Massey Dialogues: Black Ingenuity & Influence [in the World of Literary & Performance Arts]

On Wednesday, February 24th from 4:00-5:00pm EST join us for a Massey Dialogues to discuss Black ingenuity and influence in the Arts, with Karine Ricard, Artistic Director Théâtre franҁais de Toronto; Ian Keteku, spoken word poet, author, educator and multimedia artist; Luke Reece, Associate Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre and spoken word poet; and moderator Faduma Mohamed, spoken word poet, storyteller and autism advocate.

Karine Ricard is Théâtre français de Toronto’s (TfT) new Artistic Director. She has worked as both a performer and as a dramaturg for Les Zinspiré.es, the company’s annual writing competition. 

Originally from Montréal, Karine studied at the École de Théâtre de St-Hyacinthe. She began her career creating and co-writing the cabaret Les Effeuilleuses presented at the Lion d´Or and the Casino de Montréal. She then self-produced a variety of works, including François Archambault’s Adieu beauté at the Théâtre Prospero. She worked for several years with the Alliance théâtrale haïtienne de Montréal, where she wrote and directed a number of productions. In 2004, she moved to Toronto where she directed at the Fringe Festival. She has appeared frequently on the TfT stage: Le Misanthrope by Molière (2007), the TfT’s 50th anniversary show Ici, les arbres s’enracinent dans l’eau (2016) and La Seconde Surprise de l´amour by Marivaux (2018). Perfectly bilingual, she has also performed in English, notably in The Numbers Game (2016), a series of theatrical pieces presented at the Storefront Theatre. On the small screen, Karine has performed in such television series as The Detectives, The Coroner, Orphan Black, The Covert Affairs, Météo+, Toi et moi and La Malédiction de Jonathan Plourde. In 2020, she wrote Les Septs Péchés capitaux, presented as part of the Les Feuilles Vives playwriting festival as a podcast. Currently, Karine is shooting a children’s series which will be presented in French and English on Radio-Canada and CBC.  

@KarineRicardTO

Ian Keteku is a writer and multimedia artist. Ian is the 2010 World Poetry Slam champion. He uses his voice to inspire messages of peace, action and critical thought. Ian’s work is strongly influenced by his upbringing and journeys throughout Africa. His work has been translated into French, Slovak, Russian, Danish, ASL and others. His debut book of poetry Black Abacus is published by Write Bloody North. Ian teaches creative writing and community engagement at OCAD University. 

@IanKeteku 

Luke Reece is the recently named Associate Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre after serving five years as Producer at Obsidian Theatre. In addition, Reece is an award-winning spoken word poet and playwright (Notice – 21 Black Futures). Through his work as an educator and leader, he advocates for engaging and nuanced storytelling that challenges audiences. He is one of Toronto’s most decorated slam poets with multiple wins nationally, and has represented Canadian poets internationally.  

@lareece93 

(Moderator) 

Faduma Mohamed is a spoken word poet, storyteller and autism advocate.  In 2016, she produced her one-woman-play OUGHTISM in d’bi young’s Watah Theatre. In 2019, she wrote the sequel Golden Mind which won University of Toronto Mississauga’s Historical Studies: Creativity Award. In 2015, she carried a box from her play, every single day, everywhere she went, to challenge the stigma around autism. The autism awareness and fundraising initiative called “#OughtTheBox” has benefited families in Toronto, Edmonton and London, England. Most recently, she was awarded the Emerging Artist – JAYU Arts for Human Rights Award. 

@FadumaMohamedS