Winner of Six Dora Mavor Moore Awards

“Agokwe is excellent – the show is an absolute stunner.” – Vancouver Province

“Within the man there is woman…not one spirit but two.”

Mike is a hockey player and Jake is a dancer. The boys notice each other at the Kenora Shoppers Mall and ultimately connect through a mutual love of movement — when Mike is skating and Jake is dancing, "like grass blowing in the wind." Playing these and many more characters through the iconic, multifarious persona of Nanabush, the trickster, Waawaate Fobister intertwines the boys' attraction to each other through activities that traditionally separate gender and orientation. Agokwe (pronounced "agoo-kway; meaning "wise woman" or "Two-Spirited") is a remarkable and refreshing testament to the joys and the tragedies of growing up gay and marginalized by race and gender within a small community.

This dazzling one-man show began as a short monologue, performed as part of Buddies in Bad Times' 2005/06 PrideCab, a collectively-created, youth-driven cabaret, and later again performed as part of Buddies' Cultural Pride Festivities. In the 2006/07 Season, Agokwe was further developed as part of Buddies' Young Creators Unit, during which Fobister was teamed up with award-winning director Ed Roy. The world premiere of Agokwe kicked off Buddies in Bad Times’ 2008/09 Season and marked the first time that one of Buddies' Mainstage presentations had been entirely developed through all stages of Buddies' Queer Youth Arts Programme.

In 2009, Agokwe won six Dora Mavor Moore Awards, including best production of a play, best new play, outstanding performance by a male in a principal role for Waawaate Fobister, and best direction for Ed Roy.

As part of its National tour, Agokwe plays in the Studio at the NAC February 1 – 12, 2011.

“…positive and empowering and drew cheers from members of the audience.”
– Toronto Star

Agokwe
Written and performed by Waawaate Fobister
Directed and dramaturged by Ed Roy

Marc Meriläinen Original Music; Kimberly Purtell Lighting Designer; Andy Moro Set and Projection Designer; Erika Iserhoff Costume Designer; Lyon Smith Sound Designer; Tracy Lynne Cann Stage Manager; Shanna Miller Touring Production Manager.

February 1 - 12, 2011
Previews:   
Tuesday, February 1 & Wednesday, February 2 at 8 p.m.
Opening:    
Thursday, February 3 at 8 p.m.

Hinterview:          
Saturday, February 5 at 1 p.m. in the NAC Salon.
Special Guest Suzanne Keeptwo will be speaking with Agokwe Director and Dramaturg Ed Roy. Free to the public.

Talkbacks: Wednesday, February 9 and Thursday, February 10.
Stay in your seats for a post-show question-and-answer session with artists from Agokwe.

In the NAC Studio:   
Evening performances Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. 
Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. 
(no performances on Sunday and Monday)

Tickets start at $25
Groups of 10+ receive great discounts! For more information contact grp@nac-cna.ca or
visit our webpage.

Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 New!
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca).
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.

Find out more about NAC English Theatre on Facebook and YouTube. To learn more about Agokwe and the NAC English Theatre click www.nac-cna.ca/en/theatre.

This production is eligible for the Live Rush program.
Full-time students age 13-29 with valid Live Rush membership may buy up to two tickets per performance at the discounted price of only $12 per ticket. Live Rush tickets are available from 10 a.m. on the day before the performance to 6 p.m. the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house.
Check out liverush.ca for information on the Live Rush program.

Embassy Hotel & Suites is proud to be the Official Hotel Partner for the National Arts Centre English Theatre.

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For any information, please call:
Sean Fitzpatrick, Communications Officer,
National Arts Centre English Theatre
613-947-7000 ext. 389; e-mail: sfitzpat@nac-cna.ca
or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca