Native Earth gears up for season finale

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Now in its 21st year, Native Earth Performing Arts Inc. will soon present the final play of the organization's performance season. The Artshow, written by Alanis King and directed by Paul Thompson, will run from Feb. 26 to March 14 at the Artsword Theatre in Toronto.

"The Artshow is basically the life of Daphne Odjig, who is a renowned Ottawa painter," said Yvette Nolan, managing artistic director for Native Earth. It tells Odjig's story "through the imagining of the creative life of the Odawa artist."

Jani Lauzon (The Scrubbing Project, Tales from the Longhouse) will play the part of Odjig. Supporting actors will be Lorne Cardinal, Sarah Podemski, Gloria May Eshkibok and Sean Dixon. Paul Thompson (Maggie and Pierre, The Farm Show) will direct.

Thompson's view of The Artshow is that "The text is a framework to hang the visuals on."

Odjig, a Member of the Order of Canada, is also a recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and numerous honourary degrees.

As is typical of Native Earth's schedule, two significant artistic events preceded the play about Odjig. Most recently, a storytelling festival and feast day was held Jan. 17.

On Nov. 13, Native Earth launched its first production of the season, Tales of an Urban Indian, a one-man show written and performed by Darrell Dennis. The play ran two weeks.

Dennis' semi-autobiographical story described the journey of Simon Douglas from childhood on the rez to young adulthood in Vancouver. It was also a journey from anger to pride, from confusion to self-knowledge, from limitation to liberation. Tales of an Urban Indian could easily have slipped into stereotype and simplistic sentimentality, but Dennis managed to deal with difficult subject matter-overt and covert racism, self-hatred, oppression, identity, adolescence, homosexuality, suicide, prostitution and drugs, love and family-effectively. His treatment made you laugh one minute, and sent shivers up your spine the next.

Dennis convincingly portrayed about a dozen male and female characters-some feat, considering that the one-man show typically risks failure due to monotony, being so dependent on a single performer. To be successful, it requires an actor who can be 'on' for the entire performance. Dennis' expressive face and descriptive body language certainly helped him achieve his strong stage presence. He was able to merge his talents as actor, stand-up comedian, clown, political satirist and storyteller.

"It takes time and support to give the playwright and the play the opportunity to make that leap ... from one man's story into a story that speaks to all of us ... It's a mystery, this process of turning autobiography into art, and when we achieve it, it's a magical moment of grace, of transubstantiation," said Nolan.

Native Earth also puts on the annual Weesageechak Festival of New Works, a two- or three-day event that focuses on new works by emerging and established playrights.

Writers with scripts may submit them to Nolan for consideration. For more information about Canada's oldest and most successful Native theatre company, Native Earth's Web site is www.nativeearth.ca.

Nolan said, "We're always looking for young, fresh voices that express the Canadian Native experience through the medium of theatre."