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 from September 23–27, 2024. 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 presentations.
SPONSORED BY
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.
ROYAL MTC Into the Woods, The Rez Sisters. Assistant Program Director: Pimootayowin Creators Circle. Assistant Director: The (Post) Mistress. Mentee: 2020/21 National Mentorship Program.
OTHER THEATRE The Hockey Sweater, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, South Pacific (Rainbow Stage); Midwinter Mosey, A Year with Frog and Toad, Seussical The Musical (MTYP); Fame, American Idiot, Pippin (WST); Evil Dead The Musical, The Last Five Years, The Rocky Horror Show (Wasteland Productions); Sweeney Todd (Dry Cold).
TV Wolf Joe (Media RendezVous/Big Jump Media Inc.); Stand! (Frantic Films); Curse of Chucky (Universal 1440 Entertainment).
ET CETERA Katie is a mother to two creative kids who challenge and encourage her to be a better human and is also the owner and director of Junior Musical Theatre Company (JMTC). Miigwetch.
Rhonda Apetagon is a proud member of Norway House Cree Nation. She graduated from the University of Manitoba and has been working for her community ever since. She is a mother, a visual artist, and a voracious reader. She has worked in program development, executive management and as a teacher and facilitator both in visual arts and traditional Indigenous crafts. Her love of a good story has guided her towards the most interesting adventures.
Gabriel Daniels was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. Gabriel started acting in high school drama class which led him to Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre. During that time, he was also auditioning for film and television. Gabriel landed his first role on a CBC film called Frost Fire. Shortly after that he took a hiatus from acting and it wasn’t until moving to Winnipeg years later that he got back into acting where he landed a role in Eye of the Beast. Since then, some of Gabriel’s acting credits include roles in The Don Cherry Story, Goon, Cashing In, Road of Iniquity, Fractured, Stand, Burden of Truth, Hunter Hunter, Ann Rule: House on Fire, Ice Road, Alter Boys, Aberdeen and Acting Good. In addition to acting, Gabriel Daniels is proud to have had the opportunity to take part in an important Indigenous rights Court Case. After the passing of his father, Harry Daniels, Gabriel stepped in as representative in R v Daniels which took him to the Supreme Court of Canada and ultimately winning the case which recognized Métis rights within the Federal Government system.
Mark D. Head (MDH) is Métis, a brother, uncle, son, and collective and solo story creator and is a teacher assistant of native youth theatre who is helping to foster imagination, creativity, self-esteem, self-confidence and empowering our young people through the arts. He is born and raised in the city of Winnipeg and has spent most of his young and adult life in his Métis hometown of Winnipeg. Mark has been in the Winnipeg theatre scene since the age of 15, previously bouncing around between teaching, acting, and writing. Mark, after taking a five-year hiatus to focus on family, has returned to what he loves – theatre, teaching and writing this year. Ready to take on new adventures and on what life may come his way.
E. McGregor is a Euro-Settler/Métis writer currently living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction have appeared in numerous magazines including Room, The Dalhousie Review, CV2, The Fiddlehead, and others. She obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia in 2022. Her first collection of poetry, What Fills Your House Like Smoke, is forthcoming with Thistledown Press in Spring, 2024.
Jordan McPeek (he/him) is a member of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, an Oji-Cree First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, with European settler roots. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Religious Studies from the University of Winnipeg and a Chartered Professional Accountant designation. He once made the short list for the Crime Writers of Canada’s annual Best Crime Short Story Award of Excellence. After 27 years in the federal public service, much of it working directly with Manitoba First Nations, he’s interested in exploring through drama the place where history, politics, and mundane administration collide.
Victoria Perrie is a queer Métis-Cree aunty, educator, artist and lawyer. She is a sole practitioner at Perrie Law with an established practice in Nunavut and budding practice in Manitoba. Her art focuses on the written word and theatrical performance. In her spare time, Victora enjoys traditional crafting and volunteering in access to justice initiatives.