I love the smell of gasoline
What does it really mean to sacrifice and to survive? How can we harness our agency and responsibility in a global crisis?

Claren’s Dad worked in Albertan oil and gas and also the world is ending because of climate change, and sometimes, it’s hard to hold both. As deeply personal as it is deeply researched, the play picks apart why it’s so hard for her to let go of fossil fuels — all against a backdrop of whimsical projections masterfully executed live on stage by a team of analogue overhead projectionists.
The project was born of a frustration with divisive Canadian politics, rampant hypocrisy, and a lack of team spirit when facing impending doom. It unpacks some of the forces that drive global warming and Western alienation in a personal account of what it is to live in a modern, capitalist environment, be a self-serving organism, and also care about the earth and fellow creature kind.
What does it really mean to sacrifice and to survive? How can we harness our agency and responsibility in a global crisis?
Creator, Performer, Co-Director, Projection Designer:
Claren Grosz
Co-Director, Production
Dramaturge: William Dao
Production
Stage Manager: Taylor Young
Projectionists:
Elyse Waugh, Caleigh Adams and Liz Der
Original
Set and Lighting Design: Echo Zhou
Set
Installation Artist: Jessica Hiemstra
Set
and Lighting Associate: Alison Yanota
Composer:
Christopher-Elizabeth
Dramaturgical
Support/Consultancy: Cherish Violet Blood
Consultant:
Michelle Robinson
Special thanks:
Thank you to Theo Belc for technical support. The production features
projected drawings courtesy of the talented Emily Jung. The performer
has been styled by Ami Blaxland. I love the smell of gasoline has been
developed with dramaturgical support from Andrea Donaldson, Cherish
Violet Blood, and Keshia Palm. Premiered in 2023 with Elyse Waugh, Jesse
Wabegijig and Stephanie Zeit as projectionists and collaborators and
their participation helped shape the visual score of the piece. It was
also influenced by the participation of Jay Northcott, Emily Jung,
Taylor Young and Lu Linares as projectionists and collaborators during
workshopping in 2021.
INSTAGRAM: @pencilkitproductions
FACEBOOK: /PencilKit
TWITTER: @PencilKitProd
Accessible Performance
Saturday March 29 @ 3pm: Live, open captioned and relaxed performance.
For more about Expanse Accessibility, visit: https://azimuththeatre.com/expanse-access/
Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can. Suggested Price $35
At
Azimuth Theatre, we believe art should be accessible to all, regardless
of financial circumstances. That’s why all of our tickets are based on a
Pay-What-You-Can model. We understand that everyone’s situation is
different, so we leave it up to you to determine the value of your
experience.
While we suggest a ticket price to help cover
production costs and support our artists, we understand that this may
not be feasible for everyone. Whether you can give more or less, what
matters most to us is that you join us in experiencing the magic of
theatre together. No matter the amount, your contribution is valued and
appreciated. Your support enables us to create meaningful connections,
spark important conversations, and inspire change through the power of
storytelling.
-
$35.00
-
29-March 30, 2025
-
70 minutes
-
Fringe Theatre Arts Barns
-
Westbury Theatre
-
14A
-
Colonialism, Environmental Apocalypse, Cancer