Malika Daya

Malika Daya (she/her) is a master’s student at the Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies in a collaborative program with the Centre of Diaspora Studies and Transnationalism. As a second-generation South Asian-East African-Canadian, Malika is deeply fascinated by the stories generated within the diaspora and the values, experiences, and narratives that emerge from the hyphens in our identities. Her research interests include intercultural theatre, migration, arts activism and advocacy, diasporic aesthetics, and community development. Malika’s artistic practices are in directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, producing and performing. Most recently, she worked as an Assistant Producer at Soulpepper Theatre for the 2022/23 season. 

With a background in global development, Malika’s practice is heavily rooted in community development and applied theatre. She’s worked internationally at the Art and Global Health Centre Africa in Malawi and locally in Toronto with Jumblies Theatre, Community Arts Guild, and Arts4all. Malika is a research assistant on a collaborative research project Belongings led by Dr. Barry Freeman, which is an empirical study of post-secondary, liberal arts theatre studies in Canada, aiming to articulate a new collectivist pedagogy for theatre education. She is also the outreach coordinator for The Knowledge Equity Lab, Knowledge 4 Change Tkoronto Hub. 

Selected Work: 

•    Director, What Can Indian Look Like Series by Natasha Advani Thangkhiew and Shaharah Gaznabbi, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023 
•    Playwright, Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahin, 2021-Present (in development)