Outside the March makes theatre on Turtle Island, the Land we are on, also known by many other names. We are specifically based in the Land known as Toronto, or Tkaronto, which includes the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and is know home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
We acknowledge, honour and work to act in solidarity with all Indigenous peoples. We also recognize that acknowledgement is only the first step in ending oppression and contributing to the repair of relationships with our neighbours and the Land we call home.
Outside the March is undergoing a year-long staff educational initiative as well as an internal strategic planning session to address how we can better honour and serve Indigenous art and artists, and support these storytellers in sharing their own art, histories and culture. If you have feedback or questions about this land acknowledgement or anything else, we welcome you to email us at Info@outsidethemarch.ca.
Who We Are
Outside the March creates unforgettable immersive encounters – redefining the experience of theatre for a new generation of audiences. We are one of Canada’s leading immersive theatre companies and a registered charity. Since 2009 we’ve welcomed our audiences to over 20 critically-celebrated, award-winning productions that seek to embody our values of Curiosity, Care, Thrills, Connection and Immersion.
The Toronto Star describes OtM as “one of the most interesting and successful theatre companies in our city.” By expanding the canvas on which theatrical storytelling takes place, we welcome audiences who don’t normally find themselves at the theatre and bring underused spaces into the public eye. Over the past decade, we have invited audiences to play with us in a Parkdale kindergarten classroom, venture to Roncesvalles on an EMS call, weather the apocalypse in an abandoned Leslieville movie theatre, unlock mysteries in a beloved Annex VHS rental store, and place a phone call to our mystery-solving service from anywhere in the world, amongst many other exciting immersive offerings.
Our Values
Our newly articulated values were given expression as part of our collaborative 2022 Strategic Planning process. These five core ideals have historically infused the strength of our work, and we aspire to fully embody them in all future endeavours.
CURIOSITY: We’re on the hunt for the hidden theatrical potential in the world around us. We are open and adaptive as we seek new ways to tell stories together.
CARE: Our approach to hospitality celebrates that every artist, every staff member and every audience member has different needs and desires. We strive to be compassionate and empathetic, building a safer, more accessible, more equitable space for everyone who interacts with the company.
THRILLS: We relish the unknown, embracing joy and risk in our processes and surprise in our artistic offerings.
CONNECTION: We consciously forge relationships between artists, collaborators, audiences, our neighbours in Toronto, and the land we share stories on.
IMMERSION: We create epic and intimate worlds tailored to the unique needs of each project. We see every facet of a production as a chance to deepen the storytelling experience—from the first glance at a poster to the journey home from the show, and everything in between.
The OtM-ifesto
Outside the March creates unforgettable immersive encounters—redefining the experience of theatre for a new generation of audiences.
For everyone who is tired of passively scrolling content, for anyone concerned that our city is becoming one indistinguishable condo block, we’re here to offer a cultural wake-up call.
We work to harness theatre’s secret weapon—the power of presence unique to live performance that can’t be streamed or downloaded. Our immersive experiences are communal, site-engaged and fuse the epic with the intimate, all with the goal of implicating our audiences in the stories that we share.
By expanding the canvas on which our storytelling takes place, we bring underused spaces into the public eye and welcome audiences who don’t normally find themselves at the theatre. Over the past decade, we’ve invited audiences to play with us in a Parkdale kindergarten classroom, parade with Queen Elizabeth along the Danforth, venture to Roncesvalles on an EMS call, follow a piano-tuner into living rooms across the city, weather the apocalypse in an abandoned Leslieville movie theatre, infuse a Davisville funeral home with love, unlock mysteries in a beloved Annex VHS video store, and place a call to our eccentric private investigator service. Along the way, we’ve developed a signature artistic practice and an audience base that unites hardcore theatre lovers with the newly-initiated.
Charging into our second decade we will seek out more cross-disciplinary collaborations with the makers who inspire us. We will contribute to a more sustainable world, through both our practices and our programming, recognizing that the climate crisis is the most urgent issue of our time. And we will throw open our toolshed, contributing to a more equitable industry and furnishing a new and diverse generation of creators with the tools to immerse audiences in their stories.
As we look forward to what’s next, we seek to support new voices who see every closed door—every warehouse, storefront window, café and public park—as an opportunity: a chance to amplify the vital and disparate narratives of our moment.
History
Outside the March was founded in 2009 by Co-Artistic Directors, Mitchell Cushman and Simon Bloom, and core artists, Amy Keating, Sebastien Heins, Katherine Cullen and Ishai Buchbinder. Katherine Devlin Rosenfeld joined the company in 2013 as the company’s first Managing Producer.
Production History
(**World Premiere | *Canadian Premiere)
R.A.V.E. (2024 co-production with The R.A.V.E. Institute in association with Toronto Luminato Festival)**
A Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney (2024 co-production with Soulpepper)
No Save Points (2023 presentation by Starvox Entertainment in association with Modern Times Stage Company)**
The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale (2022 presentation by Soulpepper, 2019 presentation by Progress Festival, both in co-production red light district)*
Trojan Girls (2022 co-production with Factory Theatre)**
Lessons in Temperament (film adaptation) (2021 film adaptation distributed by LevelFilm and TVO)**
StupidHead! (2021 production in partnership with Talk is Free Theatre)
The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries (2020-2023 production, including co-productions with SummerWorks, Theatre Direct, Sound Off, Unity Health and TO Live)**
Something Bubbled, Something Blue (2020 production in association with Talk is Free Theatre)**
The Stream You Step In (2020 co-production with University of Windsor Drama)**
The Golem’s Mighty Swing (2019 presentation by Winnipeg Jewish Theatre)**
The Flick (2019 co-production with Crow’s Theatre)*
The Tape Escape (2019 production)**
A Community Target (2018 co-production with Convergence Theatre)**
Dr. Silver: A Celebration of Life (2018 co-production with The Musical Stage Company)**
Jerusalem (2018 co-production with The Company Theatre)*
Lessons in Temperament (2016 presentation by SummerWorks; 2017 New York tour presentation by Soulpepper; 2022 presentations by National Arts Centre & Stratford Festival; 2023 presentation by High Performance Rodeo; 2024 tour presentation by Ontario Presents)**
TomorrowLove™ (2016 production) **
That Syncing Feeling (2015 presentation by SummerWorks)**
Mr. Burns, a post-electric play (2015 production in association with Crow’s Theatre)*
Vitals (2014 production in association with Theatre Passe Muraille)**
Murderers Confess at Christmastime (2013 presentation by SummerWorks)
Passion Play (2013 co-production with Convergence Theatre and Sheep No Wool)*
Terminus (2012 presentation by SummerWorks & Mirvish; 2014 tour to The Belfry & Yukon Arts Centre; 2015 presentation by Centaur Theatre)*
Mr. Marmalade (2011 presentation by SummerWorks)*
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs (2012 in association with Theatre Passe Muraille)
Oh the Humanity, and Other Good Intentions (2010 production)*