BC’s most famous playwright will be showcased at Thompson Rivers University later this month when it celebrates Canadian Studies Days 2009.
TRU’s Canadian Studies program and the TRU Community-University Research Alliance (CURA), in conjunction with Western Canada Theatre, invite the public to three days of Canadian Studies events from March 23 to 25.
Entitled “Rita Joe: Then and Now,” the events focus on George Ryga, BC’s most famous playwright, and include talks, panels, art exhibitions, music, films and dramatic readings. These events precede and anticipate Western Canada Theatre’s 40th anniversary production of George Ryga’s “The Ecstasy of Rita Joe” at the Sagebrush Theatre, April 9 to 18, 2009.
Ken Smedley, playwright, producer and stage manager, as well as founding member of the Western Canada Youth Theatre in Kamloops in the 1960s (which later became the Western Canada Theatre Company) and Artistic Director of the George Ryga Centre in Summerland, BC, along with Dr. Jim Hoffman of TRU’s Department of Visual and Performing Arts and author of The Ecstasy of Resistance: A Biography of George Ryga (1995) will present a talk, “George Ryga: Playwright” on Monday, March 23 at 3:30 pm, in Room 108 of the university’s Arts and Education building. This presentation will be followed by an art exhibit, “Rita Joe: Words, Images, and Music” and opening reception at 5:30 pm at the TRU Art Gallery.
On Tuesday, March 24 (1:30 pm, IB 1015), the screening of Ryga’s short film Indian will be followed by a panel response by John Jules, Lori Marchand, Nathan Matthew, and Laura Michel. Two evening presentations are also scheduled: “A Panel on Aboriginal Theatre:” ‘Then, Now, and Tomorrow’ with the director and stars of the upcoming Western Canada Theatre production of “The Ecstasy of Rita Joe” (Tuesday, March 24, 7:30 pm, IB 1010) and “Creating Rita Joe” with Greg Doran on script development of the play (Wednesday, March 25, 7:30 pm, IB 1007).
Events are free and all are welcome to attend.
Contact: Anne Gagnon, (p) 250-374-6458 or Ginny Ratsoy, (p) 250-828-5238
