Children Speak is a radio play chronicling the lives of 14 Toronto and GTA-based children representing diverse and unique backgrounds during the global pandemic. Directed by Judith Thompson, a multi-award-winning playwright, who worked with the children on weekly workshops over the last six months.

“What was it like to be a child one hundred years ago amidst a global influenza taking 50 million lives?” asks Judith Thompson, co-founder and artistic director at RARE Theatre Company. “We don't have that audio artifact, so we created one that speaks to this time in history: The Pandemic, 2020-2021, a part play, part historical record for present and future audiences.”

Fourteen children were given questions and creative tasks, which Thompson and her team at RARE cut to a fifty minute play, divided into four equal parts for easy listening. The children range from seven to 11 years old, and through their voices, insights, reflections, lyrics and poetry, Children Speak provides a vibrant snapshot of youth expression during an inconceivable time.

Children Speak is the culmination of months of collaborative workshops and rehearsals, all taking place virtually with the children. The young cast members were discovered through a series of outreach initiatives with community groups, after-school clubs and theatre programs.

“The children in this play are as diverse as the city they live in: Toronto, the most diverse city in the world. We are so excited for you to have the opportunity to experience the worlds of these children through the wonders of superb audio production,” Thompson says. “Their voices alone will shatter you.”