April 27 – May 10 2025
The Theatre Centre BMO Incubator
Tuesdays – Saturdays at 7 pm, Sundays at 2 pm
Created and Performed by Parastoo Amanzadeh and Mina Zaghari
Directed by Tanisha Taitt
Cahoots Theatre artistic director Tanisha Taitt and managing producer Lisa Alves have built a reputation for bold and unconventional storytelling. From launching the company’s first Theatre for Young Audiences production to transforming a venue into a Taiwanese eatery, their tenure has been marked by artistic risk-taking. Their latest production, Sanguine, directed by Taitt, ventures into the realm of devised theatre for the first time.
The Questions That Drive Sanguine
“What happens when what we do is no longer who we are? In a society that glorifies constant achievement, we forget how to simply exist,” says Parastoo Amanzadeh, one of the show’s co-conceivers. “Can you sit with yourself, without distraction, and just be?”
Amanzadeh and fellow multidisciplinary artist Mina Zaghari first connected through Humber College’s Theatre Arts Performance program. As emerging theatremakers, they faced an industry in crisis when live performances came to a halt. Seeking creative opportunities, they joined Crossing Gibraltar, Cahoots’ online creators unit for immigrant, refugee, and newcomer artists. Both artists hail from Iran and bring a deeply personal perspective to the themes of Sanguine.
A Partnership Formed by Serendipity
Taitt was initially considering offering a devised solo show to either Amanzadeh or Zaghari, but a chance moment changed her approach. “One day, as I was watching one of Parastoo’s videos, Mina just floated into the frame,” Taitt recalls. “I only had to watch them together for two minutes before I knew I wanted to give the opportunity to both of them.”
Although they began creating Sanguine together, their strengths naturally led them to distinct roles: Zaghari focused on writing, while Amanzadeh concentrated on movement. The script was originally written in Farsi, their first language, before Zaghari translated it into English.
Confronting the Self in Sanguine
“This is a story of confronting the self—when failure brushes against hope, and grief takes on a new form of existence,” says Zaghari. “When we pour all of our love and passion into something and lose it, what remains? Sanguine is an echo of what is born in the silence after destruction.”
The Team Behind Sanguine
Bringing Sanguine to life is a talented creative team, including set and costume designer Sim Suzer, lighting designer Chris-Liz, composer Kaveh Mirhosseini, production manager Jadi Darawi, and stage manager Heather Bellingham. The show is produced by Lisa Alves and Samantha Vu, with production assistance from Andrea Casteñeda.
Sanguine runs from April 27 to May 10 at the BMO Incubator in The Theatre Centre. Tickets are available now at www.theatrecentre.org.
