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Gwaandak Theatre Indigenous Summer Play Readings

June 19 @ 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

2024 Indigenous Summer Play Readings – Dawson City, YT
Wednesday June 19th – 5:30 PM Start
KIAC Ballroom at Dënäkär Zho
Admission is Free / Donations to KIAC Accepted

*These readings are presented by the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture.

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Reaching back, reaching forward…

Join Gwaandak Theatre for our Indigenous Summer Play Readings! This year, in a celebration of generational excellence, we are proud to be presenting two works written by Yukon First Nations playwrights: Constellation by Tyra Ashauntie (Selkirk First Nation) and Justice by Leonard Linkater (Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation). Throughout June and July, these readings will tour campgrounds and special events across the Yukon and – for the first time – we are excited to be presenting at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik NWT! This annual tour creates opportunities for emerging theatre artists, promotes stronger community connections, and showcases both new and returning Indigenous scripts to local audiences.

For the full tour listing, to find out more about the creative team, and to check content warnings, please visit: gwaandaktheatre.ca/indigenous-summer-play-readings-2024

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Constellation
By Tyra Ashauntie
Directed by Colin Wolf

Join the story of a group of four teenagers navigating life and their sense of self in a small Indigenous rural community. Winter comes back from the city for the summer and soon realizes she may not be as welcomed back as she hoped. She goes on to spend time with her group of best friends. Winter, Nunkra, Emma and Clem soon discover that things are not always as they appear the older they get as they butt heard doing their best to understand life. The four continue to march through the madness of their small town, growing up, dysfunctional families, and blossoming romances all while trying to stick closely together and to keep life the same as before. Will they stick close together as they have for years or will the pain of growing be too much for this friend group?

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Justice
By Leonard Linklater
Directed by Isabelle James-Walker

A gripping drama that sheds light on a little-known part of our nation’s history, Justice is inspired by the true story of the Nantuck brothers, the first men to be hanged in the fledgling Yukon territory. During the Klondike Gold rush of 1898, Indigenous and European cultures came together with sometimes tragic results. The accidental poisoning deaths of two members of the Tagish First Nation led to a cultural misunderstanding and clash of justice systems far from the reach of the papers of the day. Yukon playwright Leonard Linklater explores divergent views of justice in this fascinating play.

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Indigenous Summer Play Readings 2024 is funded by The Government of Yukon, Canada Council for the Arts, and The City of Whitehorse.

Funding for Gwaandak Theatre is made possible through the assistance of Arts Operating Fund – Annual Operating Component, Department of Tourism and Culture, John Streicker, Minister.

Thank you to Northern Vision Development LP (NVD) for their continued support of touring artists and to What’s Up Yukon for supporting our print and digital marketing.

We are also grateful to this year’s presenting organizations, including the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (Dawson City YT), Adäka Cultural Festival (Whitehorse YT), The Guild Hall (Whitehorse YT), and the Great Northern Arts Festival (Inuvik NWT). We also thank the Government of Yukon Environment | Parks Staff for helping facilitate the campground readings (Tombstone Mountain Campground YT & Twin Lakes Campground YT).

Details

Date:: June 19
Time:: 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Event Category:: Performing Arts

Organizer

: Klondike Institute of Art & Culture (KIAC)
Phone: 867-993-5005

Other

Age Restriction: All Ages
This event:: Is Alcohol-Free (Dry)

Venue

: Klondike Institute of Art & Culture (KIAC)
: 902 2nd Avenue, Dawson City + Google Map
Phone: 867-993-5005
: View Venue Website

Learn More About…

Artist In Residence Activities & Outreach

Artist in Residence activities include artist talks, studio tours, interactive events, and more.

Founded in 2001, in a partnership with Parks Canada, the KIAC Artist in Residence Program has welcomed over 300 talented artists, musicians and filmmakers to Dawson City from all regions of Canada and around the world. Our alumni include Sobey Art Award nominees, Western Canada Music Award winners, and prize-winning filmmakers from film festivals across the globe.

Check out the current Artists in Residence

Film Events

Film activities include film screenings, film selections, and more.

KIAC is proud to host an exciting roster of film screenings and film-related events throughout the year, such as the 48 Hour Film Challenge and Dawson City International Short Film Festival, numerous workshops, and other opportunities.

Exhibitions

Exhibition activities include gallery viewing hours, exhibition openings, artist talks, calls for submissions, and more.

ODD Gallery

The ODD Gallery, located in the Dënäkär Zho / KIAC building, presents a wide array of outreach programming including artist talks, openings, lectures, screenings, youth programs and other special events. Gallery programming fosters professionalism and appreciation of regional visual arts practice, and provides the community with exposure and access to a diverse range of contemporary visual arts practices and theories in a remote, northern setting.

Check out the current exhibition

Kids & Youth Programs

Kids & youth activities include: music lessons, art classes, dance classes, book readings, toddler classes, after-school programs.

Year-Round Programming

Kids and Youth (toddler to teen) programming ranges from music lessons (vocals, piano) to dance class (ballet, hip hop, and more), to hands-on workshops (pottery, screen-printing, animation and more) and is offered regularly throughout the year. KIAC strives to subsidize Kids & Youth programs as much as possible via grants and funding. Programming ranges from free Drop-Ins to registered weekly programs.

Youth Art Enrichment

Youth Art Enrichment is an annual four-day art program for Yukon youth hosted by the Klondike Institute of Art & Culture in Dawson City. Artistically-inclined youth ages 14 – 18 travel from across the Yukon to take part in intensive workshops led by professional artists. Students choose one of three mediums to study for the duration of the program, learning new skills, techniques, and ways to creatively make artwork for the world to see. The mediums change every year: we have offered printmaking, animation, painting, carving, stained glass, illustration, improv, and much more over the last two decades.

Learn more about Youth Art Enrichment

Performing Arts

Performing arts activities include: concerts, theatre and dance performances, open mics, radio broadcasts, special events, and more.

KIAC presents a year-round professional performing arts series in the beautiful second floor Ballroom that actively engages our community and provides inspiring performance opportunities for international, national, and regional artists in many disciplines. Our diverse programming includes jazz, classical, folk & roots, experimental, dance, theatre, and more.

Workshops

Workshops include: weekly drop-ins, registered programs, weekend workshops, and more.

KIAC presents a year-round schedule of educational opportunities ranging from drop in programs (pottery, screenprinting, seniors painting, concert band), to registered workshops (dance, music, film, visual art, craft, textiles, etc), to professional development opportunities for artists (grant writing, artwork documentation, etc).

Learn more about registration, upcoming courses, and outreach activities.