Playwright Daisy Rayne presents Golden at the 2024 Halifax Fringe Festival, an all-ages show about identity and discovering who you are through exploring where you came from.
My goal is for you to be reminded of that one thing that makes you golden and share those stories with the people you love. – Daisy Rayne
In this Q&A, we learn more from playwright and director Daisy Rayne.
Golden plays as part of the 2024 Halifax Fringe Festival at the Neptune Scotiabank Studio (1593 Argyle St, Halifax) on September 1, 3 & 6. Visit halifaxfringefestival.ca for tickets and information.
This interview has been edited.
Q. Tell us about Golden. What can audiences expect?
In short, Golden is a play about identity.
Audiences can expect a whimsical interpretation of what it means to explore who you are. The show includes puppetry, dancing, music, and real paintings I made. It’s charming, fun, and emotional. Anyone of any age can enjoy it.
Q. What was the inspiration for Golden?
My mom loves to tell me a story about how I viewed myself as a kid. I was about 8 or 9 years old. She wanted to know how I viewed myself growing up around people who didn’t look like me. She’d ask, “Do you feel that you look more like your dad’s family or your mom’s?” I’d respond, “I don’t look like you or Dad. I’m just me.” She’d ask again, “But do you feel more Black or white?” Didn’t she understand that I couldn’t possibly look like her? Her skin was much paler! And I couldn’t possibly look like my dad; his skin was much darker! “No Mama,” I’d say. “My skin isn’t Black or white, it’s gold.”
Using this story, I began working on my script. It started as a final project in the acting program at Dalhousie’s Fountain School of Performing Arts. Being a visual artist, I decided to combine my love for both art forms. What began as a short 10-minute performance has blossomed into a play that I’m proud to present to a public audience.
Q. Why this particular show now?
Nova Scotia has the largest Indigenous Black community in all of Canada. Our roots go back over 400 years. Despite this, I barely saw people who looked like me growing up in Halifax, especially important authority figures. For example, I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was young, but I never thought it was possible because there was nobody with my big curly hair. There’s still work to be done, but it’s so inspiring to see that things are changing for the better here in Nova Scotia, and I want to be a part of that change.
Q. What do you hope audiences leave talking about after seeing Golden?
I want audiences to leave talking about their own “golden” stories.
I hope that you can see yourself represented, whether in the characters on stage or in the struggles they face. My goal is for you to be reminded of that one thing that makes you golden and share those stories with the people you love.
Q. Why should someone come to see Golden?
Golden is for kids who want to see magic on stage. It’s for students who are still finding their place in this world and for parents who still see them as the playful kids they once were.
Golden plays as part of the 2024 Halifax Fringe Festival at the Neptune Scotiabank Studio (1593 Argyle St, Halifax) on September 1, 3 & 6. Visit halifaxfringefestival.ca for tickets and information.