Sunday, November 23, 2025
2:00 PM | Aki Studio
Presentations:
The Children of the Bear by Todd Houseman
Northern Indigenous Play Readings presented by Gwaandak Theatre
Featuring:
The Spirit of the Valley by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse
The Children of the Bear is an open-world, Indigi-fantasy play about a young, low-income family’s attempts to rise above the colonial structures that surround them. Using a tabletop D&D-style design, audiences help the family either by escaping more deeply into the game of fantasy or becoming the Crees their ancestors want them to be.
Creator: Todd Houseman (Nehiyaw)
Mentor: Erin Goodpipe, with Mitchell Cushman
Co-produced by Outside the March
Performers:
Todd Houseman
Joelle Peters
Dillan Meighan Chiblow
Kole Durnford
Zara Jestadt
Jeremy Proulx
Vance Banzo
Run Time: 75 minutes
Content Warning: Police brutality, Childhood sexual assault, coarse language, substance use
Other Showings: November 21
Presentation
The Children of the Bear
by Todd Houseman
Todd Houseman, Creator/Performer
Todd Houseman is a nehiyaw, actor, writer and improviser from Edmonton, Treaty 6 and a registered band member of Paul Band First Nation. He is a graduate of the acting program and a current teacher at the National Theatre School of Canada. He is the co-creator of the award winning play Whiteface (with Lady Vanessa Cardona) and the author of Ayannisach which can be found in Moonshot Vol. 1 The Indigenous Comic Book Collection. In 2020 Todd was awarded Alberta’s Best Actor at the Alberta film and Television Awards (Rosies). Todd is currently working with Toronto’s Outside the March on his new play The Children of the Bear, which has been in development as a large-scale, immersive, indigi-fantasy. Recently, Todd was awarded the 2024 RBC Emerging Artist Award at the Governor General Performing Arts awards. In his free time, Todd enjoys building masks, making knives, or climbing mountains in Treaty 6.
Erin Goodpipe, Mentor
Erin Goodpipe is a dakȟóta wíŋyaŋ from Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation, with Dakota, Anishinnabe, Nêhiyaw bloodlines. A multidisciplinary artist, educator, and researcher, Erin’s work centers diverse layers of storywork. Erin is engaged in Indigenous research, co-leading projects focused on land-based education, arts-based community research, Indigenous youth wellness, and cultural safety in education and health systems. Her theatre and film contributions include performance and directorial roles and she co-founded the Making Treaty 4 Collective, using arts to share Indigenous stories across Treaty 4 territory. On screen, she has hosted RezX (Access), The Other Side (APTN) and Treaty Road (APTN), where she also served as Host, Researcher, Director. Erin holds a Bachelor of Indigenous Education from First Nations University of Canada and is pursuing her Master’s in Indigenous Education. Most importantly, she is a mother, wife, aunty and eldest sister.
Mitchell Cushman, Mentor
Mitchell Cushman is a director, creator and founding Artistic Director of Outside the March. His work has been seen on stages as large as The Stratford Festival, as intimate as kindergarten classrooms, and as far flung as London, New York, Munich, Argentina and Japan. Previous Outside the March directing credits include: Rainbow on Mars, Performance Review, The Death of Disney, No Save Points, Trojan Girls, The Tape Escape, The Flick, Dr. Silver, Jerusalem, Lessons in Temperament, TomorrowLoveTM, Mr. Burns, Vitals, Terminus, Mr. Marmalade. Other recent directing credits: The Perfect Bite, A Knives Out Experience (Netflix/Secret City); Treasure Island, Breath of Kings, Possible Worlds (Stratford); Age is a Feeling, The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale, I’m Doing This For You (Soulpepper / Haley McGee); Comfort Food (Crows); Sweeney Todd (TIFT); The Effect, Hand to God, The Aliens (Coal Mine); Brantwood (Sheridan). In 2021, he directed his first feature film Lessons in Temperament (LevelFilm), which can currently be seen on TVO. Mitchell has received the Siminovitch protégé award, two Dora Awards for Outstanding Direction, four Doras for Outstanding Production, two Audience Choice Awards, and his productions have received 14 Toronto Theatre Critics Awards. He holds an MFA in Directing from the University of Alberta. In 2019, NOW Magazine named him as one of Toronto’s Top 10 theatre artists of the decade.
Joelle Peters, Performer
Joelle Peters is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) award-winning playwright and actor from Walpole Island First Nation in Southwestern Ontario. A graduate of Seneca College’s Acting for Camera and Voice Program, Joelle has appeared on Shoresy (Crave/Hulu), Web of Lies (Discovery+), and in the film In Her City (Raven West Films Ltd). Selected theatre credits: Dreary and Izzy (Theatre Northwest), The Election (Nightwood/Theatre Direct/Commonboots/Passe Muraille), Only Drunks and Children Tell The Truth (Western Canada Theatre/Thousand Islands Playhouse), Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin (Signal/Soundstreams), Women of the Fur Trade (Stratford Festival).
She is also the Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts.
In 2020, Joelle was named the Siminovitch Prize Protegee for Playwriting by Laureate Tara Beagan. Joelle’s plays include Frozen River (co-written by Carrie Costello and Michaela Washburn, winner of the 2021 Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People award), Niizh (supported by and premiered at Native Earth Performing Arts and commissioned by the Blyth Festival, published by Playwrights Canada Press), and do you remember? (commissioned by Burnt Thicket Theatre for the We Treaty People audio series).
Dillan Meighan Chiblow, Performer
Dillan is an Ojibwe storyteller from Garden River First Nation. He is so excited to be at W38 ! Dillan received his professional training at Sheridan College, in their Music Theatre Performance program. He then furthered his training and obtained his Masters degree in Musical Theatre from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Dillan has a passion for exploring stories with a re-Indigenized lens, and is thrilled to experiencing that with the Child Of The Bear team ! Select Credits : (Film/tv)Murdoch Mysteries, SkyMed, Run The Burbs . Theatre: Rez Gas (Capitol Theatre) Starwalker (Urban Ink) Children Of God (Urban Ink) Only Drunks and Children Tell The Truth (Magnus) Into The Woods (Korner Hall).
Kole Durnford, Performer
Kole Durnford is a mixed Métis/settler actor and playwright originally from Stony Plain, Alberta. A graduate of the acting program at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022, Kole is a three time Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee for his work in Insert Clown Here (Parlous Theatre), Killing Time (Mixtape Projects),and Niizh (Native Earth Performing Arts). In May, Kole’s play HORSEPLAY was produced at Workshop West Playwright’s Theatre. HORSEPLAY received the Sterling Award for Outstanding Production and received 4 nominations including Outstanding New Play. Kole’s first play, ECHO, has also been produced three times, most recently as part of the Toronto Fringe’s 2023 Next Stage Festival. Recent credits: The Deserters (NEPA), Black Panther in the Great White North (Playing with Crayons), Insert Clown Here (Parlous Theatre), Rougarou (NEPA), Killing Time (Mixtape Projects). @koledurnford
Zara Jestadt, Performer
Zara (she/her) is an actor and performer, and a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre Actors Conservatory, the Stratford Birmingham Conservatory, George Brown Theatre School, the Etobicoke School of the Arts, and McGill University. Favourite theatre credits include: An Ideal Husband, Julius Caesar (Stratford Festival), Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre), Post Alice (Here for Now Festival), and A Midsummer Night’s Dreams (Shakespeare BASH’d). She currently stars in suspense web series Phantom Line. Other film and TV credits include: The Boys, Murdoch Mysteries, Hudson & Rex, CFC Close-Up ‘Beth’, and feature film ‘The Discarded’. She is beyond thrilled to be participating in the 38th edition of the Weesageechak Begins to Dance festival!
Jeremy Proulx, Performer
THEATRE CREDITS: Mischief (Neptune Theatre and Tarragon Theatre), Beautiful Scars: The Musical (Theatre Aquarius); Owl Calling (Root Sky Theatre); Where the Blood Mixes (Teesri Duniya Theatre); Of Mice and Men (Maples Repertory Theatre); The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (NAC); King Lear (NAC); One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia and Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, UK); Cottagers and Indians (Persephone Theatre and Thousand Islands Playhouse); Feather Gardens (Hudson Village Theatre); Bannock Republic, Bent Boy, Crazy Dave Goes To Town, Sixty Below (Centre for Indigenous Theatre); Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth (Magnus Theatre). AWARDS: BroadwayWorld.com Award for Best Actor in a Play for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Alliance Theatre) and Wilde Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play (Flint Repertory Theatre), META nomination for Feather Gardens (Hudson Village Theatre). OTHER: www.jeremy-proulx.com
Vance Banzo, Performer
Vance Banzo is a Saulteaux/Cree comedian, writer and actor from Edmonton, Alberta, and a founding member of the award-winning sketch comedy troupe TallBoyz. Known for his sharp wit and ability to blend humour with cultural and social commentary, he has quickly become one of Canada’s rising comedy voices. In addition to TallBoyz and performances across the country, Banzo is recognized for bringing Indigenous perspectives to mainstream comedy, using laughter as way to connect and inspire audiences.
Presentation
Northern Indigenous Play Readings
by Gwaandak Theatre
The Spirit of the Valley by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse
On a family vacation to their cabin nestled in the beautiful wilderness of Alaska, Tlingit twins Kaash and Shaa find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime! Suddenly separated from their family and from each other, they have to figure out how to reunite and above all, how to save the valley that they love so dearly. Join these clever kids on their journey as they face ferocious Wolves, rap battle the fast-talking Raven, reason with the dramatic Bear, and search for the elusive Spirit of the Valley. This show is fun for the whole family and asks the important question, “What can you do to protect the magnificent land and nature that surrounds you?”
Written by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse
Directed by Isabelle Katoogoo James-Walker
Performers: Keira Ash, Tyra Ashauntie, Roreigh Eftoda, Jason Symanski, Sydney Wolf, Brefny Caribou, Brianna Wheeler
This play was developed as the "Playwright in Residence" at La Jolla Playhouse and had itʼs World Premiere with Perseverance Theatre.
Run Time: 60 minutes
Content Warning: No content warnings, recommended for ages 6+
See Northern Indigenous Play Readings: Constellation on November 26.
Founded in 1999, Gwaandak Theatre is the Yukon’s only Indigenous professional theatre company. One meaning of ‘Gwaandak’ in the Gwich’in language is ‘storyteller’. Our stories question, honour, and celebrate. They explore themes around decolonization, cultural identity, social justice, underrepresented voices, and human rights. Our vision is to illuminate Indigenous and northern voices.
We host the annual Awaken Festival each Spring and our programming includes workshops and other training opportunities for theatre artists and community members. We also tour existing and developing works to both tiny communities and major centres, and share new scripts each year with our Indigenous Summer Play Readings.
Frank Henry Kaash Katasse, Playwright
Frank Henry Kaash Katasse, is a Tlingit (Tsaagweidí) actor, director, producer, improviser, educator, author, and playwright. Frank received his Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Hawai’i: Mānoa in 2008. He has been involved with Perseverance Theatre (PT) since the fall of 2008 acting in over a dozen productions. In 2017, PT produced (along with Native Voices at the Autry and La Jolla Playhouse) They Don’t Talk Back. Frank was also the Playwright in Residence at La Jolla Playhouse in 2018 where he wrote Where the Summit Meets the Stars and Spirit of the Valley. Both of these plays were first premiered by PT (Frank Directed both). Frank was also Emmy nominated for his writings for Molly of Denali in 2022 and 2023! FrankKatasse.com
Isabelle Katoogoo James-Walker, Director
Keira Ash, Performer
Keira Ash is a proud Tłı̨chǫ Dene Indigiqueer from Somba K’e Denendeh (Yellowknife, NWT). She is an artist, educator, student, beader, maker and doer. Keira grew up playing on the shores of Great Slave Lake. They flowed to and learned in Moh’kinstsis where the Elbow River and Bow River meet, as well as Amiskwaciwâskahikan which the North Saskatchewan River runs through. Now, she has flown south to where mountains and ocean meet and during the school year resides on lək əŋən lands that have been carefully cultivated since time immemorial. They migrate between the North and South seasonally, creating art this past spring and summer along Chu Nínkwän, the Yukon River.
Tyra Ashauntie, Performer
Tyra Ashauntie is from Pelly Crossing, Huchá Hudän, Selkirk First Nation. Tyra is an emerging playwright and interdisciplinary artist. Tyra loves their siblings, culture, language, painting, writing, friends and family. Tyra has worked with Gwaandak Theatre a number of times, having been part of Gwaandak’s Indigenous Summer Play. For ISPR 2024, one of the chosen scripts was ‘Constellation’ written by Tyra. They were the assistant manager for ThumbsUpGoodWork theatre and the Guild Halls co-production of ‘Coywolf’ by Colin Wolf. Tyra was one of five who were selected for Canadas’ first national Queer & Trans playwright unit with ZeeZee Theatre. Tyra loves exploring all forms of theatre and creating!
Projects that Tyra has partaken include:
Music, Arts & Drama Program - 2019, 2020
Indigenous summer play readings - Gwaandak Theatre - Actor - 2022-2025
Indigenous Summer Play Readings - Gwaandak Theatre - Director - 2024
The Crows - Gwaandak Theatre - Actor - 2023
Queer & Trans Playwright Unit - ZeeZee Theatre - 2022-2023
Roreigh Eftoda, Performer
Roreigh Eftoda (she/her), Métis/Cree-Celtic born in Alberta Nistawâyâwis, is a credited actor, theatre maker and burlesque dancer. Roreigh got her start in theatre in 2004, when she moved to Nanaimo, B.C. Taking acting classes with Bailey Studio, she made props and performed with the Nanaimo Theatre Group. In the Yukon, Roreigh did properties at The Guild Hall. Later, she landed a background role on an episode of Northern Town produced by Tagish Lake Film Inc/CBC. Participated in Gwaandak Theatre’s Quick n’ Dirty Residency and Digital Cabaret in 2021 and 2022 as Roz Rouge. Then a feature role in Polaris produced by Little Dipper
Films Inc. In March of 2022, Roz Rouge performed her first live burlesque act.
Jay Symanski, Performer
Jason (Jay) Symanski is an actor/avid theatre enjoyer, originally from Winnipeg Manitoba, and has lived in the Yukon since 2009. He has spent 3 semesters in the Wood Street Centre’s Music Arts and Drama program (MAD). He performed as part of Indigenous Summer Play Readings in both 2024 and 2025.
Sydney Wolf, Performer
Sydney Wolf (they/them) is a queer and autistic artist. Their love for writing, painting and sewing has brought them into the theatre world. Born and raised in Saskatchewan prairies, Wolf now lives in a woodheat cabin in the Yukon mountains. Sydney was one of ten shortlisted artists, out of 251 submissions, for the National Queer and Trans Playwright Unit in 2022 and was recently a Tom Hendry Award finalist for the Drama award. Other things that orbit their heart include cross stitching, Dungeons & Dragons, and their pets Gwen, Boba and Lollypop.
Brianna Wheeler, Performer
Brianna (she/her) is an Indigenous multidisciplinary artist and photographer based in Toronto. She is a recent graduate from York University’s Cinema and Media studies program. Her most recent project is assistant stage managing The Forest Ends With You (Big Kids) at PEI Fringe. Brianna co-directed an co-stage managed Sex, Silverfish, Sunset, Society (York Playground Festival). Brianna’s art deals with many topics involving her Indigenous identity revolving around grief, loss, love, and light. Brianna’s heart belongs with her people and her home in the Yukon, and she hopes she’s making them proud.