca

[ID: Zachary is an olive skinned person in their 30’s with short dark hair and hazel eyes. They are wearing a black leather jacket with a purple shirt, and stand  in front of a forest background]

ZAC CROSS
Actor

Zachary Cross is delighted to return as Go for another run of Tamasha o Tamasha. Former graduate of MUN’s Grenfell Campus Theatre program, Zac has been known to perform with Newfoundland professional Theatre Companies like Rising Tide, Perchance Theatre, TNL and Beyond the Overpass. He also was star member in Comedy group HalfHandsome, where he helped write, produce and perform in many of their sketch shows, podcast, and TV series. You can find Zac typically walking his dogs in the woods, practicing CrossFit in his Shred Shed, and doing his best to make his Girlfriend, Maggie Jane from Down the Lane, laugh as much as she can!

[ID: Cheney is a white person in their twenties with curly brown hair and blue eyes. They are standing next to a window wearing a blue vest and white necklace.]

CHENEY EMBERG
Actor

Cheney Emberg (they/she/he) is a multidisciplinary theatre artist from Houston, Texas. They have a B.A in Liberal Arts with a focus on Theatre, English, and Philosophy. Since moving to St. John’s three years ago, they have received a Stage and Screen diploma from MUN, directed Much Ado About Nothing with SBTS, been a semi-finalist in Last Comic Standing, written and performed with sketch comedy troupe Bicycle Jousting at multiple venues, acted at Rising Tide theatre, and has dramaturged, acted in, or directed several workshops as well as short plays at St. John’s Shorts. Current projects include playing Viola in Twelfth Night with SBTS and writing their two plays The Final Sermon of Avery Joel Wyatt (supported by ArtsNL) and Iphis is a Man (supported by City of St. John’s), both set for public readings/workshop productions within the next year.

[ID: Lonni is a white person in their mid 20’s with mid length red hair and blue eyes. They are wearing beige coloured glasses, and a beige sweater in front of a light blue background.]

LONNI PATEY
Actor

Lonni Patey (she/they) is an artist based in St. John’s Newfoundland. She holds a BFA in Theatre Arts, and has worked professionally as an actor in theatre and film with select credits including; Lara on Surrealestate (film), and Pantaloona in One Servant Two Masters (Theatre). She has written and produced her own work since 2022, as an emerging playwright and sketch comedy artist, has several poems published in Petal Projections Magazine (TO) and co-holds the title of being the winner of Atlantic Canada’s Biggest Improv Tournament. She is currently working as the Development and Producing Assistant at PerSIStence Theatre. 

[ID: Rouzbeh is an olive-skinned person in his 30s with short black hair and eyes. He is wearing a button-up black shirt and jeans, sitting on steps outdoors with a slight smile.]

ROUZBEH MEHR
Actor

Rouzbeh Mehr originally from Rasht, Iran, is a recently graduated theatre student from the Grenfell campus of Memorial University. He passionately delves into the art of acting and production, equipped with training and experience in acting and theatre, having performed in both theatre and TV in Iran. His selected recent acting credits include Eilert Lovborg in Hedda Gabler (Theatre at Grenfell), Colonel Hadow in No Man’s Land (Rising Tide Theatre), Alexander Darius in Will They Never Leave? (Theatre at Grenfell), and Paul in People, Places and Things (Theatre at Grenfell). Rouzbeh is eager to contribute to the vibrant theatre community in Newfoundland and Canada in the future. He looks forward to translating academic insights and his life experiences as an Iranian immigrant in Canada into professional endeavors.

[ID: A white male in their 30’s with dark short brown hair and brown eyes. wearing a grey shirt with a black denim jacket in front of a light gray background.]

ANDREW TREMBLETT
Actor

Andrew Tremblett is an actor, writer, and director based in St. John’s, NL. Tremblett received his BFA in Theatre at MUN’s Grenfell Campus. Following his degree, he went on to study with The Second City Training Centre in Chicago and Toronto. Some of Tremblett’s notable theatrical credits include: Tuzenbach – Three Sisters (2013), Bernard – Boeing Boeing (2014), Frankie – A Lie Of The Mind (2014), Romeo – Romeo and Juliet (2015), Feste – Twelfth Night (2016), Tranio – The Taming of the Shrew (2017), Puck – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018), Konstantin – The Seagull (2018), and Pantalone – The Servant of Two Masters (2019), Aaron Lenord – West Moon (2021). He can also be seen on television in shows such as JackTV (Bell Fibe TV1), Astrid & Lily Save The World (Syfy), and Hudson & Rex (CityTV). Tremblett is also known for his professional work in sketch comedy, with Halfhandsome as well as serving as the Festival Director for Newfoundland & Labrador Sketch Fest.

[ID: Deepesh is a brown person, aged 35, with long black hair and black eyes. He is wearing a black coat and white shirt, standing in front of a bluish-black background.]

DEEPESH PAUDEL
Associate Director

Deepesh Paudel (he/him) is a theatre practitioner currently living in St. John’s. Originally from Nepal, he relocated to Canada in 2022 to pursue a Ph.D. in Management at the Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. His academic focus centers on the intersections of theatre, society, and business. 
Deepesh’s extensive experience in theatre includes writing, directing, and mentoring. He has created notable works like Kaya – a perishable layer (writer & director), Sphatik – their parallel escapes(writer & director), Dr. K. Misfit(writer & director), Battle of Phoenix(writer & director), Long Distance Short (St. John’s Shorts) (Director).
You can reach him at dpaudel@mun.ca.

[ID: Brenda is a person of color in her late 20s with straight shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes. She’s wearing a black shirt and standing in front of a blurry white and beige background. ]

BRENDA VACA
Set/Props Designer

Brenda Vaca is a scenic designer and production manager from Tepoztlán, Mexico. She was  Assistant Production Manager at The Royal Manitoba Theater Center. Lighting Designer on Comedy of Errors at The University of Manitoba. Production Manager on Just For Laughs Festival Montreal and ComedyCON Toronto. Graduate of the Production Design and Technical Arts Program at The National Theater School of Canada. Recipient of the 2023 Richard Diehl Vectorworks Design Scholarship Award for her lighting design on Venus (NTS). As an artist and collaborator she strives with professional commitment towards honoring voices like her own.

[ID: Jaxun is a white person in his 20s with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is wearing a black shirt in front of a blurred grey background. ]

JAXUN MARON
Set/Props Designer

Jaxun Maron is a Lighting Designer from Salt Spring Island, BC. Holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Victoria and received training from the National Theatre School of Canada and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Jaxun has worked on productions on Vancouver Island, Banff, Winnipeg, Montreal, and at Rising Tide Theatre in Trinity, Newfoundland. He loves experiencing theatre craft across the land we call Canada. Now based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Jaxun works at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Outside of Royal MTC, Jaxun is a freelance lighting designer and is eager to bring light to new stories in Canada.

[ID: Julian is a white person in his 30s with a medium-length beard. He is wearing a blue ball cap with a blue floral button-up shirt. He is flashing metal horns with the drama faces tattooed on his index and middle finger. He sits in front of a grey backdrop. ]

JULIAN SMITH
Stage Manager/Sound Designer

Julian Smith (He/him) is a manager and sound designer from Norman’s Cove Newfoundland. However, he is now based out of Montreal Quebec. He is a graduate of the Production Design and Technical Arts Program graduate at The National Theatre School of Canada. Notable credits include – Associate Sound Designer and Composer Thy Woman’s Weeds. Sound Designer and Band Director The Retreat, Assistant Head of Sound Montreal Completement Cirque 2023. When Julian isn’t working on a show he can be found living his life in existential dread as a lifelong fan of The Toronto Maple Leafs. Julian is so excited to be working on Tamasha O’ Tamasha and hopes you enjoy the show just as much as he has working on it for the past 4 years.

[ID: Photo of Alison Helmer, a red-headed, blue eyed 29 year old white woman wearing a black top looking over her left shoulder towards the camera. ]

ALISON HELMER
Costume Designer

Alison Helmer is a multidisciplinary artist who has been deeply and continuously influenced by her studies and experience working on the east coast. Born and raised on the prairies, she began her theatre education with the Stagecraft program at Grenfell college before completing the Scenography program at the National Theatre School of Canada. She approaches her artistic practice through a lens of fantasy, history, and traditional storytelling. She is excited by Theatre that pushes the boundaries between convention and experimentation, and that seeks to fulfill our shared search for truth, escape, and connection.

[ID: A headshot of Lucas; a white man with dark green eyes and long brown hair parted in the centre. He is wearing a grey knitted V-neck sweater in front of a light brown background. ]

LUCAS INGS-SIMMS
ATD/ASM

Lucas Ings-Simms is a technician, producer, poet, and designer based out of St. John’s, NL. He is a founding member of This Might Be Satire Productions. Other recent theatrical credits include technical director for the first NL Sketch Festival, producing and stage managing the original run of Tamasha-O Tamasha (This Might Be Satire Productions 2023), Ensemble Cast for Romeo & Juliet (SBTS 2023), lighting head for the St. John’s run of Let’s Dance! (Terra Bruce Productions 2023), and lighting assistant for Best Medicine Show (Wonderbolt Circus 2022). Lucas is thrilled to be bringing this world back to new audiences with the help of RCAT, ACC, and the rest of TMBS Productions!

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Resource Centre for The Arts Staff

Laura Williams Interim Artistic Animateur
Nicole Smith Interim Artistic Associate

Suzanne Mullett General Manager                                
August Carrigan Communications and Marketing Manager
Kevin Woolridge Operations Manager
Ian Campbell Volunteer Coordinator

Ren Follett Box Office Manager
Jen Fleming Box Office Supervisor
Brandon Cave Box Office Attendant/ Bartender
Allie Duff Box Office Attendant/ Bartender
Cheney Emberg Box Office Attendant/ Bartender
Paul Warford Box Office Attendant/ Bartender

Reg Hoskins Technical Director
Sarah White Technical Director Associate
Cora Cameron Theatre Technician
Phil Winters Theatre Technician

RCA Board of Directors

Crystal Laffoley – Chair Producer/Stage Manager
Sherry White – Vice Chair Producer/Director/Writer-TV/Film
Susanne Nippard – Treasurer Senior Tax & Audit Specialist
Jennifer Walsh – Secretary, HR Chair Manager, Food Innovation, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Laura Brocklehurst Lawyer
Courtney Brown – Actor
Willow Kean Actor/Playwright
Brian Kenny Theatrical Designer
Alison Stoodley Marketing Consultant
Krista Vokey Coordinator

 

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[ID: Text reads: Seat Campaign Back in the seats again! Ask us how to get your own seat in the historic LSPU Hall’s mainstage theatre. The photo shows the red theatre seats of the Hall.]

[ID: The blue and red CAA logo in a circle. A blue line and then the word Atlantic. Black text reads Ask the box office about the caa discount on all RCAT shows!]