In this blog entry, playwright Zahida Rahemtulla sits down with actor Zaitun Esmail to discuss her entry into professional theatre at the age of 72, her journey as an “emerging artist” later in life, and discusses racialized actors over 55 that are in today’s theatre industry.
Full conversation below.
Zaittun Esmail
Zaittun Esmail was born in Kenya in 1952. She went to school in Kisumu, south of the Equator where she discovered her passion for literature, language and arts. She moved to Nairobi for post secondary education, met her future husband and moved to Newcastle, UK. She spent a few years in Newcastle before returning to Kisumu for 25 years while her husband ran a family manufacturing enterprise. She was offered a scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree in Education with the U of Exeter in 1995. The opportunity to earn a University degree and realize her full potential, was not received with the same enthusiasm in the marriage and Zaittun moved to Nairobi to complete the program as a single mother. She dived into the rich cultural and art scene, joined Toastmasters, supported the acclaimed Professional Theatre, with their robust performances, while Managing Operations in a bank as well as studying. Upon completion of the degree program, she moved to Toronto, earned a post graduate Diploma in Advanced Professional Studies, acquired additional skills and currently underwrites residential mortgages. She landed a debut role in The Wrong Bashir at Crowe’s Theatre in 2024, followed by a recording of the play for CBC PlayMe podcast. Acting and writing have enhanced her portfolio and she is currently co-facilitating a writing workshop for Tarragon Theatre. Zaittun loves to spend time with her 2 children and grandchildren, power walk, cook, play chess and is an active member on the Aga Khan Religious Education Board, Ontario.
Zahida Rahemtulla
Zahida Rahemtulla grew up in Burnaby on the unceded territories of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh-speaking peoples, and later spent years in Metchosin, Abu Dhabi, and Toronto.
Her first play, The Wrong Bashir, premiered to a critically acclaimed, sold-out run in Vancouver and a sold-out, extended run in Toronto (Touchstone Theatre, 2023 and Crow’s Theatre, 2024) . An audio version of the play was released by CBC’s PlayME in May 2025. Her second play, The Frontliners, a comedic drama about refugee resettlement, won a Playwrights Guild of Canada Tom Hendry Award, the Fringe New Play Prize, a Dorothy White Award, was runner-up for the national Voaden Prize in Playwriting, and was nominated for a 2025 Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for outstanding original script. Her short stories have been shortlisted for the Alice Munro Short Story Festival Award and longlisted for the CBC short story prize.
Zahida is developing new acting training programs to support community actors of colour over 55—many of whom have spent their lives working outside the arts—in pursuing professional training, most recently with Nightswimming Theatre and Talk Is Free Theatre.
Zahida works in education and teaching, and is currently a faculty member in the Community Development and Outreach Department at Capilano University, where she teaches Adult Education. She also works at Blind Tiger Comedy in access.