Theatre program will provide training, experience

Curtis Peeteetuce and Danny Knight are learning about various aspects of the theatre world thanks to a grant program through the city of Saskatoon.

The city put up the funds to have Saskatoon’s Persephone Theatre operate an Aboriginal Artist Mentorship Residency program during its 2011-12 season, which began in September and continues until May.

The original plan was to hire one person to help out with various tasks at the theatre, but in the end, Peeteetuce and Knight came on in late August.

“It is a unique project for us,” said Will Brooks, the Persephone Theatre’s youth director. Peeteetuce,  37, is a Cree from the Beardy’s and Okamasis First Nation. Knight, 24, is a Cree/Métis from the Muskoday First Nation.

With this mentorship program, both Peeteetuce and Knight will have the opportunity to explore the various aspects of operating a theatre.

“I’m floating from department to department,” Peeteetuce said.

Peeteetuce and Knight for the most part picked which areas of the theatre they wanted to work on, said Brooks.

Peeteetuce has already served as the assistant director of Dead Midnight, the theatre’s opening play of the season, which ran in September.

Some of Peeteetuce’s other responsibilities include helping out with the theatre’s season programming as well as assisting with its budgeting processes.

“In the end I’ll apply my experiences (at the Persephone Theatre) to my work with the (Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company),” said Peeteetuce, who was recently hired as the artistic director with SNTC.

Peeteetuce has worked as an actor, writer, director and musician for the past 10 years. He performed in the comedic play Bannock Republic, which ran at the Persephone Theatre in February of 2010.

With the SNTC, Peeteetuce is gearing up for the season opening play, which he wrote. This play is titled Rez Christmas Story VII: Kohkoms in Toyland.

It will run at the theatre from Dec. 1-10 and then have a Saskatchewan tour from Dec. 12-20.

As for Knight, he’s been working in the Persephone Theatre’s box office and was involved with the sound design of this year’s season-opening play. Also, later on this season, he will be on stage as a performer on the theatre’s youth tour, which is scheduled to run 72 shows throughout the province.

“It’s definitely a step in my career,” Knight said of his mentorship program. “There’s more than one thing to learn in theatre.”

Knight has worked as an actor and musician for the past seven years. His credits include performing in three SNTC productions.

The Persephone Theatre’s Aboriginal Artist Mentorship Residency program was made possible through Saskatoon’s Urban Aboriginal Grant Program.

Though there was a call for applicants, Brooks said theatre officials also approached individuals they thought would benefit from the program. Before settling on Peeteetuce and Knight, Brooks said six to eight applicants were interviewed for the position.

Photo caption: Danny Knight is one of two people participating in the Persephone Theatre’s new Aboriginal Artist Mentorship Residency program.