Q&A: Column 13

Brandon Thomas and Vanessa Trenton in Column 13's The Little Flower of East Orange.

After directing Stephen Adly Guirgis' In Arabia, We’d All Be Kings and Our Lady Of 121st Street in 2007, Column 13 ensemble member Jonah Allison is appearing in the Canadian premiere of Guirgis' The Little Flower of East Orange, on stage now at Unit 102 Theatre. Allison is also directing Column 13's production of The Dreamer Examines his Pillow by John Patrick Shanley at the same venue. Here, we chat with Allison about his favourite playwrights and how he's bringing hockey to the Toronto Fringe Festival.

Theatromania: Column 13 is described as an “actor-driven theatrical collective." Can you tell us a bit about the company and its approach?

JA: Column 13 has always been a company where actors can share their ideas, and use an ensemble-driven approach to build a play. The company's main objectives are to perform as an ensemble, with a commitment to artistic risk and growth, and to serve our community with relevant, accessible theatre. In order to do this, we feel it is important to create using the combined efforts of specific people. Therefore, we have formed a unit of individual artists who trust each other enough to take risks together. The ensemble structure is a vital part of how we choose to grow and move forward with the company; we view the trust between us as essential to artistic survival.

Theatromania: The company is presenting both The Little Flower of East Orange and The Dreamer Examines His Pillow this month at Unit 102 Theatre. How did you decide on these two plays?

JA: The opportunity to do a Stephen Adly Guirgis play is something we always consider an honour, and we've had our eye on this play since it was first produced in New York. The Dreamer Examines his Pillow continues to be a play that companies around the world produce because it says something profound about the human condition. We had some company members who were talking about doing a production of Dreamer, and when we got the rights to Little Flower, we decided to do the two shows together since we had a space.

Theatromania: The collective has previously produced works by Stephen Adly Guirgis and John Patrick Shanley. What draws you to these playwrights?

JA: These are two of the best playwrights writing in the world today, along with Tracey Letts, and Bruce Norris. Their work is achingly human, and are similar in the fact that they write about very deep, often dark, subjects with a grace, intelligence, firecracker pace and complex humour.

Theatromania: You are appearing in The Little Flower of East Orange and directing The Dreamer Examines His Pillow. How do you juggle the two roles?

JA: It's extremely hard, there is never enough time. All actors still have day jobs, and the level of dedication it takes in order to fully mount a play is really, really tough. Somehow I just manage to get through it. But this is what I do, it's what I live and breathe and somehow doing this makes everything in my life better.

Theatromania: What’s next for Column 13?

JA: We will be participating in the 2013 Toronto Fringe Festival with a piece that I have adapted about minor hockey in Canada. We are doing a site-specific project at Maple Leaf Gardens, which we were lucky enough to secure.

See Column 13's The Little Flower of East Orange and The Dreamer Examines his Pillow at Unit 102 Theatre (376 Dufferin Street) until May 25. Tickets are available through Column 13 at 416-536-0048 or by email at info@column13.org.