May 24, 2010 – October 22-24, 2010
Little Embers  - Developments in Youth Theatre at Council Fire in Toronto.

Council Fire, an urban Aboriginal organization in Toronto, sponsored a theatre development project for  Aboriginal Youth associated with the Centre. The project was designed and directed by York University Drama graduate, Andrea Brassard, Metis theatre artist and director, who lead and worked with the group in Toronto over the course of 2009 – 2010. Native Earth for the Performing Arts first assisted with the early development and start up, working with Andrea Brassard to identify coaches and mentoring for the new group. The emerging artists named their group The Little Embers. The Canada Council Aboriginal Collaborative Exchange Program was approached to provide funding support to these twelve teens and pre teens to come to Debajehmujig’s Creation Centre and workshop their new creation “My Life Is a Secret” during the long weekend in May.

The three day workshop was an intensive exploration for youth participants and their chaperones. The young artists worked through three full days of creation and performance cycles that were lead by Matthew Manitowabi and Joe Osawabine. Both lead the group through explorations of character, environment, location, intention and final outcome, utilizing the four directions creation process and a newly introduced story development process that came out of an artistic residency with Gregory Hoskins over 2008-2009 at Debajehmujig’s Creation Centre. The group created a very courageous work about urban Aboriginal youth and the search for authenticity and validation in the modern world.

A special element in this project was highlighted once the group arrived at the Creation Centre. Many participants and several chaperones had family in the region and in some cases were returning to their home communities for the first time in many years.  The impulse to fully experience the freedom and beauty in the natural environment was a significant experience for everyone from Toronto, especially the young artists. It was exciting to watch them weave their new impressions and sensibilities into their work, while making long standing connections with stories and people from their own personal history. The Directors at Debajehmujig made artful use of the natural resources and environment, to bring the group story to its next level.

We followed up with a final week of rehearsal and preparation in Toronto before the show opened at the Lorraine Kinsmat Theatre for a two night engagement at the end of July. Little Embers filled the third floor studio space with friends, family and members of the Toronto Aboriginal community. While the performances in Toronto were to be the completion of the project, five members of the team continued to work with Andrea, bringing Matthew and Joe to Toronto to develop a new work for the new year. A final five day workshop was completed in late October with a smaller team, renamed Toronto Aboriginal Youth Theatre Ensemble, at Toronto Dance Makers Studio and at the Wychwood Barns. We are eagerly anticipating the new work and artistic development as the group continues to work with Andrea in the new year.