Wheel and Turn
After Aya, a young teacher and writer, overcomes cancer, her wheels take her on a transformative journey to Africa. But when she (re)turns home, she is heartbroken by a devastating series of events. Depressed and uninspired, she throws herself into a project— research about the late Jamaican poet and playwright, Louise Bennett Coverley, better known as Miss Lou. The surprise that comes may be just the thing she needs to heal her heart. Check out this semi-autobiographical theatre debut written by and featuring beloved author Nadia L. Hohn.
The story begins with Aya Parke, who has recently recovered from cancer and returned to her kindergarten classroom at an inner city Toronto public school focused on teaching students about their Black, African, and AfroCaribbean cultures. There, Aya is armed with her Crazy Sexy CanSurvivor Kick Cancer in the Ass Manifesto list, continuing to gleefully cross off each item ranging from visits to a nudist beach and becoming a capoeirista to visiting Africa and becoming a mother. A visit from a former student, Jalen, is interrupted by a call from Miguel, her moonlighting musician husband presenting a conflict– attend a gig or check off an item on her list, attend her writing class, an item on her list.
Once Aya returns home from her life-altering voyage to Ghana, tragedies strike and her hopes with a series of losses and shattered dreams. Grieved, she is visited by Miss Lou who presents her with a mission— write her story. The surprise that emerges, reshapes her course. The play’s themes of reinvention and discovery, set to the backdrop of Jamaican patois and AfroCaribbean percussion and folksongs make this original work unforgettable.
Award-winning children’s book author and educator, Nadia L. Hohn stars in the lead as Aya. Inspired by her research and writing of A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice, Nadia wrote WHEEL AND TURN in 2021 as an assignment in Writing for Stage class, taught by Canadian Order of Canada and two-time Governor General Award-winning playwright, Judith Thompson, in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph. Encouraged by Judith to take this play further, Nadia is the playwright, director, producer, and an actress of Wheel and Turn. She founded Lady Sunflower Productions and feels honoured that her play was selected for the 2025 Windsor Fringe Festival.
Toronto Fringe Festival Patron’s Pick producer and actress, Najla Nubyanluv is the assistant director and dramaturg of Wheel and Turn. With fellow author and poet Kevin heronJones’ portrayals and Jamaica-born songstress Olivia Carter as Miss Lou, WHEEL AND TURN, will have you singing all the way home.
Wheel and Turn premiered at the 2025 Windsor Fringe Festival in Windsor, Ontario.
Wheel and Turn runs at the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival in Hamilton, Ontario from July 15-25, 2026.
Hamilton Fringe Festival: https://hftco.ca/hamilton-fringe-festival/
Website: nadialhohn.com
Toronto Public Dress Rehearsal: Date and Location To Be Announced (TBA)
All Hamilton Fringe Festival performances are at the Westdale Theatre (1014 King Street West, Hamilton, Ontario (342 seats) on:
For further information contact:
Name: Nadia L. Hohn
Title: Playwright/Director/Producer/Actress
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 647-393-8777
Wheel and Turn
After Aya, a young teacher and writer, overcomes cancer, her wheels take her on a transformative journey to Africa. But when she (re)turns home, she is heartbroken by a devastating series of events. Depressed and uninspired, she throws herself into a project— research about the late Jamaican poet and playwright, Louise Bennett Coverley, better known as Miss Lou. The surprise that comes may be just the thing she needs to heal her heart. Check out this semi-autobiographical theatre debut written by and featuring beloved author Nadia L. Hohn.
The story begins with Aya Parke, who has recently recovered from cancer and returned to her kindergarten classroom at an inner city Toronto public school focused on teaching students about their Black, African, and AfroCaribbean cultures. There, Aya is armed with her Crazy Sexy CanSurvivor Kick Cancer in the Ass Manifesto list, continuing to gleefully cross off each item ranging from visits to a nudist beach and becoming a capoeirista to visiting Africa and becoming a mother. A visit from a former student, Jalen, is interrupted by a call from Miguel, her moonlighting musician husband presenting a conflict– attend a gig or check off an item on her list, attend her writing class, an item on her list.
Once Aya returns home from her life-altering voyage to Ghana, tragedies strike and her hopes with a series of losses and shattered dreams. Grieved, she is visited by Miss Lou who presents her with a mission— write her story. The surprise that emerges, reshapes her course. The play’s themes of reinvention and discovery, set to the backdrop of Jamaican patois and AfroCaribbean percussion and folksongs make this original work unforgettable.
Award-winning children’s book author and educator, Nadia L. Hohn stars in the lead as Aya. Inspired by her research and writing of A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice, Nadia wrote WHEEL AND TURN in 2021 as an assignment in Writing for Stage class, taught by Canadian Order of Canada and two-time Governor General Award-winning playwright, Judith Thompson, in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph. Encouraged by Judith to take this play further, Nadia is the playwright, director, producer, and an actress of Wheel and Turn. She founded Lady Sunflower Productions and feels honoured that her play was selected for the 2025 Windsor Fringe Festival.
Toronto Fringe Festival Patron’s Pick producer and actress, Najla Nubyanluv is the assistant director and dramaturg of Wheel and Turn. With fellow author and poet Kevin heronJones’ portrayals and Jamaica-born songstress Olivia Carter as Miss Lou, WHEEL AND TURN, will have you singing all the way home.
Wheel and Turn premiered at the 2025 Windsor Fringe Festival in Windsor, Ontario.
Wheel and Turn runs at the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival in Hamilton, Ontario from July 15-25, 2026.
Hamilton Fringe Festival: https://hftco.ca/hamilton-fringe-festival/
Website: nadialhohn.com
Toronto Public Dress Rehearsal: Date and Location To Be Announced (TBA)
All Hamilton Fringe Festival performances are at the Westdale Theatre (1014 King Street West, Hamilton, Ontario (342 seats) on:
- Friday, July 17 5:30pm ET
- Saturday, July 18 5:00pm ET
- Sunday, July 19 7:30pm ET
- Tuesday, July 21 9:15pm ET
- Friday, July 24 8:30pm ET
- Saturday, July 25 9:30pm ET
- Sunday, July 26 1:30pm ET
For further information contact:
Name: Nadia L. Hohn
Title: Playwright/Director/Producer/Actress
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 647-393-8777