Director bases play on real life events

A brand new play with an Aboriginal perspective debuted on April 24 at the Algoma University College(AUC) Shingwauk theatre in Ontario called "The Pencil Box".
Tom Gower is the director of the original drama/comedy performed by the university's aboriginal student group. Gower and his fellow group member, John Paul Chalykoff, co-wrote the play, basing it on real life events told to them by an acquaintance, Tammy Sanderson.
"It's really fascinating to be able to take part in creating a new artistic work," said Gower, a Law and Justice student at AUC. "Tammy brought forward a great story, which John-Paul and myself then made some changes to, by giving the protagonist an Aboriginal perspective and by writing the play to take into account the architecture of the Shingwauk Theatre."
The play's main character is a mixed-blood woman called Nancy who is abandoned by her parents as a child and placed under the guardianship of an elderly Aboriginal woman called Gina.
Nancy is sexually abused by Gina's son and as an adult, must find peace through dealing with her past. She does this by drawing strength from a pencil box given to her by her mother when she was a child.
Chalykoff also plays the character of Billy, who is Nancy's romantic interest in the play. Musician Nathan Muto returns to the stage with live performances, after being featured in the last two productions.
A few years ago, Gower helped found the aboriginal theatre troupe 'Shingwauk Players Theatre Group' at the university with the encouragement of AUC's indigenous advisor, Judy Syrette.
The objective was to give a First Nations perspective to an already thriving community theatre scene in Sault Ste. Marie. Since its inception, the theatre troupe has performed the plays 'The Bootlegger Blues' by Drew Hayden Taylor and 'Windmill Baby' by David Milroy.