Manufacturing is underway on “How you can Fail as a Popstar,” Canadian streamer CBC Gem’s unique collection based mostly on artist, creator and musician Vivek Shraya’s debut theatrical work of the identical title.
The theatrical work featured Shraya in a one-person efficiency, reflecting on the ability of popular culture, goals, disappointments and self-determination.
The eight-episode restricted comedy collection is described by the producers as being “a few queer brown boy with an enormous voice doing the whole lot he can to develop into a popstar – as informed by the queer trans femme that boy turns into, trying again on how and why that dream was by no means realized.”
The collection stars Shraya, Adrian Pavone (“Star Trek: Discovery”) and Chris D’Silva (“Slumberland”) as Vivek at numerous phases of life. Written by Shraya, the collection is directed by Vanessa Matsui (“Midnight on the Paradise”) with Shraya co-directing one episode, with filming to proceed in Toronto for 3 weeks.
The forged additionally consists of Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves (“Type Of”), Nadine Bhabha (“Letterkenny”), Arwen Humphreys (“Murdoch Mysteries”), Eric Johnson (“Fairly Little Liars”), Matsui (“Ghost BFF”), and introduces Aayushma Sapkota in her first position.
Shraya, whose album “Half-Time Girl” was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, and music was featured on CBC and HBO Max present “Type Of,” is the creator of the bestselling e book “I’m Afraid of Males” and likewise the founding father of publishing imprint VS. Books, which helps rising BIPOC writers.
The stage play “How you can Fail as a Popstar” was written and created by Shraya and directed by Brendan Healy. The unique manufacturing was commissioned and produced by Canadian Stage, Toronto, Ontario.
The collection is produced by Sphere Media with the monetary participation of the TELUS Fund, the Bell Fund and the Shaw Rocket Fund. The undertaking was chosen as one of many recipients of growth assist from the CBC Artistic Reduction Fund, a fund created by CBC to supply speedy assist to Canadian creators at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Created by Shraya, govt producers are Bruno Dubé, Jennifer Kawaja, Elise Cousineau, Caroline Habib, Laura Perlmutter, Shraya and Matsui. CBC executives concerned within the undertaking embody Sally Catto, common supervisor, leisure, factual and sports activities, Trish Williams, govt director, scripted content material and Zach Feldberg, performing director of present manufacturing, comedy and head of scripted Gem originals.
Matsui mentioned: “I used to be immediately drawn to Vivek’s distinct voice, and the tightrope that she walks along with her phrases, and I’m honoured that Vivek, Sphere, and the CBC trusted me with this particular script. Failure is a theme that resonates deeply with me, and I think many people, so I hope this present encourages us to embrace our failures within the spirit of discovering one thing maybe extra profound than ‘success’ – ourselves.”
Shraya added: “There’s little or no house to acknowledge and mourn our failures in a tradition that’s obsessive about success and resilience. I wrote this story as a result of it doesn’t matter what I achieved, failing as a popstar – nonetheless trivial – was the factor that stored me up at evening. I’m so grateful to CBC and Sphere for believing on this undertaking and for serving to create extra space for the conversations we keep away from however very a lot want.”
Feldberg mentioned: “Vivek is a singular expertise whose genuine and sincere voice shines by way of her work, whatever the medium. We’re thrilled to be working with Sphere Media to deliver her highly effective and relatable story to life on CBC Gem, the place she is going to little doubt discover new followers and delight her present fanbase.”
The collection will premiere on CBC Gem later in 2023.
