Esperanza Soto welcomes new recruits to a U.S. drone centre. Run entirely on wind energy, the centre is part of the U.S. Army’s Green Military Movement. One of the drone operators is a climate refugee from Vancouver. What choices will she make when climate refugees attempt to cross the border from Mexico?
A heads up that this episode contains military violence, so keep that in mind when deciding when and where to listen.
Here is our mini Q&A!
Q: If you were a sound effect, what would you sound like?
A: Salsa music.
Q: Who would you like to listen to your episode?
A: Everyone.
Q: Why did you write about this topic?
A: Because I have a problem with diversity that isn't rooted in class consciousness. Also, any chance I get to denounce the U.S. military, I will take.
Q: How does climate change affect your community?
A: Floods. Fires.
Q: What inspires your writing?
A: Deadlines.
Electric Company Theatre is one of Canada’s leading creators of live theatre and a resident company at Progress Lab, a creation studio in East Vancouver on the west coast of Canada. We'll let them introduce themselves in their own words:
'Electric Company inspires audiences with a renewed sense of possibility: our performances consistently defy and expand the definition of what live theatre can be. We provide a highly collaborative environment for artists, creating the right conditions for experimentation, risk, and the pursuit of excellence.'
Soulpepper is Canada's leading artist-driven theatre company and is based in Tkatonro/Toronto. We'll let them introduce themselves in their own words:
'We believe that stories can connect us, that they are vital to our understanding, compassion and knowledge, and that they can motivate us toward social change.'
Sunny's inventive and award-winning theatre works have been presented in over 60 cities across the world and translated into 4 languages. His wide range of audiences have spanned international arts festivals goers, queers in underground warehouses, seniors in regional theatres and young people in drop-in centres.
Our Impact Producer, Chaprece Henry, unpacks the climate themes
in this episode in our Discussion Guide
Written and directed by CARMEN AGUIRRE
Starring:
MONTSERRAT VIDELA SAMPER as Esperanza Soto
LILI ROBINSON as The Drone Operator
CHARLIE DEMERS as The Floor Supervisor and Friend
Sound design and music by JOELYSA PANKANEA
Episode Produced by ELECTRIC COMPANY THEATRE with support from SUNNY DRAKE PRODUCTIONS
Episode Producers CARLA RITCHIE and NATALIE LEFEBVRE GNAM
Episode Production Manager CARLA RITCHIE
Audio mixing by HEATHER BROWN and RICHARD FEREN
Recording engineer MONARCH STUDIOS
Special thanks to BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver Cultural Services, Canada Council for the Arts, Monarch Studios, and Progress Lab.
Electric Company Theatre acknowledge the unceded, ancestral and traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people. As artists who live, work and create on these lands, Electric Company strives to be allies with, to learn from and to acknowledge the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Find the transcript here.
Support climate refugees by visiting https://www.climate-refugees.org
Want to do more? Consider donating to these climate organizations or supporting their campaigns.
