Photo of an audience attending a production of Echoes of the Land / Photo provided by Ghost River Theatre
Theatre is not only one of the oldest forms of public entertainment, but it is also a tool to help express and explore topics that aren’t often talked about.
Since 1998, the Betty Mitchell Awards have been highlighting and honouring the talent in Calgary’s theatre scene.
For 2025, Awoowakii, a production from Theatre Calgary and Ghost River Theatre’s Echoes of the Land, two Indigenous-focused productions, have been nominated in multiple categories.
The modern comedy Awoowakii, follows the journey of a Two-Spirited person living in Calgary, which is nominated for seven categories, including: Outstanding Production of a Play, Lead Performance in a Comedy, and Outstanding Costume Design.
The experimental sound bath Echoes of the Land takes the audience on a journey through the Canadian prairies using the sounds of the country guitar and Plains First Nation drum styles of the Blackfoot and Nakoda people is nominated for three awards.
The nominations are for: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble, Sound Design/Composition, and Musical Direction.
Upon hearing the news of being nominated for three different categories, members of the team behind Echoes of the Land were surprised to hear that they had been nominated.
For Drummer and Knowledgekeeper Skip Wolf Leg of Siksika First Nation said, he never took part in a sound bath before, but with the production’s three nominations, he expressed his joy that their hard work is being rewarded.
What makes Echoes’ standout is how it is different from conventional theatre, which is something Director and Co-Creator of Echoes of the Land Eric Rose points out, the production only asked the audience to be in the moment and be themselves.
Audiences who experienced changes and emotions they were not expecting have also affected members of the team, like Instrumentalist/Vocalist Cedric “Biggie” Lightning of Good Stoney First Nation, says the success of the sound bath has opened doors in his professional career that he didn’t believe were possible including a spot at the 2025 Calgary Folk Festival.
The Betty Mitchell Awards are set to take place on Sunday, June 23, at Calgary’s Southern Jubilee Auditorium.
While the team waits for the results of the awards, they are planning the next production of Echoes as which has been contracted to appear for Calgary Audiences on September 30 as part of Arts Commons’ programming for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.
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