What a mother will do to save her son
Directed by Weyni Mengesha
Written by Dominique Morisseau
Produced by Soulpepper Theatre
Featuring Akosua Amo-Adem, Chelsea Russell, Kevin Hanchard, Kristen homson, Mazin Elsadig, Tony Ofori
Lights: Kimberly Purtell
Costumes: Ming Wong
Sound Designer & Composer Set:
Lyon Smith
Set and Projection Designer:
Lorenzo Savoini
Fight Director: Sean Baek
Stage Manager: Robert Harding
What a mother will do to save her son.
Pipeline is a deeply moving story of a single mother’s fight to give her son a better future. Nya is an inner-city teacher who is desperate to give her son the opportunities she knows aren’t available in the public school system. When an incident at his private school threatens to get him expelled, she must confront her son’s rage and her own choices that led him there.
Nominated for 5 Lucille Lortel Awards, this thoughtful drama about community, family and the education system makes its Canadian Premiere.
“Packs a powerful punch”
Now Magazine
“Underfunded schools, underpaid teachers, underperforming students: the drama comes naturally in Pipeline, playing at Soulpepper and directed commendably by AD Weyni Mengesha. Nya’s recently separated from her husband Xavier (an arresting Kevin Hanchard) for what might be surprising reasons — this is no story of a deadbeat dad, and Mengesha skillfully foreshadows a painful reveal. The mother-son chemistry is so tangible, so raw… ”
- Intermission Magazine
“Full of richly textured performances helmed by Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha”
The Globe and Mail
“Pipeline is the perfect work to mark Soulpepper’s return to live theatre. Dominique Morisseau’s exploration of how American public schools set black boys up for failure at best and prison at worst was part of a 2020 program postponed by the pandemic. After two brutally long and tough years, director Weyni Mengesha and this cast have delivered a performance worth the wait.”
- My Entertainment World
“Kaleidoscopic Journey”
- The Globe and Mail
“Haunting and impactful”
Broadway World Toronto
“Director Weyni Mengesha’s production moves swiftly and economically… Mengesha uses the transitions between scenes – both in Savoini’s projections and Lyon Smith’s sound design – to suggest the life around the play: teens walking in school hallways, trains speeding by...”
- Now Toronto
“Breathtaking Production”
- Lynn Slotkin
