A Story Before Time (2013)
Produced by
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre and The Banff Centre for the Arts
Presented by
Playwright: Drew Hayden Taylor
Creator: Santee Smith
Choreographer: Santee Smith
Venue
Run
October 16th, 2013 – October 24th, 2013
Synopsis
The Onkwehonwe Creation Story comes to life in A Story Before Time. The journey begins as a wondrous Sky Woman is revealed
and Sky Beings dance like stars in the cosmos. It is when Sky Woman falls through the roots of the Celestial Tree to the Water
World below that life on Turtle Island takes shape. Sky Woman sings and dances her world into existence. Animal characters swim
across the stage and trees grow from silk as the powerful cultural story is explained through movement and storytelling. (youngpeoplestheatre.ca)
Cast
| Semiah Kaha:wi Smith | Kateri (Storyteller) |
| Santee Smith | eyotsi’tsyane:karen (Exploding Flower) / SkyWoman / Goose |
| Michael Demski | Great Chief / Goose / West Wind / Deer |
| Emily Law | Sky Being / Katsi’tsyani:yonte (Hanging Flower) / Daughter / Raccoon |
| Zhenya Cerneacov | Sky Being / Goose / Otter / Taharonhawa:kon (Holder of the Heavens) |
| Louis Laberge-Côté | Sky Being / Goose / Otter / Tawiskara (The Bent One) |
| Sarain Carson-Fox | Sky Being / Muskrat / Chipmunk / Otter |
Creative Team
| Drew Hayden Taylor | Playwright |
| Santee Smith | Creator |
| Santee Smith | Choreographer |
| Donald Quan | Composer |
| Harry Frehner | Set Designer |
| Harry Frehner | Costume Designer |
| Harry Frehner | Original Lighting Designer |
| Alaina Perttula | Lighting Designer |
| ElizaBeth Hill | Songwriter |
| David R. Maracle | Songwriter |
| Santee Smith | Songwriter |
| Amos Key Jr. | Songwriter |
Music
| Rick Shadrach Lazar | Musician |
| David R. Maracle | Musician |
| Bob Doidge | Musician |
| ElizaBeth Hill | Singer |
| David R. Maracle | Singer |
| Santee Smith | Singer |
| Amos Key Jr. | Singer |
| Faron Johns | Singer |
| Semiah Kaha:wi Smith | Singer |
Production
| Alaina Perttula | Stage Manager |
| Frank Miller | Language Translator |
| Amos Key Jr. | Language Translator |
| Don Lee | Photographer |
Staff
| Alexis Buset | Technical Director |
| Mark Haasnoot | Wardrobe Intern |
| Matt Jordan | Lighting Operator |
| Mattea Kennedy | Head Scenic Artist |
| Scott Kitcher | Stage Carpenter |
| Scott Kitcher | Operations Assistant |
| Barb Martin | Head of Wardrobe |
| Lokki Ma | Head of Properties |
| Elaine Cavin May | Assistant Head of Wardrobe |
| Elaine Cavin May | Wardrobe Mistress |
| Josh McGill | Head Electrician |
| Aiden Nagle | Head of Audio |
| David Ship | Director of Production |
| Ryan Wilson | Head Scenic Carpenter |
