Obaaberima
On Tour
“theatrical magic on stage”
— Positive Lite
Imprisoned in Canada for committing a violent crime, a young man from Ghana tells his cellmates a story on the eve of his release. Although there is great risk in sharing his tale, he must tell it to be truly free. Through storytelling, dance, and live music, Obaaberima chronicles a young African-Canadian’s journey across continents, genders, races, and sexualities.
This season’s tour to Montreal marks the fourth time this seminal, groundbreaking show has been remounted since its premiere in 2012.
photo by Jeremy Mimnagh
a Buddies in Bad Times Theatre production
OBAABERIMA
written + performed by TAWIAH BEN M’CARTHY
directed by EVALYN PARRY
live music by KOBENA AQUAA-HARRISON
set + costumes by CAMELLIA KOO
lighting by MICHELLE RAMSAY
photos by Jeremy Mimnagh
Outstanding Production
-Dora Mavor Moore Awards
Outstanding Sound Design / Composition – Kobena Aquaa Harrison
-Dora Mavor Moore Awards
Outstanding Lighting Design – Michelle Ramsay
-Dora Mavor Moore Awards
Nominated: Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Performance (Male), and Outstanding Scenic Design
-Dora Mavor Moore Awards
“mesmerising… i was blown away!”
-Live with Culture
“a powerful journey”
-Vancouver Courier
“as a performance it’s a tour de force and more than earned m’carthy the raucous ovation it received. as a play it’s persuasive and touching.
-Toronto Star
“such coming-out stories are no longer groundbreaking, but m’carthy enacts this one with such intimacy and skill that it becomes one we’ve never before heard.”
-Ottawa Citizen
“intensely funny, serious and sad”
-Fab Magazine
“theatrical magic on stage”
-Positive Lite
“M’Carthy is incredibly charismatic”
-Mooney on Theatre
“a resonant script that offers a complex look at human sexuality”
-Now Magazine