Boom Arts to Present U.S. Premiere Of OKINUM By ONISHKA Productions in February

Boom Arts is presenting the U.S. premiere of the solo theater performance OKINUM following its run at the International PuSh Festival in Vancouver, BC, and in Berlin, Germany. OKINUM will have a limited three-day engagement February 9-11, 2023, at the Hampton Opera Center at 211 SE Caruthers Street in Portland, Oregon.

In an intimate space, interdisciplinary artist Émilie Monnet presents an immersive theatre experience in French, Anishinaabemowin, and English. "I wanted to have the three languages coexist in the performance, the same way they coexist in me," Monnet said. Featuring a score performed live by musician Jackie Gallant, this innovative solo performance investigates the impacts of colonialism and the stories of Indigenous women through a narrative and documentary lens.

Émilie Monnet interprets a recurring dream and transmits a message of empowerment to the audience. This solo performance portrays Monnet's quest to reconnect with her Anishinaabe ancestry and language. Through live sound, projections, and a unique circular stage, this is a hypnotic, cathartic performance experience. "My hope is to connect the beaver fur trade with the realities of many Indigenous women today," Monnet said.

"Boom Arts is thrilled to bring this amazing artist to the U.S. for the first time, amplifying Indigenous voices here in Portland. Through innovative storytelling, this show touches on issues of identity, history, and the impacts of colonialism through a very personal lens. I hope that this story will deeply impact all those that experience it," says Boom Arts Artistic Director Tracy Francis.

TICKET AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

When: February 9 and 10th at 7:30pm and Feb 11th at 12pm

Where: The Hampton Opera Center, 211 SE Caruthers Street, Portland, OR 97214

Tickets: https://www.boomarts.org/events-2/okinum

Adult: $35, Student/Senior/Artist: $25, ten $10 tickets on a first come basis, $5 Arts for All and Oregon Trail tickets

More info at https://www.boomarts.org/events-2/okinum

ONISHKA PRODUCTIONS

Working across artistic disciplines with an emphasis on theatre, Onishka Productions is an interdisciplinary arts organization that creates bridges between Indigenous peoples worldwide while honoring their diversity, richness, and resilience. Founded in 2011 by Émilie Monnet, Onishka Productions creates and presents interdisciplinary theatre and installation-performance works, favoring collaborative processes. Onishka means 'wake up!' in Anishinaabemowin. In this spirit, Onishka believes that Indigenous cosmologies provide pathways towards sustainable communities. Through artistic expression, it can challenge how the realities and struggles of Indigenous peoples are perceived and transform the world we live in. Founded by Onishka in 2016, Indigenous Contemporary Scene (ICS) is a nomadic platform dedicated to the presentation of Indigenous live arts locally and globally. Through ICS, Onishka works with Indigenous artists from different nations and territories with the goal of amplifying their voices and fostering a space for conversations articulated around Indigenous perspectives.

ÉMILIE MONNET

At the intersection of theatre, performance, and media arts, Émilie Monnet's practice is centered on collaborative creations. Her work has most often taken the form of interdisciplinary theatre and immersive performance experiences. As a writer, performer, and director, Monnet created OKINUM, a piece which is firmly rooted in issues surrounding colonialism and Indigenous realities, particularly those concerning Indigenous women. This Time Will Be Different, her most recent installation performance co-created with choreographer Lara Kramer, was performed at the Festival TransAmériques this past June and at the Edinburgh Festival in August. OKINUM marked the start of Monnet's three-year artist residency at Centre du Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui and announced her as a major talent in the Indigenous and Montréal theatre scenes. Émilie's heritage is Anishinaabe and French. She grew up in Outaouais, Québec, and Brittany, France, and she currently lives in Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyaang/Montréal. onishka.org

BOOM ARTS

Boom Arts is a performing arts presenter and producer in Portland, Oregon. Its mission is to "imagine new social and political possibilities through live performance." Boom Arts spotlights diverse U.S. and International Artists who create artistically adventurous, socially conscious, and globally connected work. Through performances and accompanying workshops, lectures, post-show discussions, community gatherings, and other events, Boom Arts is building cross-cultural bridges, sparking community conversations about important issues, connecting Portland performing artists with their national and international counterparts, and contributing to our city's culture of compassion, curiosity, and creativity.