Awaken Festival 2024
April 8th-28th | Whitehorse, YT & Online
Question… Honour… Celebrate… Awaken!
Gwaandak Theatre presents Awaken Festival 2024! Featuring performance showcases, in-person and digital workshops, Industry Nights and more, this hybrid festival is curated for Indigenous and Northern artists as well as interested members of the public.
As winter transforms into spring, life wakes up in the North. Mother Bears pass on knowledge to their cubs in order for them to thrive on their own. Awaken - so to speak - connects “cubs” (new and aspiring artists) to “mother bears” (experienced artists). Join us this spring from April 8th-28th and Awaken new beginnings within yourself and your community!
Performance Showcases
The Art of War - April 12th, 13th, & 14th
Written & Directed by Yvette Nolan
Friday, April 12th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Mixer - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 13th - 2PM (Doors @ 1:30PM) - Afternoon Matinee (Alcohol-Free Showing) - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 13th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - ASL Interpretation Available by Request* & Post-Show Talkback - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT
Sunday, April 14th - 2PM (Doors @ 1:30PM) - Closing Matinee & Post-Show Tea (Alcohol-Free Showing) - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT
The Art of War is the story of Nick, a painter who is sent to war in 1942. What he sees there, what he paints, will transform not only him, but Canada’s idea of itself. An examination of the role of the artist in war and in peace, the production features performances by Johanna Arnott, Joshua Beaudry, Skye Brandon, and Colin Wolf, as well as paintings created by Saskatoon-based artist Iris Hauser.
The Art of War is produced by Hardly Art Theatre.
Performance Length: 80 Minutes - No Intermission
Content Warnings: Depictions of war that include loud sound effects (guns, bombardments, etc.) and the use of prop guns (painted lumber; non-firing)
CREDITS
Featuring Johanna Arnott** (Heather, Magda, Eva), Joshua Beaudry** (Newman), Skye Brandon** (Dennis, Matthaeus), Colin Wolf** (Nick)
Playwright & Director | Yvette Nolan**
Set & Props Design | Taegan O’Bertos
Costume Design | Jensine Emeline
Artist | Iris Hauser
Sound Design | Grahame Kent
Props Assistant | Rory Jewiss
Lighting Design | Michelle Ramsay
Lighting Executor | Charlie Peters
“Alle Menschen Werden Brüder (All People Will Become Brothers)” Painting by Iris Hauser
**The participation of these Artists are arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.
Rocko and Nakota: Tales From the Land - April 19th, 20th, & 21st
Written & Performed by Josh Languedoc
Friday, April 19th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - Opening Night & Post-Show Mixer - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT
Saturday, April 20th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - ASL Interpretation Available by Request* & Post-Show Talkback - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT
Sunday, April 21st - 2PM (Doors @ 1:30PM) - Closing Matinee & Post-Show Tea (Alcohol-Free Showing) - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT (**Streaming Available)
Meet Nakota. A young boy who is sick in the hospital and trying to write the greatest story ever. One day, Grandpa Rocko comes over for a visit. Next thing Nakota knows, he is whisked away into a world of stories that are right below his feet. Within the land. This show explores the interplay between stories of the present against the long forgotten stories of the past.
Performance Length: 50-60 Minutes - No Intermission
Content Warnings: Not Applicable
CREDITS
Featuring Josh Languedoc
Playwright & Performer | Josh Languedoc
Previous Director | Barry Bilinsky
Original Director | Eric Smith
Original Technical Designer | Hailey Mailandt
Promotional photography by Andrew Alexander
Omaagomaan - Screening - April 26th
Created & Performed by Waawaate Fobister
Friday, April 26th - 7PM (Doors @ 6:30PM) - In-Person Screening of Archival Performance - Old Fire Hall, Whitehorse YT (Streaming also available via Zoom at 7PM & ASL interpreter will be present at the Old Fire Hall)
The Anishinaabe of Grassy Narrows are resilient. They are stitching their fractured landscapes back together from the impact of mercury poisoning. Using dance, movement, sound, and storytelling, the Dora-award winning Waawaate Fobister embodies Omaagomaan, a two-spirit being, and a manifestation of the earth and man-made poisons that have seeped into the earth’s crust. A fierce shape-shifter inspired by Anishinaabeg worldview and cosmologies, Omaagomaan forces us to reckon with the ways the maanaadizi (ugly) and the onishishin (beautiful) collide.
Omaagomaan is Co-Presented with Native Earth Performing Arts and we are grateful to NEPA and Waawaate Fobister for making the archival video from February 2024 available for this screening. Find out more about this performance and access the program for this showing here.
Performance Length: 50-60 Minutes - No Intermission
Content Warnings: Flashing lights, sudden loud noises, and mature themes.
CREDITS
Featuring Waawaate Fobister
Creator & Performer | Waawaate Fobister
Choreography | James Viveiros
Costume Design | Sage Paul
Sound Design & Composition | Marc Meriläinen
ANISHINAABEMOWIN & Anishinaabe Cultural Mentor | Don Kavanaugh
Tour Producer | Nova Courchene
Rehearsal Director | Carlos Rivera
Lighting Designer | Pierre Lavoie
Stage Manager | Francisco Carreon Carrera
Original Director | Troy Emery Twigg
Promotional Photography by Kate Dalton
Find out more about the 2024 Quick n’ Dirty Digital Cabaret & the Throwback Tuesday QnD happening as part of Awaken!
Thank you to the sponsors & supporters of the 2024 Awaken Festival!
We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada (nous reconnaissons l'appui du gouvernement du Canada), the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Yukon, and Lotteries Yukon.
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.
Funding for the Principal Intimacy Professionals events being hosted at the 2024 Awaken Festival was made possible by the Cultural Industries Training Fund. Additionally, funding for the Quick n’ Dirty events is made possible through the assistance of Culture Quest, Department of Tourism and Culture, John Streicker, Minister.
Thank you to Native Earth Performing Arts for co-presenting Omaagomaan, the Yukon Arts Centre for supporting Awaken via the @YAC Residency, and Northern Vision Development LP (NVD) for their continued support of visiting artists and workshop facilitators.
We are also grateful to Cheekbone Beauty for supporting the Get Glam with Gin makeup workshop, What’s Up Yukon for supporting our print and digital marketing, The Guild Hall for supporting the three day LaunchPad Choreography Intensive, as well as Cultured Fine Cheese and Tum Tum’s Black Gilt Meats for supporting the Post-Show Mixers on the Opening Nights of our first two Showcases. Finally, thank you to Chris Colbourne (Colbourne Creative) for taking archival photos during the Opening Nights of the first two Showcases.
