Awaken Festival 2026
April 12 - 26, 2026
Question… Honour… Celebrate… Awaken!
Gwaandak Theatre presents Awaken Festival 2026 - Featuring in-person and digital workshops, cultural presentations, performance showcases, and more - all in an effort to celebrate the different ways we can gather and connect! This hybrid festival is curated for Indigenous and Northern artists as well as interested members of the public.
As winter transforms into spring, life wakes up in the North. Mother Bears pass on knowledge to their cubs in order for them to thrive on their own. Awaken - so to speak - connects “cubs” (new and aspiring artists) to “mother bears” (experienced artists). Join us this spring from April 12th-26th, 2026 in Whitehorse YT and Online to learn, share, and Awaken new beginnings within yourself and your community.
- Performance Showcases -
Each year at Awaken, we present three national Performance Showcases as part of our festival line-up. This April 2026, we are pleased to present: who will save the night sky? created and performed by Philip Jonah Logan Geller, Miss Carcass Caresse: Soft Waters created and performed by Erica Wilson, and Climate Play co-created by Yvette Nolan and Joel Bernbaum and Climate Play Artists.
who will save the night sky?
April 17th, 2026 @ Dënäkär Zho / KIAC Ballroom, Dawson City YT
By Philip Jonah Logan Geller
April 21st & 24th, 2026 @ KDCC
Miss Carcass Caresse: Soft Waters
April 22nd & 25th, 2025 @ KDCC
By Erica Wilson
Climate Play
By Yvette Nolan and Joel Bernbaum & Climate Play Artists
April 23rd & 25th, 2025 @ KDCC
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Friday, April 17th - 8PM (Doors @ 7:30PM) - One Night Only - Dënäkär Zho / KIAC Ballroom, Dawson City YT
Co-presented by Gwaandak Theatre and Klondike Institute for Art and Culture
To purchase online tickets for this performance, please visit kiac.ca by clicking here. Admission to this event is Pay-What-You-Want and tickets will be available at KIAC.CA / KIAC Office / At the Door prior to the event when doors open.
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Allow me to take you on a celestial journey to a big board room in the sky. Plleeeaaassee, allow me to whisk my tail and weave you a tale on the tell tale signs of a GOOD STORY! A long time ago, in the future, an important group of star beings got together to discuss the fate of earth and the two-leggeds… and the party begins!
Blending bouffon, clown, storytelling, and spectacle, who will save the night sky? is an interactive solo performance reminding us of the importance of our relationship to the stars and sky world.
With thanks to Native Earth Performing Arts, Centre for Indigenous Theatre, desirée livingstone, Jenn Cole, Pam Logan, Peter Geller, Alexander Geller, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Charlene Van Beukenhout, and Rose Stella.
Content Warnings: Audience participation, flashing lights, and mature language and subject matter.
Length: ~75 Minutes
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CREDITS
Featuring Philip Jonah Logan Geller
Creator / Performer | Philip Jonah Logan Geller
Outside Eye / Dramaturge | Jill Carter
Rehearsal Director | Katie German
Stage Manager / Production Manager | Taylor Zalik-Young
Lighting Design | Theo Belc
Sound Design | Marc Meriläinen / Cole Meriläinen / Philip Geller
Costume Builder | Amy McPherson
Movement Support | Aria Evans
Promotional Photos | Andy Carroll
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Tuesday, April 21st - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Talkback - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Friday, April 24th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Closing Night & Post-Show Mixer - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Allow me to take you on a celestial journey to a big board room in the sky. Plleeeaaassee, allow me to whisk my tail and weave you a tale on the tell tale signs of a GOOD STORY! A long time ago, in the future, an important group of star beings got together to discuss the fate of earth and the two-leggeds… and the party begins!
Blending bouffon, clown, storytelling, and spectacle, who will save the night sky? is an interactive solo performance reminding us of the importance of our relationship to the stars and sky world.
With thanks to Native Earth Performing Arts, Centre for Indigenous Theatre, desirée livingstone, Jenn Cole, Pam Logan, Peter Geller, Alexander Geller, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Charlene Van Beukenhout, and Rose Stella.
Content Warnings: Audience participation, flashing lights, and mature language and subject matter.
Length: ~75 Minutes
The Post-Show Talkback on Tuesday April 21st will be hosted by Christine Genier
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CREDITS
Featuring Philip Jonah Logan Geller
Creator / Performer | Philip Jonah Logan Geller
Outside Eye / Dramaturge | Jill Carter
Rehearsal Director | Katie German
Stage Manager / Production Manager | Taylor Zalik-Young
Lighting Design | Theo Belc
Sound Design | Marc Meriläinen / Cole Meriläinen / Philip Geller
Costume Builder | Amy McPherson
Movement Support | Aria Evans
Promotional Photos | Andy Carroll
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Wednesday, April 22nd - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Talkback - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 25th - 2PM (Doors @ 1:30PM) - Closing Matinee & Post-Show Tea - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Erica Wilson is a Winnipeg-born Indigenous theatre artist. Moving beyond the constraints of traditional "Main Stage" storytelling, she now channels her creativity through her persona, Miss Carcass Caresse.
Her current work-in-progress is a 45-minute piece centered on the theme of Water. Drawing from original poetry and mask work. She parallels the shapeshifting, extraction, and life-giving nature of water. Through Miss Carcass Caresse, she reclaims her artistic narrative, blending silliness, stillness, and dance inspired movement to build new worlds on stage.
Thank you to Kiyanaan Indigenous Theatre Festival.
Content Warnings: Strobe lighting, smudge/smoke, mature audience, sexual themes, suggestive content.
Length: ~45 Minutes
The Post-Show Talkback on Wednesday April 22nd will be hosted by Philip Jonah Logan Geller
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CREDITS
Featuring Erica Wilson as Miss Carcass Caresse
Creator & Performer | Erica Wilson
Stage Manager | Charlene Van Buekenhout
Dance Mentor | Alexandra Elliott
Puppet Cinematographer and Editor | Venus Von Tramp
Burlesque Mentor | Nina Sapphira
Promotional Photos | Erica Wilson
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Thursday, April 23rd - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Talkback - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 25th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Closing Night & Post-Show Mixer - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Over the past three years, Climate Play has created eight hyper-local verbatim plays in eight different communities, including Whitehorse. The national Climate Play braids together four main elements from the plays: the script edited from the transcripts of the interviews; photos and videos of local land, water, and nature filmed by local artists in each community; a mid-show facilitated audience discussion; original music inspired by the transcripts of the interviews, including a new song generated from the end Act I discussion and performed for the first time.
Presented by Community Circle. Thank you to Canada Council for the Arts, University of British Columbia, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Content Warnings: Existential dread.
Length: ~100 Minutes + 15 Minute Intermission
The Post-Show Talkback on Thursday April 23rd will be hosted by Reneltta Arluk
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This presentation also includes Orbweaver - an interactive art installation!
Orbweaver - Created by Nicole Schafenacker - Facilitated by Fabienne Calvert Filteau and Nicole Schafenacker
What are your wishes for the climate? What are your questions for the future? Inspired by the Orbweaver spider, together we will weave our words into a vision for tomorrow.
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CREDITS
Featuring Bevin Dooley, Sydney Hunt, Katelyn Morishita, Krystle Pederson, and Colin Wolf with Music by Stewart Legere & Scott Maynard
Co-Creators | Yvette Nolan and Joel Bernbaum and Climate Play Artists
Actor | Bevin Dooley
Actor | Sydney Hunt
Actor | Katelyn Morishita
Actor | Krystle Pederson
Actor | Brianna Roett
Actor | Colin Wolf
Composer & Musical Director | Stewart Legere
Composer & Musical Director | Scott Maynard
Stage Manager | Mary Sloan
Production Assistant | Philip Adams
Projection Co-Designer | Brendan Briceland
Projection Co-Designer | Amelia Scott
Promotional Photos | Philip Adams
Updated April 10th, 2026. Details are accurate at the time of print/posting and are subject to change.
Thank you to the sponsors & supporters of the 2026 Awaken Festival!
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada (nous reconnaissons l'appui du gouvernement du Canada), the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Yukon, the City of Whitehorse and Lotteries Yukon. We acknowledge the support of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation with funding provided by the Government of Canada. Funding for Gwaandak Theatre is made possible through the assistance of Arts Operating Fund - Annual Operating Component, Department of Tourism and Culture, Jen Gehmair, Minister.
We also thank the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and their staff for their generous support as our Festival Hosts as well as Air North, Yukon’s Airline and Northern Vision Development LP (NVD) for their continued support of visiting artists. We are also grateful to What’s Up Yukon for their promotional support and to Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre, Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle, and Yukon Film Society for their partnership in sharing Local Presentations during Awaken, as well as additional support towards workshops and events, including production support provided by Yukon Film Society towards the presentations of Miss Carcass Caresse: Soft Waters and Climate Play.
We also express our gratitude to Klondike Institute of Art and Culture for their co-presentation of Awaken Festival events in Dawson City, as well as Full Circle: First Nations Performance / Talking Stick Festival, Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, Pivot Theatre, and Prismatic Arts Festival for their support of the Awaken Theatre Gathering. We also thank Chieftain Energy, Cultured Fine Cheese, and Tum Tum’s Black Gilt Meats for their contributions towards festival hospitality as well as Playwrights Canada Press for hosting a book table at select final weekend events. We are also grateful to Crêperie La Petite Maison for their generous sponsorship towards the catering at our weekend post-show events as well as the Awaken Theatre Gathering. We also wish to extend a special thank you to the Yukon Native Language Centre under the Council of Yukon First Nations for their support of a presentation taking place as part of the in-person Cultural Presentations day and to Yukon Words Society as an Affiliated Event partner.
