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Co-creating: popular theatre workshops & productions that facilitate, motivate & inspire community engagement, creative play, critical reflection, personal and collective transformation and set the stage to rehearse towards social change.

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ONSTAGE NOW: 

CAMP: An Award-Winning Play Written and Composed by Naomi Tessler

November 5th-14th at Sweet Action Theatre, 180 Shaw street, unit #106, Toronto

Tickets Here: https://www.universe.com/events/camp-tickets-3VL0J6

Check out the Trailer Here:

Camp by Naomi Tessler Trailer .mov

 

CAMP, written and composed by Naomi Tessler, is a powerful, award-winning play that juxtaposes two 15 year old girls’ experiences—Lila at Jewish sleepover camp in Canada and Greta- in Auschwitz- a concentration camp. This research and me-search informed play explores themes of womanhood, intergenerational trauma, sisterhood and resilience. Though separated through time, space and absolutely different life circumstances, both girls share stories of love, shame, sexual violence, overcoming oppression and singing as a form of resistance- leaving the audience with greater appreciation for the triumphs of young women and the importance of healing intergenerational wounds.

The play draws from playwright Naomi Tessler’s own lived experiences, along with channeled information from her ancestors, from other young women killed in the Holocaust, and the insight from memoirs of other young women who survived. Amongst all of these memoirs, there were two things that threaded them together: each author had experienced sexual violence, and held too much shame to share with their families for fear of further ostracization. Each author also used singing as a coping strategy.

This play reminds us, that the pathway towards collective healing begins with looking at our own stories, like the ones shared by Lila and Greta in our play: CAMP. The stories that have been buried, the wounds that need our collective attention to move towards deeper hope and move beyond fear, so we can with strengthen our capacity to build peace and love each other unconditionally.

Dates and Times:

Thursday, Nov. 5th-7pm, with opening reception to follow

Friday, November 6th-1pm, with talkback to follow

Saturday, November 7th- 7pm, with talkback to follow

Sunday, November 8th- 7pm with reflection circle to follow

Thursday, November 12th- 7pm, with talkback to follow

Saturday, November 14th- 1pm with reflection circle to follow

 

Tickets Here: https://www.universe.com/events/camp-tickets-3VL0J6

 

**Please note: This play explores sensitive subject matter pertaining to lived experiences of a girl in a concentration camp during the Holocaust including references to sexual violence. It is suitable strictly for audience members 14 and up.

 

Dates: November 5th–14th, 2026 (limited seating)

Sweet Action Theatre, 180 Shaw Street, Artscape Youngplace, Unit #106, Toronto

Age limit
14+
CAMP Team: 

Written and Composed by: Naomi Tessler

Directed by: Alice Fox Lundy

Starring: Lauren Mayer and Naomi Tessler

Musicians:

Veronica Zupanic on violin

Jessica Stuart on Guitar

Dramaturgy by: Alysse Rich

Instrumental Arrangements by: Tal Davidson and Dash Cole

Set Builder: Brett Lundy

Technician: Victoria Watson-Sepejak

Stage Manager: Lisa Scianella

Production Consultant: Adam Jessin

Social Media Manager: Hailey Gardiner

Outreach Team: Mindy Blackstein, Elisa Hatton and Jef Kippel

Therapist On Site: Layah Davis

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We invite you to join us as a spectator and a spect-actor as we collectively and creatively explore how to take steps towards social and personal change.  Our shows interactively raise awareness and much needed dialogue about pertinent social issues. We aim to guide audiences to tap into their imaginations, creative spirits and highest visions for humanity as we journey through the art of theatre and storytelling.

We can bring our productions to you, custom design or co-create a play with you that addresses your goals, needs, the issues and themes that are most important to you.

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Land Acknowledgement

Branch Out Theatre acknowledges that we are located and lead our work in Tkaronto (Toronto), on the traditional Territories of the Wendat, the Anishinabeg Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nations, and the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our work in Odawa (Ottawa) takes place on unceeded and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinabeg Algonquin Nation.

As guests on this land, we honour and recognize the enduring presence of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit people who have been living on the land since time immemorial. We acknowledge the historical and ongoing colonial oppression of Indigenous communities, lands and cultures in Canada and aim to stand in solidarity: co-learning, co-creating in the spirit of deep appreciation, respect and decolonization through the arts.

To the past, present and future caretakers of Turtle Island, Chi-Miigwetch.

Creativity. Community. Transformation.