Paprika Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This year’s festival includes free community events and presentations of new work from nine artists in the Directors Lab, Playwrights Unit, Indigenous Arts Program, and Design Lab 2026 cohort.

DIRECTORS LAB and DESIGN LAB

Presented as a double bill on May 15 at 7pm

ANANSI v. GOD(s)
Inspired by West-African folklore and stories of the Bible, ANANSI v.GOD(s) is a 3-part parable by Paul Smith, directed Nicci Pryce,with Projection Design and Cultural Consultation by Kobena Ampofo that reminds humans and gods alike how to stay true to yourself, stay true to your story, and prepare for the end of the world. The gods need new stories and a certain spider is chosen to collect the best ones from humanity. But when a student’s diary journal is published online, man and myth must team up to regain control of their character and balance the scales. 

Nicci Pryce (Directors Lab) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is rooted in passion, vulnerability, and social justice. Kobena Ampofo (Design Lab) is a queer Akan anti-disciplinary artist developing a curiosity-led research practice around witchcraft, Akan mediumship, and the spirit realm. 

The Walls Enclosing
The Walls Enclosing is written by Ameer Idreis, directed by Vandana Maharaj, with projection design by saysah. Is there a difference between being from a place and being of it? Thirteen years since her last visit, Amal returns to Occupied Palestine on a trip to visit family and finds so much has changed and yet nothing at all. Worried about her Arabic and apprehensive about fitting into her homeland, Amal is embraced by her cousin, who makes it his mission to show her around. 

Vandana Maharaj (Directors Lab) is a Trinidadian-Canadian actor, director and writer. as a multidisciplinary and multisensorial artist, saysah’s practice (design lab) weaves together different forms of expression, all guided by sensory exploration.

INDIGENOUS ARTS PROGRAM

Presented as a double bill on May 14 at 7pm

The piano in my mothers home (working title)
This solo by Kéïta Fournier-Pelletier explores grief, loss, and love, woven together through movement, music, and text. “Coming from a family of musicians, music has been a central part of my life and how we grieve. It has become ceremonious in my family to gather around the piano to sing, to mourn, to come together, even to have a concert as a celebration of life.”

Kéïta Fournier-Pelletier is a queer, Métis, Franco-Manitoban artist, dancer, choreographer and educator from Treaty 1 Territory, based in Tkaronto. 

Sisterhood
This story by Jane-Leigh Jamieson examines the complexities of sisterhood. This piece takes you through the ups and downs of going through life with your sibling. Growing together, growing apart, taking care of them, needing them to take care of you and how no matter what you go through together, you are always going to be there for each other.

Jane-Leigh Jamieson is a dancer and choreographer from the Six Nations Reserve. 

PLAYWRIGHTS UNIT

Presented as a triple bill on May 16 at 7pm

Made of Glass
In a small Northwest Toronto apartment, Nabeel is home when Safiyah returns from work. They fall into their usual rhythm, half-finished conversations, silences that linger. Small things start to matter more than they should. Leaving them to question how can they keep something steady, even if it begins to slip.

Suleekha Hirsi is a Somali-Canadian, Black Muslim playwright and filmmaker based in Brampton.

Dream House/Doll House 
After being kicked out of her ex-boyfriend’s apartment, Holly Pugliese, 20something trans woman and high femme fashion doll obsessive, is forced to crash with her sister Anna and her fiancé. The two have competing ideas on the meaning of “normal” heterosexual womanhood and explore the boundary between compassion and control, as Holly tries to imagine an independent future for herself.

Gwen Gabriella Caughell is a playwright, short story writer and critic based out of Toronto. 

Kim is Dead.
Nothing exciting ever happens in the box office. If the world falls apart and zombies roam the streets, the box office staff will be there to book your tickets. Sometimes things go wrong. Maybe we have internet issues, or maybe our ticket printer broke. Maybe our boss died and he was rehired as a zombie. But the show must go on… Right?

Melissa Avalos is a Toronto-born Latina-Filipina writer, reviewer, theatre lover and a patron services representative. Here she shares about her participation in the festival’s Playwrights Unit.

Additional Festival Details

Community events at Paprika Festival will include free events inside and outside of the Daniels Spectrum building including: Playwrights Canada Press Pop-Up; Emerging Artists Open Mic; Neighbourhood Lemonade Stand; Goodie Bag – Happy Birthday Edition!; and a Closing Reception.

Paprika Festival takes place at Native Earth’s Aki Studio in Toronto until May 16, 2026. Festival schedule and tickets are available at paprikafestival.com.

Images courtesy of Paprika Festival.