Selfie

By Christine Quintana

On the first day back to school, everything seems the same for Lili, her friend Anna, and her soccer star brother Chris. They are getting ready for another year where Lili and Chris share the spotlight and Anna takes on the supporting role. Another year which will go by without Anna and Chris admitting to the feelings they have for each other.

But nothing lasts forever. One wild party, one drink too many, and a camera phone are all you need to tip the scales. Propelled and reproduced by social media, a photo of Anna and Chris is being tried in the court of public opinion, and Lily must choose to either stand with her brother or her best friend – but what is truly right? Incisive and witty, Selfie is a powerful reflexion on sexual consent and self-promotion in this era of Instagram.

Theatre for Young Audiences, ages: 13-19

Selfie, Théâtre la Seizième. Siona Gareau-Brennan, photo by Emily Cooper 2

Selfie, Théâtre la Seizième. Siona Gareau-Brennan, Julie Trepanier, Vincent Leblanc-Boudoin. Photo credit: Emily Cooper. 1

Production History

Selfie was commissioned and created through Théâtre la Seizième’s Dramaturgy Development Program with a french translation by Gilles Poulin-Denis and under the direction of Rachel Peake. It premiered in March 2015 and was published by Playwrights Canada Press in November 2020.

Subsequent productions include: Full length premiere at Young People's Theatre (2018), International Premiere at GRIPS Theatre (Berlin).

Awards

Winner of a 2015 Jesse Richardson Award for ‘Outstanding Artistic Creation’ – director (Rachel Peake) Théâtre la Seizième. Selfie was also nominated for Outstanding Production (Théâtre la Seizième), Outstanding Design – sound design (Malcom Dow), Outstanding Design – set and costumes (Jennifer Stewart), Outstanding Design – video (Cande Andrade), Outstanding Original Script (Christine Quintana), Outstanding Artistic Achievement – translation (Gilles Poulin-Denis)
Winner, 2 Dora Mavor Moore Awards including Outstanding New Play (TYA division) 2018
Winner, Tom Hendry Award for Theatre for Young Audiences 2018

Winner, The Sydney Risk Prize, Outstanding Script by an Emerging Playwright (Christine Quintana), 2015
Nominated, Governor General's Literary Award 2021