Kiley and Sophie were commissioned to write and assist in developing this 55-minute adult-oriented puppet show along with Hannah Mariko Bell and Dr. Leah Tidey between 2021 and 2023. Going All the Way is about best friends Avery and Beatrice, who have spent their whole university career creating off-the-wall performances, but their final project is outside of everyone’s comfort zone: teaching sex-ed to middle schoolers through puppetry. The show takes a turn for the bizarre when years of resentment and confusion bubble up, leaving the two of them hashing out their issues with sex, love, trust, and identity in front of an increasingly restless audience.
The development of this production involved a staged reading in 2022, puppet construction with internationally-renowned puppet talent Tim Gosley, and a Victoria premiere. It was remounted in Victoria in 2023 at the SKAM Satellite Studio before performing at the Calgary Fringe Festival.
Creative team for the 2023 production:
Playwrights: Kiley Verbowski + Sophie Underwood / Creation and Direction: Hannah Mariko Bell / Developed by: Kiley Verbowski + Sophie Underwood + Hannah Mariko Bell + Dr. Leah Tidey / Sexual Health Consultation: Dr. Leah Tidey / Set Designer: Logan Swain / Costume Designer: Lynnéa Chan / Lighting and Sound Design: Miriam Dumitra / Puppet Design Consultation: Tim Gosley / Puppet + Prop Construction: Christian Tervo / Puppet Construction Assistants: Sasha Lazin + Faith Robinson / Production Manager: Ariel Pretty / Stage Manager: Frankie Mulder / Actors: Ty Wesley + Loreto Espinoza
Photographer: Janine Rzplenski