620:
It looks like the decision not to provide
Heritage Canada funding support for Toronto'sSummerWorks Theatre Festival this year is the result of political interference in the normal granting process, but without an official explanation of some kind this can only be a matter of conjecture. We know that
555:
The trouble started last August, when Sun Media's David Akin broke ranks with the media pool. With the rest of the journalists at Rideau Hall agreeing to ask Prime
Minister Stephen Harper a question about the long-form census, Akin used one of two English-language questions available to the press to
262:
Homegrown's playwright
Catherine Frid says the play is a "sympathetic portrayal" of Abdelhaleem, not of a terrorist. "He wasn't planning to blow up Bay and Front Street with a truck bomb," Frid said. "People don't know the whole story behind Shareef's conviction, I'm not speaking for all the Toronto
147:
Some local writers and politicians were critical of the play, for what they described as its sympathetic portrayal of a "terrorist". Critics asserted that Frid should not have received government arts council funding to help support her writing the play. Frid defended her portrayal on the grounds
586:
In a year in which shows born at SummerWorks won the
Governor General's Award (Erin Shields' If We Were Birds) and Toronto Theatre Critics Award (The Middle Place), the Toronto indie theatre festival also inexplicably lost the financial support of the feds' Heritage department after years of
371:
Prime
Minister Stephen Harper's office says it is "extremely disappointed" federal funds went to a theatre festival that will stage a play this week that features, in the words of the playwright, a "sympathetic portrayal" of a convicted terrorist who plotted to blow up the heart of Toronto's
459:
It was two thumbs up from theatre goers for the debut of a controversial play based on the
Toronto 18 terror ring. About 150 people packed the Theatre Passe Muraille on Ryerson Ave., Thursday night to check out Homegrown, a 70-minute play based on one of the
653:
Dozens of theatre companies across Canada presented staged readings of
Catherine Frid's controversial play Homegrown on Friday night — a show of unity and support for Toronto's SummerWorks Theatre Festival, which recently had its funding cut by the federal
156:
cancelled funding for
Summerworks in June 2011. Reporters widely assumed that the cancellation of support for SummerWorks was a politically motivated reaction to Frid's play. In response theatres across the country scheduled readings of the play.
339:
A spokesman for
Stephen Harper says the PMO is "extremely disappointed" federal tax dollars are being used by a Toronto theatre festival to stage a play which, in the playwright's own words, offers up a "sympathetic portrayal" of a convicted
414:
Definitely not a play that supports or romanticizes terrorism, but one that raises some interesting questions about the government's purchase of undercover "moles" to entrap and deliver so-called terrorists, often at prices well into the
302:
But if this play really is, as Frid and
Summerworks advertise in their promotional material, about 'separating fact from hype in the face of the uncertainty, delays and secrecy in his case', then much more is needed from the
143:
prior to its opening night. According to Wheeler all reporters had agreed upon a question about a prominent issue of the day which they would all ask if they were called upon for a question from the Prime Minister.
182:
621:
the Harper government objected to the content of Homegrown, a play by Catherine Frid based on prison interviews with a convicted member of the "Toronto 18" conspiracy that was presented at SummerWorks last year.
608:
402:
214:
535:
132:
174:
90:
is a play about a friendship between a terrorist suspect and a writer. It is based on the actual friendship that developed between Toronto writer Catherine Frid and
600:
375:
327:
428:
687:
Theatre companies from across the country are staging protest readings Friday in support of a festival whose funding has been cut by the federal government.
641:
569:
226:
The Prime Minister's Office was misguided in condemning a new play about a convicted "Toronto 18" terrorist, says the head of the festival presenting it.
394:
204:
543:
250:
675:
290:
476:
135:, a prominent Canadian playwright, Akin "broke ranks" with the rest of the Parliamentary press gallery when he asked Prime Minister
633:
437:
The federal public money in this case was $ 35,000 for 41 one-act plays, which means that, theoretically, $ 854 went to Homegrown.
540:"Defunding alternative voices: The Tories' funding cuts to the SummerWorks Festival reflect a broader agenda to silence critics"
106:
125:, described the play as being important enough to justify traveling from Ottawa to Toronto for the play's premiere. The
149:
109:
warned the public that the play presented a sympathetic portrayal of a terrorist—before the play had been performed.
319:
320:"Latest culture battle: One-act play about terrorism a target in Tories' arts clash; will strategy win votes?"
494:
512:
539:
450:
242:
20:
604:
263:
18, I'm just focusing on the one person I met and whose case I followed and I'm telling that story."
667:
282:
705:
356:
53:
95:
8:
710:
91:
574:
488:
209:
671:
390:
153:
102:
517:
127:
148:
that the case against Shareef was more complicated than was generally understood.
556:
ask about Catherine Frid's play Homegrown, which had just played at SummerWorks.
472:
136:
699:
432:
175:"PMO claims SummerWorks play "glorifies terrorism," only Toronto Sun agrees"
398:
178:
480:
454:
360:
323:
286:
246:
121:
508:
352:
315:
278:
112:
637:
429:"Homegrown theatre fury means everyone loses except the terrorists"
116:
131:
republished one of Akin's articles on the play. According to
601:"Toronto theatre festival prevails despite funding debacle"
501:
570:"The year on stage: box office records, funding fiascos"
385:
383:
395:"Homegrown: Two wrongs don't make for a very good play"
273:
271:
236:
234:
71:
The friendship between a terrorist suspect and a writer
561:
420:
205:"Festival head takes issue with PMO criticism of play"
196:
465:
380:
530:
528:
442:
345:
308:
268:
231:
451:"Audience raves for play about convicted terrorist"
167:
94:, who was arrested with 17 other Muslims from the
634:"Benefit reading boosts SummerWorks theatre fest"
567:
525:
483:. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
389:
697:
592:
534:
665:
598:
471:
283:"At the theatre to see the charming terrorist"
202:
626:
426:
448:
507:
477:"9/11 victim's daughter slams terror play"
351:
314:
277:
240:
698:
357:"PMO frowns on terror play funding"
13:
513:"Culture Briefs: Corporate motive"
14:
722:
119:based political reporter for the
568:J. Kelly Nestruck (2011-12-25).
678:from the original on 2011-07-19
659:
644:from the original on 2012-06-07
611:from the original on 2011-09-07
546:from the original on 2012-05-01
405:from the original on 2010-08-07
330:from the original on 2010-08-05
293:from the original on 2010-08-10
253:from the original on 2010-08-02
217:from the original on 2010-08-18
185:from the original on 2011-01-04
668:"Theatres protest funding cut"
1:
666:Kathy Rumleski (2011-07-14).
599:Martin DeGroot (2011-07-15).
203:James Bradshaw (2010-08-05).
160:
101:According to theatre critic
7:
427:Steve Murray (2010-08-12).
10:
727:
449:Tom Godfrey (2010-08-06).
18:
605:Kitchener-Waterloo Record
493:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
75:
67:
59:
49:
41:
33:
28:
243:"Sympathy for the devil"
79:Toronto detention center
241:Don Peat (2010-07-30).
107:Prime Minister's Office
54:Theatre Passe Muraille
16:Play by Catherine Frid
96:Greater Toronto Area
19:For other uses, see
372:financial district.
92:Shareef Abdelhaleem
575:The Globe and Mail
210:The Globe and Mail
672:London Free Press
542:. The Mark News.
391:Richard Ouzounian
154:Heritage Minister
103:Richard Ouzounian
83:
82:
60:Original language
718:
690:
689:
684:
683:
663:
657:
656:
650:
649:
630:
624:
623:
617:
616:
596:
590:
589:
583:
582:
565:
559:
558:
552:
551:
532:
523:
522:
518:Washington Times
505:
499:
498:
492:
484:
469:
463:
462:
446:
440:
439:
424:
418:
417:
411:
410:
387:
378:
374:
368:
367:
349:
343:
342:
336:
335:
312:
306:
305:
299:
298:
275:
266:
265:
259:
258:
238:
229:
228:
223:
222:
200:
194:
193:
191:
190:
171:
128:Washington Times
26:
25:
726:
725:
721:
720:
719:
717:
716:
715:
696:
695:
694:
693:
681:
679:
664:
660:
647:
645:
632:
631:
627:
614:
612:
597:
593:
580:
578:
566:
562:
549:
547:
536:Michael Wheeler
533:
526:
506:
502:
486:
485:
470:
466:
447:
443:
425:
421:
408:
406:
388:
381:
365:
363:
350:
346:
333:
331:
313:
309:
296:
294:
276:
269:
256:
254:
239:
232:
220:
218:
201:
197:
188:
186:
173:
172:
168:
163:
133:Michael Wheeler
50:Place premiered
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
724:
714:
713:
708:
706:Canadian plays
692:
691:
658:
640:. 2011-07-16.
625:
591:
560:
538:(2011-07-31).
524:
511:(2010-08-08).
500:
475:(2010-08-06).
473:Erica Basnicki
464:
441:
419:
393:(2010-08-06).
379:
355:(2010-08-03).
344:
318:(2010-08-06).
307:
281:(2010-08-06).
267:
230:
195:
181:. 2010-08-10.
165:
164:
162:
159:
137:Stephen Harper
81:
80:
77:
73:
72:
69:
65:
64:
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
46:
45:August 5, 2010
43:
42:Date premiered
39:
38:
37:Catherine Frid
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
723:
712:
709:
707:
704:
703:
701:
688:
677:
673:
669:
662:
655:
643:
639:
635:
629:
622:
610:
606:
602:
595:
588:
577:
576:
571:
564:
557:
545:
541:
537:
531:
529:
520:
519:
514:
510:
504:
496:
490:
482:
478:
474:
468:
461:
456:
452:
445:
438:
434:
433:National Post
430:
423:
416:
404:
400:
396:
392:
386:
384:
377:
373:
362:
358:
354:
348:
341:
329:
325:
321:
317:
311:
304:
292:
288:
284:
280:
274:
272:
264:
252:
248:
244:
237:
235:
227:
216:
212:
211:
206:
199:
184:
180:
176:
170:
166:
158:
155:
151:
145:
142:
138:
134:
130:
129:
124:
123:
118:
114:
110:
108:
104:
99:
97:
93:
89:
88:
78:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
55:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
27:
22:
686:
680:. Retrieved
661:
652:
646:. Retrieved
628:
619:
613:. Retrieved
594:
585:
579:. Retrieved
573:
563:
554:
548:. Retrieved
516:
503:
467:
458:
444:
436:
422:
413:
407:. Retrieved
399:Toronto Star
370:
364:. Retrieved
347:
338:
332:. Retrieved
310:
301:
295:. Retrieved
261:
255:. Retrieved
225:
219:. Retrieved
208:
198:
187:. Retrieved
179:Toronto Life
169:
146:
140:
126:
120:
111:
100:
86:
85:
84:
654:government.
481:Toronto Sun
455:Toronto Sun
361:Toronto Sun
324:Toronto Sun
303:playwright.
287:Toronto Sun
247:Toronto Sun
150:James Moore
122:Toronto Sun
711:2010 plays
700:Categories
682:2012-05-06
648:2012-05-06
615:2012-05-06
581:2012-05-06
550:2012-05-06
509:David Akin
409:2010-08-10
366:2010-08-10
353:David Akin
340:terrorist.
334:2010-08-10
316:David Akin
297:2010-08-10
279:David Akin
257:2010-08-09
221:2010-03-16
189:2010-08-10
161:References
113:David Akin
34:Written by
489:cite news
460:suspects.
415:millions.
141:Homegrown
87:Homegrown
29:Homegrown
21:Homegrown
676:Archived
642:Archived
638:CBC News
609:Archived
587:funding.
544:Archived
403:Archived
328:Archived
291:Archived
251:Archived
215:Archived
183:Archived
76:Setting
68:Subject
63:English
376:mirror
152:, the
139:about
117:Ottawa
115:, an
495:link
105:the
702::
685:.
674:.
670:.
651:.
636:.
618:.
607:.
603:.
584:.
572:.
553:.
527:^
515:.
491:}}
487:{{
479:.
457:.
453:.
435:.
431:.
412:.
401:.
397:.
382:^
369:.
359:.
337:.
326:.
322:.
300:.
289:.
285:.
270:^
260:.
249:.
245:.
233:^
224:.
213:.
207:.
177:.
98:.
521:.
497:)
192:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.