In Residence at Theatre Passe Muraille

Gender Euphoria Project

by Merlin Simard & Lior Maharjan, bigT collective

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Gender Euphoria Project (Working Title) is an immersive performance piece that uses VR and 360 technology to create & facilitate tailored moments of gender euphoria. Would you forego exploration of your gender expression to maintain a sense of safety? Or would you bravely lean into the gender-nonconforming possibilities of expression in the virtual realm?

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Merlin Simard (she/they/iel/elle) is a performer, playwright, dramaturge, and filmmaker originally from Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal) now based in Tkarón:to (Toronto). Her practice focuses on themes of access, gender euphoria, technology, and multilingual performance. As a performer, Merlin has worked with Stratford, Factory Theatre Crow’s, Outside The March, Buddies In Bad Times, and many other theatre companies across Canada. She has also acted on Grand Army (Netflix) and This Life (CBC).  They co-founded and co-run, bigT, a theatre collective seeking to uplift intersectional trans* voices. She is developing several projects spanning across theatre and VR with the support of Theatre Passe Muraille (FEAR OF MEN), Théâtre Français de Toronto (ZADDY ISSUES), and Nightwood Theatre (a free britney), amongst others. @hussy4hussy

Lior Maharjan (they/she) is a performance creator based between Tio’tià:ke/Montréal and Tkarón:to/Toronto. They have worked across the country as a performer, playwright, director, dramaturge and producer. Their adaptation of Kai Cheng Thom’s popular children’s book “From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea” debuted with Geordie Theatre this past spring. They co-starred in Centaur Theatre’s grand reopening comedy “All I Want for Christmas” last holiday season and they performed Wajdi Mouawad’s solo show “Alphonse” at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe. Read more about Gabe’s work at gabemaharjan.com.