Led by Governor General Award-winning playwright Ian Ross, the Creators Circle supports the creation and development of new plays by Manitoba-based Indigenous artists.
Pimootayowin is an Anishinaabemowin word meaning journey, a word chosen by Ross who explains: “The creation of new art is often described as a journey, so too, our lives. In any journey, we often don’t know what lies ahead but we can emerge enriched by them. I look forward to mentoring talented creators who have fascinating, relevant stories to tell.”
The Creators Circle meets from October to May each year and participates in weekly Wednesday meetings which culminate with Pimootayowin: A Festival of New Work, a week-long play-reading series that takes place in the fall. New writers will be welcomed annually into the Creators Circle.
Pimootayowin is dedicated to developing new voices for the theatre. All participants will receive an honorarium as well as fees when the play is professionally workshopped in preparation for the public readings.
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Ian Ross was born in McCreary, Manitoba. He calls the First Nation of Pinaymootang, the Métis community of Kinosota and the city of Winnipeg, home. His play fareWel won the Governor General’s Award for English Drama in 1997. His commentaries as Joe from Winnipeg on CBC radio and television, as well as NCI, were very popular. Ian has also been a drama instructor and educator for several years. He continues to write and live in Winnipeg.
Katie is a Métis director, performer, educator and mother. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Katie is currently the owner and director of Junior Musical Theatre Company (JMTC), the Assistant Program Director of Pimootayowin Creators Circle, the Artistic Consultant with Manitoba Theatre for Young People and is a mother to a creative seven-year-old and a joy-filled one-year-old. Recent directing and performance credits include: Frozen River (Manitoba Theatre for Young People); Rez Sisters (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre), Embodying Power and Place Digital Presentation & Workshop (Director, New Harlem Productions, Nightwood Theatre & Native Earth Performing Arts); Winn nipi (Director, Prairie Theatre Exchange); Wolf Joe cartoon (Voice Director & Character Voice, Media Rendezvous & Amberwood Entertainment); A Year with Frog and Toad (Manitoba Theatre for Young People); Hockey Sweater, Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (Rainbow Stage); South Pacific (Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra).
Mary Black is a sober Indigenous, mother, wife, poet, writer, speaker, teacher and musical artist. Mary has travelled to over all four corners of Turtle Island over the past seven years; and she has spoken through her poetry, music and voice to millions of people across the country. Mary has been featured in every major news outlet across Canada and if you would like to see more of her work, please do a Google search and you will find her work and many accomplishments: Huffington Post, CTV News, CBC News, APTN and more! Mary hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in eight years.
Ryan R. Black is mixed blood Saulteaux (First Nations) / West Indian film actor, writer, producer and director who has been working in the film, television and theatre industries for 30 years. As the son of an Indigenous mother and first generation landed-immigrant father he has a unique perspective on the development of identity and culture. Passionate and deeply rooted in storytelling as a conduit for emotional, spiritual and physical health, he has dedicated himself to helping others find their voices through media.
Michael has been involved in theatre, film and television as an actor, director and writer since 1991. Michael is a graduate of the of UofW's Honours Acting Program. He has pursued his post grad studies at the London Theatre School, University of Exeter, Staging Shakespeare and is a 2014 Fellow of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London.
Emily is a Métis performer and creator, born and raised here on Treaty One Territory. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Theatre Performance from Sheridan and trained at the Second City Conservatory program in Toronto. Last year, Emily was overjoyed to be an actor in the Pimootayowin Festival, and she is honoured to be a part of it again, this year, as a playwright. Telling stories and making people laugh are two of her favourite things to do. Having performed on stages throughout the country, some of Emily’s credits include productions with Royal MTC, Charlottetown Festival Young Company, Suitcase Theatre, WST, Dry Cold Productions, Rainbow Stage and the Hamilton Fringe Festival.
Victoria Perrie is a sister, aunty, daughter, arts educator and lawyer living in her Métis homelands, right near the Red River. She grew up here but has spent her adult life roaming the world. Victoria has been in the Winnipeg theatre scene since youth, bouncing around between acting, writing, producing, directing, coordinating, teaching and managing stage. In recent years, Victoria has been focused on her legal career in criminal defense law, but stayed grounded in the arts by delivering arts-based legal education to youth in Nunavut. During the day, you can find Victoria working in judicial education at the National Judicial Institute.
Eric Plamondon is an artist living near Nestowaya in Manitoba. A geographical and cultural influence, since the rivers are a conversion point where meeting and exchanges are possible, so is Eric’s multidisciplinary art practice as it offers a conversion point for art, space and audience. Eric is engaged in contemporary art expression that is full of multi-generational sensitivities brought upon by the fact that Eric is gai, Indigenous (Métis) and has French as a mother tongue.