Announcements From The Gathering Of The Good Minds Festival Organizers

since May 6, 2004

Announcemnts

Poignant Comedic Drama Sheds Light on Cultural Issues Facing Canadians

July 13, 2006, Port Dover – Lighthouse Festival Theatre is looking to 400 Kilometres to be the next success in what has already been a critically and audience acclaimed 2006 season. Penned by award winning Native playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, the play offers thought-provoking insight into the ongoing cultural tensions between Canada’s Native and settled peoples. While the play is as comedic as it is dramatic, the show does not take sides, but instead presents a balanced perspective on issues regarding heritage, family, and unfounded stereotypes facing the characters, and does so with a touch of humour. Through clever dialogue and heartfelt scenes, Taylor’s play works to dispel cultural myths and show the value of collaboration, as opposed to confrontation.

In addition to his success as a Canadian playwright, Taylor has receive dnational acclaim as an author, filmmaker, and humourist. Although the play reflects what he calls a “snippet of Native life,” Taylor believes that the “issues of culture, home, family and finding a place in society should be of no surprise to anybody. If there is a universal constant, that must be it. Death, taxes and “who am I and where do I belong?” Native people wonder that too,” he added.

Lighthouse Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Chris McHarge agrees that the central themes of the play are appealing to all audiences. “We see the staging of 400 Kilometres as an opportunity to be proactive on cultural issues that are important to Canadians. Apart from being incredibly relevant locally, the play is a terrific story about family, and about love and understanding,” said McHarge. “We’re extremely pleased to be showcasing a Drew Hayden Taylor play at Lighthouse Festival Theatre,” he added.

Preview performances of 400 Kilometres begin July 25. The show officially opens July 27. Single tickets for previews cost $20 for adults, $19 for students and seniors. Regular show tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for students and seniors. Showtimes are 2 p.m. for matinees and 8 p.m. for evening performances. Tickets can be obtained by phoning the box office at (519) 583-2221 or 1-888-779-7703, or by visiting www.lighthousetheatre.com.

The Gathering of Good Minds, a group of Native and non-Native volunteers is hosting an exhibition "Stoney Point to Aazhoodena: Recovered Truth, Honoured Purpose..."

This exhibition will point to a movement from past wounds to a positive future by drawing on the strenths of the past. The Gathering is seeking paintings, carvings, and other media in honour of the lost life of Dudley George. All artwork is welcome. The George family is in support of this exhibition.
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This is a First Nations art show that will hopefully look at the context of First Nations contact and co-existence with our relatives. In particular, this exhibit will look at the past of the Stoney Point history and examine this history through to the present with particular emphasis on the life of Dudley George. I was a personal friend of Dudley's, having known him for l0 years prior to his death, and I honour his memory. One of the themes I was thinking about was the unresolved grief that his family suffered, from the intergenerational trauma that they were subjected to, and their commitment to reclaiming their land, even today, despite overwhelming odds and circumstances. They are dedicated to his memory in their efforts to reclaim their traditional homeland and to tell their story to the world. They are proud of their ancestors, the Caribou people and Catfish people, whose totemic identity is well established in the region's history.

Here are some things you should know abou the show. It is a partnership between the Gathering of the Good Minds committee which hosts an Arts/Elders gathering every other year in London, and the London Museum of
Archaeology, which will house the exhibit for seven months on site.

The Museum is unable to purchase the exhibit pieces at this time, but the pieces can be for sale during the exhibition. A small commission will be charged to cover off administration fees (credit card sales) of any sold items.

The Museum has a very small budget for this exhibition, but they can arrange to pick up the pieces from the aartists prior to September 15th and delivering after March 31, 2007

The exhibition is actually being hosted by the Gathering of Good Minds, a Native and non-Native collective of volunteers promoting Native artwork. The Gathering is still waiting to hear back concerning some grant applications. To date, there are unfortunately no confirmed honourariums for the artists for the show and no grants pending. We will continue to send out grant applications.

No workshops or artist talks have been arranged to date due to the pending grants for the Gathering of Good Minds.

Nancy Van Sas at the LMA will make arrangements for picking up your work and returning it to you. You can contact her at: Nancy Van Sas nvansas@uwo.ca 519 473-1360