BUTCH/FEMME is set in the stillness of 1950s rural Ontario, and begins when Jenny’s quiet evening is interrupted by an unexpected visitor — Alice, the woman she thought she’d left behind. Over the course of one charged night, the two women revisit the past, unearth long-buried truths, and confront the invisible threads that still bind them.

Although BUTCH/FEMME is set in the 1950s, its themes speak directly to present-day realities — particularly the ongoing scarcity of lesbian-centered spaces in Toronto. With queer women’s venues and community spaces increasingly rare, the play invites audiences to reflect on what has been lost, what remains, and how LGBTQ+ stories continue to be shaped by the spaces we create — or are denied.

BUTCH/FEMME is written and directed by Emily Paterson, and produced by The Green Couch Theatre Company.

“The story grew out of my frustration with how rarely sapphic stories—especially butch identities—appear on our stages. Setting it in 1950s rural Ontario honours those lineages and reminds us queer people have always been everywhere.” — Emily Paterson, writer/director

Winner of the President’s Award for Outstanding Production at the Hart House Drama Festival (University of Toronto), BUTCH/FEMME is a moving exploration of love, identity, and the courage it takes to face the truth — and each other.

SHOW INFORMATION:

Dates: September 20 – 27, 2025, at 7:30 pm and a 2pm matinee on September 21, 2025

Opening night: September 23, 2025, at 7:30 pm

Venue: Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 16 Ryerson Ave, Toronto

Running Time: 75 minutes (no intermission)

Tickets: Pay-What-You-Can-Afford – $15 | $40 | $65

Tickets available at passemuraille.ca or by phone at 416-504-7529
ACCESSIBILITY & SPECIAL PERFORMANCES

  • Mask Mandatory Performance: Wednesday, September 24 at 7:30 pm
  • Audio Description (Closed):
    • Sunday, September 21 at 2:00 pm
    • Friday, September 26 at 7:30 pm (with post-show Q&A)
  • Red Circle Community Event: Queer Art in Our Times Panel
    • Join Artistic Director Marjorie Chan and artist and scholar Moynan King for a post-show discussion on the joys and risks of creating Queer art in these times. Free and open to the public. Refreshments provided.
    • Sunday September 21 at 3:15 pm

CREATIVE TEAM & CAST:

  • Written & Directed by: Emily Paterson
  • Cast: Alice – Tessa Kramer and Jenny – Annabelle Gillis
  • Movement Direction: Emily Paterson
  • Composition & Musical Direction / Sound Design: Anya Ivantchenko
  • Lighting Design: Eden Phillips
  • Set Design: Aria Kowal
  • Costume Design & Stage Management: Salma Qureshi Wennekers
  • Production Management: Gaby Bondoc
  • Producer for The Green Couch Theatre Company: Emily Paterson

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.