Northern Indigenous Play Readings

Keira Ash is a proud Tłı̨chǫ Dene Indigiqueer from Somba K’e Denendeh (Yellowknife, NWT). She is an artist, educator, student, beader, maker and doer. Keira grew up playing on the shores of Great Slave Lake. They flowed to and learned in Moh'kinstsis where the Elbow River and Bow River meet, as well as Amiskwaciwâskahikan which the North Saskatchewan River runs through. Now, she has flown south to where mountains and ocean meet and during the school year resides on lək̓ʷəŋən lands that have been carefully cultivated since time immemorial. They migrate between the North and South seasonally, creating art this past spring and summer along Chu Nínkwän, the Yukon River.

Roreigh Eftoda (she/her), a Métis/Cree-Celtic born in Northern Alberta Nistawâyâwis, is a credited actor and theatre maker who has been living in Whitehorse, Yukon since 1986. An advocate for Indigenous and Child Rights, Roreigh got her start in theatre in 2004, when she moved to Nanaimo, B.C. for college. Taking acting classes with Bailey Studio, she made props and performed in Death and God with the Nanaimo Theatre Group in the Spring of 2004. Returning to the Yukon, Roreigh did properties for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) at The Guild Hall in the Fall of 2004. Later, she landed a background role on an episode of tv miniseries Northern Town produced by Tagish Lake Film Inc/CBC. She took a hiatus from performance to travel Australia and Asia for 2 ½ years and has also raised three children while working in finance. In 2008, Roreigh began dance lessons at Leaping Feats and Northern Lights School of Dance including Hip Hop, Salsa, Jazz, modern and burlesque.

Roreigh returned to the theatre with Gwaandak Theatre’s Awaken Festival, Quick n’ Dirty Residency and Digital Cabaret in 2021 and 2022 as Roz Rouge. She also returned to Film with a feature role in Polaris produced by Little Dipper Films Inc. In March of 2022, Roz Rouge performed her first live burlesque act in GenderRiot hosted by Queer Yukon. Returning to Nanaimo in the Summer of 2022, Roz Rouge continued to learn the art of burlesque with Sweet Tooth Burlesque Revue’s residency and performance in Nanaimo B.C. Then performing in Victoria B.C with Fatale Production’s Dynamo A-Go-Go/Heavy Hitters in February 2023. Roreigh continued with Acting for Film and Television lessons through Spotlight Academy in Nanaimo, B.C. Returning to the Yukon in the fall of 2023 Roz Rough performed at Drag Bingo and Drag Me Into 2024. In 2024 Roz performed at International Woman’s Day Fundraiser by Molotov and Bricks Tattoo, Boolesque with Babes in the Bush and Burlesque and Drag with Babes in the Bush, Haines Junction. During Rendezvous of 2025 Roz Rouge performed in Cabin Fever Burlesque and Drag Festival 2025 hosted by Velvet Antler Productions.

In the summers of 2022 , 2024, and 2025, Roreigh travelled with Gwaandak Theatre in the Yukon for the Indigenous Summer Play Readings. Roreigh was the Festival Director for Awaken 2024 and The Deadly Festival Auntie for Awaken 2025.

Jason (Jay) Symanski is an actor/avid theatre enjoyer, originally from Winnipeg Manitoba, and has lived in the Yukon since 2009. He has spent 3 semesters in the Wood Street Centre’s Music Arts and Drama program (MAD). He performed as part of Indigenous Summer Play Readings in both 2024 and 2025. 

Sydney Wolf (they/them) is a queer and autistic artist. Their love for writing, painting and sewing has brought them into the theatre world. Born and raised in Saskatchewan prairies, Wolf now lives in a woodheat cabin in the Yukon mountains. Sydney was one of ten shortlisted artists, out of 251 submissions, for the National Queer and Trans Playwright Unit in 2022 and was recently a Tom Hendry Award finalist for the Drama award. Other things that orbit their heart include cross stitching, Dungeons & Dragons, and their pets Gwen, Boba and Lollypop.