ABOUT
The Uncommon Folk Collective is a group of songwriters and performers crafting music-forward theatre experiences.
Founded and coordinated by composer / music director Jake Schindler and folk singer/songwriter Sam Boer, this collective premiered its first original musical,
Ursa: A Folk Musical, at the Toronto Fringe NextStage Festival in 2022. Praised by The WholeNote for its “freshness, youthful energy, and experimental daring,” and dubbed a "winning, foot-tapping account of grizzly adolescence" by the Guardian, this versatile, one-act musical has been enjoyed by audiences in venues ranging from the Kingston Grand Theatre (Watershed Festival, 2022) to Bon Echo Provincial Park (as the first show selected for Tweed & Company's site-specific theatre program, 2022) to Stratford Festival's online streaming service, Stratfest @ Home (2023). The Uncommon Folk Collective is currently recording a cast album for this musical, slated for release in 2024.
The Uncommon Folk Collective orchestrated, music directed, and performed in Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now, a theatre revue celebrating the music and life of Joni Mitchell co-written with Tricia Black and presented by Tweed & Company (2023). This show presented the Canadian icon's music through brand new, thrilling arrangements while highlighting her storied past and ongoing legacy.
The Uncommon Folk Collective is currently writing its second musical, with support from the Grand Theatre (London) and the Toronto Fringe Festival.