Native Earth Performing Arts facts for kids
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| Theatre Company | |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Headquarters |
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Canada
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Native Earth Performing Arts is a special theatre company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It started in 1982 and is the oldest professional Indigenous theatre company in the country.
This company is all about sharing Indigenous stories and art through plays, dance, and other performances. They help new artists grow by developing scripts, offering training, and giving them chances to perform. Their goal is to show the amazing artistic talents of Indigenous people in Canada.
Native Earth Performing Arts also runs Aki Studio. This is a 120-seat theatre space where artists can create, practice, and perform their shows. It's located in a building called Daniels Spectrum in Toronto.
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What is Native Earth Performing Arts?
Native Earth Performing Arts began in 1982. It is Canada's oldest professional company for Indigenous performing arts. The company has played a huge role in helping Indigenous artists connect and create. They have also helped develop many important Canadian plays.
Some of these famous plays include The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing by Tomson Highway. Other well-known plays are Almighty Voice and His Wife by Daniel David Moses, Someday by Drew Hayden Taylor, and Huff by Cliff Cardinal.
Every year, Native Earth hosts a festival called Weesageechak Begins to Dance. This festival is a showcase for new Indigenous artists in theatre, dance, and other art forms. It's a great place to see exciting new work.
How the Company Grew
In 1986, Native Earth received government funding. This money helped the company become more stable. With this support, they could plan full seasons of shows and open their own office with full-time staff.
That same year, Native Earth presented its first play with a script. It was Tomson Highway's The Rez Sisters. The play was a big success and was seen by many people across Canada. It was even invited to the Edinburgh Festival and won important awards like the Dora Mavor Moore Award.
In 1989, Native Earth started the Weesageechak Begins to Dance festival. This annual festival helps develop new plays. Many plays that started at the festival later became full productions. One example is John McLeod's Diary of a Crazy Boy.
By 2012, Native Earth was known as a very important place for modern Indigenous performing arts.
Also in 2012, Native Earth moved its main office to Daniels Spectrum. This is a big arts and culture center in Toronto. They also opened Aki Studio there. The first play performed in Aki Studio was Dominion, written by Canadian author Andréa Ledding. Aki Studio has welcomed many different theatre groups, especially independent, Indigenous, and multicultural companies.
Leaders of Native Earth Performing Arts
Native Earth Performing Arts has had many talented leaders over the years. These people are called Artistic Directors and Managing Directors. They help guide the company's artistic vision and daily operations.
Artistic Directors
- Denis Lacroix and Bunny Sicard (1982–1983)
- Monique Mojica (1983–1986)
- Tomson Highway (1986–1992)
- Floyd Favel (1992–1994)
- Drew Hayden Taylor (1994–1997)
- Pamela A. Matthews (Interim 1997-1998)
- Alejandro Ronceria, Sandra Laronde and Daniel David Moses (1998–2000)
- Alanis King (2000–2002)
- Doris Peltier, Glenn Shea and Marion De Vries (Interim 2002)
- Yvette Nolan (2003–2011)
- Tara Beagan (2011–2013)
- Ryan Cunningham (2014–2017)
- Keith Barker (2017–2022)
- Joelle Peters (2022−present)
Managing Directors
- Himanshu Sitlani (2022–Present)
- Isaac Thomas (2012–2022)
- Donna-Michelle St. Bernard (2003–2012)
