Lia & Dor is a love letter to Romania, at the Firehall Arts Centre from October 9 to 13
Playwright Cristina Tudor takes a deep dive into her culture’s folklore
KIA Productions and Ensemble Theatre Company in association with Firehall Arts Centre present Lia & Dor from October 9 to 13
THERE IS A word in Romanian, dor, that has no English equivalent. Its meaning is akin to longing, encompassing melancholy, joy, and hope.
In Lia & Dor, that sense of yearning compels a young woman to take an emotional journey, tracing her family’s past and drawing power from her cultural traditions to carve a new path into her future.
Rooted in folklore, the work by Romanian performer and playwright Cristina Tudor is a love letter to her grandparents and her heritage. Lia & Dor weaves together the whimsy of a Romanian fairy tale with a scandalous family background as Tudor explores memories, the importance of homeland, and the stories we tell ourselves about our history.
Gail Johnson is cofounder and associate editor of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.
Related Articles
The show by rice & beans theatre presented by PuSh Festival and Boca del Lupo moves swiftly with sharp satire
Abi Padilla’s new play draws inspiration from both of her grandmothers
Heartwarming family adventure is told through puppetry, real wildlife projections, and an original score
Western Gold Theatre production explores the aftermath of Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 play A Doll’s House
Belgium’s Chaliwaté and Focus Company joined forces to create the fantastical nonverbal production
The master storyteller’s latest play opens with Joe and his dog facing ejection from their longtime home, with seemingly nowhere to go
Ruby Slippers Theatre presents five staged readings of works by IPBOC playwrights, including Damion LeClair’s Rougarou, Carmen Aguirre’s The Consent Club, and more
Keely O’Brien bakes cakes with personal messages in Secret Ingredients, while Kyle Loven uses puppets to address grief in Loss Machine
At Metro Theatre, Norm Foster’s dark comedy features juicy twists and guilty pleasures
The coproduction by Arts Club Theatre Company and Citadel Theatre pushes the brash heroes through adventure after adventure
Sculptural movement flows against luminous set design—but the highlight is still the raucous third act
Over-the-top performances and funhouse visuals make this Broadway Across Canada production a suitably warped winner
Vancouver’s Mitch and Murray Productions mounts Will Arbery’s complex and challenging play
Part illustrated lecture, part standup comedy, Cheyenne Rouleau’s show rips into fat shaming
The family-friendly piece by Quebec’s L’eau du bain theatre company is an immersive experience
Production by Theatre Conspiracy and Pandemic Theatre sheds light on the treacherous journey faced by asylum seekers crossing the Aegean Sea
The performance centres on a live cooking demonstration to explore the colonial history of the Philippines
The latest installment in the company’s ÉCHO(S): staged readings series is coproduced by Pi Theatre
The multimedia documentary-style work interweaves personal stories with historical, political, and sociological facts
West Coast premiere of Frances Koncan’s powerful play offers a satirical take on the Canadian fur trade
New twist on a classic ballet is full of beauty and wit, breaking new ground for the Aussie modern-circus troupe
Heartwarming, hilarious play is presented in association with the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Presentation House Theatre, and Blackout Art Society
Production by L’eau du bain theatre company follows the friendship of two young girls in an endless Norwegian winter
Based on the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas, Arts Club Theatre Company and Citadel Theatre coproduction is full of heroism, passion, and adventure
Tagalog play translated, adapted, and performed by Carmela Sison investigates the effects of global imperialism on food preparation
Neworld Theatre’s one-woman production mixes stand-up comedy and storytelling in an unapologetic dissection of fatphobia
Steffanie Davis returns to the stage as Isabelle, a millennial reimagining of hopeless romantic Cyrano de Bergerac
Random scenes and songs that stood out across music, theatre, opera, and dance
At the Little Mountain Gallery, improvisers draw on Shakespeare plays to craft an all-new tragedy
Pantos, waltzes, and stage musicals are just a few of the ways for culture vultures to ring in 2025