The new faces behind the Storefront Theatre do not have time to mince words.

The indie company, coming off a tumultuous year that saw it lose its venue on Bloor St. W. in January 2017 and scramble to find homes for its productions, has a new management team and a new event coming this month: the Feminist F--k It Fest.

“I don’t know if we thought that the name would stick, but it did. Actually that was the perfect name. After what happened in 2017, we want to say ‘F--k it,’” says Sedina Fiati, managing director of the Storefront. “I think we, as women and non-binary people, are finding our voices. And you know what? F--k it.”

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Fiati is, of course, referring not only to Storefront Theatre’s rocky year. The expletive is directed toward all examples of systemic sexism, racism, transphobia, homophobia and more that have driven social movements over the past year and a half — now that the arts community in Canada is reckoning with its own power abuses and imbalances.

As a new venture for the Storefront, the FFIF takes on issues of reproductive health and wellness, sexual harassment and assault, sexist and racist stereotypes and more, running from April 11 to 22 at the Geary Lane event space in the Dufferin and Dupont neighbourhood.

Managing artistic director Claire Burns brought the idea of the festival to the Storefront programming team when creating its 2017/2018 season.

“For a lot of what I’ve seen, not only in indie but also in more of Toronto’s mid-sized and larger theatres, it’s a lot of male-created work,” she says. “And to create a space for female creators to showcase their work, non-binary creators, queer creators, creators of colour, I think, f--k, I’m ready for that.”

Storefront’s programming throughout its five years of existence hasn’t been impervious to the same criticisms, but Burns says increasing diversity and representation in its productions has been a priority. FFIF includes emerging artists new to the Storefront community, as well as some familiar names from the indie Toronto theatre scene.

“I think it still has the same energy, which I’m really excited about. The collaborators make the difference,” Burns says.

Besides Burns and Fiati, the FFIF curatorial team includes artists Jasmine Chen, Michaela Washburn, Bahia Watson and Bri Proke, and the lineup spans standup comedy, theatre, performance art, karaoke, cabaret and Drag Queen Storytime with Fay Slift and Fluffy Soufflé.

“This may sound controversial, but we also were looking for work that was a bit joyful and fun,” says Fiati. “I think the celebration is important and I think joy is important. We can put on a festival that’s joyful that also deals with important issues. Those things can be synonymous with each other.”

So, depending on the viewer, FFIF can either be an angry rallying cry or a celebratory exclamation. Either way, it’s a fitting punctuation to end Storefront’s latest season.

What the FFIF? Here’s you should check out at the Feminist F--k It Fest:

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Ganga’s Ganja

Radha Menon’s play was programmed as a stand-alone production in the Storefront’s 2017/2018 season, placed in upheaval after its eviction from its space. It has found a new home as the resident production of FFIF, the only one that will be performed every night of the festival (including, appropriately, 4/20). (April 11-22, 7:30 p.m., plus Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.)

Love You Wrong Time

Deanna Choi and Maddie Bautista explore “yellow fever” and racist Asian sexual stereotypes in their tongue-in-cheek cabaret. (April 13 and 17, 9 p.m.)

mashup

It has been six years since Bahia Watson and Liza Paul’s uproarious two-hander pomme is french for apple, a look at the lives of Black and brown women. Now this dynamic duo is back, and inviting their friends, hosting this cabaret night. (April 19, 10:30 p.m.)

YAGA

FFIF hosts a reading of a new play in development from Kat Sandler, fresh off a production of Bang Bang at Factory Theatre. This one examines the audience’s suspicions and allegiances to a murder suspect over various periods in history. (April 21, 10:30 p.m.)

Eggdonorama

As part of FFIF’s more issue-based programming, Burns will lead a lecture/performance hybrid advocating for egg donor rights, arguing for the need for long-term health studies and government regulation of the field. (April 15, noon)