Full Description for AGOKWE

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre Presents the world premiere of

Created and performed by Waawaate Fobister
Director and Dramaturg Ed Roy

Original Music by Marc Nadjiwan Lighting Designer Kimberly Purtell
Set and Projection Designer Andy Moro Costume Designer Erika Iserhoff
Sound Designer Lyon Smith Stage Manager Tracy Lynne Cann

BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES THEATRE PUTS YOUTH FRONT AND CENTRE, KICKING OFF ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF WAAWAATE FOBISTER'S AGOKWE.

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre kicks off the 2008-2009 Season with the world premiere of Agokwe, a new work from 23-year-old Ojibwa artist Waawaate Fobister. Agokwe explores unrequited love between teenage boys from neighbouring reserves. They meet briefly at a post hockey-tournament party where they bashfully confess their desire for each other. However youth, distance and isolation strive to pull the threads apart when tragedy intervenes.

Agokwe is a multi-character monologue performed and danced by Waawaate Fobister (Death of a Chief - NAC/Native Earth Performing Arts). Agokwe began as a short monologue, performed as part of Buddies' 2005/06 PrideCab, a collectively created, youth-driven cabaret created over 12 weeks and performed as part of Buddies' Cultural Pride Festivities. During the 2006/07 Season, Agokwe was further developed as part of Buddies' Young Creators Unit, during which Fobister was teamed up with award-winning director Ed Roy. The world premiere of Agokwe marks the first time that one of Buddies' Mainstage presentations has been entirely developed through all stages of Buddies' Queer Youth Arts Programme. This is also the case with Mark Shyzer's Fishbowl, which premieres in the latter half of Buddies' 2008-2009 Season.

Renowned for provocative, rhythmic and visually-rich productions, award-winning director Edward Roy has a long history of working with young artists as instructor for institutions such as the National Theatre School of Canada and Humber College. As a playwright and director, Roy has been lauded for a varied roster of works for youth and adult audiences, including The Other Side of The Closet (Dora Award), A Secret Life (Chalmers Award), and White Trash Blue Eyes (Chalmers Award w/Daniel MacIvor). Most recently Roy premiered Dead Ahead at The Lorraine Kimsa Theatre For Young People (co-production w/Topological Theatre) and The Golden Thug at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (co-production w/Topological Theatre).

For the premiere of Agokwe, Fobister and Roy are joined by an accomplished team of designers which included Andy Moro (Set), Kimberly Purtell (Lighting), Erika Isteroff (Costumes) and Lyon Smith (Sound). Original Music for Agokwe is being created by Marc Nadjiwan.

Developed with support from the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, B. Gibson & T. MacPhee


Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents
AGOKWE CABARET SERIES - FINAL WEEK
PHOTOGRAPHY - SCREENINGS - DANCE - MUSIC - LAUNGUAGE
Agokwe ticket holders are invited to attend the following added-value events.

SHORT FILM/VIDEO SCEENINGS
Tues Oct 7 - After the show in the Cabaret - FREE
Stick around after the show for short film & video screenings featuring
SHOOTING GERONIMO and GROUP OF SEVEN INCHES by Kent Monkman
And sneak preview from imagineNATIVE Film & Media Arts Festival. www.imaginenative.org


EJ KWANDIBENS
Thurs, Oct 9 - After the show in the Cabaret - FREE
EJ Kwandibens, a member of the Whitesand First Nation community, is a single gay parent of a beautiful daughter named Sagatay Kwandibens and is a Northern Ojibway Traditional dancer. His regalia, an eagle feather aka a eagle bustle, and dance style is a representation of a warrior.
Sagatay Kwandibens is 8 years old and is Ojibway/Cree/French descent. Sagatay's regalia is known as the Jingle Dress Dance, considered a healing dress that represents the spiritual connection to a medicine lodge.

Reviews for AGOKWE

• "NNNN...fiercely honest and original" - NOW MAGAZINE read full review
• "***...a promising debut" - EYE WEEKLY read full review
• "***(out of 4)...positive and empowering and drew cheers from members of the audience" - Toronto Star read full review

Press Releases for AGOKWE

• Press release for AGOKWE

Show Details for AGOKWE

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