The Hours That Remain
By Keith Barker
February & March 2014
“… a testament to how rarely the plight of missing aboriginal women makes it into the headlines.” – Georgia Straight
“A very powerful and moving production…” – Audience Member, Dawson City
“… this play ingeniously casts light on the issue without making you feel like you’d rather be somewhere else.” – The Star Phoenix
The Hours That Remain explores the story of a woman haunted by the disappearance of her sister. Denise desperately seeks to find answers to Michelle’s disappearance. As she and her husband Daniel grapple with the loss, Denise is visited by Michelle in a series of visions that will help her to find the answers she is looking for. In confronting the pervasive reality of missing Aboriginal women in Canada, we are also faced with the legacy of loss endured by families, friends and community.
This acclaimed play inspired by BC’s infamous “Highway of Tears” is published by Playwrights Canada Press. It’s first production in 2012 (New Harlem Productions/Saskatchewan Native Theatre) earned 4 Saskatoon Area Theatre Award nominations, and won the Achievement in Playwriting Award.
Gwaandak Theatre and New Harlem Productions remounted the play with two new performers for a 2014 tour to Vancouver, B.C., Whitehorse and Dawson City, Yukon. This production won the Yukon Arts Audience Award “Best Art for Social Change”.
Gwaandak Theatre also presented an artist talk with award-winning Métis playwright/actor Keith Barker on Tuesday, March 4th at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre. This reading coincided with performances taking place March 5th-8th at the Yukon Arts Centre. Gwaandak Theatre’s Season Partner was the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre and this performance was co-presented by Yukon Arts Centre, and in association with New Harlem Productions.
CREDITS
Featuring Eli Ham*, Melaina Sheldon, Christine Wesley Genier
Playwright | Keith Barker
Director | David Storch*
Set & Properties Designer | Andy Moro
Sound Designer| Samuel Sholdice
Lighting Designer | David DeGrow
Costume Designer | Isidra Cruz
Movement Coach | Thomas Morgan Jones
Photography | Bruce Barrett
*Member of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Keith Barker is a Métis artist from Northwestern Ontario. A graduate of the George Brown Theatre School, he is the former Artistic Associate at Native Earth Performing Arts. Theatre credits include King Lear (National Arts Centre), Tombs of a Vanishing Indian (Red Diva/Native Earth), Jesus Chrysler (Praxis/Rhubarb), Homegrown (Aluna/Summerworks), The Making of St. Jerome (Next Stage Festival), Job’s Wife (New Harlem Productions/Summerworks), Death of a Chief (National Arts Centre/Native Earth), Autoshow (Convergence Theatre/Fringe). Upcoming is A Soldiers Tale with Signal Theatre/Danceworks, and Speedy with Unspun Theatre/World Stage. He is the former writer in residence at Native Earth Performing Arts and was the recipient of the Saskatoon and Area award for excellence in playwriting in 2013. The Hours That Remain is proudly published through Playwrights Canada Press.