{"id":123622,"date":"2026-04-24T11:30:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T15:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=123622"},"modified":"2026-04-22T23:36:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T03:36:29","slug":"interview-anita-la-selva-talks-12-litres-8800-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/04\/24\/interview-anita-la-selva-talks-12-litres-8800-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Anita La Selva Talks About 12 Litres 8800 Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Playwright
Playwright and performer Anita La Selva (Photo: Lynda Watson)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Playwright, director and performer Anita La Selva<\/strong> took a tragedy in her own life, and through a process of healing, connected with horses, made a film, and developed it into a play. Five years of development went into 12 Litres 8800 Steps.<\/p>\n

The world premiere of 12 Litres 8800 Steps by Anita La Selva takes the stage at Factory Theatre May 1 to 17, 2026, produced by The Unbridled Theatre Collective and Aluna Theatre.<\/p>\n

La Selva lost her partner through addiction, and saw it unfolding in front of her eyes. It brought home the fact that stigmas lock both addicts and their loved ones in a state of shame and fear. She pursued equine therapy in her journey to healing, which helped her to rediscover play and joy. Finding the silver lining in tragedy sparked the idea for 12 Litres 8800 Steps.<\/p>\n

She initially developed the story into a short film which was screened at 18 international film festivals, collecting accolades along the way. Turning it into a theatrical experience took another five years. It\u2019s a visually striking production that incorporates text, sound, choreography, and video projections \u2014 with puppeteer and movement specialist Brad Cook as The Horse.<\/p>\n

The play combines magic realism and everyday reality as it shines a spotlight on the roller coaster that the families and caregivers of addicts experience. La Selva performs as The Woman in the production.<\/p>\n

LV caught up with Anita La Selva to ask about the project.<\/p>\n

Anita La Selva<\/h2>\n

Anita La Selva is an award-winning theatre maker, actor, director and dramaturg. Recent accolades include the award for Best Director of a Musical at the 2025 Broadway World Toronto Awards for her production of The Threepenny Opera, and another 16 nominations for her The Unbridled Theatre Collective.<\/p>\n

Other recognition of her work includes the Best Independent\/Regional Director award for her production of Look Back in Anger (Fevergraph Theatre). She was the 2019 recipient of the Gina Wilkinson Award for Emerging Female Director. She has worked with Aluna Theatre, Nightwood Theatre, and served as director and dramaturg for five of Tracy Erin Smith\u2019s solo works between 2009 and 2013.<\/p>\n

Anita earned an MFA in Directing from York University. She is also a graduate of the London Academy of Dramatic Art, UK. Anita teaches regularly at York University, Sheridan College\/University of Toronto Mississauga and Seneca Polytechnic.<\/p>\n

Anita La Selva: The Interview<\/h3>\n

\u201cIt actually began as a theatre piece,\u201d La Selva explains, \u201cbut because of COVID, I pivoted to a film.\u201d<\/p>\n

It tells a story, but not in a linear fashion. \u201cThe piece is put together as a non-linear narrative. It has multiple disciplines,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The video projections serve to reflect the character\u2019s inner world, while the immersive soundscape augments the experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople take in theatre in different ways,\u201d Anita says. Her goal was to reach the audience on multiple levels. \u201cI wanted to create multiple symbols, metaphors, images. It’s kind of collage.\u201d<\/p>\n

The story depicts the present, and the past appears in flashbacks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stark reality of the everyday is juxtaposed with fantasy. It’s kind of mercurial,\u201d she says. \u201cIt deals with emotions \u2014 when we struggle with something big, we often get flashes from our lives, these images come up. We don\u2019t behave in a linear fashion. There’s no real beginning, middle and end.\u201d<\/p>\n

What she didn\u2019t want to create was a one woman monologue about dealing with her partner\u2019s addiction.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted it to be much more present and visceral.\u201d As such, she wanted to go beyond her specific story. \u201cPeople can connect to the work on multiple levels. We can flash back from present to past, from fantasy to reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she points out, when we\u2019re in crisis, the everyday takes on otherworldly aspects. It becomes a journey, a kind of odyssey.<\/p>\n

\"12
12 Litres 8800 Steps in a workshop performance (Photo: Maria Escolan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Horse<\/h3>\n

\u201cThe horse, for example, plays multiple roles,\u201d La Selva explains. It becomes her friend, her therapist, and finally, a symbol of hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s always that guide,\u201d she says. \u201cWhy the horse? The horse is what inspired the whole piece.
\nI engaged in quite a bit of equine therapy,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to ride horses when I was younger. That was the thing that changed my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before equine therapy, she\u2019d gone through a sessions of talk therapy. But, the horse could reach what a sympathetic human ear could not.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met a horse, I worked with this horse. I got messages from this horse, I got guidance. And it kind of changed my life,\u201d she says. \u201cThe horse brought me back to my creativity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Artistic creation had taken a hit throughout the ordeal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m an artist, and I’m going to start to put things together.\u201d With equine therapy as a catalyst, it became the inspiration she needed. \u201cThat’s why the horse came in as this kind of inspiration. It was a natural fit for me. It made so much sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

The projections and other elements of the play were inspired by her experience.<\/p>\n

\u201c[I brought] in the imagery that I was haunted by,\u201d she says. \u201cThe piece has a fair bit of text as well,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou’ll see the woman that I play as an eight year old self when she fantasizes about her fantasy horse,\u201d she says. As a child, La Selva dealt with anxiety and panic attacks. As an adult, it was natural to return to the horse for comfort.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all need something to hold on to and give us hope in our lives. The beauty of animals is that they don’t judge you. They don’t make any assessments of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Horses, as it turns out, make ideal therapists. \u201cThey have a huge degree of empathy. They live in the moment. With their huge attachment to the herd, when you make a connection with a horse, it’s [very storng],\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Theatre maker Brad Cook<\/strong> is an actor, puppeteer, movement specialist and teacher. He is the co-creator and performer of multi-Dora Award-nominated Maanomaa, My Brother (The Belfry & Blue Bird Theatre\/Canadian Stage), Body 13 (MT Space), and Frankenstein\u2019s Ghosts (Inter Arts Matrix).<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also something of a specialist in creating horses on stage. He served as head puppeteer for the War Horse productions back in 2012 and 2013, and more recently in the Red Sky Performance\/TSO presentation of She Holds Up The Stars<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s a lot of his work,\u201d Anita says. \u201cThat’s actually how I found him. He’s also a movement specialist,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy horse is not a puppet,\u201d La Selva explains. In her play, the horse has a dual character, both man and horse. \u201cHe has an incredible physicality on stage. He understands animal movement. He’s an expert at that, and quite wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cook helped her develop the character of the horse in the story. \u201cIt’s been a lovely collaboration in that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

She points out that the play premieres during the Chinese year of the horse.<\/p>\n

Takeaways<\/h3>\n

\u201cI think for me, I really wanted to create a piece that spoke to the things that we don’t speak about in society,\u201d La Selva says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s still a lot of stigma around addiction.\u201d The truth is hidden, and conversations take place in covert situations. \u201cOn a personal level, when I was dealing with it, I didn’t talk about it. I hid it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the play, she\u2019d like to change that tendency.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really wanted people to talk about it. I want it to inspire people to have a more open dialogue about addiction issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

The play focuses on the often overlooked role of the caregiver. At a workshop of the play in progress a couple of years ago, Da Selva says that she invited people to share feedback. Many were not addicts themselves, but were the caregivers to those with addictions. \u201cThat was really enlightening and inspiring for me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it offers hope. You can move through it.\u201d She points out that you don\u2019t have a choice in those situations. You just have to deal with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are stronger that we think we are. And we do have resilience. We just need to find those catalysts, those guides,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cStagnation is the enemy. Movement is key,\u201d she says. \u201cIt’s work. It’s hard work. Just waiting it out doesn’t work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Performances<\/h2>\n

12 Litres 8800 Steps takes the stage at Factory Theatre Mainspace from May 1 to 17, 2026.<\/p>\n

12 Litres 8800 Steps features production design by Trevor Schwellnus, dramaturgy by Martin Julien, choreography by Victoria Mata Soledad, sound design by Thomas Ryder Payne and costume & horse mask design by Teresa Przybylski & Monica Viani with co-direction by Beatriz Pizano.<\/p>\n