Awaken Festival 2025
April 13th-27th | Whitehorse, YT & Online
- Performance Showcases -
Each year at Awaken, we present three national Performance Showcases as part of our festival line-up. This April 2025 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, we are pleased to present: Sound of the Beast by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Savage is a Word in the English Dictionary by Brefny Caribou, and Talk Treaty To Me by Theresa Cutknife & Samantha Fraughton.
Tickets for these April 22nd-26th performances are on sale now at purchasing.yukonartscentre.com/Events!
If you are interested in accessing childminding at the KDCC during the performances taking place on April 25th & 26th, please email us at info@gwaandaktheatre.ca no later than April 15th.
April 22nd & 25th, 2025 @ KDCC
By Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Sound of the Beast
Savage is a Word in the English Dictionary
By Brefny Caribou
April 23rd & 26th, 2025 @ KDCC
By Theresa Cutknife and Samantha Fraughton
Talk Treaty To Me
April 24th & 26th, 2025 @ KDCC
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Tuesday, April 22nd - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Talkback - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Friday, April 25th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Closing Night & 25th Anniversary Celebration - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
"Compassion is good, but it’s just motivation. Cars need engines. Movements need mobilization."
Through spoken word, storytelling and hip hop, acclaimed wordsmith Donna-Michelle St. Bernard illuminates racial discrimination, the suppression of expression and the trials of activism. Her experience as a Canadian emcee is woven through with allusion to Tunisian emcee Weld El 15’s unjust imprisonment for rhymes against a regime. This story creates a space to reflect on how we are connected to the systems that oppress us, and how we can empower each other to rise up.
Sound of the Beast is a New Harlem Productions & Rumble Theatre Touring Co-Production.
Content Warnings: Police Violence.
Length: ~90 Minutes
Thank you to Cultured Fine Cheese, Tum Tum’s Black Gilt Meats, and Air North, Yukon’s Airline for supporting the 25th Anniversary Celebration.
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CREDITS
Featuring Donna-Michelle St. Bernard aka Belladonna the Blest
Creator / Performer | Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Directors | Jivesh Parasram and Andy McKim
Assistant Director | Nicci Pryce
Stage Manager | Maria Zarrillo
Sound Design | David Mesiha
Lighting Designer | Jack Goodison*
Promotional Photos | Graham Isador & Hoffworks
*With Support from Rebecca Vandevelde
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Wednesday, April 23rd - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Talkback - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 26th - 2PM (Doors @ 1:30PM) - Closing Matinee & Post-Show Tea - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Savage is a Word in the English Dictionary follows a young Indigenous woman who is asked to give a presentation at her old elementary school for their “Indigenous Studies” unit. Arriving at the school she is confronted with the memories of her own school days. When nostalgia and reality collide, she realizes that history doesn’t smell as good as the textbook.
Content Warnings: Use of a vaping device (no nicotine or THC), coarse language, themes of residential school and intergenerational trauma.
Length: ~60 Minutes
Thank you to Cultured Fine Cheese and Tum Tum’s Black Gilt Meats for supporting the Post-Show Tea.
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CREDITS
Featuring Brefny Caribou
Performer & Creator | Brefny Caribou
Director | Keshia Palm
Stage Manager | Maya Bowers
Promotional Photos | Kate Dalton
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Thursday, April 24th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Talkback - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 26th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Closing Night & Post-Show Mixer - Multi-Purpose Room, Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, Whitehorse YT
1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war! 5, 6, 7, 8, Treaty 6 will be so great! What could go wrong? Talk Treaty To Me follows the long friendship between Jess, a settler, and Max, a Nehiyaw woman. Max and Jess meet as children, and their friendship changes as they grow up and learn what it means to be a part of Treaty. Max and Jess’ story is intercut with two crass tricksters who were there when Treaty 6 was signed. The tricksters chase and taunt one another, and bleed into the world of Max and Jess.
Content Warnings: Contains stories of grief, swearing or potential offensive language, depiction of soft drug use, depictions of generational trauma, mentions of residential school and genocide.
Length: ~90 Minutes including post-show talkback
Thank you to Cultured Fine Cheese and Tum Tum’s Black Gilt Meats for supporting the Post-Show Mixer.
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CREDITS
Featuring Theresa Cutknife, Samantha Fraughton, Mitchell Saddleback, Sheldon Stockdale
Writers and Co-Creators | Theresa Cutknife & Samantha Fraughton
Max | Theresa Cutknife
Jess | Samantha Fraughton
Harvey | Mitchell Saddleback
Alexander Morris | Sheldon Stockdale
Director | Desirée Livingstone
Stage Manager and Assistant Production Manager | Andrea Murphy
Production Mentor and Overall Wizard | AJ Hrooshkin
Composer and Sound Designer | Matthew Cardinal
Assistant Sound Designer | Autumn Strom
Production Designer | Skye Grinde
Interim Producer | Rebecca Bissonnette
Tour Graphic Designer | Raine Radtke
Promotional Photos | Brianne Jang
- Digital Artist Talks -
Artist’s Talk: Staying Engaged
With Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
April 15th, 2025 @ Digital via Zoom
Artist's Talk: Creation Through Performance
With Brefny Caribou
April 17th, 2025 @ Digital via Zoom
Artists’ Talk: Sharing (Y)OUR Stories
With Theresa Cutknife and Samantha Fraughton
April 22nd, 2025 @ Digital via Zoom
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Tuesday, April 15th - 12PM-1PM (Online Waiting Room Opens @ ~11:55AM) - Digital via Zoom, Yukon Time
Creation of new work is a long commitment. How do we move through the hard parts? (Spoiler: that’s all the parts.) Join Donna-Michelle St. Bernard aka Belladonna the Blest and a local artist online as they discuss the upcoming performances of Sound of the Beast and the process of creation. This digital conversation will also include a short Q&A with attendees.
Make sure you pre-register for this event in order to receive the Zoom link.
Promotional Photos | Graham Isador & Hoffworks
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Thursday, April 17th - 12PM-1PM (Online Waiting Room Opens @ ~11:55AM) - Digital via Zoom, Yukon Time
Connect with performer, writer, and educator Brefny Caribou along with a local artist as they discuss the upcoming performances of Savage is a Word in the English Dictionary, the role of workshopping and festivals in creating new work, Brefny’s experience with various festivals, and anything else that comes to mind! This online conversation will include a short Q&A with attendees.
Make sure you pre-register for this event in order to receive the Zoom link.
Promotional Photos | Kate Dalton
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Tuesday, April 22nd - 12PM-1PM (Online Waiting Room Opens @ ~11:55AM) - Digital via Zoom, Yukon Time
What does co-creating a brand new work look like? As part of this online conversation facilitated by a local artist, Theresa Cutknife and Samantha Fraughton will share about their shared experiences in creating Talk Treaty To Me, the road from fringe to touring, the upcoming Yukon performances, and their individual creative journeys. This digital conversation will include a short Q&A with attendees.
Make sure you pre-register for this event in order to receive the Zoom link.
Promotional Photos | Brianne Jang
Pre-register for the Digital Artist’s Talks at least two hours prior to the scheduled start times so that you can receive the Zoom link. Showcase artists are also leading In-Person Workshops and participating in the Awaken Theatre Gathering!
