Wednesday, November 26, 2025
7:30 PM | Aki Studio
mi historia que no es única by Jessica Esmeralda Zepeda
How Bono Saved my Life (Three Times) by Sonya Ballantyne
Northern Indigenous Play Readings presented by Gwaandak Theatre
Featuring:
The Spirit of the Valley by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse
Constellation by Tyra Ashauntie
Presentation
mi historia que no es única
by Jessica Esmeralda Zepeda
A contemporary North/Central American folk horror that blends experimental saxophone loops, and recorded testimonials. The story centres on an entity that is haunted by her parent’s undocumented journey from El Salvador to El Norte. mi historia que no es única is a devised ritual of reflection on more than forty years of micro tragedies overtaken by the macro urgency of a civil conflict: a practice of embodying our history, with mourning and without shame, to embark towards a brave future.
Creator: Jessica Esmeralda Zepeda (Kuskatan*) *Post-colonial El Salvador
Mentor: Violeta Luna
Other Showing: November 28
Jessica Esmeralda Zepeda, Creator
Jessica is a brown, multidisciplinary performance artist born and based in Tkaronto (Treaty 13) with roots from Kuskatan, post-colonial El Salvador. They are a part of Native Earth's Animikiig Creators Unit 2024/25 season and is a Buddies in Bad Times 2024/2025 Queer Emerging Artist Recipient. Jessica has produced/starred in their short film Sinvergüenzilla in First Kiss (Official Selection: 31st Inside Out LGBTQ Film Festival) and starred in the short film Saturday Fuego Diablo (Official Selection: Sivar en Cortos 2022). In early 2025, as apart of the 46th Rhubarb Festival, Jessica shared an excerpt of their work in progress solo called mi historia que no es única, which is a documentary-theatre performance study where an entity blurs the lines of reality, folk horror, experimental jazz, and recorded testimonial to process her parent’s undocumented journey from El Salvador to North America.
Violeta Luna, Mentor
VIOLETA LUNA’s work engages the relationship between theatre, performance art and community-based practice. Luna uses her body as a territory to question and comment on social and political phenomena. Born in Mexico City, Luna holds a graduate degree in Acting from the Centro Universitario de Teatro (UNAM.) Luna performs and teaches extensively throughout the world. www.violetaluna.com.
Presentation
How Bono Saved my Life (Three Times)
by Sonya Ballantyne
Each time writer and supernerd Sonya Ballantyne sets her mind on ending her life, something at the last second would pull her back from the ledge. And it was usually something to do with the band U2. This oral story told by Sonya uses music as another character who is part of the story.
Creator: Sonya Ballantyne (Swampy Cree)
Mentor: Olivia Shortt
Other Showing: November 27
Sonya Ballantyne, Creator
Sonya Ballantyne (she, they) is a Swampy Cree writer, filmmaker, and speaker based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her work explores contemporary and futuristic portrayals of Indigenous women and girls. Her award-winning projects include the documentary Nosisim (2024 Barry Lank Award) and the graphic novel Little by Little (In The Margins, 2025 Top Ten Title). Sonya is also the author of the children’s book Kerri Berry Lynn, contributor to anthologies such as Pros and (Comic) Cons and Women Love Wrestling, and co-director of The Death Tour, which was screened at Cannes in 2023 with a world premiere at the Slamdance Film Festival in 2024.
Olivia Shortt, Mentor
Olivia Shortt works as a multi-disciplinary artist in music, theatre and video art. Shortt is an Anishinaabe off-reservation member of Nipissing First Nation and of Irish descent through their mother. They were named by the CBC as one of "6 Indigenous composers you need to know in 2024". Iconic moments include appearing and playing saxophone on CBC Kids' 'Gary the Unicorn', performing in Atom Egoyan’s 2019 film ‘Guest of Honour’ and lending their voice off-screen in Stephen King's film 'In the Tall Grass' and Season 3 of 'Chucky'. As a sound designer they have worked with Olivia C Davies (Ottawa), All My Relations Collective (NYC) and Ange Loft (Centaur Theatre - Montreal). They were Artist-in-Residence with the Jackman Humanities Institute, University of Toronto (2023-2024), Carlton University (2024), and is the inaugural 2025-26 Artist-in-Resident at the Indigenous Creation Studio, University of Toronto Mississauga. Shortt is a graduate of Dartmouth College. www.oliviashortt.com .
Presentation
Northern Indigenous Play Readings
by Gwaandak Theatre
The Spirit of the Valley by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse
Constellation by Tyra Ashauntie
The Spirit of the Valley
Written by Frank Henry Kaash Katasse
Directed by Isabelle Katoogoo James-Walker
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?”
This play was developed as the "Playwright in Residence" at La Jolla Playhouse and had itʼs World Premiere with Perseverance Theatre.
Constellation
Written 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 heads 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?
This play was developed as part of the National Queer & Trans Playwriting Unit.
Other showings: November 26
Our stories question, honour, and celebrate. They explore themes around decolonization, cultural identity, social justice, underrepresented voices and human rights. We tour existing and developing works to both tiny communities and major centres. We also host the annual Awaken Festival and our programming includes workshops and training opportunities for theatre artists.
Gwaandak Theatre was founded in Whitehorse, YT by Leonard Linklater and Patti Flather in 1999. During Spring 2000, Sixty Below was presented as our first production. Written by the founders, this play opened on May 9th, 2000 at Nàkwät’à Kų̀ Potlatch House, Kwanlin Dün First Nation, in Whitehorse.
Colin Wolf became the Executive and Artistic Director in Fall 2019, with the first Awaken Festival taking place in Spring 2020.
Gwaandak Theatre Society is Yukon’s only Indigenous professional theatre company.