Photo by Dahlia Katz
Hypothetical Baby
by Rachel Cairns
A searingly honest, laugh-out-loud, and breathtakingly nuanced performance that tackles the timely and deeply personal topic of abortion. Rachel Cairns mixes data and drama to present an autobiographical work that dares to publicly talk about abortion the way we do privately — with neurotic vulnerability, unflinching honesty, and frank irreverence. This touching and hilarious one-person show grapples with the personal and societal factors that shape our reproductive lives and the intricate relationship between choice, change, and loss.
Cast & Creative
Rachel Cairns
Playwright & Performer
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Rachel Cairns is an award-winning multi-disciplinary artist celebrated for her versatility across mediums. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rachel has performed on stages across Canada. Her solo show, "Hypothetical Baby," which delves into the practical and existential considerations in deciding to become a parent (or not), premiered at the Tarragon Theatre in December 2023. She Does the City recognized Rachel as their Artist of the Month for the production’s “sharp and witty writing, and a nuanced exploration of wider social issues.” Rachel is presently adapting the play into a memoir with ECW Press.
Rachel is also the creator and host of Aborsh, a podcast about abortion in Canada. Its first season was honoured with Planned Parenthood Toronto Choice Award and you can tune into the second season now, anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Beyond theatre and podcasting, Rachel’s creative repertoire also includes a library of episodic content and short films. Her web series, Mom & Me, boasts a dedicated YouTube following of 15,000 subscribers and has garnered over 7 million views. In addition to her creative endeavors, Rachel is a professor at the George Brown School of Media and Performing Arts. She also directs audiobooks for Penguin Random House Canada, a role she considers one of her “best life hacks” for finding a way to be read to for a living.
Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
Director
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Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster comes from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and is currently based in Toronto, Ontario. She is an assistant professor at York University, and a founding artistic leader of the theatre collective The Howland Company. She was recently the Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre, and is a former resident artist with Soulpepper Theatre Company. Courtney has performed with the Shaw Festival, Soulpepper, Public Recordings, Canadian Stage, Citadel Theatre, Blue Bridge Repertory, Cahoots, Native Earth Performing Arts, Tarragon, County Stage and beyond. She has directed at Tarragon, Crows, Howland, Next Stage Festival, Sheridan College, and more. Courtney has also directed the radio plays Three Women of Swatow for CBC PlayMe, 7 Stories, Shape of a Girl and Democracy (Expect Theatre/Tarragon) and Ins Choi's Casting at Factory Theatre. Courtney is a co-creator of Stillwater School for Mosquitos, a musical adventure podcast for children.