Large text on the bottom says "The Tao of the World". Two women are laughing together. They are wearing long, glamourous dresses. A man sits a bar behind them, also laughing. A staff member in formal wear manages the bar as they observe the women.

Manami Hara, Karthik Kadam, Agnes Tong and Nestor Lozano Jr. Photo: Dariane Sanche.

Tom Patterson Theatre

August 2 – September 26 |

Opens August 20

Modern

THE TAO OF THE WORLD

By Jovanni Sy

World Première

Directed by Jovanni Sy

Old money, new rules

In this world première, Singapore’s wealthy elite hatch schemes to bed other people’s partners and swindle one another out of dynastic fortunes. This inventive mash-up of Restoration comedy and the modern Asian rom-com is filled with hilarity, romance and billionaires misbehaving.

MEIGHEN FORUM EVENTS

CAST & CREATIVE

CAST

2026: Arabella Flynn in The Tao of the World. Second season. Stratford: Mrs. Darling in Wendy and Peter Pan and Liu Jun/Qiu in Salesman in China. Elsewhere: Silvia in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Margaret/Seacole in Much Ado About Nothing (Bard on the Beach); Sarah in The Birds and The Bees, Beckett/Jasmine/Lenore in carried away on the crest of a wave, Connie in The Great Leap, Phyllis in The Shoplifters, Jess in King Charles III, Amanda in 4000 Miles (Arts Club Theatre). Film/TV: The Last Stand of Ellen Cole (Feature); A Million Little Things, The Good Doctor (ABC); Superman & Lois, Charmed (CW); Under Wraps (Disney). Training: Studio 58. Online: @aggyT, healingbreathworks.com. Et cetera: Thank you Jovanni for being such a loyal friend and collaborator.

2026: Fili in The Hobbit, Millicent Tan in The Tao of the World and appears in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire (The Citadel/Theatre Calgary); Amy in Little Women (Theatre Calgary); Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Bard on the Beach); Mustard (The Arts Club/Belfry); The Brothers Paranormal, Peril in the Alps, Murder on the Links (Vertigo Theatre); Please Return to Empire Video (Lunchbox Theatre); New Canadian Kid (Green Thumb Theatre). Film/TV: Grandma Lee's Dress (CBC Gem). Video games: Melody in 1000xResist (Sunset Visitor), motion capture for K/DA at the 2020 League of Legends Opening Ceremony. Training: UBC BFA Acting, FDC Intermediate Actor Combatant. Awards: 2x Betty Mitchell Award Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, Wesbrook Scholar, recipient of the HSBC Undergraduate Award and Stephen Woodhouse Memorial Prize. Online: @heidi.damayo. Et cetera: For all my loved ones.

2026: Lady Helena in The Tao of the World. Second season. Stratford: Assistant director and Tomi in Forgiveness and understudy in Anne of Green Gables. Elsewhere: Nurse Wong in Snow in Midsummer (Shaw Festival/NAC); The Shaw Variety Show (Shaw Festival); Tomi in Forgiveness (Arts Club/Theatre Calgary); Yukiko Sugihara in Courage Now (Firehall Arts Centre); Baking Time, Cat Killer (Presentation House Theatre); Kuroko (vAct); China Doll (Richmond Gateway Theatre); After the Quake (Pi Theatre/Rumble Productions); Lady Nijo in Top Girls (Vancouver Playhouse); Sexual Practices of the Japanese (Theatre Replacement); Hanna's Suitcase (Grand Theatre); Miranda in The Tempest (Globe Theatre); Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Carousel Theatre). Film/TV:Shōgun, Pachinko, War Between Us, Stargate Atlantis. Training:Studio 58. Playwright:Courage Now, The Café-Anna's Story, Pillar Clock, Nom Nom Gnomes. Et cetera: Big thanks to Bart, Keita and Leina for their unconditional support!

2026: Edward Lim in The Tao of the World. Stratford debut. Matthew is an accomplished actor, director and certified fight choreographer, known for his dedication to authentic storytelling and commitment to fostering creative collaboration. Screen credits include Supergirl (CBS), Knights of Bloodsteel (Syfy), and festival shorts such as See the Animal (TIFF) and Harmony of Grey (Cannes). Voice work includes The Running Man (Netflix/Cartoon Network/Prime) and Lassie Come Home (Warner Bros.). Stage credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream across Italy, and Vancouver's Bard on the Beach (Hamlet, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing). Matt continues to appear at New York's Metropolitan Opera, executing fight choreography in a number of shows. A graduate of Circle in the Square and a Vancouver Improv Centre Mainstage alum. matthewipshaw.com

(he/ him)

2026: Devan Pillay in The Tao of the World and understudy in Death of a Salesman and The Hobbit. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Don John and the Sexton in Much Ado About Nothing, Sir Eglamour in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Lucio and Kevin in Measure for Measure, the Courtesan and the Second Merchant in The Comedy of Errors, Bardolph and the Dauphin in Henry V (Bard on the Beach); Ensemble and understudy in Mahabharata (Why Not Theatre); Rexy and Jason in The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arts Club Theatre). Training: University of British Columbia. Awards: The Edmund Kean Sword Award, Bard on the Beach 2022. Online: @karthik.dhananjaikadam. Et Cetera: Karthik dedicates this season to the memory of his beautiful mother, Sandhya.

(he/him)

2026: Balin in The Hobbit. Jackson Lee in The Tao of the World, and appears in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Third season. Stratford:Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Annie, Salesman in China, Romeo and Juliet. Elsewhere: Zhang Lin in Chimerica (Duceppe); Jay in Frog Song (Here For Now/Stratford Symphony); Chinatown (City Opera Vancouver); Old Man and the River (WeeFestival); The Cave (Luminato); Antonio in The Tempest (Citadel); Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods, Louis in Pal Joey, Beadle in Sweeney Todd (TIFT); Mr. Beaver in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Theatre New Brunswick); Mr. Shi and His Lover (Tarragon/NAC); Boy in Blood Weddings (Modern Times/Aluna Theatre). Awards: Toronto Theatre Critics Award - Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. Online: derekkwan.net, @kwanzoku.

2026: Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bard, Gollum in The Hobbit and Wilson Wong in The Tao of the World. Second season. Stratford: Silvius in As You Like It, Hideo in Forgiveness. Elsewhere (selected): Four seasons at the Shaw Festival, title characters in Everybody and Prince Caspian; Village Wooing, Doctor's Dilemma, Victory, Cyrano...; Handsome in Snow in Midsummer (Shaw/National Arts Centre); Edgar in Lear, Demetrius in Titus Andronicus (Canadian Stage/Shakespeare in High Park); Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing, Octavius in Julius Caesar (St. Lawrence Shakespeare); Arcite in Two Noble Kinsmen, Lucio in Measure for Measure (Shakespeare BASH'd); Mowgli in The Jungle Book (Magnus); Christmas Carol (Grand); Hymn of the Weaverbird (找我劇場 ESP-I, Taiwan); Man in 彼岸 (Gateway). Writing: Translation and adaptation: The Orphan of Chao (Shaw). Film/TV:What We Do in the Shadows (FX). Awards: Dora nominee; Maureen Forrester Award (Stratford); Saunderson Award (Shaw). Online: @michaelman1n.

CREATIVE

2026: Director and playwright of The Tao of the World. Second season. Stratford: Director and co-playwright of Salesman in China. Elsewhere: Directing: Murder on the Orient Express (Vertigo Theatre); Stitch (Native Earth);《食盡天下》 (rice & beans theatre); God of Carnage, Antigone, Blackbird (Theatre du Pif 進劇場); The Orchard (After Chekhov) (Arts Club Theatre). Playwriting: Nine Dragons (Vertigo Theatre/Gateway Theatre), A Taste of Empire (Cahoots Theatre), The Five Vengeances (Affair of Honor). Acting: Mr Miyagi in pre-Broadway tryout of The Karate Kid, the Musical (Stages St. Louis); Prison Dancer (Citadel Theatre/National Arts Centre); Forgiveness (Theatre Calgary); Noises Off (Arts Club Theatre). Awards: QWF Playwriting Award (Salesman in China); Jessie Richardson Award (Nine Dragons); PGC Comedy Award (The Tao of the World); PGC Drama Award (Kowloon Bay). Et cetera: This play is dedicated to Desirée, my beloved 大姐.