What's On
Thursday, April 26, 2007
BRIGHT LIGHTS: An Evening with DREW HAYDON TAYLOR
In conversation Yvette Nolan
Drew reveals the hidden truths and little known secrets of growing up in Curve Lake and coming of age in the late 80’s boom of Indigenous theatre in Canada.
presented by Market Hall Performing Arts
An intimate evening of conversation and performance with one of Canada’s leading writers, whose plays have been performed across Canada and around the world.
Hosted by Yvette Nolan, Artistic Director, Native Earth Performing Arts (Toronto)
Featuring readings from Drew’s newest work, including his latest play, Heat Lightning, and his soon-to-be-published first novel The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel.
Often described as one of the best observers of contemporary aboriginal life, Drew says, “I’ve spent too many years explaining who and what I am repeatedly, so as of this moment I officially secede from both races. I plan to start my own separate nation. Because I am half Ojibway and half Caucasian, we will be called the Occasions. And of course, since I’m founding the new nation, I will be a Special Occasion.”
Hailed as “one of Canada’s leading Native dramatists,” he writes for the screen as well as the stage and contributes regularly to North American Native periodicals and national newspapers such as the Globe & Mail. His first collection of essays, articles and columns entitled Funny, you don’t look like one - Observations of a Blue Eyed Ojibway was published in 1996, and has since been followed by three more collections. His most recent play, In A World Created By A Drunken God, was nominated for the 2006 Governor General’s Award.
Proceeds of this benefit event are being shared between Market Hall and Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabe-Kwewag Services Circle. Each event in the Bright Lights series will be filmed by Cogeco-TV for later broadcast and use as an educational resource for students.
About Bright Lights
Bright Lights is a series of live
on-stage conversations with great artists who live in, or hail from,
the Peterborough area.
The series is based on Market Hall's Greatest
100 in the Performing Arts, a centennial project for the City
of Peterborough that named the 100 most outstanding performing artists
in its history.
Proceeds from Bright Lights events contribute to Market Hall's artistic
programming as well as to the Bright Lights Award, an educational
bursary given out at each event to a young artist working in the same
field as the featured guest.