2025 RBC Emerging Playwright Recipient
Supported by RBC Foundation
Syncopation on Terauley Street by Trisha Harlan
Set in 1921 in Toronto’s St. John’s Ward, this play follows Lila, a talented Black singer-songwriter, and her band, the Midnight Blues Ensemble, as they navigate love, racism, and survival after The Soulfire, their integrated performance venue, is forced to close. Lila’s childhood friend James returns from working as a porter with a renewed desire to fight for their community, clashing with her boyfriend Darnell, who has grown jaded by racism. When Lila allows Florence, the landlord’s daughter, to perform her song at a segregated venue, James accuses her of enabling exploitation. Determined to do better, Lila joins Florence and Anthony, an aspiring talent manager, to open The Velvet Reverie, an inclusive venue for all races. After Florence stands up to her father and secures The Soulfire for Lila, the band rebuilds and uplifts the next generation of artists.
The peer assessment panel said: “Syncopation on Terauley Street is a large bold, creative and theatrically engaging historical piece that weaves exciting musical elements with rich dialogue.”
Trisha Harlan is an emerging writer, producer, and multidisciplinary creative from Ajax, Ontario. A graduate of McMaster University’s Theatre & Film program and Humber College’s Creative Writing program, she crafts compelling narratives for the stage and beyond. Her work often explores a blend of history and culture in playful ways, bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront.
Special thanks to RBC Emerging Playwright Award Peer Assessment Panelists: Suzie Martin (Chair), Rebecca Cuddy, and Michaela Di Cesare.