FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE - BY NATALIE SAPPIER - MARCH 8 - 18, 2018 - Ship's Company Theatre
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FINDING MARCH
8 – 18, 2018
WOLASTOQ ON TOUR:
VOICE
MARCH 21 – APRIL 6, 2018
BY
NATALIE SAPPIER
FINDING
WOLASTOQ
VOICE
BY NATALIE SAPPIER
DIRECTED BY THOMAS MORGAN JONES
FEATURING
Aria Evans
CREATIVE TEAM
Thomas Morgan Jones, Director
Andy Moro, Set and Lighting Designer
Michael Doherty, Sound Designer
Sherry Kinnear, Costume Designer
Tammy Faulkner, Stage Manager
Production Photo, Matt Carter
ABOUT THE MUSIC
All music was composed and arranged by Samaqani Cocahq
except Wolastoq Song, written by Sagatay (Gwen Bear) and
performed by Samaqani Cocahq, Judie & Angee Acquin. Mother
Earth Song performed by Maggie Paul.
The project was developed with support from ArtsNB
2 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18
17/18 SEASON PARTNERS
PRODUCTION PARTNERS
Freder icton, New Br unswick
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
RUNNING TIME APPROX. 1 HR
THE TAKING OF PHOTOGRAPHS OR THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK IS THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK
VIDEO IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE 55 Whiting Road, Fredericton
DURING THE PERFORMANCE. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION New Brunswick E3B 5Y5
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL OF CANADIAN THEATRES (PACT)
P. (506) 460-1381
PHONES AND DATA DEVICES. We engage, under the terms F. (506) 453-9315
of the Canadian Theatre
Not only are they distracting, info@tnb.nb.ca
Agreement, professional
they can interfere with the
artists who are members of @ theatrenewbrunswick
theatre’s wireless equipment
the Canadian Actor’s Equity @ theatrenewbrunswick
during the performance.
Association. @ theatreNB
Thank you for your cooperation.
FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 3
2017/18 TNB COMPANY
COMPANY DIRECTORS PRODUCTION TNB BOARD OF GONERNORS
THOMAS MORGAN JONES TRENT LOGAN Deborah Burns (Chair)
Artistic Director Technical Director Heather Allaby (Vice Chair)
SUSAN READY JAMIE ATKINSON Edwin Corey
General Manager Head of Carpentry Sally Dibblee
& Facilities Marshall Button
MATT CARTER Allison McCarthy
Director of Development ELAINE BELLEFONTAINE Brad Cross
and Communications Head of Props and
Michelle Cadogan
Scenic Painting
JOANNA BRYSON TNB FOUNDATION
Operations Manager SHERRY KINNEAR
Head of Wardrobe Ilkay Silk (Chair)
CATHERINE MACDONALD Bruce Hatfield
Office Manager BILLY DOUCET
Lorraine King
Props and Paint Assistant
ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES Susan Montague
THEATRE SCHOOL INSTRUCTORS Larry Nelson
LISA ANNE ROSS
Nicole Picot
Director of TNB COURTNEY ARSENAULT
Peggy Bertelsen
Young Company SARAH BELL Ryan Sullivan
TANYA DUFFY, THE DETAILS DESIGN TANIA BREEN Doug Forbes
Resident Graphic Designer
SHARISSE LEBRUN
ANDRÉ REINDERS
Resident Photographer JOSIE MARASCO
HILARY READY
JEAN-MICHEL CLICHE
MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR AND GENERAL MANAGER
It is our great honour and privilege to be able to
share Natalie’s story Finding Wolastoq Voice here
on Wolastoqiyik territory. Natalie has truly given us
a gift with this production, and we are so moved by
the trust she has had in Theatre New Brunswick to
help bring her story to the stage.
This is a story of transformation. All of us at Theatre
New Brunswick, too, have been transformed
by our relationship with Natalie and her play.
And now, finally, we get to share it with you, the
audience.
Thank you for supporting new New Brunswick
playwrights here at The Open Space Theatre and
Theatre New Brunswick
WITH LOVE,
THOMAS AND SUSAN
4 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
OF THE BOARD
On behalf of the Board of Governors I want to
congratulate Natalie on the premiere of her
ambitious and very moving work, Finding
Wolastoq Voice. You will experience many forms
of art in this production, including movement,
visuals, voice and music. The way in which the
team has woven these together to tell the story
guarantees that this will be a memorable event for
all of us. We are pleased to be able to share this
with so many people around New Brunswick and
in Toronto. Enjoy the show.
Sincerely,
DEBORAH BURNS
CHAIR, TNB BOARD OF GOVERNORS
FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 5
PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTES
Woliwon/Thank you, to the inspiring Theatre
Woliwon, to my phenomenal artistic team Andy
New Brunswick team, a special thank you to
Moro, Aria Evans, and Mike Doherty.
Thomas Morgan Jones for his amazing mentor-
Woliwon, to my family and friends for their con-
ship and friendship. Woliwon, ArtsNB and the
stant inspiration, motivation, love and support.
Canada Council for the Arts for their support in
To my mother, my teacher – you are one of the
the development of Finding Wolastoq Voice, to
strongest and most beautiful spirits in my life.
my Momo, Meme, Sagatay, Imelda and Dave
Woliwon and Koselmul always.
Perley, my community of negotuk, Maggie Paul,
Judie Acquin, Angee Acquin, Kim and Wayne NATALIE SAPPIER
Brooks, Nate Miller and his beautiful parents.
6 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18
TODAY, AS I STAND IN THE WOLASTOQ
WATERS I AM WITNESSING OUR LANGUAGE
BEING LOST, OUR LANDS HURTING AND
OUR WATER IS CRYING. I FEEL OUR STORIES
NEED TO BE HEARD LOUDER THAN A
PAINTING CAN SPEAK. I HAVE BEGAN A
JOURNEY TO OPEN MY SPIRIT, TO GAIN
THE COURAGE TO SHARE MY SONGS, AND
TO FIND THE STRENGTH WITHIN MY VOICE
AND WITHIN MY WORDS SO THAT I MAY
CONTINUE TO SHARE STORIES EXPRESSED
WITH INDIGENOUS HEART ON STAGE FOR
THE WORLD TO SEE.”
FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 7
NATALIE SAPPIER - PLAYWRIGHT/COMPOSER
My name is Natalie Sappier-Samaqani Cocahq (The Water Spirit).
I am a Wolastoqiyik Indigenous multidisciplinary artist from
Tobique First Nation. Much of the teachings carry along the
Wolastoq waters that have led me into the community of
Fredericton where my arts practice is currently based. I believe
if I’m always by the Wolastoq, I am home.
I have always had a creative spirit. I remember being young and
always being captivated by the surroundings and people in my
community. I would find stories in the forests and waters – some
would say I was child full of imagination and was always expressing
myself through spoken word, song and dance.
I began my visual arts practice in early 2000 when I enrolled at
New Brunswick College of Craft and Design where I met Sagatay
(Gwen Bear). She became a very influential person in my life and
through her guidance I began learning about traditional ceremonies,
teachings, language and medicines. The teachings inspired me
but also gave a larger understanding of who I am and I began
expressing that through painting.
The Wolastoqiyik motifs naturally became part of my stories.
This symbolic movement in my artwork is what I call “dancing
the four directions” which represent emotions, dance, of spirit
and of song through Wabanaki roots. My painted stories kept me
close to my Indigenous ways of being, constantly teaching me
and encouraging me to learn more. I realized early in my painting
career that I was not painting just for me but I was painting for
my people. I was painting for my ancestors.
Today, as I stand in the Wolastoq waters I am witnessing our
language being lost, our lands hurting and our water is crying.
I feel our stories need to be heard louder than a painting can
speak. I began my path to open my spirit to learn courage to
share my songs, strength within my voice and within my words
for me to continue to share stories expressed with Indigenous
heart on stage for the world to see.
THOMAS MORGAN JONES – DIRECTOR
Thomas is an award winning director, playwright, movement
coach, dramaturg, and teacher. For over 15 years he has created
theatre nationally and internationally with companies and schools
that include: The Stratford Festival, Theatre Direct, Theatre
Passe Muraille, The Charlottetown Festival, Carousel Players,
Cia Enviezada (Brazil), NTS, Sheridan, and The Randolph Academy.
He holds a BA from Guelph, an MA from UofT, and has trained with
SITI Company in NYC/Madrid/Paris and SCOT in Japan and Italy.
8 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18
ARIA EVANS –DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER
Aria Evans works in film, dance creation and performance. She
draws on her experiences as a woman of mixed race (Mi’kmaq,
African, Settler heritage) as well as her BFA to capture meaningful
social and cultural themes through her interactive art. Her works
have been presented in Turtle Island and abroad.
Visit www.gotocompany.org to learn more.
ANDY MORO – SET AND LIGHTING DESIGNER
Andy Moro is a mixed Euro/Omushkego Cree multi-disciplinary
artist. He collaborates and “designaturges” from coast to coast,
most recently Marie Clements’ opera MISSING for Pacific Opera
Victoria and City Opera Vancouver.
Moro is a co-founder/director of ARTICLE 11 with partner Tara
Beagan, named for the article in the UN Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous People which states: the right to practice, revitalize,
protect and develop all manifestations of their cultures, such as
historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and
visual and performing arts and literature.
ARTICLE 11 is touring Reckoning – a triptych tackling fallout from
the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Their installation
DECLARATION has been featured at the Royal Ontario Museum,
the National Arts Centre and Calgary City Hall and the Edinburgh
Festival. Coming soon: Deer Woman. A story of retribution.
MICHAEL DOHERTY – SOUND DESIGNER
Michael Doherty is an Atlantic Canada and Toronto based
composer, sound designer and music director. Recent credits
include; The Penelopiad, The Wedding Singer (St. Lawrence
College); Goodbye Marianne, A Herman Tale, Marion Bridge,
The Space Between, Vigil, You Play Beautifully, A Christmas Carol
(Theatre New Brunswick); Shrek, The Drowsey Chaperone, Guys
and Dolls (Theatre New Brunswick Theatre School); Armstrong’s
War, It’s a Wonderful Life, Hockey Dreams, For Life, A Christmas
Carol, Red, Miracle on 34th St. (Sudbury Theatre Centre);
Grace Notes, Angel’s River (The Notable Acts Theatre Festival)
Michael is the composer and co-lyricist of two full length musicals;
A Christmas Carol adapted with Caleb Marshall and For Life with
Norm Foster. He is a multiple Merritt award (Theatre Nova Scotia)
nominee and winner. He was honoured with the musician’s
achievement award at East Coast Music Awards in 2008 and
received the Playhouse Honours award from the Fredericton
Playhouse in 2014.
FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 9
SHERRY KINNEAR– COSTUME DESIGNER
Sherry is the costume designer for the TNB Young Company
and TNB Theatre School as well as the Head of Wardrobe for
all branches of the company. Sherry most recently designed
costumes for The Boat, The Snow Queen, A Sunday Affair,
Marion Bridge, Vigil, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Eighth Fire,
and The Net, as well as Guys & Dolls, West Side Story,
The Wizard of Oz, Les Miserables and has created costumes
for A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Miracle on 34th Street,
It’s a Wonderful Life, Little Shop of Horrors, Gifts of the Magi,
The Dollar Woman, Treasure Island, and many other TNB productions
over the past nine years.
TAMMY FAULKNER – STAGE MANAGER
Select For TNB: A Christmas Carol (2017), Fortune of Wolves,
Ghost Light, The Snow Queen, Returning Fire, Little Women –
The Broadway Musical, A Christmas Carol (2014), Miracle on 34th
Street, The Last Five Years, Little Shop of Horrors, It’s A Wonderful
Life (2012), Oleanna, The Musical of Musicals and many others
over the years.
Other selected theatre credits include: Beauty and the Beast
(Stage Manager – Neptune Theatre), Forever Plaid (Stage
Manager – Harbourfront Theatre), Goodnight Moon and the
Runaway Bunny, Swimmy, Frederick & Inch By Inch (Stage Manag-
er – Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia); Leonard Cohen World Tour
2008 (Wardrobe Assistant), Share, MacGregor’s Hard Ice Cream
and Gas (Stage Manager – Ship’s Company Theatre).
10 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 11
BEAUTY AND
THE BEAST
MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN
LYRICS BY HOWARD ASHMAN AND TIM RICE
BOOK BY LINDA WOOLVERTON
APRIL
26–28, 2018
12 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 13
14 THEATRE NEW BRUNSWICK SEASON 17/18
FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE 15
THE MCCAIN PROVINCIAL TOUR PARTNERSHIP HELPING BRING LIVE THEATRE TO COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE mccain.ca Miriam Fernandes and Mathieu Chouinard | A Sunday Affair | 2016
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