Performances

Animalia” is a musical adaptation of Anton Chekhov's farce "The Bear," set in present-day Toronto. Spotlighting the primal behaviors ingrained in human nature, the actors embody animals commonly found in the city, crafting a vibrant tapestry of urban wildlife. The set—a surreal blend of a Victorian house and dense forest—provides a unique backdrop, enhanced by a live, on-stage background score performed by bird-like musicians reacting to the unfolding drama. We juxtapose the play’s original themes of gender conflict with contemporary issues like app dating culture, the pervasive influence of social media, and Toronto's current socio-political climate. Through a comedic lens, "Animalia" transforms into a National Geographic-style wildlife documentary that is both absurdly entertaining and profoundly relatable.

Produced by Dramatic Jukebox
Producer - Deval Soni
Assistant producer - Taran Bumrah
Story - Anton Chekhov
Director - Manik Arora
Light designer - Abbey Kruse
Set & Costume Designer - Rose Montano
Production and Graphic Designer- Maira Abid
Marketing & Media outreach - Anupriya Basu
Muscians and supporting actors - Kabir Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma

Cast:
Deval Soni
Kamila Ultarakova