Photo by Dahlia Katz
In Seven Days
by Jordi Mand
Thirty-year-old Rachel arrives at the home of her ailing father and his girlfriend for Shabbat dinner where her father makes a life-changing announcement. After years of suffering from extraordinary pain, Sam Adleman has decided to end his own life through medical assistance in dying. And he's going to do it in seven days. Rachel, who's always been close to her father, is devastated and stays the week to try and convince him not to do it. And when Rachel asks their Rabbi to get involved, Sam's decision and the impact it has on the family only gets more complicated.
Cast & Creative
Brendan McMurtry-Howlett
Darren
-
Born and raised in Tkaronto/Toronto, Brendan has been a director, performer, creator and teacher across Canada and internationally. He has worked with The Shaw Festival, Harold Green Jewish Theatre, The Grand Theatre, The National Arts Centre, Young People’s Theatre, Canadian Stage, Theatre Calgary, and The Citadel Theatre, among others. Brendan was the founding Artistic Director of Shakespeare in the Ruff, a boundary pushing outdoor theatre company in Toronto’s East End, where he served for 5 seasons, directing many of the company’s critically acclaimed productions. Brendan is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada and has a Master’s degree from York University.
Jordi Mand
Playwright
-
Award-winning writer Jordi Mand is known for her work in theatre, film, and television. Her work has received global acclaim with translated and published plays like Between the Sheets, Caught, This Will Be Excellent, Brontë: The World Without, and a new stage adaptation of the literary classic, Little Women. Mand was also a writer on the hit CTV drama, Cardinal and has been a member of countless development rooms for Canadian television shows. Upcoming: New projects with the Stratford Festival and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company and an original TV series with Neshama Entertainment.
Philip Akin
Director
-
AWARDS & RECOGNITION (Selected): The Herbert Whittaker/CTCA Award for Distinguished Contribution to Canadian Theatre (2019); Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (2018); William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life (2014); Life Membership Award from Canadian Actors Equity Association (2014); Playwright’s Guild of Canada Women’s Caucus Bra D’Or Award (2011); Mallory Gilbert Leadership Award (2011); Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts Silver Ticket Award (2010); Toronto Theatre Critics Awards; Several Dora Nominations and Awards.
OTHER: Akin was a founding member of Obsidian Theatre, Canada’s leading black theatre company, and served as the Artistic Director until his retirement in 2020. Through Obsidian, Akin worked tirelessly to mentor, nurture, and develop thousands of black artists across the country. He continues this work through the Philip Akin Black Shoulder Legacy Award. A first-of-its-kind national award dedicated to supporting and nurturing Black Canadian Theatre Artists, ensuring they are equipped with the skills to be at the top of their professional game: Black Shoulders Legacy Award (bsla.ca)
Ronald Lea
Sam
-
Ron has worked as an actor for over 40 years. He has worked across Canada and the U.S. and Europe as well, working on stage, television, film, and radio as well. Ron also works in French having done a number of series in Montreal.
Mairi Babb
Shelley
-
Mairi is a Toronto-based actor, director, and voice over artist. She has performed on stages all across Canada and the US, most recently completing a successful run of the world premiere of Jordi Mand's In Seven Days - a co-production with The Grand Theatre in London and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre in Toronto. On screen she has appeared in Mistletoe Murders (Hallmark), Alice, Darling, Jersey Boy, Ruby and the Well, Aunty B's House, Run The Burbs, What We Do In The Shadows, Good Witch, The Stanley Dynamic, and Take Note. Voice credits for Audible include: various characters in the first three seasons of Mistletoe Murders and Anne of Green Gables, directed by Megan Follows.
Ralph Small
Eli
-
Ralph has an extensive list of credits as an actor, director, dramaturge, writer and instructor, with over 45 years professional experience.
Directing credits: Fair & Square and The 39 Steps (Lighthouse Festival), A Doll House (Theatre Sheridan), as well as over a dozen more as Artistic Director of the Bluewater Summer Playhouse, including The Melville Boys, Talking Dirty, The Ladies Foursome & Jonas and Barry in the Home.
Selected Theatre Credits: In Seven Days, Twelfth Night, She Loves Me, Miracle On 34th Street, (Grand Theatre); Lakefront, Come Down From Up River, Buying The Farm, Sexy Laundry (Lighthouse Festival); ART, Marathon of Hope, Unnecessary Farce, Bedtime Stories (Drayton); Pat and Skee, A Few Good Men, Looking, Colours In The Storm (Theatre Aquarius); Bar Mitzvah Boy (Harold Green Jewish Theatre); Jonas & Barry In The Home (Bluewater)
Upcoming: Estelle Singerman: Summer Night with Unicorn (Harold Green Jewish Theatre), May 2025
Film and TV Credits: Murdoch Mysteries (CBC Gem), Life With Luca (Shaftesbury Films), and One Small Visit (OSV Film Limited).
Shaina Silver-Baird
Rachel
-
Shaina is an award winning artist who works across the worlds of theatre, film, TV and music. Most notably, she toured North America as Chaya/Violinist in the international sensation Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story with 2b Theatre (6 Drama Desk nominations); starred in the world premiere of In Seven Days (Grand Theatre; HGJT); co-created, executive produced and starred in Less Than Kosher which has toured to over 60 film festivals and won awards/ been nominated at the Canadian Screen Awards, Rockie Awards, Toronto Jewish Film Festival, TO Web Fest and more. Shaina won Best Lead Performance at TO Web Fest 2023 and a Dora Award for Best Ensemble. You can find her original music online under bands Ghost Caravan and Crooked House Road. Shaina is currently writing a new feature film for Citrine Productions with support from the Canada Media Fund, and developing several projects for TV.