Lessons in Temperament

“A memoir of minds gone out of tune” – The New York Times

Produced in Partnership with
Soulpepper Theatre Company, TO Live, The Rose Theatre, The Stratford Festival, Crow’s Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, Mirvish Productions, The Harbourfront Centre and Talk is Free Theatre

Screening Live and Virtually, November 13th – 27th, 2021
100% of proceeds go to support
CAMH, Kerry’s Place, Stella’s Place, Homes First, EveryMind and True North Aid

The story of four neurodiverse brothers, told through a cinematic escape into the art and science of piano tuning. An instrument goes out of tune whether or not anyone plays it – something that musician and theatre-maker James Smith knows all too well. So after months of being unemployed during the pandemic, he decides that he will spend his lockdown visiting shuttered theatres, and doing what he can to keep their pianos in tune. This ritual soon unlocks James’ own search for balance, growing up as one of four brothers living with obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. 

Adapted into a feature film by Smith and Director Mitchell Cushman from their award-winning play, Lessons in Temperament, offers an urgent and cathartic story that takes the audience inside James’ mind, inside his piano, and inside a dozen of Ontario’s most iconic theatres.  

Each live screening will operate in accordance with the latest health and safety guidelines in regards to Covid-19. Each venue will require all audience members to be masked and show proof of vaccination; there will be reduced capacity and socially-distanced seating.