Canada’s National Arts Centre unveils its inaugural season of the world’s first national indigenous theatre

The season will celebrate  indigenous  women’s  resilience, strength and beauty ,with nine productions out of eleven  written  and created by  women.  In addition to English  and French, more than  ten indigenous languages will be spoken in the works presented  next  year, including Anishinaabermowin , Coast Salish, Cree, Gitxsan, Inuktitut,  Kalaallisut , Nlkaka’pamux’stn.and many other languages,

The artistic director of the new indigenous theatre is  Kevin Loring  , award winning playwrite, director  and actor  from  the Nlaka ‘pamux Nation in British Columbia  and by  Managing Director Lori Marchand from the Syilx First Nation and former executive director of Western Canada Theatre.

Kevin Loring speaks of an indigenous renaissance  as the work that has been done over the past decade was part of the Centre”s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action. This new department  of Indigenous theatre, (which will share the NAC with French Theatre and English theatre) is an “ historic  and significant milestone in our history “  says Cristopher Deacon , president and CEO  of the NAC.  This significant initiative builds on the relationship that theNAC  has been fostering  for decades with exceptional indigenous artists.

Lori Marchand states that we have seen important performances by indigenous actors and writers and directors  and she mentions from the past Peter Hinton’s indigenous cast of King Lear, and more recently Children of God which won great critical acclaim in Ottawa. (Lori Marchand photo by  Barb Gray)

The theatre will be inviting indigenous voices from across the continent in French, in English and in their original languages telling their own stories.  Says Lori Marchand,

we are so proud to be here to welcome you all to our own theatre at the NAC.  Image from Children of God, presented at the NAC.