≈ 3 hours and 30 minutes · With intermission
Last updated: November 30, 2022
The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ
The whole play takes place over five hundred years near a breathing hole in the eastern portion of the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut, traditional territorial homelands of the Nattilik Inuit (Nattilingmiut). Nunavut makes up 20% of Canada’s land mass and 60% of its coastline. If it were a country on its own, Nunavut would be the fifth largest country in the world.
ACT I : SOULS
Scene One, 1535
Scene Two, 1544
ACT II : BODIES
Scene One, 1845
Scene Two, 1847
ACT III : BREATH
Scene One, 2031
Scene Two, 2025
Playwright’s Notes
As a dramatist and as a mother, I felt compelled to write a play about the climate emergency—factually grounding it in science and history, yet rooting it in emotional reality...but the subject is so vast and complex that I was not sure how to create an epic journey that could touch people’s hearts.
Years ago, I read a moving children’s story about an old woman in the Arctic who adopted a bear cub and raised him. Inspired by the essence of that story—a special bond between the human and animal worlds—I developed the play around a mythical polar bear who lives through five hundred years of history. It begins in 1535 when a Nattilingmiut woman named Hummiktuq takes in the little cub and names him Angu’řuaq. The bond between mother and son is so powerful that it continues to grow through time. Angu’řuaq interacts with all kinds of people in the play, but mostly he interacts with the twenty-first century, because he represents all of us in our lives...and in our deaths.
My deepest gratitude to Aaron Gervais for helping me work through the original outline; to Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy, who generously shared her extensive traditional knowledge and her artistry to help shape the specificity and behaviour of all the Inuit characters; to Janet Tamalik McGrath, who vividly and precisely translated this play into the Nattilingmiut dialect, and who kindly allowed us to incorporate some of her Nattilingmiut-back-to-English retranslations that now enrich the play; and, finally, to Nilaulaaq Aglukkaq, an Elder from Gjoa Haven, who carries within her soul the original story of the old woman and the polar bear. Life is a circle.
The Breathing Hole is produced by arrangement with Kensington Literary Representation.
Colleen Murphy is a member of Playwrights Guild of Canada.
The Importance of Nattilingmiutut in The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ
with Miriam Aglukkaq and Janet Tamalik McGrath
Why was it important to translate the production into what is now the largest existing example of the Nattilingmiutut dialect?
Tamalik McGrath: For both of us, Nilaulaaq and I, it was always about language preservation and revitalization. Nothing is perfect, but if we believed that and didn't try or were not willing to take risks, there would be no movement forward either. It was a huge challenge to translate an epic three-act English play within the genre of Greek tragedy. Nattilingmiutut is deeply an oral culture, and we barely had an adequate writing system, yet alone any literary tradition as English and French theatre has had since the 10th and 12th centuries.
How was the process of creating the translation?
Tamalik McGrath: Firstly, when Reneltta Arluk and Colleen Murphy asked me to work on a translation for a book form, I gave an overview of the play to Nilaulaaq verbally, similar to what Colleen did for me when she introduced her work and her intentions about the play and each act. Then I began drafting sections and reading them to Nilaulaaq over the phone. Just reading character lines back and forth wasn’t useful, so I reached out to Colleen numerous times and learned about the context of each scene and what each character was like at a given moment.
With that information, I spoke again with Nilaulaaq, painting the scene, the context, and the situation. As Nilaulaaq is a master storyteller in the Nattilingmiutut tradition, she began reciting in her own words what was going on. From that, there were words and phrases that I was writing down as she spoke, and I used them in the lines. Often, Nilaulaaq would share archaic words—words no longer commonly used—but ones she had either heard as a child or collected from many years of speaking widely with elders in the Nattilik area. These words, phrases or concepts are embedded in the first two acts.
Rather than working with everyday language, the translation process was an exercise in documenting and using the colourful and challenging combinations of consonants unique to the Nattilingmiutut dialect. This choice in translation was for the preservation of older forms. At the time, we didn't know what challenges that might pose for speakers of other dialects and had no sense as to whether the play would ever be run in Inuktut.
Working with cast members unfamiliar with Nattilingmiutut presents an opportunity to teach and share the significance of the dialect and accompanying culture. What are your hopes for future teachings of Nattilingmiutut, and what steps do you think need to be taken to reach those goals?
Nilaulaaq Aglukkaq (through translation from Inuktut):
It is important to me that our language has continuity into the future. The language has less transmission, and when the younger speakers get mixed up, they become discouraged. I want them to see that other speakers of different dialects can try to speak our dialect. It's okay to make mistakes. That is how we all learn.
I am so glad to see Nattilik syllabics showcased in the production. The actors are learning a lot, and as they work with the dialect slowly and consistently, they are making progress. I wanted the rich and complicated forms of our dialect to be in the script, so it was a challenge for them to learn in a short time, but we have worked hard together, and I'm really proud of each and every one of them. There may be extra challenges to learning the lines without being speakers of the dialect, but we tried to create an environment where they felt safe to try.
To reach the goal of preservation and continuing Nattilingmiutut, the steps are to encourage the young people in our communities to become strong in the dialect. The play really shows Inuit from other regions valuing our dialect—this will no doubt inspire the Nattilik youth to take courage and not be afraid to try.
Tamalik McGrath:: My hope and vision are that work forward is rooted directly in community needs. This production is for a national stage and attracts international interest. It carries a vital message that is universal in quality and timeliness. Yet, I’ve had high-school youth from Nattilk tell me they laughed and cried through parts of the book. They said the reason for their strong connection to it is they saw themselves, even in the 1500s characters, and that the humour was so spot on throughout that it amazed them that a book could have so much life. My work on this play was all for the youth. To spark joy in literacy, to eventually see their regional culture acted out on a big stage, rooted in some details that only insiders appreciate, yet faithfully carrying the spirit of the Nattilik region for a broad audience and reaching them too. I'd like to be clear that since the book publication, we've moved far beyond the original syllabics script with new input from other sources.
The first steps are to encourage and inspire the youth, in order to promote the future teaching of Nattilingmiutut), and the book and play have done that. I believe community theatre can support Nattilingmiutut oral language revitalization while also using the writing system and promoting dialect literacy. The main thing is that the initiative comes from young people. We are here to support their efforts and interests. The youth will carry the language and culture forward, while this production has created space, dialogue, and opportunity to inspire their work with elders and language keepers
Journey of The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ
Canadian playwright Colleen Murphy wrote The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ to explore the climate emergency and its historic effects on Nattilingmiut people living in the Gjoa Haven area of Nunavut.
In November of 2016, Murphy joined members of Qaggiavuut, along with director Reneltta Arluk and Dramaturg Bob White, in Iqaluit for a two-day workshop to explore the play text and its cultural portrayals.
Murphy recalls of the process: “The Inuit artists read the first act of The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ and made comments. There was lots of discussion about culture and cultural precision. We were told to go and meet people in Gjoa Haven, which is close to where the play is set. The Inuit artists at the Qaggiavuut workshop asked that we call the work they did with the script - Inuit Cultural Dramaturgy.”
Following its initial production at the Stratford Festival in 2017, The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ has been further developed with community involvement to honour the Nattilingmiut people, their language, and cultural knowledge.
While revising the script, Murphy engaged Janet Tamalik McGrath, a fluent speaker and translator of Nattilingmiutut, for support with the language and the translation. Nilaulaaq Aglukkaq, a language-keeper and Tamalik’s mentor, was also brought on board the project as the Nattilingmiutut Language Director.
Director Reneltta Arluk will be returning for the NAC production, which began with a language workshop for the cast. As artists working on this project hail from communities throughout Canada, Denmark, and Greenland, a focus was put on listening to Nilaulaaq speak and recognising the distinct sounds of the Nattilingmiut dialect.
During the development of this production, Reneltta Arluk (director), Nilaulaaq (Language Director), Carmen Braden (sound designer), Salik Gudmunsen Lennert (drummer), Attima and Elizabeth Hadlari (drumming consultants) met in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut for a drumming workshop. In this workshop, artists learned the “play song,” which audiences will hear in Act One. Sounds of the environment in Gjoa Haven were also recorded for use in the play.
In addition to the work with language, this production also features two large polar bear puppets and one baby polar bear designed by Daniela Masellis. Modifications of the large polar bear puppets from the original Stratford production were made by Randi Edmundson, and Stephanie Elgersma built a new baby polar bear puppet. A puppet workshop took place at the NAC prior to rehearsals so that actor and puppeteer Gisle Henriet could become familiar with animating the large polar bear puppet.
Artists
Colleen was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, and grew up in Northern Ontario. She is a two-time recipient the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, and the Carol Bolt Award for Outstanding Play, for both The December Man / L'homme de décembre in 2007, and Pig Girl in 2016. Other plays include The Society For The Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius; I Hope My Heart Burns First; The Goodnight Bird; Armstrong’s War; The Piper, and Beating Heart Cadaver. She is also a librettist and a filmmaker. She has been Writer-in-Residence at seven Canadian universities, and currently teaches playwrighting at Queen’s University in Kingston.
Siobhan Arnatsiaq-Murphy has been a traditional Inuit drum dancer and cho- reographer for over 20 years. has performed traditional Inuit drum dance and worked as a choreographer for over 20 years. She studied ballet and was in the aboriginal modern dance core at Banff Centre for the Arts with the Aboriginal Dance Project. In her choreography work, Siobhan melds tradi- tional drum dancing with modern dance. She is a graduate of the University of Victoria where she earned her law degree in 2005. She has worked as a lawyer and also taught drum dancing to youth and children. Siobhan lives in Iqaluit and has three wonderful daughters and a stepson.
Nilaulaaq Miriam Aglukkaq was born on the island of Uqšuutituuq which is between Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay and she later moved to Taloyoak area as a nine year old. As a young adult she was trained to administer medicines and took them by dog team to the various seasonal camps—carrying them in her amauti (packing parka) so they wouldn’t freeze. She also worked as a midwife in her capacity of medical liaison. She is widely respected as a leader and knowledge keeper and known for her expertise in documenting archaic language. She is a master storyteller, traditional singer and widely sought as an advisor to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit wisdom) in Nunavut. She raised six children while continuing a semi-nomadic lifestyle as a young adult. Today, her extended family, with in-laws, grandchildren, great grandchildren and several great great grandchildren is her biggest inspiration for all she does. She loves them each and everyone deeply and works with all her heart to keep her language and culture alive for their wellbeing.
Janet Tamalik McGrath is a fluent speaker of Inuktut from childhood and has worked broadly as a language consultant across Inuktut dialects in the Canadian Arctic and internationally. She was educated in the Arctic and worked as a translator before completing a doctorate, research she documented in The Qaggiq Model, 2018.
Reneltta is an Inuvialuk/Dene/Cree from the Northwest Territories. Raised by her grandparents on the trap-line until school age, this nomadic environment gave Reneltta the skills to become the multi-disciplined artist she is now. She is founder of Akpik Theatre, a northern focussed professional Indigenous Theatre company. For nearly two decades, Reneltta has taken part in or initiated the creation of Indigenous-led Theatre across Canada and overseas. Current Director experience includes: Bound & Messiah/Complex (Against the Grain Theatre); The Birds (Studio Theatre); All That Binds Us (Azimuth Theatre); The Breathing Hole (The Stratford Festival), where she received the 2017 Tyrone Guthrie - Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director's Award, The Unplugging (Gwaandak Theatre). Radio plays: The Unplugging (Common Boots Theatre); Niitahtaastsi (Jupiter Theatre); I Count Myself Among Them (Akpik Theatre); Ndoo Tr’eedyaa Gogwaandak - Forward Together (Gwaandak Theatre.) Co-Director experience: Kuekuatsheu Mak Muak (Anorae Productions) and Aklavik Journals (Stuck in a Snowbank Theatre). Reneltta has extensive directing experience working within Indigenous communities across Canada in self-created work.
Martha Burns is an actor, arts educator and filmmaker. She has been an ensemble member and leading actor of the Vancouver Playhouse, National Arts Centre, Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival and Soulpepper theatre companies. She is the recipient of two Gemini awards for the series, Slings and Arrows, two Genie supporting actor awards for the films Long Days Journey Into Night and Love and Savagery and two Dora Mavor Moore Awards for the plays Trafford Tanzi and The Miracle Worker. She received the 2005 Barbara Hamilton Award for excellence and professionalism in the performing arts and the 2016 Leslie Yeo prize for volunteerism. Martha has directed a short film, How are You (TIFF 2008), and a feature documentary, Robin, Mark and Richard III. From 2010 - 2017, Martha taught first year acting at the National Theatre School. In 2017 she worked with performers from Nunavut’s Qaggiavuut Performing arts society to create Kiviuq Returns, a play based on elders’ stories about the Inuit’s most beloved Shaman hero. Martha is a co founder of Masterclass Theatre, Soulpepper Theatre, The Toronto Arts for Youth award and Got Your Back.
Miali Buscemi grew up in Kimmirut, Nunavut.
ᒥᐊᓕ ᕗᓯᒥ ᑭᒻᒥᕈᒻᒥᐅᑕᑦᓴᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ.
She was introduced to acting in film in 2007 debuting in a poignant role in the film Necessities of Life/Ce Qu'il Faut Pour Vivre, where it all began.
She is known for the leading role in Aviliaq, a short film commissioned by ImagineNative, and as Billy Naittuq, a character from the Inuktitut comedy TV show Qanurli?
Miali joined the 2017 Stratford Festival acting company, North America's largest classical repertory theatre.
With a combination of fluency in Inuktikut and a talented actor she brings a powerful presence to the screen and stage.
Malaya Qaunirq Chapman is an actor, model, producer and social advocate from Iqaluit, NU. When she was young, Qaunirq Chapman also grew up in Panniqtuuq (Pangnirtung), NU, and Los Angeles in the United States. She has hosted several well-known documentary TV series and acted in TV and film.
Chapman has stated in interviews that her experiences growing up in both the North and in Los Angeles has influenced the work she does now. As host to two documentary TV series that focus on life in the North, she is excited to connect and work with elders and experts of traditional life in a way that she could not living in the South. Her experience of being adopted is the subject of a film written by her mother, Heaven’s Floor (2016), of which Chapman is executive producer.
Chapman was propelled into the spotlight when she became Miss Nunavut in 2011, which helped her expand her social advocacy for mental health. She began her acting career on a whim when she was asked to play a small role on the comedy sketch series Qanurli (2011-2017) which eventually turned into recurring roles and production work. Chapman’s first dramatic role was in director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s short film Aviliaq: Entwined (2014). She has since been a host to several documentary TV series, including Illinniq (2010-2017) and Nunavummi Mamarijavut (2018-present). Her work on Nunavummi Mamarijavut has been integral in reconnecting Malaya with her culture and language through food. She has noted that the show, which provides her with the opportunity to hunt and prepare food with Inuit across Nunavut has been essential in honing her Inuktitut language skills and connection to her homeland. There are plans to continue the show into it’s fourth season in 2022, however shooting is on hiatus due to the global covid-19 pandemic. Malaya is also the star of Restless River (2019), a new Isuma Productions film that is currently being prepared for release on Crave TV and has been released in theatres in major cities and Iqaluit throughout 2019.
Born 1963 in Greenland. Graduated as an actor in 1992 from The Tuukkaq Theatre in Denmark, and has been working both in Denmark and Greenland as an actor on stage and in films.
Besides teaching drama and Greenlandic mask-dance, she also has directed and written several theatre-pieces. In 2018 she moved to Denmark.
Nick is a comedian, musician and a self-described renaissance (hu)man who has been working creatively in both official languages for 15+ years as a clown, puppeteer, musician, sound designer and writer/creator. His career includes clown shows, puppet shows, improv shows, shows for children, bands, performance art, video art, voice overs, sound design, music direction and a wealth of original songs and compositions for stage, screen and recorded media. Nick has taught acting at various colleges in the GTA, studied improv, Clown and Performance with master teachers from around the world and holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Ottawa where he also teaches Sound/Son in both official languages. He has received multiple Fringe and Prix Rideau Awards and is a 2019 Dora Award recipient for Best Performance of an Ensemble with Théâtre Français de Toronto. Selected credits include: Countries Shaped Like Stars (Play Where You Live Productions), Ignorance and Famous Puppet Death Scenes (The Old Trout Puppet Workshop), Unbridled Futurism and Light Speed Blues - A Canada Council Digital Original (Makesndoes Productions) and a Rogers commercial where he drove a car. He lives in Smiths Falls, ON with his amazing wife Teddy, their magical son Yuri and a sweet cat named Poopoo.
Klaus Geisler was born in 1973 and was one of the first to graduate from the National Theatre school of Greenland in 2014. Since graduating he has been working in many different theatre shows internationally and in Greenland. He is best known as the first Greenlander who won the danich Reumert award for his role in Angutivik in 2018. His is very dedicated to his work which appears in the clownshow for school kids called Uanga Timera (My body), and the show Tarnima nammatai (I carry my soul). He also wrote a children show called Sofus Siggusmund, which he also instructed. As a playwright, he wrote and played in the theatre show called Remember Liza.
Jesse Gervais: Selected theatre credits include Christmas Carol (Citadel); Clue (MTC\Grand Theatre); The Breathing Hole (NAC); Grand Ghosts (Grand Theatre); Jane Eyre, Silver Arrow, Crazy For You, Alice Through the Looking Glass, One Man Two Guvnors, Measure for Measure (Citadel Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Love’s Labours Lost, Hamlet, As You Like it, Comedy of Errors, Coriolanus, King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew (Free Will Players); 6.0, 4th Graders, (NLT); 10\12, Passion Play, Realistic Joneses (Wild Side Productions); Joy Ride, Black Horse (Caravan Farm Theatre).
Film and TV Credits: Tiny Plastic Men Seasons 1-4 (Super Channel); Caution May Contain Nuts Seasons 2-4 (APTN); Blind Ambition, Joe Pickett
Voiceover: Mass Effect 1, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age: Origins, Anthem, Neverwinter Nights (BIOWARE)
Training: BFA University of Alberta
Online: @jesse.gervais, www.jessegervais.com
Gisle Henriet is a multidisciplinary circus artist from Uppsala, Sweden. He graduated from the Circus Cirkör circus school in Stockholm, Sweden in 2004 and from the National Circus School in Montreal, Canada in 2007. Gisle has worked with companies such as les 7 Doigts de la Main, Norwegian National Theatre, and Cirque du Soleil, as well as performed on the streets in buskers festivals and in events such as the Royal Variety Show and the 2006 Winter Olympic closing ceremony. He now regularly works with Artcirq as well as Tupiq A.C.T. and is also the Co-Artistic Director of the Montreal based circus company Throw 2 Catch. .
Previously at the NAC, Randy performed in Serpent Kills, High Life, Earshot, Buried Child, Death and The Maiden, Alanienouidet, Romeo and Juliet.
Randy has worked extensively in theatres across Canada including 12 seasons at The Strartford Festival. As well as with The Mirvish Organization. He also worked in Mexico the US and Scotland. He has garnered eight Dora Mavor Moore nominations, three Jessie Richardson Award nominations, two Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award nominations, one Betty Mitchell Award nomination and two Gemini nominations, and has been awarded one of each. He has a large body of television, film, animation and radio work. He is thrilled to be back at NAC.
Vinnie Karetak is a cultural icon in Inuit Nunangat. His face is instantly recognized by Inuit young and old for his work in comedy, journalism, performing arts, theatre and film. From starring in much beloved APTN programming such as Qanurli, to exploring heartache in his own short films and advocating for an Inuit performing arts centre in Nunavut to co-creating Kiviuq Returns with Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Vinnie’s dedication to art cannot be captured into a single genre. He is passionate about Inuktitut and its rightful place as the working language in Nunavut, for Inuit creating art for Inuit, processes of communication that challenge colonization and for Inuit family connections.
Tara is originally from Nunavut and has travelled and lived in several places throughout the North. Tara’s interest in performing began in her drama class in an urban school. Being connected to the culture gives her pride, her favourite part is being on the land listening to the sounds of nature. She embraces her culture at National Arts Centre and her role as part of Indigenous Theatre in this production.
Salik Gudmundsen Lennert from Sisimiut is a second-year student at the National Theatre School of Greenland. He is 26 years old and has a Greenlandic mother and a Greenlandic father with Scandivanian roots. Salik started his acting interest when he was cast as the lead character in a contemporary theatre play.
Prior to studying acting he was living and working in Ireland as a computer technical support. Salik is passionate about performing, creating his own projects and dabbles with piano and guitar.
He also held Greenlandic Maskdance workshops in different places in Greenland and abroad, has performed in several productions before he became a student.
Jamie originated the roles of Wickers and Young Angu ruaq in 2017 at the Stratford Festival and is overjoyed to reprise this incredible play. This is Jamie Mac’s sixth time performing on the National Arts Centre’s stages. Under the artistic directorship of Peter Hinton, he starred as Jacob Mercer in David French’s Saltwater Moon (co-production with Neptune Theatre), as well as featured roles in Oliver!, Saint Carmen Of The Main (co-production with Canadian Stage), Creation, and Vimy (co-production with GCTC). Jamie is a proud Newfoundlander and has spent much of his career at the Stratford Festival, and was trained by the late Martha Henry at the Birmingham Conservatory for classical actors, as well having a BFA in Acting. You can also catch Jamie in the Sundance acclaimed On The Count Of Three on Hulu, and in Murdoch Mysteries on Netflix, and next year in the Stratford Festival 2023 season.
Christopher is an actor, playwright and director and the artistic director of the Toronto-based theatre company Human Cargo. Some recent acting credits include The Runner (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Magnus Theatre); Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, Hedda Gabler, Botticelli in the Fire (Canadian Stage); A Doll's House, Noises Off (Soulpepper); Oedipus Rex, Diary of Anne Frank (Stratford Festival); The Importance of Being Earnest, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Stuff Happens (NAC). Past TV Credits include Orphan Black, Frankie Drake, The Girlfriend Experience, Murdoch Mysteries, In Contempt. Upcoming - Painkiller (Netflix), Beyond Black Beauty (Amazon). Christopher wrote and directed Night which premiered at the NAC in 2009 and is currently creating a VR film with Miali Buscemi about Inuk artist Annie Pootoogook. Thank you for this opportunity, Reneltta!
Alon Nashman is honoured to be returning to the NAC as part of Indigenous Theatre’s season. Selected credits include: Kafka and Son, Alphonse (Theaturtle); Birds of a Kind, HIRSCH (Stratford Festival); Tales of Two Cities (Tafelmusik); Much Ado About Nothing, Forests, Scorched, Democracy, Remnants (Tarragon Theatre); Hamlet, All’s Well That Ends Well, Botticelli in the Fire/Sunday in Sodom, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, THIS (Canadian Stage); Hedda Gabler, Howl (Buddies in Bad Times); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Birdland); Reading Hebron, A Short History of Night (Factory Theatre); and If Jesus Met Nanabush (Debajehmujig Theatre Group). For Theaturtle, Alon wrote the singspiel Charlotte: A Tri-Coloured Play With Music, is developing a new musical, Mimi On The Beach with Jane Siberry, and is co-creating Kiuryaq, a circumpolar performance with Akpik Theatre.
Joylyn Secunda is an actor, dancer, puppeteer. They performed their solo physical comedy, The Moaning Yoni, 50 times in cities across Canada. Recent credits include Scrooge in A Wonderheads Christmas Carol (The Wonderheads), Zephyr in Crisis on Planet Z (Monster Theatre), Seek in Pop Pop (Presentation House), and puppeteer in Nombre (Théâtre la Seizième). Joylyn was selected for the Startle Reflex Residency where they were mentored by Crystal Pite and Tiffany Tregarthen. They are a BFA Acting graduate from UBC and studied clown at the Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance and puppetry at the Banff Centre for the Arts.
čačumḥi – aaron wells
ʔuukłaas čačumḥi aaron wells ʔuukłaas ƛaḥ – my name is chah-chum-hi, aaron wells is what I am also called. I come from the nuučan̓uł and ts’ymsyen nations of the what is known as the northwest coast of BC as well as English settler heritage. Many thanks to our director Reneltta and the Team of both the English and Indigenous Theatre for bringing all of us together to do this fantastic work. Language has always been something that is really important to me and to have the honour and privilege to work within another culture that is not my own is beyond English words. čumqƛsiš luu’am guudl s’ygoy’n ƛeekoo ƛeekoo.
Previous works include Children Of God (The Cultch/NAC); They Call Me Princess (The Globe Theatre); Pawâkan Macbeth (akpik theatre); The Coyotes, The Nutcracker (Caravan Farm Theatre) and other community language projects.
čuu
Najattaajaraq Joelsen is an actor and director from Greenland. She is originally from Aasiaat and graduated as an actor from The National Acting School in 2016. Najattaajaraq has a bachelor’s degree in teaching and uses her acting and teaching skills as an instructor at the National Acting School of Greenland.
Shannon Litzenberger is an award-winning dancer, choreographer, director, embodiment facilitator and experienced cultural leader working at the intersection of art, ideas and transformational change. She creates sensory-rich, multi-disciplinary performance experiences that animate our relationship to land, community and the forgotten wisdom of the body. She has been an invited resident artist at Soulpepper Theatre, Toronto Dance Theatre, Harbourfront Centre, Atlantic Ballet Theatre, Banff Centre, Remai Modern and Memorial University. She is also a frequent collaborator with the wind in the leaves collective. Her recent work World After Dark was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award.
www.shannonlitzenberger.com
Award-winning musician Carmen Braden is a dynamic force in the world of new music, hailing proudly from Yellowknife NWT. Moving smoothly between genres of composing and songwriting, Carmen is recognized as an “acoustic ambassador of the Canadian Subarctic” (Musicworks). Carmen’s work in theatre, dance and film has been performed from Atlin BC to Helsinki, Finland with a special focus on northern themes. Carmen was the original sound-designer + composer for world premiere of The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ in Stratford 2017. She has released three albums to national acclaim, and her contemporary classical compositions are regularly commissioned and performed across Canada.
carmenbraden.com
https://www.longshadowmusic.com
https://magnumom.ca - Artist representation
Daniela Masellis is theatre designer and artist based in amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton, Alberta), on the Treaty 6 territory. Daniela’s training includes a B.F.A. of Theatre Design from the University of Alberta, a Diploma of Fine Arts, and a design apprenticeship in Italy at ‘Teatro alla Scala Milano’. She has designed in theatres large and small across Canada, collaborating on over 85 professional productions. Her credits include work with such companies as The Stratford Festival, The Citadel Theatre, The Arts Club, Soulpepper, Workshop West, Mile Zero Dance, Western Canadian Theatre, Akpik Theatre and many others. Daniela works mainly in the areas of set, lighting, and projection design for live performance and film. She is a proud member of the Associated Designers of Canada and Iaste 659.
Samantha McCue (she/her) is Anishinaabekwe from the Chippewas of Georgina Island and Ned’u’ten from Lake Babine First Nation. She grew up on the Musqueam Reserve in Vancouver, BC, and currently lives in Ottawa. Samantha graduated from York University’s Theatre Production program in 2017. Selected design credits include: Selected design credits include The Breathing Hole (National Arts Centre); Kamloopa (Soulpepper Theatre Company, Western Canada Theatre), Where The Blood Mixes (Soulpepper Theatre Company), Little Red Warrior and his Lawyer (Belfry Theatre), I Am William (Stratford Festival), Honour Beat (The Grand), Aqsarniit (Confederation Centre of the Arts), The Monument (Factory Theatre), Thanks For Giving (Arts Club Theatre Company). sammccuedesign.com
Recently: Hamlet 911, The Neverending Story, As You Like it, The Diary of Anne Frank (Stratford), The Breathing Hole, Metamorphosis (NAC), Misery, The Rocky Horror Show (Neptune), Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes (Belfry Theatre), For A Look or a Touch (Pacific Opera Victoria), Tell Tale Harbour (Confederation Centre for the Arts), Between Breaths, Everybody Just C@lm The F#ck Down (Artistic Fraud), The Silver Arrow (Citadel Theatre), The Third Colour (Prairie Theatre Exchange), Secret Life of a Mother (Theatre Centre, Crows Theatre), and The God That Comes (2b). Leigh Ann is a teacher and coach at NTS. She is originally from Nfld and now lives in Nova Scotia and works all over the country. She’s honoured to be part of the telling of this story with these remarkable people.
John has been working as a fight director since 1981. He has taught at the National Theatre School, Dawson College, Algonquin College and Saint Lawrence College. Most recently he's choreographed fights at GCTC and the NAC. John is also an actor, this year as a member of the Stratford Festival Acting Company and at GCTC in Blissful State of Surrender.
Kirsten Catriona Hawson is a British/Canadian voice & dialect coach currently pursuing a PhD in Communications at McGill University under the doctoral supervision of Dr Jonathan Sterne. She has 35 years of global experience as an actor, singer, voice and dialect coach. She works freelance as a performance coach in theatre/film/TV and is currently teaching Theatre 200 at Yukon University. She just completed work on Choir Boy at Canadian Stage with Mike Payette & Floydd Ricketts. She is very excited to work with Reneltta Arluk again and thanks her for bringing her on this project.
kirstenhawson.com
Kyle is a bilingual technical director and designer based in Ottawa. After completing a degree in international relations, Kyle did an MA in Theatre Theory at University of Ottawa (2013) and has been working in live performance for the last decade. Kyle was with Théâtre Catapulte from 2014-2019 and is currently the Technical Director at GCTC. Selected past work includes lighting designs for The Arsonists (uOttawa); Trust (10 Gates Dancing); technical direction for Cabine/Traces (Productions 2359) and Moliere dans le parc (Fâcheux Théâtre) and surtitles for several productions at La Nouvelle Scene and on tour across Ontario.
When not in a performance venue, Kyle can be found at home with his partner Danielle or at the park trying (in vain) to tire out his Australian shepherd Beau.
John plays guitar in Gjoa Band, a group of six musicians that play fiddle, accordion, vocal and bass instruments and have performed throughout Nunavut over the past decade. He was raised by his grandmother Nilaulaaq, who named him after her father Iharrataitchuq—a master storyteller. John was raised on his grandmother’s stories and she now mentors him in carrying on the oral tradition, to keep the stories alive through new means. He is a traditional Nattilingmiut drummer and passes on the art to his children who have grown up with their great grandmother’s guidance and support. He and his partner Patricia live in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut with their children and extended families.
Elisabeth has been active facilitating training in various forms of the arts in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut since the early 1970’s. Since 2005, together with her partner, Attima, her employment has been through their own company, which facilitates services and programming in Inuit language and traditional practices, cross cultural awareness, as well as arts-based learning.
Attima is an Inuk drum dancer who presently lives in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.
He has been actively drumming since his early teen years and attributes his ability to his teachers, Hadlari, his father, and Qauquqtuuq, his cousin. Attima drums in the Natchilingmiut style accompanied by one or more chant singers.
Over the years he has performed with his drum to audiences across the world, often explaining the significance and traditional uses of the chants and the dance. Other times he demonstrates such traditional skills as the use of the seal skin whip or teaches, coaches and officiates traditional Inuit games.
Attima was born out on the land between today’s settlements of Talurřuaq, and Kuugaarřuk, and raised in the nomadic lifestyle, living in tents and iglus, until his family moved into the settlement of Talurřuaq when he was a teenager. He has worked as an interpreter/ translator for the legislative assembly since the mid 1970's. Working together with, elder, Miriam Aglukkaq, a Natchilingmiutut dictionary has been produced, and is now shared online.
Rebecca is a freelance stage manager based out of Kemptville, Ontario. She has worked in stage management and fundraising with performing arts organizations across the country including: Bard on the Beach, Vancouver Fringe, Firehall Theatre, Pi Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, Globe Theatre, Soulpepper, Ottawa Fringe, St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, and the Upper Canada Playhouse. Rebecca worked for the NAC Foundation for 10 years and taught at Queens University for seven years. Most recently, she was Stage Manager for Jersey Boys (Thousand Islands Playhouse) and for Heartlines (Calalou/RAFT Theatre Projects at GCTC).
Laurie began her stage management career with English Theatre and Jean Roberts’s company at the National Arts Centre. Since then she has been honoured to work with NAC English Theatre, NAC Indigenous Theatre, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and NAC Presents (now Popular Music and Variety). Laurie has been Production Stage Manager for the Shaw Festival and Theatre Calgary, and Stage Manager for, amongst others, Arts Club Theatre Company, The Globe Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Mirvish Productions, Stratford Festival, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Grand Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick, and Neptune Theatre.
Caitlin is making her NAC debut with The Breathing Hole. Elsewhere: Chicago, The Miser, Three Tall Women, Festival Theatre Production Assistant (Stratford Festival); Home for the Holidays (The Grand Theatre); The Tender Land (University of Toronto Opera); Angel, The Resurrection, Don Giovanni (Opera Atelier); Cinderella: The Panto (Capitol Theatre); August: Osage County (Soulpepper); rochdale (SummerWorks); Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (a Company of Fools). Training: York University, SM Arts. Other: Caitlin would like to thank her friends, family, and mentors for all of their support.
Credits
The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ was originally commissioned and produced by The Stratford Festival, Ontario Canada.
The premiere production opened on August 18, 2017 at the Studio Theatre under Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director & Anita Gaffney, Executive Director.
With the support of the National Arts Centre, the play was extensively revised for this production.
Special Thanks to: Aaron Gervais and Michael Petrasek, Nellie Umelik, Simon Martee and Roslyn, Judy Haqpi, Cynthia Shaw and Crystal Spicer,Kevin King, A.J. Laflamme, Simon Marsden, Ben Sajo, Renée Villemarie.
The National Creation Fund’s investment of $200,000 supported three workshops during the final phase of the project’s development: a language workshop in the Inuktut dialect of Nattlingmiutut with Nilaulaaq Miriam Aglukkaq; a traditional Nattilik drumming workshop in Gjoa Haven led by Attima Hadlari; and a puppet workshop with members of the Old Trout Puppet Workshop. These workshops are essential elements of a creation process that respects Inuit culture, traditions and protocols.
National Arts Centre Production
Babs Asper Theatre
- Head Carpenter
Charles Martin - Head Properties
Michel Sanscartier - Head Electrician
Eric Tessier - Assistant Electrician
Martin Racette - Head Sound
Doug Millar - Video
David Milliard
Set Build
- Head Carpenter
Chad Desjardins - Assistant Carpenter
Pete Moorcraft - Carpenters
George Hack
Eric Neill
Alex Rossi - Painters
Danny McManus
Tillie Morgan - Head Properties
Mike Caluori - Properties Assistants
Kelly Macdonald
Natasha Habib
Wardrobe
- Wardrobe Coordinator
Andrée-Ève Archambault - Seamstress
Cathy Cochrane - Scenic Drop Construction
Normand Theriault
Projectionists, Wardrobe Mistresses, Masters and Attendants are members of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 471.
NAC Indigenous Theatre and NAC English Theatre are members of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres and engage professional Artists who are members of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the terms of the jointly negotiated Canadian Theatre Agreement.
Stratford Festival Production
The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ was commissioned by the Stratford Festival (artistic director Antoni Cimolino, executive director Anita Gaffney) through the Foerster Bernstein New Play Development program.
The Breathing Hole / Aglu ᐊᒡᓗ was first produced at its Studio Theatre in Stratford, Ontario from July 30 to October 6, 2017.
The costumes for this production were fabricated by the artisans of the Stratford Festival, including:
- Cutter
Luci Pottle - Master Sewer II
Mary-Lou Mason - First Hand
Gina Schellenberg - Master Sewer II
June Gunn - Master Sewer II
Christine Yundt - Millinery
Kaz Maxine - Dye & Paint
Linda Pinhay - Boots & Shoes
Connie Puetz - Bijoux
Kathi Posliff - Director of Production
Simon Marsden - Production Administrator
Kinsey Powell - Production Administrator
Carla Fowler - Warehouse Supervisor, Props
Sandy Davis - Costume Director
Michelle Barnier - Head of Properties
Dona Hrabluk - Design Coordinator
Mary-Jo Carter Dodd - Warehouse Supervisor, Costume
Jennie Wonnacott
NAC Indigenous Theatre
- 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 - Assistant Technical Director
Taylor Blanchette - Communications Strategist
Ian Hobson - Marketing Strategist
Jenna Spagnoli - Senior Marketing Manager
Bridget Mooney - Associate Producer #ReconcileThis
Paula Chinkiwsky
NAC English Theatre
- Managing Director
David Abel - Artistic Director
Nina Lee Aquino - Community Outreach Lead
Rose-Ingrid Benjamin - Marketing Strategist
Monica Bradford-Lea - Learning Coordinator
Aimee Bouchard - ASL Interpreter Consultant
Carmelle Cachero - Marketing Strategist
Bar Clement - Communications Strategist
Sean Fitzpatrick - Senior Producer
Alexandra Lunney - Senior Marketing Manager
Bridget Mooney - Associate Producer, Artistic Projects
Judi Pearl - Company Manager
Samira Rose - Administrative Coordinator
Monika Seiler
The Breathing Hole is presented as part of Nordic Bridges, a year-long cultural initiative led by Harbourfront Centre in Toronto and supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers. Visit NordicBridges.ca to learn more.
-
Lead Donor
-
Season Partner
-
Official Hotel Partner
-
Promotional partner
__sponsorgrid.png)