I Must, I Must, I Must Increase My ... Creative Capacity

Gabriella Caruso, Garret Smith, Rose Stella, Archer Pechawis, Tara Beagan  
Photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

Monday, October 24/11:

1) Artistic Visioning

This session was run by Denise Bolduc. I had heard some of this information before during her classes at The Centre For Indigenous Theatre, but it was very useful information and it was nice to be reminded of it. When we were split up into groups to interview each other and then introduce each other- it was a great way to hear how others view you and how you view yourself as an artist. This was a helpful guidance to writing your own artistic vision. One thing that I took away from the session was what Denise said “Always read over your vision, every so often as it may change as we are always changing our practices and you need to keep it updated”

2) My First Play

Keith Barker and Kenneth T. Williams spoke to their first plays while Tara Beagan was asking questions. A lot of what they were speaking to, was helpful to me, as an upcoming playwright and it also gave me something to think about.

“It is better to write stage directions in your scripts, to help guide the designers when working on your play and yet giving them the freedom to not use them” said David Geary. This spoke to me as I am one who likes to write stage directions – just to write my vision down just to have it out on paper and I found that depending on who you are, sometimes it’s better not to read the reviews on your play as it might affect how you write from then on. However, sometimes it adds fuel to what you write the next time. Kenneth likes to read the reviews yet Keith was thinking he won’t want to read them. It’s up to you and how you are in taking criticism.

Tuesday, October 25/11:

Indigenous Design

This round table discussion had Archer Pechawis, Gabriella Caruso, Rose Stella, Garret Smith. Tara Beagan was guiding the session along. Andy Moro was supposed to be there but he was unable to attend because he was busy with a previous engagement. Which was a great lead into the discussion because there are so few Indigenous designers out there, that when we have one- like Andy, they will get run down from having so much work. Here are a few of the quotes that I really enjoyed from the discussions:

Archer:

 “Discipline grows out of your daily activities- craft” – Archer Pechawis

“The old people are whispering in your ear…..you don’t have to be Native, we all have that.” – Archer Pechawis

“If your connected to that infinite the work flows out of it.” –Archer Pechawis

“If you’re the only Indigenous person in the room, you have got to shine cause everyone is looking to see why you don’t deserve to be there.” – Tara Beagan

“You have to do this work under heart-felt, as there’s no way you could do it…so make sure your ready for the heart-work.” – Rose Stella

“I see genius in diversity…we all have to believe we can. It’s important that we work together…my idea is completed by yours, my stroke is completed by yours.” –Gabi Caruso

           

At the end of the session, Archer showed us the oldest existing footage of indigenous people on film (1894) that had men dancing around the drum and even though there was no sound you could see the men smiling and having a good time. It is his favourite movie to show people and he uses it as a backdrop for sets. It was nice to watch them dancing around and I think it inspired some participants to work on their craft. It certainly inspired me. 

 Archer Pechwis photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

 ~Shannon O                  

A Feast to Remember

Photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

On the evening of October 24, 2011 we had a feast to make sure we gave gratitude to all the spirits that are helping us along our journey into making this festival a go.

 Native Earth also had a chance to welcome Ernie Sandy to our feast for the first time.  Mr. Sandy was an elder that most of the staff met during an Indigenous bus tour arranged by the Centre for Indigenous Theatre.  He blessed the food, and explained to us that we give thanks to everything that went into providing the food that will nourish our bodies. 

 With an attendance in the 30’s we were pleased to see an assortment of food shared and faces smiling. I had the chance to talk to a couple of the Animikiig playwrights to see how their experience was going, and I also got to talk to some of the actors who were all excited to be a part of their respective pieces.  Festival photographer Scott Benesiinaabandan was in the house and we are excited to see what memories he captures throughout the festival. 

This feast marked the opening of our Festival, with professional development workshops happening the morning of October 25^th and 26^th, then we get into the swing of things with our first night of pieces, starting with Hoofs and Huff on October 26^th. 

Elder, Ernie Sandy
Photo by Scott Benesiinaabandan

~Jantone

Between us playwrights...

Kenneth T. Williams

Kenneth T. Williams is a terribly interesting man.  Over the past two weeks I’ve watched him eat, drink, make merry with his fellow artists in the Stratford Shakespearean Festival’s 2011 playwrights retreat.  And the wheels were always turning.  The man is a storehouse of trivia, data and stories – oh the stories.  Did you know, for example, that there is a species of ants that survives by enslaving other ants, even enlisting beetles which they ride like cows?  Or that String Theory, some kind of sub-atomic science marvel which I have not yet begun to grasp, has already given way to the more advanced M Theory?  Or that one of Canada’s top minds on the matter is Dene scholar Percy Paul?

During the course of the residency, a number of artists gathered for what I will affectionately call You’re Welcome, That’s Enough Now Day, where each artist shared a poem.  Yes, he writes poetry, too.  Ken’s reflective contribution came from his 2008 play, Suicide Notes (published in the Signature Editions anthology Three On The Boards), and is well worth the read.  

There is something about a playwright’s process that turns all of these little things into a greater understanding of universal order, of human nature.   This is evident in the latest draft of his new play, Deserters, which was winner of the 10 Days of Madness festival's 24-hour playwriting competition in 2009.  Ken has gone to task in Stratford, turning out a full and compelling examination of motivations and rationales around conflict.  Director/dramaturg Tara Beagan and our fabulous cast joined him there on October 18 for the first day of workshop, and now the whole gang is in house, preparing for Saturday's public reading.  You should come!

-DM