Ginette Mohr has always loved working in the magical and creative space that is theatre. A longtime staple in the Toronto comedy scene, Mohr has a new – and very young – following as the creator of Catch Me In The Kitchen, a website featuring children’s stories and snack recipes. And at the Toronto Fringe Festival KidsFest, they can see her brand-new live stage show Catch Me in the Kitchen Story Adventures. The show is directed by Liz Pounsett, and co-stars Stephen LaFrenie, who created it with Mohr.
Inspiration for the website and stage show can be traced to Mohr’s childhood. Growing up as an only child, she filled countless imaginative hours playing with just her Care Bear figurines. She smiles, “I remember our epic adventures together – how my ice cream containers from Dairy Queen transported Tender Heart and Grumpy Bear to new realms in the clouds!” With an even bigger smile, she recalls unpacking those Care Bears a few years ago for her children to play with, and the babysitter enthusiastically remarking, “Oh, it’s so cool to see these antiques!” Her childhood and that of her children have blurred because Mohr – likely to be found in the kitchen, puppeteering dish towels with them – so enjoys storytelling and play.
That enjoyment extends to the larger creative process. “I love the relationships that develop through the process of theatre creation. There’s magic in the way the audience and performers step into a story together”– and there’s also magic in the uniqueness of each performance. And this is true for her as an audience member, as well: especially if a play is well-performed or the puppets are expertly animated, she can readily suspend her disbelief “On the homefront, this can get me into trouble,” she laughs. “I’m very gullible!”
With Catch Me in the Kitchen, she and LaFrenie noted how often food appears in classic children’s stories. They imagined the possibility of families enjoying quality time at home while reading or listening to contemporary – and highly entertaining – adaptations of these tales. Catch Me in the Kitchen Story Adventures features two such reimagined classic tales with delightful characters and surprising twists, and will appeal to audiences as young as 4 years of age.
In an interview with SesayArts Magazine, Mohr spoke about the stage show (which will travel to the Winnipeg Fringe Festival after its Toronto run), her inspiration for starting Catch Me in the Kitchen with Elizabeth Witzke; how storytelling helps her feel seen and heard in her multiple identities; and the forthcoming collection of story adaptations Tricksters and Uninvited Guests.
SesayArts: Tell us about your Toronto Fringe show, Catch Me In the Kitchen Story Adventures, created and performed with Stephen LaFrenie, and directed by one of my favourite people, Liz Pounsett.
GM: Catch Me in the Kitchen Story Adventures features two stories from our audiobooks. The show uses a unique combination of storytelling and physical theatre to bring well-loved fairy tales to life, all set against a Canadian landscape. We also sprinkle in some French words as a way to support children who are in the early stages of French learning.
Liz is one of my favourite people too! She’s a gifted and nuanced director with a strong vision and a playful, collaborative spirit. I met Stephen when I was cast in a Commedia play years ago. He played Pantalone, and I thought, “This might be one of the funniest actors I’ve ever met.” He’s also an incredibly generous scene partner in the way he shapes moments for others to shine. My favourite character that he plays in our piece claims to be “the most handsome, most daring, most petrifyingly feared wolf in all the province of Ontario.”
Sesayarts: What sparked the idea for Catch Me in the Kitchen?
GM: I’ve grown to enjoy my time in the kitchen – especially as a place to write. I spread out at the kitchen table with blank paper, character sketches, my notebook, and lots of snacks.
Thinking back, the creation of Catch Me in the Kitchen started from my sense of isolation – particularly in the kitchen – as a new mom. I was also so tired! I remember moments such as putting milk in the cupboard and the cereal in the fridge. Or thinking the gingerbread house tasted like cardboard and then noticing it was cardboard. I found I wasn’t alone in my experiences. Together with my friend Elizabeth Witzke, we created Catch Me in the Kitchen as a creative response to the challenges of caregiving. Through recipes and activities, we invited families to explore how we can connect to feel less isolated in our kitchens.
Sesayarts: How has Catch Me in the Kitchen grown since you started it?
GM: Over the last decade I’ve discovered that storytelling is a way of being seen and heard as a woman, mother, and learner of the French language. Furthermore, I wanted to recreate some of the classic female characters and portray them as dynamic, driven, and hilarious as my growing daughters. I am also compelled to create stories that capture the delights and difficulties of growing up.
Sesayarts: And has any particular response to it been especially memorable?
GM: I’ve been so touched by the responses to our work. I recently heard from a parent who said that their 4-year-old has been acting out one of our stories since they saw us perform it two weeks ago.
Sesayarts: Do you want to tell us a little about the book that is forthcoming and also about what might be next for you and/or Catch Me in the Kitchen?
GM: Tricksters and Uninvited Guests is our second edition of lively and warm-hearted story adaptations. It’s coming out shortly as an audiobook and paperback. The audiobook features original music by our band The Pickle Peppers, led by my brilliant husband Tim Freeman (who composed a funny song for me to sing about being a muffin) and three story adaptations: ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, ‘Lupus Maximus and the Shepherd Boy’, and ‘The Little Red Hen’s Birthday.’ Shawna Reiter created the illustrations – I love how she brought the characters to life.
Next up for Catch Me in the Kitchen will be more live shows and continued production of our podcast Catch Me in the Kitchen Audio Snacks, where we – and our storytelling guests – tell reimagined folktales, fairytales, or original stories. So far, we have fourteen episodes. They can be found here.
Sesayarts: Who would you say is one of your biggest influences?
GM: I am thinking of my first acting teacher, who recently passed away. It’s strange – I always thought he was immortal. His name was Ken Agrell-Smith, or “Agrell”. A large Santa Claus of a guy, and a believer in “bigger is better”, he extolled the virtues of Greek theatre and catharsis, staging three-hour productions such as ‘The State of Siege’ and ‘Marat/Sade’ so that we could stretch ourselves within the full range of human experience. His classes created periods of respite during a turbulent time in my life. Whenever I ducked into the drama room, he’d smile and say, “What’s going on, kiddo?”
Catch Me in the Kitchen Story Adventures is playing at the Toronto Fringe KidsFest from July 5-15, 2023 and the Winnipeg Fringe Festival July 19 – 30, 2023. Visit catchmeinthekitchen.com for information and tickets.
© Arpita Ghosal, Sesayarts Magazine, 2023
