THEATRE PREVIEW

APRIL 2025 | Volume 250

 

The Firehall Arts Centre is pleased to 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.

"Intimate, honest storytelling... you are in the presence of a master storyteller."– Calgary Herald

Credits for Inner Elder:

Written & Performed by:  Michelle Thrush
Director:  Karen Hines
Lighting & Scenic Design:  Sandi Somers
Composer:  Sandy Scofield
Sound Design:  JP Lord
Company Manager:  Dianne Goodman
Technical Director:  Neil Fleming
Producer:  Grant Burns

May 22-31, 2025 | Firehall Arts Centre| 280 E. Cordova Street

Preview:  May 22 at 1:00pm

Opening Night:  May 22 at 7:30pm

Performance Times:  Wednesday-Saturday, 7:30pm | Saturday & Sunday, 3:00pm | PWYC Wednesdays, 1:00pm | Thursday, 1:00pm 

Tickets:  From $30 at firehallartscentre.ca | 604.689.0926

For more information on The Firehall, please visit the following platforms:

Website: www.firehallartscentre.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/firehallarts 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/firehall.arts

 

 

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