Métis writer Penny Gummerson was born and raised in Flin Flon, Manitoba. She worked as a newspaper journalist, magazine writer, documentary filmmaker, and advertising copywriter before becoming a playwright and screenwriter. She currently resides in Vancouver where she writes for stage and film. Wawatay received the 2002 Vancouver Jessie Richardson Theatre Award for Outstanding Original Play, the Peopleâ??s Choice Favourite New Play Award at the Vancouver New Play Festival, and was a Stage-Play Finalist at the International Moondance Film Festival in Denver, Colorado. Other plays include Crossing Boundaries and Is There Bingo in Heaven?. Penny has been Head Writer and Story Editor on the dramatic television series Moccasin Flats (Big Soul Productions/Showcase Television/Aboriginal Peopleâ??s Television Network). She is currently writing a movie of the week for CTV (Alberta Film Works, Code Red Entertainment) as well as the film adaptation of Wawatay.