Dreamspeakers Festival Society

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

This federal statutory holiday was created through legislative amendments made by Parliament.

Wear orange
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

On September 30, we encourage all Canadians to wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools.

From Canada.ca

Grant opportunity

Art With Impact’s short film grants proposal deadline has been extended to October 16! We will be accepting entries until Sunday, October 16, 2022, at 11:59 pm PST.

We’ve heard from our community that putting together a project proposal can be overwhelming right now. We know a lot may be going on regarding global and personal levels, and want to support you.

We're looking for ten filmmakers who will receive $7,500 each to fund their short films.

The 2023 topics for five-minute short films are:
• Mental health issues related to climate change
• Burnout

Have questions? If you are needing support around assembling your proposal, we have resource options for you:

• Schedule a video chat to ask questions and draft your proposal with Film Program Associate, Chris (Limited availability)
• Download the RFP info packet
• Find your answer on our FAQ page
• Review examples of successful proposals
• Watch Voices With Impact info session

Please visit http://www.bit.ly/vwi2023 to access the above resources and to submit your proposal.

We're excited to see something from you!

*** Deadline to submit your proposal: Sunday, October 16 2022 at 11:59pm PST ***

MEET SHELDON STOCKDALE!
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Sheldon Stockdale is an actor born in Edmonton Alberta. He graduated the UofA BFA acting program in 2020. Sheldon his always grateful to take part of this show and dedicates his performance to his Kohkum Olive Modersohn. He hopes you enjoy the show.
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Catch Sheldon in TALK TREATY TO ME
July 26, 27 & 28 at 7pm
$25 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

Meet SAMANTHA FRAUGHTON!
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Samantha Fraughton (she/her) is a playwright and actor living on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in drama in 2015, and Juris Doctor in 2021, both at the University of Alberta.
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In 2020, Samantha was awarded the Gerald L. Gall global community services grant for development of the play Talk Treaty To Me, and in 2022 with co-playwright Theresa Cutknife, she completed Talk Treaty To Me at the Banff Centre Playwrights’ Lab. Talk Treaty To Me had a nearly sold-out run at the 2023 Edmonton Fringe, and was remounted at Fort Edmonton Park in May 2024.
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Samantha is currently completing an interdisciplinary masters degree in law and theatre. Her research seeks to use the tools of theatre to understand Nêhiyaw and Western law simultaneously, as a means of decolonizing Treaty law.
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Catch Samantha in TALK TREATY TO ME
July 26, 27 & 28 at 7pm
$25 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75
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The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.

Meet DJ DEADLY NEDLY in his own words!
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I have been dj’ing since 2015. I specialize in hip hop, & RnB. I released my own self produced hip hop/rnb album in 2021 with lyrics done by many unique Canadian artists “Northernmost Million” highlighting Edmonton’s geography & sound. Have new albums I’m currently producing coming soon. Involved with many rap shows and local festivals.
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Listen to DJ Deadly Nedly TONIGHT at the YOU ARE LOVED DANCE PARTY!
July 26 at 9pm
$20 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

Do you love to dance?! Then join us tonight for the YOU ARE LOVED DANCE PARTY!
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This is about celebrating who we are, and dancing to the vibration of love...with amazing music!
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Our sweet line up of DJs and artists include:
+ DJ Kimosabe (Ryan C) bringing fresh dance and EDM beats
+ chilled out vibes from DJ Pacha | Pachakuteq Espinoza Bravo Willka Tribe
+ and local hip-hop homeboy DJ Deadly Nedly | Deadly Nedly
+ plus Badass Indigifemme Shir Modesty | Shir Modesty
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YOU ARE LOVED DANCE PARTY
July 26 at 9pm
Brighton Block (9666 Jasper Ave)
$20 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

Join us for TALK TREATY TO ME, starting tonight!
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One, two, three, four: I declare a thumb war! Five, six, seven, eight: Treaty Six will be so great! How exciting! What could go wrong? Two friends and two puppets from Treaty 6 are just trying to figure it out. They talk about Treaty, not necessarily to each other.
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From playwrights Theresa Cutknife and Samantha Fraughton comes the comedy/drama TALK TREATY TO ME. A collaborative theatre project about Treaty 6 from the distinct perspectives of both women and “treaty people”.
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TALK TREATY TO ME
July 26, 27 & 28 at 7pm
$25 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

Join us TODAY for RUBABOO SIDE DISHES!
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We've got a special screening of University Canada West's first episode "The Beginning" from their web series "Understanding Indigenous History: A Path Forward". Followed by a faciliated community dialogue.
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Along with artisans Jenna Dohmann and Tashina Makokis!
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RUBABOO SIDE DISHES
July 25 at 7pm
$10 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

Join us TONIGHT for ROLLING THUNDER!
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A play reading about The Life and Battles of Francis Pegahmagabow by Ryan Cunningham.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE FRANCIS PEGAHMAGABOW - an Ojibwe of the Caribou clan, was born in Shawanaga First Nation. He volunteered at the onset of the First World War and served overseas as a scout and sniper with the Canadian Expeditionary Force's 1st Battalion. He was one of 39 Canadian soldiers awarded the Military Medal and two bars for bravery. He is Canada's most decorated Indigenous soldier. After the war, Pegahmagabow settled on Wasauksing First Nation, where he married and raised his family. He was elected Chief and served from 1921 to 1925 and from 1942 to 1945, and as a Councillor from 1933 to 1936. In 1943, he demonstrated peacefully in Ottawa for Aboriginal rights and self-government. That same year, Pegahmagabow and other Native leaders founded the Brotherhood of Canadian Indians, the first national Aboriginal organization. In 1949 and 1950 he was elected the supreme Chief of the National Indian Government. A leading advocate for First Nations rights, Francis Pegahmagabow provided distinguished service to his homeland and honour to the Nishnaabe Nation.
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ROLLING THUNDER
July 24 at 7pm
$15 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

Meet DJ Pacha in his own words!
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I am a Peruvian Dj producer from the city of Cusco, my musical project is
about the ancestral psychedelic music from South America from the
dancing ceremonies where exotic instruments were use in order to create
unique melodies inspired from the connection to the spirits from the other
side that we traditionally known and look for their friendship, guidance and
advice which many times comes in the way of magic songs with specific
frequencies that will transform the energy into power.
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My live set is a dancing ceremony with a little bit of a workshop for the
audience to partycipate.
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In this sense the kind of music I play is psychedelic trance music mixed
with the ancestral instruments mentioned before creating a unique style of
psytrance music full of magical flute melodies, chantings magic words in
Quechua language all along the songs from beginning to the end but with
good psytrance breaks in between with unexpected turns in the mix that will
give transport you back in times with a always sweet dancing beat. I’m
looking for the balance between the organic psychedelic and the electronic
synthesizers that will create the electronic shamanic universe for me to play
and sing over the mix making a live set with unique performance every
time.
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Listen to DJ Pacha at the YOU ARE LOVED DANCE PARTY
July 26 at 9pm
$20 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

MEET DYLAN THOMAS-BOUCHIER
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Dylan is a Cree and Dene dis-arts storyteller. Born and raised in Fort McMurray and the Fort McKay First Nation (Treaty 8), He graduated from The National Theatre School of Canada (NTS) acting program. Dylan is based on Calgary (Treaty 7) he has performed across the country with Citadel Theatre, Alberta Theatre Projects, Tarragon Theatre, Young People's Theatre. Upcoming shows include civil blood with Thou art here theatre. And Jordan with Geordie Theatre.
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Catch Dylan in TALK TREATY TO ME
July 26, 27 & 28 at 7pm
$25 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75

MEET PLAYWRIGHT THERESA CUTKNIFE!
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Theresa Cutknife (she/her) is a Nehiyaw and Puerto Rican actor, writer, director and producer from Maskwacîs, Alberta located on Treaty 6 Territory. She is a member of the Samson Cree Nation. Theresa is an alumni of The Centre for Indigenous Theatre and is a graduate of the 2023 Soulpepper Academy. Recent credits include assistant directing De Profundis: Oscar Wilde In Jail (Soulpepper). Acting credits include: Heartless (Favour The Brave Collective), Niizh (Native Earth Performing Arts), My Sister’s Rage (Tarragon Theatre/Studio 180 Theatre/TOLive), The House of Bernarda Alba (Aluna Theatre/Modern Times Theatre), Diggstown (CBC Gem).
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Watch Theresa's play TALK TREATY TO ME on
July 26, 27 & 28 at 7pm
$25 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75
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Photo by Dahlia Katz
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The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.

Meet Tashina Makokis - one of our artisans at RUBABOO SIDES DISHES!
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Tashina Makokis is a nehiyaw artist from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation who utilizes graphic art and design, painting, drawing, sculpture, beadwork, and performance to focus her work on Indigenous themes and issues, specifically centering on Indigenous sexualities and the reclamation of the bodies and lives of Indigenous women.
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RUBABOO SIDE DISHES
July 25 at 7pm

Also at RUBABOO SIDE DISHES, we'll have artisan Jenna Dohmann!
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Jenna Dohmann, is owner and founder Wisaubda Wiya Moss. Also referred to as your friendly Local Sea Moss Plug. Wisaubda Wiya means Pembina River Women in her native language Stoney. Sher started this company after noticing all the positive benefits sea moss had in her day to day life. "Seamoss has the ability to help people regain & reclaim their health!" She believes our health is our wealth, and by incorporating Sea Moss in our lives we have the ability to self heal. Not only is sea moss beneficial to ingest she also noticed the benefits of adding it topically. She's been expanding into body care products with her miracle ingredient, sea moss. She now offers sea moss soap crafted by yours truly. This is only the beginning of great things to come at Wisaubda Wiiya Moss. Heal yo self…. With sea moss . Ish nish (thank you)
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RUBABOO SIDE DISHES
July 25 at 7pm

Join us for RUBABOO SIDE DISHES on July 25 at 7pm!
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We'll host a special screening of University Canada West's first episode "The Beginning" from their web series "Understanding Indigenous History: A Path Forward".
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This episode embarks on a journey to better understand the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Through the oral origin stories and the recorded history since contact, “The Beginning” explores the complex tapestry of Indigenous life prior to the arrival of European settlers and the impacts of colonization.
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The 40 minute show is hosted by Lisa LaFlamme, and includes experts Phil Fontaine and Kathleen Mahoney. We'll follow this screening with a facilitated community dialogue.
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RUBABOO SIDE DISHES
July 25 at 7pm
$10 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org

SUN JULY 21st 7PM MST
KIDS GET IN FREE WITH PURCHASE OF ADULT TICKET.
Workshop West Playwrites’ Theatre
8529 Gateway BLVD, Edmonton AB
Tickets $20

Bring the kids to the fun, family-friendly story of SILLY BILLY!

Silly Billy is a story about a rare white buffalo, unhappy with his uniqueness, who goes on a quest to find the magical Unicorn, named Silly, in the hopes of emulating this mythical creature.
Starring Arik Pipestem and Emma Curtis!

TICKETS are available at the door and at dreamspeakers.org

Join us for a beautiful evening of feeling You Are Loved!
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TONIGHT at 8:00PM, we have our signature event, OUR YOUNG ANCESTORS: A FUSION EXPERIENCE, to honour some of our incredible young ancestors: the late Troy Emery Twigg, Taran J. Kootenhayoo and Bishop Pipestem.
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Our amazing line-up of artists include:
+ Cody Lightning (Hey Viktor!)
+ Michelle Thrush (Little Bird)
+ Ryan Cunningham
+ Arik Pipestem
+ Joshua Jackson
+ Shir Modesty
+ Andreas Moreno
+ Tarene Thomas
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TICKETS available at the door and at dreamspeakers.org
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Photo of Michelle Thrush by Red Works Photography.

Bring the kids to the fun, family-friendly story of SILLY BILLY!
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Silly Billy is a story about a rare white buffalo, unhappy with his uniqueness, who goes on a quest to find the magical Unicorn, named Silly, in the hopes of emulating this mythical creature. Through adventures, obstacles, misunderstandings and mishaps, Billy discovers his self-worth, embraces his difference, and takes his place as the legendary great white buffalo of the plains.
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Infused with Indigenous hoop dancing, powwow dance vocabulary, theatre, music and song, and a broad vocabulary of Western dance techniques, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop, Silly Billy is a joyous journey of self-discovery.
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Starring Arik Pipestem and Emma Curtis!
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SHOW TIMES THIS WEEKEND:
+ Sat July 20 - 1:00pm
+ Sun July 21 - 2:00pm and 7:00pm
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TICKETS available at the door and at dreamspeakers.org

The 15th Anniversary of the RUBABOO ARTS FESTIVAL begins today!!
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We kick things off at 6:00PM with SILLY BILLY at Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre (8529 Gateway Blvd NW). Bring your kids to this family-friendly story about a rare white buffalo, unhappy with his uniqueness, who goes on a quest to find the magical Unicorn, named Silly! Starring Arik Pipestem and Emma Curtis! ⭐️
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Then at 8:00PM we celebrate our 15th Anniversary in style with our OPENING RECEPTION, at Brighton Block (9666 Jasper Ave), with incredible artists Michelle Thrush, Cikwes, Jayden Paz and Skye Demas! 💥
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DRINKS WILL BE SERVED! 🍾
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TICKETS available at the door and at dreamspeakers.org
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Photo of Michelle Thrush by Red Works Photography

The 15th Anniversary RUBABOO ARTS FESTIVAL starts tomorrow Friday July 19 and we invite you to join us!
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“You Are Loved is a message we want to deeply convey with this year’s festival, and to Indigenous artists, creatives and our overall community. Our audiences will see, hear and feel themselves reflected in Rubaboo 2024, through the incredible art, music, performance, dance, plays, panels and workshops, that will celebrate and honour who we are as Indigenous Peoples" says Executive Director, Christine Sokaymoh Frederick
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RUBABOO ARTS FESTIVAL
July 19-28
Schedule, Tickets & Details at dreamspeakers.org

DON'T MISS OUT! Get your tickets now for the RUBABOO ARTS FESTIVAL at dreamspeakers.org!
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TICKETS will also be available AT THE DOOR!
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We can't wait to see you there!

Meet Andreas Moreno, in his own words!
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"I dedicated my life to writing music and poetry. There is sanctity to the creation of art that I have devoted myself to. I have had dreams ever since I was a young boy to make positive changes in the world through music and poetry. No matter how long it takes, and how many hardships I have to go through, music will always help me persevere. I want to be an example for anyone else who lives with depression, to prove that you can overcome any adversity life has to throw at you and music has always been that sanctuary for me to step outside of myself. I want to be an example to show people that there is a divinity in life that is not exclusive with any religious institution. That there is a majesty to existence that everyone is tethered to through our collective experience of this life."
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Catch Andreas at OUR YOUNG ANCESTORS: A FUSION EXPERIENCE
July 20 at 8pm
$15 at the door or at dreamspeakers.org
Full Festival Pass only $75