2023-05-18 19:302023-05-27 21:0060Canada/Eastern🎟 NAC: Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer
https://nac-cna.ca/en/event/30732
In-person event
NAC Indigenous Theatre in association with Theatre Calgary presents the Belfry Theatre and Savage Society production of Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer.
From director and Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Kevin Loring of the Nlaka’pamux Nation comes a wickedly funny satire about power, politics, and procreation.
Little Red Warrior, the last remaining member of the Little Red Warrior First Nation, discovers construction has begun on his ancestral lands. In a fit of rage,...
A Note From The Artistic Director, Indigenous Theatre
I'm excited to welcome you to the closing show of our 2022-23 Indigenous Theatre season, Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer!
There's a clear message in this play—land back. Indigenous sovereignty trumps all. Ottawa is unceded Algonquin territory. It was never lost in war or treatied away; we pretend that Canada can do as it does. But, when you reach the bottom of it, it's occupied territory on Indigenous land.I hope people will be a little bit scandalized by the show, find it funny and get a kick out of it. I hope people think about things differently.
We're so thrilled to have you here with us and look forward to seeing you next season.
A Note From The Managing Director, Indigenous Theatre
When I met Kevin as a recent graduate over 20 years ago, we immediately connected over the stories we wanted to tell. Stories that centred our culture and highlighted the strength, resilience and humour we experienced in our communities every day. The fact that Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer is as relevant and as funny now as it was 20 years ago is a testament to Kevin's brilliance and deep understanding of issues that have been with our people for generations.
As a proud Nlaka’pamux from the Lytton First Nation, Kevin Loring is deeply committed to using his artistry to tell the stories of Indigenous peoples and bring attention to pressing issues. His contributions to the arts and his community are widely recognized and celebrated.
He is a highly accomplished playwright, actor, and director, currently serving as the Artistic Director of Indigenous Theatre at the National Arts Centre. Through his art, he provides a powerful voice for Indigenous culture and history, working to promote awareness, understanding, and appreciation.
More than 20 years ago, Loring conceived the idea for Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer during his theatre studies in Vancouver. As he delved into classic European farces, including those by renowned French playwright Molière, he was reminded of the traditional creation stories of his Salish-speaking Indigenous culture; stories that originate from the interior of what is now British Columbia.
In this Trickster Fable, we are taken through the play from the storyteller's perspective: the Coyote. As Kevin explains, “In Trickster stories, nobody gets away unscathed.”
Touching on weighty topics such as land usage, sovereignty, colonialism, and the historical exclusion of First Nations from having rights to their land, Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer challenges—in a very satirical form—experiences and realities about Canada, our relationship with First Nations people and First Nations people's relationship with the Crown, all while poking fun at everything and everyone.
Kevin Loring is an accomplished Canadian playwright, actor and director and was the winner of the Governor General’s Award for English Language Drama for his outstanding play, Where the Blood Mixes in 2009. The play explores the intergenerational effects of the residential school system. It toured nationally and was presented at the National Arts Centre in 2010, when Loring was serving as the NAC’s Playwright in Residence.
A Nlaka’pamux from the Lytton First Nation in British Columbia, Loring created the Songs of the Land project in 2012 in partnership with five separate organizations in his home community. The project explores 100-year-old audio recordings of songs and stories of the N’lakap’amux People. Loring has written two new plays based on his work with the community including Battle of the Birds, about domestic violence and power abuse, and The Boy Who Was Abandoned, about youth and elder neglect.
A versatile artist and leader Loring has served as the co-curator of the Talking Stick Festival, as Artist in Residence at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, as Artistic Director of the Savage Society in Vancouver, as a Documentary Producer of Canyon War: The Untold Story, and as the Project Leader/Creator, and Director of the Songs of the Land project in his home community of Lytton First Nation.
Originally from Ottawa, of mixed settler and Anishinabe decent. A member of the sketch troupe Tonto's Nephews, former Artistic Associate at Native Earth Performing Arts. Toured Darrell Dennis’ Tales of an Urban Indian across Canada and Australia.
Theatre credits: The Darkest Dark (Y.P.T), Detroit (The Coal Mine), Where the Blood Mixes (Soulpepper), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stratford), The Drawer Boy (Theatre Passe Muraille), Thunderstick (Persephone Theatre), King Lear (N.A.C), Trudeau & Levesque (VideoCaberet)
Television credits: Trickster, Murdoch Mysteries, The Guilt Free Zone, Fool Canada, Air Farce, The Ron James Show, Beyblade and Beyblade: The Movie.
Nick Miami Benz, Shapeshifter, Storyteller, Self. Nick is a Leo-nominated performance artist trained in dances from the Afro, Latinx and Indigenous diasporas, focusing on the embodiment of animal movements. While studying dance in New York City, they worked as an equestrian for The Metropolitan Opera, which inspired them to return to theatre as an actor and singer. Nick’s acting training is founded on the Meisner technique and voice work through the Lovetri method. Their theatre credits include God’s Lake, Little Red Warrior, Blackhorse and working with Atomic Vaudeville, Mascall Dance, Netflix and John Fluevog. In addition, Nick Miami Benz shares their expertise in movement through holistic exercise coaching in Vancouver.
Luisa is filled with joy to be part of the team bringing the story of Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer to the stage. She was born to immigrant parents on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlíl̓wətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, where she still lives. She is a performer, teaching artist and coach who loves cooking, eating, laughing and dancing. For performance credits and more detailed biography, please visit luisajojic.com. Enjoy the show!
Kevin had the pleasure of seeing the original production of Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer some years ago at Studio 58 in Vancouver and being in the first professional production last year at the Belfry in Victoria. Most recently, he was on stage in The Father (The Search Party) (Jessie Award - Best Actor), Stupid Fucking Bird (The Search Party), and at the NAC with Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer. His recent film credits include Yellowjackets and Schmigadoon. In 1965, Kevin was part of St. Anthony’s Boys Choir in Calgary and remembered his first ‘studio session’ recording a jingle for the Hudson’s Bay Company’s 295th birthday. In the 1990s, he shot various projects in Calgary for film and TV, including North of 60 and A Good Day To Die, working with Sidney Poitier.
After disappointing his family by not going into medicine, Shekhar has played doctors in many Films & TV shows, most recently as Dr. Hook in season 3 of Superman & Lois. As well he’s worked in theatres across Canada, including Bard on the Beach, CanStage, Arts Club, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Belfry, Globe, Vancouver Playhouse, and ATP. Shekhar is also an author and playwright—his novel, An Extraordinary Destiny, was published in 2017 by Brindle & Glass; he’s had two children’s books published by Annick Press; and VACT recently produced a workshop of Shekhar’s new play about cancel culture and historic statues Gandhi & Churchill’s Excellent Adventure!
Director
Kevin Loring
Kevin Loring is an accomplished Canadian playwright, actor and director and was the winner of the Governor General’s Award for English Language Drama for his outstanding play, Where the Blood Mixes in 2009. The play explores the intergenerational effects of the residential school system. It toured nationally and was presented at the National Arts Centre in 2010, when Loring was serving as the NAC’s Playwright in Residence.
A Nlaka’pamux from the Lytton First Nation in British Columbia, Loring created the Songs of the Land project in 2012 in partnership with five separate organizations in his home community. The project explores 100-year-old audio recordings of songs and stories of the N’lakap’amux People. Loring has written two new plays based on his work with the community including Battle of the Birds, about domestic violence and power abuse, and The Boy Who Was Abandoned, about youth and elder neglect.
A versatile artist and leader Loring has served as the co-curator of the Talking Stick Festival, as Artist in Residence at the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, as Artistic Director of the Savage Society in Vancouver, as a Documentary Producer of Canyon War: The Untold Story, and as the Project Leader/Creator, and Director of the Songs of the Land project in his home community of Lytton First Nation.
Little Red Warrior
Craig Lauzon
Originally from Ottawa, of mixed settler and Anishinabe decent. A member of the sketch troupe Tonto's Nephews, former Artistic Associate at Native Earth Performing Arts. Toured Darrell Dennis’ Tales of an Urban Indian across Canada and Australia.
Theatre credits: The Darkest Dark (Y.P.T), Detroit (The Coal Mine), Where the Blood Mixes (Soulpepper), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stratford), The Drawer Boy (Theatre Passe Muraille), Thunderstick (Persephone Theatre), King Lear (N.A.C), Trudeau & Levesque (VideoCaberet)
Television credits: Trickster, Murdoch Mysteries, The Guilt Free Zone, Fool Canada, Air Farce, The Ron James Show, Beyblade and Beyblade: The Movie.
Lizzy
Nick Miami Benz
Nick Miami Benz, Shapeshifter, Storyteller, Self. Nick is a Leo-nominated performance artist trained in dances from the Afro, Latinx and Indigenous diasporas, focusing on the embodiment of animal movements. While studying dance in New York City, they worked as an equestrian for The Metropolitan Opera, which inspired them to return to theatre as an actor and singer. Nick’s acting training is founded on the Meisner technique and voice work through the Lovetri method. Their theatre credits include God’s Lake, Little Red Warrior, Blackhorse and working with Atomic Vaudeville, Mascall Dance, Netflix and John Fluevog. In addition, Nick Miami Benz shares their expertise in movement through holistic exercise coaching in Vancouver.
Desdemona
Luisa Jojic
Luisa is filled with joy to be part of the team bringing the story of Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer to the stage. She was born to immigrant parents on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlíl̓wətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, where she still lives. She is a performer, teaching artist and coach who loves cooking, eating, laughing and dancing. For performance credits and more detailed biography, please visit luisajojic.com. Enjoy the show!
Floyd
Kevin McNulty
Kevin had the pleasure of seeing the original production of Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer some years ago at Studio 58 in Vancouver and being in the first professional production last year at the Belfry in Victoria. Most recently, he was on stage in The Father (The Search Party) (Jessie Award - Best Actor), Stupid Fucking Bird (The Search Party), and at the NAC with Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer. His recent film credits include Yellowjackets and Schmigadoon. In 1965, Kevin was part of St. Anthony’s Boys Choir in Calgary and remembered his first ‘studio session’ recording a jingle for the Hudson’s Bay Company’s 295th birthday. In the 1990s, he shot various projects in Calgary for film and TV, including North of 60 and A Good Day To Die, working with Sidney Poitier.
Larry
Shekhar Paleja
After disappointing his family by not going into medicine, Shekhar has played doctors in many Films & TV shows, most recently as Dr. Hook in season 3 of Superman & Lois. As well he’s worked in theatres across Canada, including Bard on the Beach, CanStage, Arts Club, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Belfry, Globe, Vancouver Playhouse, and ATP. Shekhar is also an author and playwright—his novel, An Extraordinary Destiny, was published in 2017 by Brindle & Glass; he’s had two children’s books published by Annick Press; and VACT recently produced a workshop of Shekhar’s new play about cancel culture and historic statues Gandhi & Churchill’s Excellent Adventure!
Projectionists, Wardrobe Mistresses, Masters and Attendants are members of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 471.
NAC Indigenous Theatre is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engages professional Artists who are members of Canadian Actors' Equity Association under the terms of the jointly negotiated Canadian Theatre Agreement.
NAC Indigenous Theatre Team
Artistic Director
Kevin Loring Managing Director
Lori Marchand Producer
Samantha MacDonald Associate Producer
Sage Nokomis Wright Indigenous Cultural Resident
Mairi Brascoupé Education Coordinator
Kerry Corbiere Technical Director
Spike Lyne Communications Strategist
Ian Hobson Marketing Strategist
Jenna Spagnoli Senior Marketing Manager
Bridget Mooney Associate Producer #ReconcileThis
Paula Chinkiwsky
Lead Donor
Season Partner
Official Hotel Partner
Presenting Partner #ReconcileThis
Recognizing your support and passion
Every season, thousands of individuals, corporations, and foundations express their passion for the performing arts in Canada by making a gift to the National Arts Centre. Your donations help to bring breathtaking performance to Canada’s stage, inspire new creation and provide life-changing learning opportunities for young people.
Our loyal supporters deserve to be recognized for the starring role you play. Please give yourselves a round of applause.
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