Popcorn Elder
- Publisher
- J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing
- Initial publish date
- Apr 2018
- Category
- Canadian
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781927922392
- Publish Date
- Apr 2018
- List Price
- $15.95
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781990737565
- Publish Date
- Jul 2022
- List Price
- $9.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
Darren, newly on parole from prison, has been ordered by the court to live with his father on the rez. Wally and Darren have always had a contentious relationship: Wally is a problem drinker, and Darren's got a short fuse. But Wally tells his son that he's changed, has stopped drinking and started going to ceremony, and he urges Darren to do the same. As old family secrets start to be revealed, the father and son grapple with complex issues.
Popcorn Elder examines the problem of "plastic shamans" who offer spirituality at a price. It looks at a community working to face its demons and heal past trauma. And at the heart of the play is the story of a father and son, filled with anger, guilt, and pain, seeking connection and reconciliation.
Through flashbacks, a combination of Cree and English, and an unforgettable cast of characters, Popcorn Elder tells the story of one family's journey toward hope.
About the author
Curtis Peeteetuce is from the Beardy's & Okemasis Cree Nation. Since 2001, he has had the honour of working with many talented artists in theatre, radio drama, music and film. Selected highlights include Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan (Richard III, Twelfth Night), Globe Theatre (Salt Baby), Persephone Theatre (A History of Breathing) and GTNT (Where The Blood Mixes, Thunderstick).
Curtis is the recipient of the Saskatoon & Area Theatre Award for Outstanding Male Performance and the Henry Woolf Award for Achievement. He is also the playwright of the Rez Christmas story series, including Nicimos: The Final Rez Christmas Story (Scirocco 2015.)
Curtis dedicates all his efforts and accomplishments to his son Mahihkan.
Editorial Reviews
"...the story of a father and son at a crossroads in a world of both real and false faith... unifying, cleansing and uplifting."
-Saskatoon Star-Phoenix