Other Side of the Game follows Beverly, a student in 1970s Toronto who becomes involved with Black activists organizing in the civil rights movement, and Nicole in contemporary Toronto who, while at a basketball court with her ex-boyfriend, is stopped by police.[1][2]
Development
Parris was inspired to write the play after visiting a friend at the Don Jail in Toronto.[3] She noticed the majority of the people in the waiting room were women and began speaking to them.[4]Other Side of the Game is Parris' first play.[3] She initially wrote the play envisioning herself performing it, but was encouraged by dramaturge, Marjorie Chan, to explore alternate versions of the play without herself as a performer.[5]
Productions
Other Side of the Game premiered in October 2017 at Aki Studio Theatre in Toronto as a co-production from Obsidian Theatre and Cahoots Theatre, directed by Nigel Shawn Williams. The production starred Virgilia Griffith, Ordena Stephens-Thompson, Shakura Dickson, Peter Bailey, and Ryan Rosery, and was choreographed by Jasmyn Fyffe.[6][3]
Adaptation
In 2019, Other Side of the Game was adapted as an audio drama in three parts for the PlayME podcast.[7]