Puzzles

Puzzles
Company
In Character Production
Creator & Director
Joanne John
Runtime
60 minutes

Puzzles is a gripping family drama wrapped in the intrigue of a psychological mystery. When Gwen returns home after years of silence, she unearths new revelations about the childhood disappearance of her sister— forcing mother and daughter into a confrontation neither is ready for.

Premiering at the Ottawa Fringe Festival in 2022, Puzzles captivated audiences earning four Prix Rideau Award nominations, including Best New Creation. This reimagined production promises an experience as emotionally charged as it is thrilling. Will the truth finally come to light, or will the past remain an unsolved puzzle?


Credits

Director
Lisa Mueser
Stage Manager
Mladen Obradovic
Cast
Anna Tharyan, Andrea Holstein, Rob Scavone
Producer
Joanne John
Production Manager
Micah Jondel DeShazer
Dramaturg
Micah Jondel DeShazer

Performances

  Date Time
3rd July 3:00pm  
5th July 4:30pm  
6th July 8:15pm  
8th July 10:15pm  
9th July 9:30pm  
10th July 7:30pm  
12th July 4:30pm  

Venue

6 : Alumnae Theatre Mainspace

70 Berkeley Street
Toronto
Ontario
M5A 2W6

Access

Level of Physical Access
Accessible

Covid-19 policy

Masks
Not required

Facilities

Air Conditioned
Yes
Washrooms
Yes
Outdoors
No

Accessibility information


More about the show and company

Joanne John is a playwright and multidisciplinary writer whose work spans playwriting, poetry, and storytelling. Her play Puzzles, a gripping family drama exploring buried secrets and unresolved grief, was featured at the 2022 Ottawa Fringe Festival, where it captivated audiences and earned four Prix Rideau Award nominations, including Best New Creation. Developed with support from TACTICS, *Puzzles* follows in the footsteps of Joanne’s rich history of theatrical work, including *four whores and a pro*, which was showcased at the 2018 Undercurrents Festival and later workshopped at the Ottawa Fringe. Joanne is the founder of InCharacter Productions, a playwright-centric company dedicated to developing bold, thought-provoking new works, which she leads in close collaboration with emerging BIPOC artistic director Micah Jondel DeShazer. Her writing has also been featured at the Great Canadian Theatre Company, the National Arts Centre, and the AfriCanadian Playwrights’ Conference. A past member of the NAC Playwrights' Unit, Joanne’s career has been shaped by her ability to weave complex narratives with emotional depth, drawing from a lifetime of storytelling, advocacy, and lived experience.


Content advice

Not recommended for persons under 14 years of age Mature language