SNTC celebrates the season with rez Christmas story

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company's (SNTC) Black Box Theatre, as the company's youth ensemble gets ready to stage the latest installment in their annual Christmas production.

This year's show, Ms. Purdy Parsimonias: A Rez Christmas Story-How the Chief Stole Christmas, is a continuation of the SNTC's Christmas production from the last two years, Ms. Purdy Parsimonias: A Rez Christmas Story. But whereas the previous production took its inspiration from the Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol, this year's production is very loosely based on, you guessed it, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The grinch in this story, however, isn't green and doesn't live in seclusion on a mountaintop. The grinch threatening to ruin Christmas for the people of Kiweetnook Reserve is their own Chief, Richard Ratt.

Ratt is brought to life on stage by Curtis Peeteetuce, one of the stars of last year's performance who kept audience members entertained as Clare Bear, one of three Kookums who kept everyone laughing last Christmas season. Peeteetuce is also reprising his role as Clare Bear, and also took the lead role in writing this year's script.

"That was a really, really enlightening experience story-wise, because the story last year it was originally developed in 2001 and it was a collaborative work at the time. So production quality, development, etc. was a team thing. This year because I took a major lead role in putting the script and the story together, I had to look back on the past two years, look back at the story, the characters, etc., and try to think, 'How can I incorporate that into the theme of a grinch character?' Introducing a new character into the existing, that was the challenge I think," Peeteetuce said.

"What happens in this year's in the sequel, is it's the year after Purdy has somewhat healed from her issues and her past. And every year on the Kiweetnook First Nation, which is a fictional reserve, Christmas cheques are handed out to the people of Kiweetnook, whether or not they're on welfare, working, whatever. There's always a bonus that goes out to the people. And its an exiting time of the year because everybody can plan ahead and make themselves have a really happy time, a really good Christmas.

"And what we learn in the story is that this grinch, this chief named Richard Ratt, he's always arguing. He's always saying, 'Christmas is not traditional, it's not Indian, it's not our way. I'm changing it. I'm not handing out any bonuses this year. And we're going to start fresh with a new way and a new outlook on life in the New Year.' So everybody's like, 'What's going on, what's going on? Oh my goodness, this can't happen. He can't do that.' So they thought, 'Okay, go ahead. We're going to put on a fundraiser. We're going to put on a community event that's still going to bring everyone together.' And the chief says 'Go ahead. No one's going to have money. I doubt anyone will show up." And he doesn't like it still. So he plans to somehow keep this fundraiser, this event, from happening," Peeteetuce said.

"We find out later in the story he succeeds in doing what he wants to do, although as in Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, the people still come together, no matter what happens. And that's the essence of this story, is that Christmas is about family, it's about community, it's about being together. It's not about the material, the commercialism, all that. everything associated with Christmas that people push for, buying gifts, buying presents. So the chief learns that in this story, much like the grinch does in Dr. Seuss' story."

While the first Purdy Parsimonias production kept the audience laughing throughout, Peeteetuce thinks the people attending this year's performances will be laughing even louder and longer.

"Because what we learned from Purdy I is that laughter is the best medicine for the holidays. No matter what you're going through, it's a ver, very healing kind of thing. And it's very, very powerful ... I've even learned that myself in writing this story, because the truth is a lot of our people, I think, a lot of people in general, tend to go blue during the holiday season, whatever reason. And its always important to be reminded that it's always about family, about being together with friends, about love," he said.

"I just hope this brings a lot of holiday cheer into a lot of people's hearts, the story, and I hope they really enjoy and have a good time with our production."

Joining Curtis Peeteetuce on stage again is Mitchell Poundmaker, who is also returning to the role he played in the first Purdy production, Seegoose Sinclair. New to this year's cast are songstress Krystle Pederson, who will take on the role of Purdy Parsimonias, Matthew Spencer, who will play Zula Merasty, and Stefanie Shingoose in the role of Wilma Paul.

The Christmas production is being directed by Kennetch Charlette, artistic director of the SNTC, who said the company's goal is to stage a Christmas production every year, whether it's a continuation of the Purdy storyline, or something completely different.

While the location, characters, and even some of the actors from the first Purdy production are back to this year's play, the new production differs from the old in a number of ways, not the least of which is that this year's show is interactive.

"We're going to be interacting with the audience in the form of a bingo game," Charlette said. "Audience members will be able to play bingo, and some lucky member is going to win a prize during the bingo game."

The idea of adding the interactive feature grew out of the storyline, he explained, in which one of the ways the community members decide to try to raise money for Christmas is by holding a bingo fundraiser.

"And who better to play bingo with than with the audience?"

For this production, as with all SNTC projects involving the youth ensemble, the members of the cast ad crew were involved in the project from initial script development, right up until the final curtain drops. Everyone involved in the project performs double duty, Charlette explained.

"It is something that the youth ensemble does. Everybody is multi-tasked to do things like stage management and running lights and sound and costumes and props and sets. So everybody has more than one job, as opposed to straight acting. They create the show."

The Christmas production will be at the Black Box Theatre for a two-week run. The show opened on Nov. 28, and will run until Dec. 12. After that, the show will go on the road for a one-week tour, hitting Prince Albert, Thunderchild First Nation, Montreal Lake First Nation, Regina, and Cowessess First Nation.

For ticket information for any of the show locations, contact the SNTC box office at 931-SNTC (7682).

And if you're planning on attending, don't forget to bring along a non-perishable food item or a toy. Your donation will not only help the SNTC in its annual Holiday Hampers for Teen Parents drive, but will also earn you a $2 coupon off the ticket price for a future SNTC show.

"It's a very good show, very good story. And I hope that people will come and have just a great time," Charlette said. "Come and play bingo at Christmas."

For more information about the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company, visit the company's Web site at www.sntc.ca.