When Dan Vena arrived at Queen’s University to start his master's in gender studies, he was surprised to find the queer theatre scene in Kingston was seriously lacking. He teamed up with Queen’s drama professor and theatre artist Kim Renders, and fellow master's student Robin McDonald and formed Chipped Off Performance Collective to address the void.

Now, three years later, Mr. Vena and Chipped Off are presenting their third show, simply titled wasteAWAY, at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts.

“When I moved here, I wanted to create something like Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (the Toronto-based queer theatre group) here in Kingston,” explains Mr. Vena. “We are committed to presenting work that speaks to the needs and concerns of marginalized or underrepresented communities in Kingston.”

Running from June 4 to 6, wasteAWAY brings together a collection of talented artists, presenters and performers to weave together a story about waste. The show is designed to make the audience think more seriously about their relationship with waste.  It was when Queen’s environmental studies professor Myra Hird invited Ms. Renders to participate in genera Research Group (gRG), a transdisciplinary research group focused on waste, that the idea for wasteAWAY was born.

 “We have focused for the past three years on shows that are provocative and intense, shows that challenge the audience,” says Mr. Vena, “and this year’s show is no different. All the artists are given an equal opportunity to present their message.”

The show starts at 8 pm each evening, and admission is $10 or pay what you can, with tickets available at the door. In keeping with Chipped Off’s focus on accessible theatre, wasteAWAY is being presented at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, a fully accessible venue, and an ASL-English interpreter will be available upon request.

For more information on Chipped Off Performance Collective visit the Facebook page.