The TACTICS Mainstage Series brings two locally-grown productions to the GCTC stage
A tumultuous and rambunctious Bosnian family gathering is haunted by the traumas of the past and the quickly-spilling secrets of the present. A pair of queer, Jewish lovers flee the fascism of WWII and find resistance buried deep in their respective artforms. Blissful State of Surrender by Sanita Fejzić (A Blissful State Production) and Heartlines by Sarah Waisvisz (A Calalou/RAFT Theatre Projects Production), both presented by TACTICS in their 2022 Mainstage Series in association with the Great Canadian Theatre Company, are start-to-finish Ottawa creations which connect the local to the global and the past to the present in order to tell timeless human stories of struggle, resistance, and the complexities of love.
Theatre Artists’ Co-operative: the Independent Collective Series, or TACTICS, has been cultivating indie theatre in Ottawa for 8 years. Since 2016, they have supported Fejzić and Waisvisz by providing space, resources, and mentorship to develop Blissful State of Surrender and Heartlines. Workshop readings of the former have tantalized audiences ahead of the impending world premiere, and performances of the latter achieved sold out success during Undercurrents 2020.
The decision to bring these two productions to the GCTC stage is one rooted in community-mindedness. The partnership between TACTICS as a presenter in association with GCTC and Fejzić and Waisvisz as artist-producers yields a win-win-win outcome: TACTICS can direct more resources and creative control toward the artist-producers, while GCTC brings to their audiences fully-developed local works that explore various intersections of identity, history, and experience. The artist-producers can continue taking creative risks and sharing undertold stories, as they have in collaboration with TACTICS for years, but with access to larger stages and audiences as well as increased technical support.
Since 2020, the bravery required to pivot, adapt, and (re)imagine every element of theatre has kept the artform alive through isolation and distance. Now, as theatres nationwide carefully welcome in-person audiences, these local artists and arts organizations are joining forces, pooling resources, and channeling that bravery to bring two thought-provoking local productions to Ottawa audiences.
“The opportunity to fully develop and bring local works into Ottawa’s largest local theatre is one of the reasons TACTICS was created in the first place. After a hard pandemic year, this unique partnership encourages local artists to keep dreaming big with their art.”
- Ludmylla Reis, Co-Artistic Producer of TACTICS
Blissful State of Surrender by Sanita Fejzić and Heartlines by Sarah Waisvisz, both presented by the TACTICS Mainstage Series in association with GCTC, are playing at GCTC from February 1-13 and March 22-April 3 respectively. Tickets will be released online at https://www.gctc.ca/buy-tickets.
More about TACTICS:
Theatre Artists’ Co-operative: the Independent Collective Series or TACTICS is Ottawa’s innovative theatre series for independent productions, curated by local artists and producers. TACTICS is a platform for local indie artists to push theatrical limitations, share their stories with their own community and dream big with their art.