Indigenous Summer Play Readings 2026
Touring the Yukon and NWT - July 2026
Ämbäya Shäw/Big Aunties by Christine Genier
Ämbäya Shäw/Big Aunties
Written and Directed by Christine Genier
Intergenerational love, laughter, and lessons as Aunties and Nieces make dinner.
Work in Progress
---
Let us tell you a story…
Join Gwaandak Theatre for our 15th Edition of Indigenous Summer Play Readings! This Season, we are proud to be sharing readings of a new script in development - Ämbäya Shäw/Big Aunties - written by Yukon First Nation playwright Christine Genier (Ta’an Kwäch’än Council) with presentations taking place throughout the Yukon and NWT. This annual summer tour creates opportunities for emerging theatre artists and promotes stronger community connections, all while showcasing Indigenous scripts - including new and developing works - to local audiences. We invite you to experience this story with us!
Content warning for adult language
~45 Minutes
Readings will take place July 2026 throughout the Yukon & NWT!
Dawson City, YT - Tuesday July 7th - 7:00 PM Start / 6:30PM Doors
Presented by Klondike Institute of Art and Culture - Dënäkär Zho / KIAC Ballroom
For ticket details, please visit kiac.ca. Tickets are pay-what-you-want and are available online and at the door prior to the reading.
Featuring Tyra Ashauntie, Jules BEE, Dez, Christine Genier, Trinity, and Kelly Deels Vittrekwa
Inuvik, NWT - Friday July 10th - 5:00PM Start
Presented as part of the 2026 Great Northern Arts Festival - Midnight Sun Complex
To find out more about the festival, please visit greatnorthernartsfestival.org.
Featuring Tyra Ashauntie, Ayak Gloria deVilliers, Christine Genier, and Friends
Whitehorse, YT - Friday July 17th - 7:00 PM Start / 6:30PM Doors
Presented as part of ‘Round Back @ The Guild Hall - The Guild Hall
Tickets to the July 17th reading are available on Eventbrite alongside the other performances being presented as part of ‘Round Back @ The Guild Hall. A limited number may also be available at The Guild Hall prior to the reading. Buy your tickets online now in order to confirm your spot!
If price is a barrier, please email us at info@gwaandaktheatre.ca.
Meet the Creative Team
Tyra Ashauntie - Artistic Associate & Actor
Kikchuks / Rae Mombourquette - Actor
Kelly Deels Vittrekwa - Actor
Christine Genier - Playwright, Director, & Actor
Trinity - Actor
-
Tyra Ashauntie is from Pelly Crossing, Huchá Hudän, Selkirk First Nation. Tyra is an emerging playwright and interdisciplinary artist. Tyra loves their siblings, niece, culture, language, painting, writing, friends and family. Tyra is currently working on their writing, acting and development of their very own script, Constellation! They love exploring all forms of theatre and creating.
-
Christine Genier is a Wolf Clan citizen of the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. (Yukon) She is a writer, poet, performer, storyteller, and a lifelong worker in language and culture. Her latest work, Dear Star Trek, ran for two nights in February at the Old Fire Hall, bringing the piece home after performing for audiences in Vancouver, BC and Wolfe Island, Ontario. Christine works to help keep her family and ancestral languages, Tageesh Koshé and Dawkwanjé. She is a gatherer of stories and moderator of talks.
-
Kikchuks, Rae Mombourquette is a Tlingit Acadian of the Yèił Clan and citizen of Kwanlin Dün First Nation, on who's traditional territory she humbly resides. She is a granddaughter of the Big Salmon Northern Tutchone people and great-granddaughter of the Marsh Lake Tagish Kwan.
She is a life long learner of Łingit language, and has been inspired to learn the Dän K'e language of the lands on which she lives with her partner and two children.
Learning the art of colonial resistance from her Grandma Łasaayì Emma Shorty (nee Sidney), Kikchuks will advocate for Indigenous language and place-based cultural practise inclusion in all aspects of her work, a task she is prepared to advocate for the rest of her life.
-
Drin hozo, shozrë Trinity, I’m Tetlit Hwë’chin and Tr’ondëk Hwëchin, i’m also partly norwegian. I live in Dawson City YT. and am currently going into grade 10. This summer i’m a student receptionist for TH government, but i’ve worked with Gwandak theatre a couple years ago. I started out as an assistant director of “Women of the fur trade”. Then I joined in the indigenous summer readings with my mom, Kelly Deels Vittrekwa. I do modeling once in awhile, my photo is in this years Dawson City Tour guide. Some of my hobbies are playing guitar, reading, and sports like volleyball, bad minton, and biking. I’m look forward to this years summer reading!
-
Kelly Deels Vittrekwa was born in Inuvik, NT and raised on the traditional Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (TH) territory in Dawson City where is she is now raising her daughter Trinity Vittrekwa. She is working in the education department for TH Government but still keeps her passion for Film, TV and theater. Whether it’s directing, producing, writing, acting and burlesque. Deels is happy to be working with Gwaandak Theater again and hopes to join the tour next year.
CREDITS
Featuring Tyra Ashauntie, Jules BEE (Dawson City), Ayak Gloria deVilliers, Dez (Dawson City), Christine Genier, Jade Lacosse (Whitehorse), Kikchuks / Rae Mombourquette (Whitehorse), Trinity (Dawson City), Kelly Deels Vittrekwa (Dawson City), and Friends
Playwright & Director - Ämbäya Shäw/Big Aunties | Christine Genier
Artistic Associate | Tyra Ashauntie
*Please note that Actors may not be present at all readings.
Thank you to the funders, supporters, and presenting organizations of the 2026 Indigenous Summer Play Readings!
Indigenous Summer Play Readings 2026 is funded by The Government of Yukon, Canada Council for the Arts, and The City of Whitehorse. 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.
Thank you to Northern Vision Development LP (NVD) and Air North, Yukon’s Airline for their continued support of touring artists throughout our Season and to What’s Up Yukon for supporting our print and digital marketing.
We are also grateful to this year’s presenting organizations - Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (Dawson City YT), Great Northern Arts Festival (Inuvik NWT) and The Guild Hall (Whitehorse YT).
