Cassels is proud to support the release of Children Speak, a radio play by Cassels pro bono client, RARE Theatre, chronicling the lives of 14 GTA-based children representing diverse and unique backgrounds during the global pandemic. The play, which was originally envisioned as a stage play and later reimagined as a radio play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was directed by Judith Thompson, a multi-award-winning playwright, who worked with the children on weekly workshops over the last six months.
The cast were given questions and creative tasks, which Thompson and her team at RARE cut to a 50 minute radio play, divided into four equal parts for easy listening. The children range from seven to 11 years old, and through their voices, insights, reflections, lyrics and poetry, Children Speak provides a vibrant snapshot of youth expression during an inconceivable time. Children Speak is the culmination of months of collaborative workshops and rehearsals, all taking place virtually with the children. The young cast members were discovered through outreach initiatives with community groups, after-school clubs and theatre programs.
Cassels has proudly provided pro bono legal services to RARE Theatre since 2013. Cassels partner Chris Horkins is a founding board member and the current chair of RARE’s board of directors. Cassels lawyers including Stephen Henderson, Thea Gaertner and Stefanie Di Francesco provided pro bono legal and advice and assistance in support of the production of Children Speak. RARE Theatre’s President and Executive Director, Nick Hutcheson commented: “We are incredibly grateful for the support that Cassels has provided to RARE Theatre over the years, helping us grow and share the stories of communities rarely seen and seldom heard. Cassels’ pro bono assistance was invaluable to RARE on Children Speak as we navigated the impact of COVID-19 and sought for the first time to create a digital work with the potential of reaching an audience far wider than any of our previous stage productions.”
Children Speak is available for listening in podcast format on Spotify, Pocket Casts, and Apple Podcasts.
Visit RARE Theatre’s website to learn more about RARE Theatre: http://www.raretheatre.org/