Tickets for Coming of Rage are on sale now, taking place at Waterfront Theatre from Sept 10 – 20. Book your spot today for just $20 per person!
Hi, I’m Sophia. I am an artist and director. I grew up on Bowen Island, which is a very artsy place, so I was always surrounded by the arts and theatre. From there, I studied acting at Studio 54 and graduated from the University of British Columbia with a theatre studies degree.
I’m now working at Gateway and Carousel as an assistant director, and I love creating my own work. I am so excited to be back for my third year at the Fringe, returning with the same team behind Not the End of the World (Audience Choice Award, Vancouver Fringe 2025) with Coming of Rage.
What is the plot of your show?
Coming of Rage is about being young and growing up exposed to violence on a daily basis and through the media we consume. Violence is everywhere, across all sorts of media and among people in power. Whether it is happening far away or happening to us in small ways, we are still affected by it.
The show looks at the anger, passion, and need for destruction that we carry inside us, how we learn to manage it, and how it is treated differently depending on gender. The story explores these themes through our young female protagonist, who is going through puberty. There will be humour, sadness, and so much love. It’s going to be a fun time.
What inspired you to create this show?
We created this show at Theatre Under the Wire, a 48-hour challenge to create a 15-minute play with prompts provided by local Vancouver theatre companies (Axis Theatre, The Electric Company, Monster Theatre, Touchstone Theatre, and the Fringe).
We were assigned a rag doll and the sound bite of an angry mob, which was a fun combination. With that, we created a mini version of Coming of Rage, playing around with violence and childhood, the idea of wanting to push the rules, seeing how far you could go, and the satisfaction of destroying something.
After that, we began expanding the themes so the show could last for a full hour.
What are you hoping audiences will experience or take away from your show?
With all my work, I try to create pieces that are thought-provoking and funny. I think humour is one of the best vessels for exploring difficult topics, and I hope people come away with a lot to think about while also having plenty of laughs and levity.
We are also using puppets and masks combined with text, and we hope people find the style refreshing. Combining puppets, masks, and text is not common, and this style is very unique to our team. We’re excited for the forms to mix.
Why should people come see your show?
It’s thought-provoking and funny, with relevant subject matter approached in a unique, comedic, and interesting way. If you want to see cool, exciting, imaginative puppets and masks that are all handmade, come see the show.
You’ll also see an amazing ensemble filled with skilled performances. This whole project is a group effort, and so much talent has been poured into it.
What has winning the Ensemble Prize meant for you, and how has it helped support your work or your Fringe experience?
Winning this award has been awesome and makes ensemble work much more feasible. Creating a Fringe show can be hard when it comes to space, costumes, and making sure all the artists are paid fairly.
With the award, it becomes financially and logistically easier, allowing more people to contribute and be compensated more fairly. It makes the project much easier to facilitate financially.
Seeing everyone’s work receive acclaim has been meaningful. Yes, I am directing and producing the show, but the creation is very much an ensemble project, and the award helps highlight that while making it more feasible to bring this kind of work to a festival.
Theatre edition: what is a hill you’re willing to die on?
You don’t need a huge budget to make good theatre. Our show especially has a very DIY style, with props and backgrounds made by hand, and I think that adds more depth and meaning to the show.
