The Department of Theatre Presents: Don't Cry When Constellations Beg To Burn

By Ho Ka Kei / Jeff Ho

Directed by Sophie Gee

Don't cry when constellations beg to burn tells the story of a group of students tasked with selecting which books are to be taken out of their school library, based on the governing party's new guidelines. This is not some imaginary dystopian scenario. Playwright Ho Ka Kei included in his playtext an image of two women burning books outside a county library in China in December 2019. Closer to home, in July 2025 the Alberta government issued new guidelines on school library books so that children could have “age-appropriate access to school library materials, while reflecting the values and priorities of Albertans.” PEN America has documented nearly 16,000 book bans in US public schools since 2021. We are currently living through a shift towards authoritarianism around the world. The play looks at how young people can enable this thought control - or resist it. The rehearsal process will be an invitation to reflect on how theatre can document and comment on troubled times. In addition to this, students will explore physicality and puppetry while building the world of the play, come up with imaginative solutions to design challenges, and learn how to approach a contemporary, political text.

April 8 - 11, 2026

Wednesday April 8 at 8pm (Invited Dress Rehearsal)

Thursday April 9 at 8pm (Preview)

Friday April 10 at 8pm (Opening)

Saturday April 11 at 2pm and 8pm