Raising their voices

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This article was published 08/06/2021 (1560 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A need for representative Indigenous voices in theatre has existed for decades. But in the aftermath of the discovery of the remains of 215 children buried on the grounds of a Kamloops residential school, the urgency of that need feels even more pronounced.

It is a need addressed in the Pimootayowin Creators Circle, an initiative supported by the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Led by established playwright Ian Ross (fareWel, The Third Colour), the circle started meeting online weekly in November with the goal that each of its six Indigenous or Métis participants would create a play. The novice playwrights include Lynette Bonin, Jim Compton, Rosanna Deerchild, Kathleen MacLean, Dave McLeod and Tracey Nepinak.

Today, the fruits of that labour go public with five evenings of readings; all seven plays will be broadcast free on YouTube from Tuesday to Saturday. (In addition to the six playwrights, Ross’s circle assistant, Winnipeg Métis performer Katie German, is also contributing a play.)

In a phone interview, Ross says he initially did not expect the group would all produce finished scripts, adding that he encouraged participants to come up with a draft, but didn’t put pressure on them to complete anything.

“I was really just trying to get them into a situation that was supportive, where we were working together, sharing all of that stuff,” he says. “So when it came time, I was blown away because they were writing these amazing scripts and they all actually produced drafts, every single one of them.”

News on May 27 of the discovery of the children’s bodies in unmarked graves coincided with the group’s focus on Rosanna Deerchild’s work, titled How to Drink Red Rose Tea, which was inspired by Deerchild’s conversations with her mother about her residential school experience.

Ross says he wasn’t quite sure in what direction Deerchild was going to take her piece, which was about half-finished.

“We would all give our input and one night, we read the whole script and this came the day after the recognition around (the 215 children),” Ross says.

“They read that piece and of course it deeply affected and moved everyone. It brought people to tears. I said to everyone that I didn’t realize it at the time, but this is why we’re doing what we’re doing … so more Indigenous voices can be heard.

“The more of that that happens, I say, the better.”

 

randall.king@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @FreepKing