FINDING WOLASTOQ VOICE
By Natalie Sappier, Choreographed by Aria Evans
Native Earth presents a Theatre New Brunswick Production
March 29-31, 2018
Tickets $22-25
Aki Studio
Finding Wolastoq Voice is a powerful dance-theatre hybrid performance that shares the story about a young Wolastoqiyik Indigenous woman who has been living in the dark for a very long time but finally is awakened by the sounds and voices of her ancestors.
Marking the multidisciplinary artist Natalie Sappier-Samaqani Cocahq‘s theatrical debut, Finding Wolastoq Voice is a collaboration with Calgary-based multi-award winning production designer Andy Moro, choreographer and dancer Aria Evans, and award-winning director and TNB’s Artistic Director Thomas Morgan Jones.
As part of its month-long provincial tour, it will make a special stop in Toronto, Ontario at Aki Studio as part of Native Earth’s dance series, Niimi’iwe.
This piece was developed with support from the Canada Council for the Arts and ArtsNB.
Playwright & Composer Natalie Sappier-Samaqani Cocahq
Director Thomas Morgan Jones
Choreographer & Dancer Aria Evans
Set & Lighting Designer Andy Moro
Sound Designer Michael Doherty
Costume Designer Sherry Kinnear
Stage Manager Tammy Faulkner
“Evans’ grounded movements complement Sappier’s storytelling with a soul-breaking evocativeness that lingers after the show had ended.”
– My Entertainment World
“Beautiful, painful, haunting, joyful, real. We all came away from it touched, emotional, and so thankful for the experience.
We won’t forget it”
– Jess Gillis of Mooney of Theatre
NATALIE SAPPIER (Playwright & Composer)
Natalie Sappier-Samaqani Cocahq (The Water Spirit) is a Wolastoqiyik Indigenous multidisciplinary artist from Tobique First Nation. She began her visual arts practice in early 2000’s at New Brunswick College of Craft and Design where she met Sagatay (Gwen Bear) who provided Sappier the guidance to learn about traditional ceremonies, teachings, language and medicines. The teachings inspired and gave a larger understanding who she is, which she began to express through paintings.
Today, as she stands in the Wolastoq waters, she is witnessing the language being lost, the lands hurting and the waters crying. She wants to share the stories expressed with Indigenous heart on stage for the world to see.
Theatre New Brunswick Production