Indigenous Summer Play Readings 2024
June & July 2024
Join Gwaandak Theatre for our Indigenous Summer Play Readings! This year, in a celebration of generational excellence, we are proud to be presenting two works written by Yukon First Nations playwrights: Constellation by Tyra Ashauntie (Selkirk First Nation) and Justice by Leonard Linkater (Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation). Throughout June and July, these readings will be shared at special events in Whitehorse YT and - for the first time - we are excited to be presenting at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik NWT! This annual tour creates opportunities for emerging theatre artists, promotes stronger community connections, and showcases both new and returning Indigenous scripts to local audiences.
Reaching back, reaching forward…
Join the story of a group of four teenagers navigating life and their sense of self in a small Indigenous rural community. Winter comes back from the city for the summer and soon realizes she may not be as welcomed back as she hoped. She goes on to spend time with her group of best friends. Winter, Nunkra, Emma and Clem soon discover that things are not always as they appear the older they get as they butt heads doing their best to understand life. The four continue to march through the madness of their small town, growing up, dysfunctional families, and blossoming romances all while trying to stick closely together and to keep life the same as before. Will they stick close together as they have for years or will the pain of growing be too much for this friend group?
By Tyra Ashauntie
Constellation
Directed by Colin Wolf
Justice
By Leonard Linklater
Directed by Isabelle James-Walker
A gripping drama that sheds light on a little-known part of our nation’s history, Justice is inspired by the true story of the Nantuck brothers, the first men to be hanged in the fledgling Yukon territory. During the Klondike Gold rush of 1898, Indigenous and European cultures came together with sometimes tragic results. The accidental poisoning deaths of two members of the Tagish First Nation led to a cultural misunderstanding and clash of justice systems far from the reach of the papers of the day. Yukon playwright Leonard Linklater explores divergent views of justice in this fascinating play.
Readings took place in Whitehorse YT and in Inuvik NWT!
Whitehorse, YT - Saturday June 29th - 3:30 PM Start (Justice)
Whitehorse, YT - Sunday June 30th - 3:30 PM Start (Constellation)
Presented as part of the Adäka Cultural Festival - Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre
Whitehorse, YT - Friday July 5th - 7:00 PM* Start (Constellation)
Whitehorse, YT - Saturday July 6th - 7:00 PM Start (Justice)
Presented as part of ‘Round Back @ The Guild Hall - The Guild Hall
*Part of the Opening Night of ‘Round Back @ The Guild Hall, which included a BBQ and music by Kevin Barr as well as a land acknowledgment led by Sharon Shorty.
Inuvik, NWT - Thursday July 11th - 6:00 PM Start (Justice)
Inuvik, NWT - Saturday July 13th - 11:00 AM Start (Constellation)
Presented as part of the Great Northern Arts Festival - Special Events Tent, Jim Koe Park
Our previously scheduled readings in Dawson City-Tombstone-Twin Lakes were cancelled due to unexpected circumstances. We remain grateful to all presenters and funders for their support.
Meet the Creative Team
Tyra Ashauntie - Playwright - Constellation
Colin Wolf - Director - Constellation
Leonard Linklater - Playwright - Justice
Isabelle James-Walker - Director - Justice
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Tyra Ashauntie is an Indigenous artist from Pelly Crossing, Selkirk First Nation, Huchá Hudän. Tyra’s artistic career started at the Music, Arts, and Drama Program at the Wood Street Centre, spending two semesters there participating in a number of plays. In the beginning of 2022 Tyra acted in Gwaandak Theatre's production of The Crows by Frances Končan as the character ‘Rual’. Tyra has acted for Gwaandak Theatre’s Indigenous Summer Play Readings in the summer of 2022 and 2023 and was also the director for one of the 2023 scripts. Tyra was also the assistant manager for Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre and The Guild Hall’s co-production of 'CoyWolf' by Colin Wolf. Tyra was one of five who were selected for Canada’s first National Queer & Trans Playwright unit where they got to work closely with other participants and dramaturges to develop their scripts. For ISPR 2024, one of the scripts will be ‘Constellation’ written by Tyra.
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Leonard Linklater, playwright and journalist, is a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. Born and raised in Inuvik, N.W.T. he now lives in Whitehorse, Yukon with his partner. He was a co-creator of Ndoo Tr’eedyaa Gogwaandak (2019), radio plays. Leonard’s first play Sixty Below (Co-written with Patti Flather) received seven Dora nominations in Toronto (Native Earth, 1997). Justice was featured at the National Arts Centre’s Northern Scene (Ottawa, 2013). In 2019 he participated in the Caravan Farm Theatre National Playwrights Retreat, and he is currently working on an adaptation of Sixty Below with the Yukon Digital Theatre Collective. Leonard is a father and grandfather, and an avid soccer player.
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Colin Wolf is a Métis performer, theatre maker, and activist from Moh’kins’tsis (Calgary), AB on Treaty 7 Territory. He graduated with a BFA in Dramatic Arts from the University of Lethbridge in 2014, and then spent 5 years making theatre all over the prairies. Wolf co-founded Thumbs Up Good Work Theatre Collective with his sister Caleigh Crow in 2013. Wolf felt the call of the North and moved to Whitehorse in October 2019 to serve as Artistic Director at Gwaandak Theatre. He wrote & produced CoyWolf, a story about loss and grief backdropped by a story of land displacement. Wolf produced it as Thumbs Up in partnership with the Guild Hall Theatre in Whitehorse, and toured it to 4 rural communities in 2023.
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Born in raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Isabelle James-Walker (she/her) is Tlingit, Carcross Tagish First Nation. Isabelle found her passion for theatre when she joined the Music Arts and Drama Program and completely fell in love with acting and the Arts. Being really shy and closed off as a kid, she found her confidence while pursuing her passion. This year she is diving into the world of directing. This is going to be her first time directing and she is super excited!
A few productions she’s been in: Music Art and Drama Program - 2016-2019
Newsies - Yukon Theatre for Young People - 2019
Dreary and Izzy - The Guild Hall & Gwaandak Theatre - 2021
Women of the Fur Trade - Gwaandak Theatre - 2021
Indigenous Summer Play Readings - Gwaandak Theatre - 2022
WYRD - Larrikin Entertainment - 2023
CREDITS
Featuring Arlow, Eric Epstein, Isabelle James-Walker, Jay Symanski, Jedrek Dendys, Roreigh Eftoda, Sydney Wolf, Tyra Ashauntie
Playwright | Tyra Ashauntie
Playwright | Leonard Linklater
Directors | Colin Wolf & Isabelle James-Walker
Dramaturge - Constellation | Yvette Nolan
Graphic Designer | Ksenia Jack
Thank you to the funders, supporters, and presenting organizations of the 2024 Indigenous Summer Play Readings!
Indigenous Summer Play Readings 2024 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, John Streicker, Minister.
Thank you to Northern Vision Development LP (NVD) for their continued support of touring artists and to What’s Up Yukon for supporting our print and digital marketing.
We are also grateful to this year’s presenting organizations, including the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (Dawson City YT), Adäka Cultural Festival (Whitehorse YT), The Guild Hall (Whitehorse YT), and the Great Northern Arts Festival (Inuvik NWT). We also thank the Government of Yukon Environment | Parks Staff for helping facilitate the planned campground readings (Tombstone Mountain Campground YT & Twin Lakes Campground YT).
Special thank you to Yvette Nolan (Dramaturge) and to the National Queer & Trans Playwriting Unit for their support of Constellation.