Kenneth T. Williams facts for kids

Kenneth T. Williams, born in 1965, is a talented Cree playwright. He comes from the George Gordon First Nation in Saskatchewan, which is part of Treaty 4 territory. Since 2017, he has also been a professor in the Drama Department at the University of Alberta.

Early Life and Education

Kenneth T. Williams was born in 1965 in Saskatchewan. When he was 12 years old, his family moved from the George Gordon Reserve to Edmonton. He lived off the reserve in Edmonton through his teenage years and into early adulthood.

Williams studied at the University of Alberta. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. Later, he became the first Indigenous person to get a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree in playwriting from the same university in 1992.

Kenneth Williams' Career

Kenneth T. Williams has had an interesting career path. He once joked that it was the "worst career path in Canadian theatre." Before becoming a full-time playwright, he worked many different jobs. He sold encyclopedias on the reserve, worked as a bartender, and was even a drummer. He also joined the Reservists, which is a part-time military service.

For 15 years, Williams also worked as a journalist. He wrote reviews about art and literature for different magazines and newspapers.

First Plays and Success

Williams wrote several plays before one was finally produced. His first play to be shown was Thunderstick in 2001. When it first opened in Toronto, some critics didn't like it much. However, in Western Canada, the play was very popular, especially with Indigenous audiences.

Thunderstick toured across Canada for 10 years, playing in many major cities. In 2013, it had a special four-city tour in Western Canada. Famous actors like Lorne Cardinal from Corner Gas and Craig Lauzon from Air Farce starred in it. They even switched roles on different nights!

In 2006, Kenneth Williams decided to focus completely on writing plays.

Notable Works

One of Williams' most famous plays is Café Daughter. This play was nominated for a Sterling award in 2016 for being an "Outstanding Production." Café Daughter was very well-received as it toured major cities across Canada.

Williams got the idea for Café Daughter from the life of Senator Lillian Dyck. He met her when she received an award for her achievements as an Indigenous person. The play is loosely based on how Dyck's mother encouraged her to keep her Indigenous identity a secret while she was growing up.

Another play by Williams is "Gordon Winters." This play featured the Indigenous actor Gordon Tootoosis in the main role. The story was inspired by a real-life First Nations leader who faced challenges in his public life.

His most recent play, In Care, also received good reviews. This play is about a mother who is trying to deal with the child welfare system.

Leadership and Teaching

In 2016, Williams took on a leadership role. He became the interim artistic director of the Gordon Tootoosis Nikaniwin Theatre in Saskatoon.

Today, Kenneth Williams is a faculty member in the Drama Department at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He also received an Alumni Award from the University of Alberta for his achievements.

Film Adaptation

In 2022, Café Daughter, Williams' popular play, was made into a film. The film adaptation was directed by Shelley Niro.