MERMAID PARADE is an indie theatre company dedicated to producing new work from an international repertory with a focus on female playwrights and performers

two one act plays by Ellen McLaughlin

North American Premieres - Toronto November 2026

R U N A W A Y S‍ ‍

performed by

KAYLA BRABANT, LAURA DAE, CAMERON HELMKAY, TRISTAN MOORE, VANESSA WHYTE & ASTRID VAN WIEREN

&

‍C O N V E R S A T I O N S A T T H E R E T U R N O F S P R I N G

performed by ANYA REYNOLDS-SWANNIE & ASTRID VAN WIEREN

directed by Jon Michaelson ‍

set & lighting design: Graham Maxwell

costumes: Eveline Petrusma * Music by Rinde Eckert

‍**Video Cabaret Deanne Taylor Theatre - 1**0 Busy St, Toronto, ON M4M 1N8‍ ‍

November 18-29, 2026 Tickets: https://videocabaret.yapsody.com/event/index/876911/Runaways-and-Conversations-at-the-Return-of-Spring

Freely inspired by Greek tragedies and myths, Ellen McLaughlin’s writing in these plays engages with resonant and compelling stories of women struggling with adversity across many different eras.

Imaginatively reminiscent of Caryl Churchill’s time-bending first scene from “Top Girls”, RUNAWAYS offers vivid potent testimony from five young women fleeing patriarchal oppression.

CONVERSATIONS AT THE RETURN OF SPRING explores the turbulent relationship between the goddess of agriculture Demeter, and her banished daughter Persephone. Each spring they reunite, and confront the environmental degradation of planet Earth by human beings: from humanity’s early beginnings up to the present day.

In both plays, Ellen McLaughlin artfully fuses the poetic with the visceral, offering audiences singular theatrically exciting experiences.

Who We Are
We are a collective of enterprising directors, designers, and actors, dedicated to presenting entertaining multi-disciplinary productions of new theatre work with a contemporary edge.
Mermaid Parade productions will especially focus on plays authored by women, featuring predominantly female casts and designers, most often presented as premieres.
Artistic Directors
Astrid Van Wieren & Jon Michaelson
Associate Producer Claire Burns
Set & Lighting Designer Graham Maxwell
Costumes & Props Eveline Petrusma
Stage Manager Lindsay Lowes
Production Management Lisa Sciannella
Shaun McPherson (photography & sound design)
Raffaele Pacitti (RPR Media)(graphic designer)
Jennifer Radford (Bright Spocket, publicist)
Resident Playwright
Rose Cullis
Associate Designers
Denyse Karn (set/wardrobe/projections)
Michelle Ramsay (lighting)