INNER ELDER Begins At Firehall Arts Centre In May
Running from Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 31, 2025.
By: A.A. Cristi Apr. 28, 2025
The Firehall Arts Centre will present Inner Elder, a powerful solo show created and performed by award-winning Cree artist Michelle Thrush, from Thursday, May 22 to Saturday, May 31, 2025.
It takes great imagination to survive. A young Indigenous girl growing up in Alberta navigates a world of substance abuse, aliens, and the spiritual presence of her guiding grandmothers. In her darkest moments, her superhero Kookum with magic moccasins appears to help light the way forward. With humour, forgiveness, and truth, she is able to heal from the past and transform her future.
Inner Elder is a transformative journey through real-life memories. Through heartfelt storytelling, Michelle Thrush (from APTN's Blackstone, CBC's North of 60, Arctic Air) weaves real-life memories with laughter, grace, and playfulness to explore her own inner Elder. A mix of poignant recollections, beautiful humour, and intimate storytelling that will open your heart and mind while making you laugh out loud. “Inner Elder is my love letter to all of us that made it through,” says Thrush. “Thank you for being here. Thank you to all the Elders who hold the stories of this territory.”
“I am thrilled to be bringing Michelle and her performance of Inner Elder to the Firehall stage,” adds Artistic Producer Donna Spencer. “I first met Michelle when I directed her in her first professional job as an actor in the Firehall's 1992 production of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. I was impressed with her natural talents then and have been awed by her skill as well as her dedication to storytelling through film and theatre and to her community ever since.” Inner Elder was developed during workshops in 2017, supported by Lunchbox Theatre and One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre. The performance premiered at the 2018 High Performance Rodeo in Calgary.
Vancouver Awards - Live Stats
Best Musical - Top 3
1.
MARY POPPINS: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL (Theatre In The Country)
18.1% of votes
2.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (Metro Theatre)
16.3% of votes
3.
WEST SIDE STORY (CTORA Theatre)
15.3% of votes
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