60 Seconds With… the Producer of ‘Summerteeth’

Briefly introduce yourself/your company…
Hungry to make art in this post pandemic dawn we are a collective of artists and dreamers who range from the unapologetically queer to the unabashedly straight and include the delightfully in between.

Creating beauty together is our goal. Lovers and fighters in the spiritual sense we believe in respecting the lines enough to cross them and getting comfortable within our discomfort. We live and play by the motto of “If you’re not standing on the edge, you’re taking up too much space”.

This is only the beginning for our budding ensemble.

What is it that makes your work/company unique
Entering fringe on a whim after being nudged by my collaborator Kris Neufeld, as luck would have it my name (Deborah Simons) as producer was drawn. Somewhat taken aback, I called on my friend William Marchant who graciously came to my rescue with a play he had written over half a decade ago. Not just any play but a play about a ragtag family barely holding it together in a post pandemic world… to be more specific in a barren, post-plague, apocalyptic waste land.

Dark, funny, and to an extent prophetic it’s themes dovetailed so succinctly with my own hopes and fears emerging from the COVID night(mare) that it seemed fated. Knowing I needed a dynamic team to pull it off, and in a fitting full circle moment, I decided to reunite writer Bill Marchant with his director Kris Neufeld from “How Soon is Now”. A combustible combination, stronger together than apart.

What kind of experience do you hope audiences will have during your show?
We hope that the audience walks away with curiosity, engaged in dialogue and asking questions of themselves and others. Curious about the choices that these characters made as well as the choices they (as audience) would make. Self-evaluation, contemplation and a sprinkling of pandemic humour. What or who would you sacrifice to survive?

Without spoilers, tell us what you think audiences will remember most about your show?
Candies under the counter, radios that don’t play and the dog days of summer.

What do you think is the best thing about the Fringe?
Being exposed to and surprised by shows, art and creative works that one may not typically see in conventional theater. As well as the opportunity given to artists who may not have otherwise had the chance to produce these wide range of shows or creative works. But most of all the bravery and vulnerability expressed by each artist putting themselves out into this world.

What is the most important thing you hope audiences will take away from your show?
We are tethered to this world, our family and our sanity by hope. Choose wisely.