Professor Ian Garrett’s contributions to climate-focused theatre have taken center stage in New York City this month.
Garrett, a professor at York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) in the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, is the lighting designer for The Pocket Park Kids, a new environmentally conscious play running February 23 to March 16 at Theatre Row.
He also recently co-directed Celebrating Climate Theatre in NYC, an event dedicated to sustainable performance practices, which took place on March 1.
The Pocket Park Kids
A world premiere produced by NYC Children’s Theatre, The Pocket Park Kids follows a group of young neighbors who must rally together to save a neglected urban green space from being replaced by a parking lot. When an unexpected ally (a wise parakeet) begins to speak, the kids must decide whether to listen, collaborate and take action.
“The entire Pocket Park Kids team was committed to integrating sustainable practices, and that shared vision made for one of the smoothest creative processes I’ve ever been part of,” says Garrett.
Inspired by the United Nations’ Global Goals for Sustainability, the play introduces young audiences to environmental stewardship, social equity and the power of community-led change. Garrett’s role as lighting designer ensures that these themes are not just heard but felt, using innovative stagecraft to evoke the delicate balance of nature within an urban setting.
“Knowing that thousands of kids will experience this show reminds me of how formative those early experiences with sustainability can be,” says Garrett. “I remember getting a copy of 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth when I was the perfect age for this show, and it had a huge impact on me. Seeing kids react, or hearing about what they connect with in the production reports, has reminded me of how important it is to develop a personal connection to the environment from a young age.”
Celebrating Climate Theatre in NYC
On March 1, Celebrating Climate Theatre in NYC took the stage at Theatre Row gathering artists, scholars and activists committed to sustainability. Organized by the Arts & Climate Initiative and the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts (CSPA), co-directed by Garrett, the event brought together voices from across the theatre community to explore creative responses to the climate crisis.
Highlights of the event included the official launch of the latest Climate Change Theatre Action festival (CCTA) anthology, All Good Things Must Begin, featuring a collection of thought-provoking short plays addressing climate change from diverse perspectives.
York has been a home for the Climate Change Theatre Action since 2017, with Garrett serving as co-director alongside playwright and environmental advocate Chantal Bilodeau.
“York and AMPD are really seen as leaders in this area,” says Garrett. “My own position – one of the very few faculty roles in the world dedicated to ecological design and sustainability in performance – exists because of this leadership and foresight. Without that support, I don’t know where else I would have been able to advance research in this area.”
“It’s been incredibly gratifying to see students who engaged with these ideas a decade ago now leading so many aspects of the field. The ongoing commitment to sustainability as a core principle – both on campus and in how we prepare students to work in the world – is creating real shifts in the industry.”
As York University marks SDG Month Canada, these events reinforce AMPD’s commitment and global leadership in sustainable performance practices, utilizing the power of art and storytelling to ignite positive change.
Learn more about how York is addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, on the York UN SDG website.
Cover photo: The 2025 CCTA and Venue 13 Team. Left to Right – Vanesa Kelly, Ian Garrett, Chantal Bilodeau and Julia Levine.