The Wounds of Love and Other Gifts
a new work of music theatre by Bruce Dow
after the words of Oscar Wilde and his contemporaries
Produced by Olivia Daniels and A.I.R. Collective
in association with The Alliance for Canadian Musicals
for the 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival
Written, Composed, and Directed by Bruce Dow
Choreographed by Jeff Dimitriou
Musical Direction, Supervision, and Orchestrations by Ethan Rotenberg
Associate Director, Olivia Daniels
Stage Management, Bella Szpala
Assistant Stage Managers, Jacqueline Chan and Justyn Nishimura
THE CAST
DANCER – ERINN BEKKERS
A Reader
and Body of The Swallow
SHE – KENDRA DYCK
A Reader
and Voice of The Swallow
HER – PRIYA KHATRI
The Protagonist
and The Mothers
HE – RONAN HAYES
A Reader
and The Happy Prince
HIM – BRAEDEN SOLTYS
The Sage
The Town Councillor
The Professor of Ornithology
and The Young Poet
TIME: The Present
PLACE: Perhaps a Library
THE ACTION: The action takes place over the course of a single evening. A group of people gathers to read and share ideas. When one member is unexpectedly moved by an Oscar Wilde story, originally written for his sons, the group decides to read it together. As they do, the story begins to reveal questions far larger and more complex than any of them anticipated.
MUSICAL NUMBERS:
1. The Overture
2. The Problem
3. Why Can’t We Be Happy
4. Flight of The Swallow
5. What a Curious Thing
6. When I Was Alive
7. Far Away (I)
8. Off to Egypt (I)
9. The First Flight
10. Lullaby
11. A Swallow in Winter
12. Off to Egypt (II)
13. Far Away (II)
14. The Second Flight
15. Someone Has Finally Noticed
16. The Final Request
17. The Decision
18. Wonderful
19. What on Earth Has Happened
20. Interlude
THE CREATIVE TEAM
PRODUCER
and ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Olivia Daniels
CREATOR
COMPOSER
and DIRECTOR
Bruce Dow
CHOREOGRAPHER
Jeff Dimitriou
MUSICAL DIRECTION
MUSICAL SUPERVISION
and ORCHESTRATIONS
Ethan Rotenberg
STAGE MANAGEMENT
Bella Szpala
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGEMENT
Jacqueline Chan / Justyn Nishimura
THE ORCHESTRA
CONDUCTOR and KEYBOARD
Ethan Rotenberg
VIOLIN
Person One
CELLO
Person Two