What Was My Backyard?

What Was My Backyard? is a touring interactive musical show. It has been developed and presented at a series of Toronto communities and public schools. The Community Arts Guild is the project's current main producer, in partnership with Jumblies Theatre, Scarborough Arts, and Theatre Direct.

What Was My Backyard? is inspired by a 1908 newspaper clipping about the discovery of 11,000 year old footprints preserved in blue clay under Lake Ontario, uncovered and promptly destroyed during a construction project. The show combines music, movement and puppetry whimsically to bring to light the Indigenous lives and lands underneath where our homes, playgrounds, parks, streets and backyards now stand: the footprints below and above our city streets, and how we can imagine paths forward.

We are reviving What Was My Backyard? for performances in April and May 2026 with 2 Toronto Schools: Garden Public School and JG Workman Public School.

The creative team includes Britta Johnson and Binaeshee-Quae Couchie-Nabigon (composers), Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey (choreographer), Nicole Joy Fraser (singer) and other artists, musicians and performers.

What Was My Backyard? was originally conceived at a Jumblies Composing Community workshop by: Marc Blouin, Shifra Cooper, Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk, Beth Helmers, and Britta Johnson.

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  • 2026 Artistic/Production Team:

    Beth Helmers (director)

    Shifra Cooper (music director, Garden School)

    Cathy Nosaty (music director, Workman School)

    Nicole Joy Fraser (singer)

    Brefny Caribou (performer)

    Micah Forbes-Stevens (performer)

    Faith Rajasingham (performer)

    Tijana Spasic (performer)

    Julia Hune-Brown (performer)

    Katie Couchie (performer)

    Animikiikwe Waukey Couchie (choreographer)

    Nicholas Delbaere-Sawchuk (Métis fiddler)

    Aine Schryer-O’Gorman (fiddle)

    Martin van de Ven (clarinet)

    Daev Clysdale (piano)

    Catherine Moeller (visual arts)

    Arlynn McDermott (visual arts)

    Olivia Zotti (production & stage manager)

    Adam Airedale-Gray (sound)

    Jenny Jimenez (lighting)

    Christian Sears (lighting)

    & Others tbd

  • Composers: Britta Johnson, Binaeshee-Quae Couchie-Nabigon

    Director: Beth Helmers

    Musical Director: Cathy Nosaty

    Choreographer: Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey

    Guest Writer: Sarah Gartshore

    Designers: Kay Jones, Ruth Howard, Sherry Guppy

    Stage Manager and Associate Production Manager: Olivia Zotti

    Production Manager and Lighting Technician: Cadman Brooks

    Sound Technician: Camil@ Diaz Varela

    Performers and Lead Facilitators: Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey, Cindy Dzib, Jesse Wabegijig, Katie Couchie, Tijana Spasich

    Solo Singer (Nibii/Water): Nicole Joy-Fraser*
    * The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.

    Water Choir
    Gather Round Singers    , Jumblies’ all-abilities all-ages community choir
    Director: Shifra Cooper
    Assistant Director: Natalie Fasheh
    Manager: Ahmed Hegazy
    Choir Staff (not mentioned elsewhere): Catherine Moeller, Tasmeen Syed, Hodan Ibrahim

    Community Arts Guild Choir
    Director:     Cathy Nosaty

    Manager/Associate Artist: Ahmed Hegazy

    Musicians: Daev Clysdale (piano), Aine Schryer O’Gorman (fiddle), Morgan Gardener (trumpet)

    Funders: Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Metcalf Foundation, Government of Canada (Young Canada Works), Miziwe Biik (2020)

    Previous Contributors: Adrienne Marcus Raja, Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuck, Ashley Bomberry, Ceilidh Carberry, Damien Scott, Jamie Oshkabewisens, Kennedy Bomberry, Lochlan Cox, Marc Blouin, Oshan Starreveld, Ruedi Narowski-Vesely, Sharon Tung, Victoria Freeman and many others

    Thanks to: Sharada Eswar, Sam Egan & other Jumblies staff, Lisa Marie and Kate from Theatre Direct, Toronto Community Housing

  • Composers: Britta Johnson, Binaeshee-Quae Couchie-Nabigon

    Director/Producer: Beth Helmers

    Musical Director: Shifra Cooper

    Choreographer: Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey

    Guest Writer: Sarah Gartshore

    Designers: Ruth Howard, Sherry Guppy, Kay Jones

    Makers: Catherine Moeller, Cindy Dzib, Sharon Tung

    Stage Manager and Associate Production Manager: Olivia Zotti

    Production Manager: Cadman Brooks

    Lighting Designer and Technician: Keith McNair

    Sound Technician: Camilo Diaz Varela

    Production Assistant: Celēs Emmerson

    Performers and Lead Facilitators: Animikiikwe Couchie-Waukey, Cindy Dzib, Jesse Wabegijig, Kennedy Bomberry, Tijana Spasich

    Solo Singer (Water): Nicole Joy-Fraser*
    * The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.

    Water Choir
    Gather Round Singers, Jumblies’ all-abilities all-ages community choir
    ASL Lyrics: Tamyka Bullen
    Director: Shifra Cooper
    Assistant Director: Natalie Fasheh
    Manager: Ahmed Hegazy
    Choir Staff (not mentioned elsewhere): Rakefet Arieli, Tasmeen Syed, Hodan Ibrahim, Mollie McGregor

    Community Arts Guild Choir
    Interim Director:     Suzanne Maziarz
    Manager: Ahmed Hegazy
    U of T Scarborough Singers
    Director:     Patrick Murray
    Musicians: Daev Clysdale (piano), Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk (Metis fiddle), Aine Schryer O’Gorman (fiddle), Morgan Gardener (trumpet)
    ASL Interpreters: Debbie Garniss, Kimberley Johnson, Tara Everett

    Funders: Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, Metcalf Foundation, Government of Canada (Young Canada Works), Miziwe Biik (2020)

    Previous Contributors: Adrienne Marcus Raja, Ashley Bomberry, Ceilidh Carberry, Damien Scott, Jamie Oshkabewisens, Lochlan Cox, Marc Blouin, Oshan Starreveld, Ruedi Narowski-Vesely, Victoria Freeman and many others

    Thanks to: Sam Egan, Florencia Bernstein, Ruth Howard & other Jumblies staff, Lisa Marie and Kate from Theatre Direct, Toronto Community Housing