The relevance of the piece is immediate and urgent. ‘What does it mean to be a Treaty person?’ It’s a prime question for our moment in history.
– Liz Nicholls, 12th Night blog
JULY 24 – AUGUST 4, 2024 @ 3:30PM daily & 7:30PM on Thursdays
THE OLD FORT at FORT EDMONTON PARK (7000 143 St NW)
CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO INTERTWINING STORIES IN THIS EPIC TWO-PLAY ADVENTURE
Which path will you follow in the historically authentic 1876 Amiskwaciwâskahikan fort (ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ ). Tensions are high. The fur trade is collapsing, settlers are encroaching into the territories of the First Nations, and the newly founded Canadian government is attempting to define itself through law and order. Tribes are suffering from scarcity of food, destroyed hunting grounds, starvation, and the ever-burdensome whiskey. Follow Ekah, a nehiyaw huntress or Lily, an European idealist in this immersive contemporary tale inspired by the signing of Treaty #6, the love story of Romeo and Juliet, and the lessons learned about what it means to be treaty people. See the present truth by discovering our collective past.
Thou Art Here is thrilled to be producing the world premiere of Civil Blood: A Treaty Story co-presented by Common Ground Arts with support from Fort Edmonton Park. Originally developed at the Truth and Reconciliation through Theatre workshop at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 2016, the play has gone through development process with support from Theatre Network’s Nextfest, Common Ground Arts’ Found Festival, Flying Canoe Volant, and the Dreamspeakers’ Rubaboo Festival. This incredibly ambitious and immersive production reaches across generations and cultures.
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM 2024
Playwright: Josh Languedoc
Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Cultural Consultants: Wilson Bearhead, MJ Belcourt, Hunter Cardinal, Jacquelin Cardinal, Lewis Cardinal, Jerry Saddleback, Jo-Ann Saddleback, Nicholle Weasel Traveller, Ron Walker
Co-Directors: Mark Vetsch & Neil Kuefler
Choreographer: Rebecca Sadowski
Fight Director: Nathan Loitz
Fight Captain: Gabriel Richardson*
Dance Captain: Elena Porter*
Cast: Emily Berard, Rebecca Bissonnette, Maria Buffalo, Ivy DeGagné, Doug Mertz*, Christina Nguyen*, Cody Porter*, Elena Porter*, Gabriel Richardson*, Colby Stockdale, and Dylan Thomas-Bouchier*
Stage Management: Andrea Murphy, Isabelle Martinez
Community Gathering Coordinator: Danielle LaRose
Producer: Monica Gate
Emerging Artist Producer: Katelyn Cabalo
Community Gathering Sound Technician: Amelia Chan
*The participation of this Artist (these Artists) is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the DanceOperaTheatre Policy (DOT)
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Workshop Presentation Thou Art Here Theatre 2023 Play reading at Flying Canoe Volant & Rubaboo Arts Festival 2022
Play reading at Common Ground Arts’ Found Festival 2021
Staged reading at Theatre Network’s Nextfest 2019
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM (Thou Art Here Theatre Workshop 2023)
Ivy Degagne, Gavin Dyer, Dayna Lea Hoffmann, Ian Leung*, Danielle LaRose, Rikki Lyn-Ward, Demaris Moon Walker, Ron Walker, Kale Patenaude, Sheldon Stockdale, David Woroner
Playwright: Josh Languedoc
Co-Directors: Mark Vetsch and Neil Bye-Kuefler
Stage Manager: Andrea Murphy
Producer: Monica Gate
*The participation of these Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre Policy (DOT).
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM (Rubaboo & Flying Canoe Volant 2022)
Vance Avery*, Brett Dahl*, Ivy Degagne, Dayna Lea Hoffmann, Jacob Holloway, Tammy Lamouche, Monica Maddaford, Doug Mertz*, Demaris Moonwalker, Bryce Morin, Kale Patenaude, Mark Vetsch
*The participation of these Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance Opera Theatre Policy (DOT).
Special thanks to Christine Frederick and the team at Rubaboo Festival for all their support of the project.
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM (Foundfest 2021)
Skylar Campbell, Hunter Cardinal, Brett Dahl, Penny Gullion, Dayna Lea Hoffman, Neil Kuefler, Josh Languedoc, Monica Maddaford, Doug Mertz, Christina Nguyen, Colby Stockdale, Sheldon Stockdale, Luc Tellier, Mark Vetsch, Demaris Walker.
*This is a Canadian Actors’ Equity Association production under the Festival Policy.
CAST & CREATIVE TEAM (Nextfest 2019)
Braden Price, Mac Ireland, Emma Wilmott, Amro Ahmed, Miko Pelletier, Josh Languedoc, Alyson Dicey, Mark Vetsch, Candice Stollery, Jordan Campion, Tierra Weselake, Mahalia Jamerson, ph(Lin) Hackborn, Sam Jeffery, Kaeley Wiebe, Philip Geller, Zachary Strom, Abigail LaForest, Michelle Robb, Dylan Thomas, and Lili Brunschko.
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
The students in the Advanced Acting Class at Victoria School of the Arts in March 2021 including Amanda Bertrand, Emily Brinco, Gracie Carlaw, Stephen Domshy, Zoey Ekstrom, Summer Fraleigh, Lily Gidych, Morgan Johnson, Carys Jones, Harmela Kassa, Dalianna Melgar, Ashauria Ogonoski, Seun Olupinyo, Mercades Quaife, Camryn Rennie, Lucia Rodriguez-Cavanagh, Gina Santos, Marena Scharle, Megan Strong, Sydney Wright, Selina Yukselir, Taj Zachow.
