Sandy Bunn is a star blanket artist whose roots are Dakota Cree. She’s made starblankets for 28 years and has made them for residential school survivors as well as the Pope. She started making them when she was 20 and continued making them while being a mom to nine kids. It took her about a year to learn how to start making star blankets, and she learned from three people. One person taught her how to put the stars on. Another person taught her how to put the edges on, and a third person taught her how to set up the star blanket on a quilting frame and how to hand quilt them, She found that she wanted to make them because of the great spiritual significance that they carry. They are used in many different ceremonies to honour people, and she “wanted to be a person who could help to honour those people.” She says that when she makes them, she tries to personalize them and draw out the spiritual connections within that person. Sandy has made them for different ceremonies such as sundances and sweat lodges.
For Owl Calling, she read the play closely in order to find a vision for the three starblankets she made. In one of the star blankets, she integrated images of the moon, water, and owl feathers, and had to find the proper light to create a dream-like feeling. She says, “I used the blue shades in the star tip to encompass the star blanket, and I had to find the right material to give it the right look.” The blanket hanging on stage represents hope, healing, and protection.” The baby blanket represents the morning sun.
Sandy says, “I’ve learned many lessons and teachings through star blankets. They have carried me through the experience of being a single mom and provided me with a source of income. They have also saved my life in a lot of ways and given me and my children many blessings.” She has taught her children how to sew them and some of the prayers used in making them,
Jason Burnstick was the composer for the Little Bird television series (2024 Canadian Screen Awards, 19 nominations), 2021 Juno Nominee and 2020 Leo Award Winner for the Composer of the Year for Best TV Movie Indian Road Trip and one-half of the multi-award winning and nominated group Burnstick. Jason’s many accolades also include winning the 2015 Indigenous Music Award, the 2010 APCA, and the 2006 CAMA Award. He was a nominee for a 2009 Jessie Richardson Award & Dora Award, and a 2007 Juno. He is a Cree musician, singer-songwriter/composer based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. His musical expression comes from his original vintage 1920’s Weissenborn lap slide guitars.
Aria Evans is a queer, award winning interdisciplinary artist whose practice spans dance, theatre and film. They just began an Assistant Professor position, teaching movement in the Theatre and Film Department at the University of Winnipeg.
Aria is a certified Intimacy Coordinator working in both film and theatre. They work as a Movement Director, Choreographer and Intimacy Professional for a number of Canada’s leading arts organizations with highlights including the Canadian Opera Company, Tarragon Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre, Stratford Festival, Coal Mine Theatre, and Factory Theatre.
As a public speaker, activist and creative leader, Aria draws on their experiences of being multiracial. They were the Metcalf Artistic Director Intern at Soulpepper Theatre from 2021-2022 and co-Artistic Director of hub14 from 2013-2018. With a large-scale vision, collaboration is the departure point to the choreographic work that Aria creates under their company POLITICAL MOVEMENT. www.ariaevans.ca
Cindy Hanson is a professor of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. Through teaching, research and relationships with Indigenous people, she has been doing research about Indian residential schools for 33 years. Her research with Dr. Leah Levac provided information, stories and funding that made this production possible.
Michelle Lagassé is a Francophone Métis from the Red River Valley who calls Treaty One Territory home. Her Indigenous ancestors were of the Cree and Objibwa Nations, and she has Metis ancestors who were granted scrips/land grants under the provision of the 1870 Manitoba Act. She feels honoured to be part of the creative team for this exceptional and moving play that give a voice to Residential School Survivors’ stories. Michelle has come to believe that theatre is a voice to call on social injustice and has had the honour of Stage Managing productions that shone a light on some of these with the Racine/Lakevold play “Stretching Hide” (Theatre Projects Manitoba), “Songide’ewin” (Sarasvati Productions), “L’article 23 et sa Suite » (Théâtre Cercle Molière), “Antigone” (PTE, AA Battery), and «Address Unknown » (Winnipeg Jewish Theatre). Michelle is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. She is an Election “Junkie” has worked on the last eight Federal elections and three Provincial elections.
Brenda McLean is a theatre artist living and working on Treaty I Territory in Winnipeg. She has been thinking about, training in, and making theatre for 30 years. Recent credits include costuming designing for Shakespeare In the Ruins, Midsummer Night’s Dream and “Iago Speaks,” and doing the set and costume design for Thunder Bay’s Magnus Theatre’s Romeo and Juliet. This summer, she was an event producer on Bike and Circuses with Green Kids Inc., where she helped to bring active environmentalism and theatre together to Whittier Park. Brenda thanks Root Sky Theatre for the opportunity to work on this important play and to collaborate with this wonderful artists.
Amy McPherson is a Métis artist and designer from Winnipeg Manitoba. Over the years she has learnt many different forms of Indigenous arts, including several different beading techniques, porcupine quilling, moose and caribou hair tufting, birch bark biting, and basketry. Now a teacher herself, she spends time sharing her knowledge around the province in person and virtually. Amy is an alumni of MC College’s Fashion Design and Apparel production program.
She is the owner and designer of Fashion Ikwe Designs, specializing in custom clothing, styling, and jewelry creation. She has been part of various creative teams as a costume designer, assistant and associate for the following theatres: Manitoba Theatre for Young People, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg Jewish Theatre, Bikes and Circuses, Root Sky Theatre, and the National Film Board.
Max Mummery is a Winnipeg-based artist who has established themselves as a designer and technician within the theatre, dance, and performing arts communities. They’re also a self-proclaimed tech geek. The absurdity of life influences a lot of their work and collaborations as they seek out ways to poke fun at or engage in discourse around systems of power. In a current art world where identities are increasingly becoming a commodity, they notice the difficulty for people to be themselves and wonder ‘what the fuck is going on?’ Max could give you a list of their recent credits and university accomplishments, but they’d much rather share their joy that comes from video games, roller skating, horror movies, and bitching about stuff.
To sneak a peek at what they’ve worked on, visit their website!
Charlene Van Buekenhout has been with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre as Assistant Director: The Woman in Black; Actor: Di and Viv and Rose, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Bleeding Hearts. 2022/23 National Mentorship Program.
Other theatre: Actor/theatre creator in Winnipeg for 20 years. Actor: Josephine-Marie in Li Keur: Riel’s Heart of the North (MB Opera); The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (SIR); two Munsch tours (PTE). Actor/producer: Minoosh Doo-Kapeeshiw (currently touring), JONNO (Winnipeg Fringe); Hamlet (the rest is silence), Hedda Gabler, Blithe Spirit (Master Playwright Festival). Director: The Gravedigger.
Film/tv: Le Monde de Gabrielle Roy, Architecture of an Atom, Lanfeust of Troy, and voices for various animated series. Training: BA Hons. in Theatre (U of W). Jigging for 5 years with Métis Jigging instructor Dean Davis.