About Gwaandak Theatre

“One meaning of ‘Gwaandak’ in the Gwich’in language is ‘storyteller’.”

Our stories question, honour, and celebrate. They explore themes around decolonization, cultural identity, social justice, underrepresented voices and human rights. We tour to both tiny communities and major centres, and provide comprehensive study guides for secondary schools and colleges.

Gwaandak Theatre develops, produces and tours plays for both youth and adults. Our programming also includes new play workshops, readings and training for theatre artists.

Gwaandak Theatre was founded in Whitehorse in 1999 by theatre artists Leonard Linklater and Patti Flather. In 2019, Colin Wolf became the Artistic Director.

Gwaandak Theatre Society is Yukon’s only Indigenous professional theatre company. As an Indigenous Theatre, we are required by some of our funders to hire a minimum of 50% Indigenous people.

Our Vision

To Illuminate Indigenous and Northern Stories 

For Gwaandak Theatre, “Indigenous'' includes Yukon First Nations, Métis people, Inuit, and First Nations folx whose traditional territory lies to the south of the 60th parallel, and those who have been Scooped, Taken, or Lost through colonial processes. “Northern” includes 2SLGBQTIA+ folx, Black People, People of Colour, Dis Artists, and people of diverse classes, and backgrounds living generally north of the 60th parallel.

Our Mission

To connect with the width and breadth of our Indigenous and Northern communities. To build creative capacity for aspiring, emerging, and established Indigenous Theatre makers in Yukon. To create opportunities for for Indigenous Theatre Makers in Yukon to work together on professional productions and projects both locally and nationally. To create and instill good practices and protocols in the theatre industry by leading from example.

Gwaandak Theatre seasonal programming includes projects to meet and engage with new people, training and development opportunities, and showcase and performance activities. We work with the full breadth of our community to create access points for theatre making, build creative capacity, and connect artist and audience. We work with other theatres, organizations, and not for profits on partner projects to build relations and bridges. This ensures after meeting, training, and working with us we can find opportunities for Indigenous and Northern artists, technicians and cultural workers to find continued employment and opportunity in the industry, locally and nationally. 

Our performance activities tour to tiny communities, large centers, schools, special programs. Our digital activities are accessible by anyone with access to the internet. Almost all performance activities, workshops, and programs are free of charge to the user, audience, or participant. 

Our definition of theatre is inclusive and broad. It includes interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary works, artists exploring the boundaries of performance including; site-specific work, digital work, devised work, physical theatre, dance, non-text based shows, and text-based work. We are known for our innovative development and production of compelling Indigenous and Northern theatrical experiences.

Our Values

Health First

Always. Mental, Physical, & Emotional Health come before all else at Gwaandak.

Courage

To act in a good way, especially when it is difficult.

Compassion

To avoid judgment and stigma in order to appreciate others experiences.

Kindness

To remain generous and considerate when working with each other.

Transparency

To stay open and accountable in communications.

Draft

To allow space to speak, and speak again upon reflection.

Accountability

To ensure we own our actions and their outcomes.

The Circle

To allow everyone to speak equally on an challenges, decisions, and issues that affect them.

Determination

To remind us to not give up in the face of challenges.

25$/Hr Minimum

To ensure all paid contractors at Gwaandak Theatre receive a fair rate for their work.

Teamwork

Because no one can do this alone.

Intersectionality

So we understand that there are a multiplicity of identities, experiences, and perspectives on a single situation.

Access to Work/Knowledge

To endeavor to not turn people away who express an interest or ask a question.

Meet The Team

 Contact us:

Community Feedback

We value feedback from community members and recognize that sometimes people need to be anonymous to share that feedback with us. For certain kinds of feedback, it may be important for us to be able to contact you in order for us to take action or to follow up with you.

Your message will be sent to board@gwaandaktheatre.ca