the north american premieres of
two one act plays by Ellen McLaughlin
RUNAWAYS
CONVERSATIONS AT THE RETURN OF SPRING
directed by Jon Michaelson
performed by
Kayla Brabant Laura Dae Cameron Helmkay Tristan Moore
Anya Reynolds-Swannie Vanesa Whyte Astrid Van Wieren
set & lighting design by Graham Maxwell
costumes by Eveline Petrusma
music by Rinde Eckert
NOVEMBER 18-29, 2026 @ VideoCabaret
tues-sun @ 7:30pm + sat @ 2:30pm
tickets: adults $25 / students, actors, seniors $20
online via videocabaret.yapsody.com
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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 (BrightSpocket/ThePublicityPod, publicist)
Resident Playwright
Rose Cullis
Associate Designers
Denyse Karn (set/wardrobe/projections)
Michelle Ramsay (lighting)
ASTRID VAN WIEREN - Artistic Director / Performer
CLAIRE BURNS - Associate Producer / Performer
JON MICHAELSON - Artistic Director
ROSE CULLIS - Resident Playwright