Praise for pearle harbour’s chautauqua
- director

“Director Byron Laviolette is to be commended for the small but important details that define the show, and especially for artfully shaping the emotional beats of the performance that crest and fall like waves and keep the proceedings from ever feeling languid.” - ArtsVox

“Director Byron Laviolette helps maintain an eerie atmosphere in Pearle’s proceedings, landing somewhere in between Sunday school, a self-help conference, and a cult meeting (are we all about to come on up to the big house in the sky?). Laviolette, best known for directing all of Morro and Jasp’s clown projects, uses his experience with audience interaction to create moments that feel natural and earned, and which Miller — a practised drag queen who can banter with the best of them — can handle no matter if the participant is willing or not.” - Toronto Star

“While many shows employ audience interaction and participation, this is one of the few I’ve seen where the practice encourages a sense of community healing and togetherness.” - NOW Magazine

“Not just a play; it’s an experience and one I’m going to remember for a long time.” - Mooney on Theatre

PRaise for the Family crow
- director

“Creative vision, superb execution, a dollop of weirdness — and, of course, eye-rolling puns. Byron Laviolette’s direction, with Proulx’s laugh-stocked script, deftly balances the mystery with the comedy. Seriously funny highflying fun.” - Orlando Sentinel

“Throughout, director Byron Laviolette nurtures this giddy self-awareness and imbues it with low-key majesty.” - Istvan Dugalin

“Horatio is marvellous: ragged and slightly ravaged, with an old-fashioned monocle and wings that, in the play’s big climax (thanks to one audience member’s contribution) flap excitedly. Director Byron Laviolette ensures we get a good sense of space and geography in the minimally furnished set".” - NOW Magazine

“Family Crow is not only hilarious and a cracking good mystery yarn, it is a remarkable showcase for Adam Proulx. Somehow when Corvus dialogues with a character, there is an interaction that conjures up a duality that would be spooky if it didn't seem so natural." - My Gay Toronto

Praise for morro and Jasp
- director & dramaturg

“The duo, directed by co-creator Byron Laviolette, expertly wring laughs and tears from the material. A delight from start to finish under Byron Laviolette’s direction, with an ending that’ll make you laugh and cry simultaneously.” - Now Magazine

“I have never seen audience participation done in such creative and uproarious ways. If clowning is an art form you enjoy—and honestly, even if it isn’t—you do not want to miss this show.” - Vue Weekly

“Director and dramaturg Byron Laviolette has shaped the show so that the energy never flags whether that energy comes from physical or verbal comedy or from Morro’s attempts to maintain an emotional, rather than merely professional bond, with Jasp.” - stage-door.com

“This is as funny and wonderful as theatre has any right to hope to get.” - The Visitorium

“If you want proof that these two are some of the best clowns in the country, check out this beautifully timed and paced show, co-created with director Byron Laviolette.” - NOW Magazine

“Perhaps my favourite part of the show was the curtain call: the crowd, rightly, leapt to its feet and the beaming actors huddled at centre stage to receive their praise. A Toronto audience, so enthused, is a rare and welcome sight.” - The Theatre Reader

Testimonials for emilio’s a million chameleons
- Co-Creator, director

“Seeing Emilio's A Million Chameleons with my four year old granddaughter was a joy. The production was engaging, funny and carried an important message about self esteem for kids. As a puppeteer and entertainer, Adam Proulx is nothing short of impressive. I think his ongoing collaboration with Byron Laviolette has created a super team.” - Nina Keogh, Professional Puppeteer, Muffy the Mouse (Today’s Special)

“Emilio's A Million Chameleons teaches students about the importance of being true to oneself, carving one's own path, and supporting each other. Catchy tunes and playful activities transport audiences into a wondrous world of shimmer and shine that's sure to ignite the kid in all of us!” - Heather Caplap, Education & Community Manager, Tarragon Theatre

“Emilio's a Million Chameleons is an absolute delight for all ages, and I can say with enthusiasm, It is one of the most enjoyable Theatre for Young Audiences shows I've seen. It's filled with jokes, enchanting audience engagement, and a powerful message about the importance of communication.” - Annamieke Wade, Executive Director, Roseneath Theatre

praise for ZED.TO
- co-creator, narrative designer

“[Zed.to] is not a play, it’s an experience.  It takes viral marketing and interactive sharing to a whole other level. From the introductory phone call and  the separate info line you’re encouraged to call to the hands on experience inside the event. From the need to think fast and speak up when asked to progress the experience to signing up online for the VIP program and speaking to the characters over Twitter and on the forums..” - Mooney on Theatre

“It’s not even a show by most conventional definitions. Instead, it is the opening salvo in a wide-scale interactive-narrative adventure set to run over the next eight months as parts of several arts festivals, as well as through social media... a very fulfilling experience.” - Torontoist

Zed.TO is one of the first groups to recognize that new technology can enhance older forms of communication. In the case of ByoLogyc, that means a seamless integration of live performance with smartphones, tablets, and Twitter. At any given point, patrons can be presented with protests, placebos, free drinks, viral outbreaks, and text messages from anonymous hackers. If you feel like playing along, you might receive genuine (and increasingly paranoid) text messages on your personal mobile device throughout the duration of the show.

It’s a relatively simple idea, but it works because ByoLogyc takes objects that we regard as ‘safe’ – objects like smartphones that are normally distinct from performance – and unexpectedly drags them into the experience. The resulting uncertainty makes it nearly impossible to fully distinguish fact from fiction. Trying to piece everything together consistently demands your attention, and that’s what makes ByoLogyc so immersive. The entire show happens around you rather than in front of you, so you’re as much a part of it as anyone in the cast. - That Shelf

praise for How To Hug a Porcupine
- Director

Will, a puppeteer, is hired to come in to animate a dusty old educational presentation about porcupines, created by the Canadian government in 1954. He has no idea what's in store for him. - IMDB

The themes of safe space and keeping people at a safe distance emotionally only become more relevant as the pandemic continues. - SooToday

A parable for human relationships, it states that porcupines long to be close together, but if they get too close they hurt each other, so they keep each other at a distance, and they cycle continues. - Broadway World

praise for visitations
- co-creator, narrative designer

"Visitations is a step towards a new theatrical nirvana. It jumps across platforms to tell an immersive, make-your-own-adventure story that is not only engaging, but also ultimately more entertaining." - The Grid

"Like a cross between a video game and traditional theatre, giving individuals the chance to affect the fictional narrative being played out... It’s a new breed of interactive theatre that invites us to take a glimpse into the future of an ancient art form." - The National Post

"The audience is very much at the heart of the action in Visitations, exploring rooms, decoding messages, solving puzzles, and trying to prevent a catastrophe—or perhaps being used to bring one about. The more you bring to the experience, the more fun you’ll have in return." - Torontoist