June Cupido Credit: Truth and Illusion site
Today, I’m delighted to be in conversation with story weaver and director, June Cupido who is currently working on the musical, Truth and Illusion.
Cast of Truth and Illusion Credit: June Cupido
After spending 36 inspiring years in post-secondary education developing leadership programs to help students find a sense of purpose and social direction, June continues to create provocative theatre experiences that guide the integration, acceptance, and compassion for others through increased understanding of what another has, or is currently, experiencing.
Truth and Illusion is a soul-searching exercise and June, as a story weaver and Jungian coach, asked each performer to dig deep when they were creating their impactful monologues in order to uncover what excites them and to make that the basis of their quest.
Cast of Truth and Illusion Credit: June Cupido
The audience is also asked to accompany the performers on their individual and communal journey.
Truth and Illusion is a 70-minute musical production in support of The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) -- Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres in its field.
June and I discuss the deep-rooted themes represented in Truth and Illusion created by seven storytellers ranging from Oneida Wolf Clan, Six Nations born and bred independent Soul singer/songwriter Lacey Hill to addictions counsellor, singer/songwriter, comedian and actress Hannah Fogel and Christopher Lucas, a multidisciplinary, mixed-heritage artist originally from Liverpool, England.
Cast of Truth and Illusion Credit: June Cupido
We reflect on why it is important for folks to develop and tell their own stories as well as the importance for audiences to hear these stories told by the folks with lived experience rather than through the traditional colonial narrative of a straight white male lens. Small Change listeners will also hear from some of the performers themselves.
Then we examine the ways music enhances the storytelling experience and how secondary and post-secondary institutions can incorporate this play into their curriculum.
This podcast is well worth your time.
Truth and Illusion will be workshopped Friday, November 8th at Oakville Centre for Performing Arts and Thursday, November 14th at The Westdale Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. The 70-minute presentation will be followed by a 20-minute talk-back between audience members and the creative team. There is no intermission.
Thanks to everyone who read today’s article and listened to my podcast. With your continued support, a little Nicoll can make a lot of change.
Music: Real Estate by UNIVERSFIELD is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. freemusicarchive.org.
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Truth and Illusion gives voice to those often silenced by mainstream theatre