Drew Hayden Taylor, Native Canadian Playwright in His Times

BRIDGING THE GAP: DREW HAYDEN TAYLOR, NATIVE CANADIAN PLAYWRIGHT IN HIS TIMES Dale J. Young A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December 2005 Committee: Dr. Ronald E. Shields, Advisor Dr. Lynda Dixon Graduate Faculty Representative Dr. Jonathan Chambers Bradford Clark © 2005 Dale Joseph Young All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Dr. Ronald E. Shields, Advisor In his relatively short career, Drew Hayden Taylor has amassed a significant level of popular and critical success, becoming the most widely produced Native playwright in the world. Despite nearly twenty years of successful works for the theatre, little extended academic discussion has emerged to contextualize Taylor’s work and career. This dissertation addresses this gap by focusing on Drew Hayden Taylor as a writer whose theatrical work strives to bridge the distance between Natives and Non-Natives. Taylor does so in part by humorously demystifying the perceptions of Native people. Taylor’s approaches to humor and demystification reflect his own approaches to cultural identity and his expressions of that identity. Initially this dissertation will focus briefly upon historical elements which served to silence Native peoples while initiating and enforcing the gap of misunderstanding between Natives and non-Natives. Following this discussion, this dissertation examines significant moments which have shaped the re-emergence of the Native voice and encouraged the formation of the Contemporary Native Theatre in Canada. Finally, this dissertation will analyze Taylor’s methodology of humorous demystification of Native peoples and stories on the stage. Of primary focus in this discussion is Taylor’s use of a distinctly Native aesthetic as a means of constructing his works for the theatre, despite surface appearances of primarily western influence. To provide evidence of this Native aesthetic, Taylor’s work and aesthetic goals, as expressed by Taylor, will be explored critically: First through a post-colonial critical framework iv and then through a Native-centered critical structure. Following these discussions, this study will focus on a textual analysis of several of Taylor’s works for the theatre. These analyses demonstrate the manner in which Taylor actively works to demystify perceptions of Natives by utilizing Native sensibilities of humor, character, story, and setting. This dissertation supplies answers to questions such as: What are the historical elements that serve to foster Taylor’s emergence as a leading voice in Canadian Native theatre? What are Taylor’s personal aesthetic goals for his theatrical work, and do these goals arise from primarily a Western or Native influenced perspective? v For my Mother, Susan R. (Earl) Adamek, my Father, Jonathan T. Young, and my brothers: Evan T. Young and Phillip E. Young. To those teachers who encourage me to build and cross bridges on my own, especially Bob and Marcy Brower, Circle M, and the memory of my good friend, fellow Human Be-ing, and adventurer, Hollis Littlecreek. "Have fun," and "Take care of your-self." vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have learned that a PhD is far from a solo endeavor. In that spirit, first, a hearty thank you to the patience, humor, and understanding of Drew Hayden Taylor. This work might be possible without you, but not half as fun! Also to: my Chair/Advisor, Dr. Ronald E. Shields for patience, good humor, an open door and heart, and mentorship beyond the call of duty; to Dr. Lynda Dixon, a patient committee member, friend, confidant, and elder; Dr. Jonathan Chambers, committee member, teacher, and mentor; and Bradford Clark, committee member, fellow world explorer and attentive reader. A world of thanks to Erik Andrews, best friend and unconditional supporter for almost thirty years now; also Dr. Jim Davis for unwavering friendship and support, as well as to the Davis and Andrews families for welcoming me into your homes and reminding me of the bigger world. Heartfelt gratitude to Grampa, Pat, Joseph Many Horses and Danielle, Vickie Quibell, Jim Between Bears, Dave Myers, Jenny White, Albert, the boys, and Diane. To Tom and Dorrie, Jim Farnum and Lydia, Bertha Grove, Tom Cross, and all who travel in the circle of elders. Thanks to The Native Theatre School and Native Earth Performing Arts for their input; to Dustin, Joy, Juan, and the BGSU NAUC; to my fellow Theatre and Film grad students and the undergrad theatre "kids" who kept me laughing and helped maintain my love for the art and life! To Val Whipple, Louise Small, Sara Chambers and L.W.W. To Joseph Slowik, James Ostholthoff, David Avcollie, John Bridges, and those at the Theatre School; to Alison K. Hill, inspiration and friend extraordinaire, and my family for their patience and attempts at understanding my theatrical life. To the Ashton family, for a place to gather, for unconditional love, tea, and hugs. And importantly, to Soni, brilliant loving soul and kind heart, thank you so much. Time to breathe. Thank you, all my relations. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………...1 CHAPTER I. BLUE EYES, HAIR DYE, OLD TALES: BIOGRAPHY AND IDENTITY…...19 CHAPTER II. OF MYTHS AND SILENCING: CONSIDERING NATIVE AND NON- NATIVE CANADIAN HISTORY………………………………………………………56 CHAPTER III. NEVER SILENT: MAPPING THE HISTORICAL TERRITORY OF CONTEMPORARY NATIVE CANADIAN THEATRE……………………………….93 CHAPTER IV. REGARDING CRITICAL FILTERS, ASSUMPTIONS, AND OTHER NUNN- SUCH…………………………………………………………………………………...132 CHAPTER V. BRIDGES, STEPS, AND EXTENSTIONS-CONFLICT, COMMUNITY, AND ACCESS: THE NATIVE STORYTELLER’S AESTHETIC………………………….158 CHAPTER VI: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS………………………………………….215 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………………………230 1 INTRODUCTION Drew Hayden Taylor, a 42 year old Ojibway Canadian of mixed descent, hails from the Curve Lake reserve in Ontario, Canada. Currently, Taylor headquarters himself out of Toronto, where he works as a widely published humorist, commentator, filmmaker, and playwright. Since 1988, Taylor has found himself riding the wave of popular interest in the contemporary Native theatre of Canada. In his relatively short career as an award winning playwright, Taylor has amassed a significant level of popular and critical success, swiftly becoming the most widely produced Native playwright in the world. While not always easy, success has arrived steadily and quickly, leaving Taylor often shaking his head and wondering just how this blue-eyed- Ojibway-reserve-kid landed as a central figure in the world-wide re-emergence of the Native Canadian theatrical voice. While Taylor has undoubtedly discovered his own answers regarding the contexts and events of his successes, little extended academic discussion has emerged to provide a foundational context regarding Taylor’s work, biography, and career. This dissertation addresses this gap by focusing on Drew Hayden Taylor as a writer whose theatrical work, in part, strives to bridge a perceived gap between Native and non-Native audiences by demystifying the perceptions of Native people and their lives. Taylor’s work on stage replaces non-Native stereotypical imaginings of “Indians” with dimensional, layered portrayals of Native characters and their lives. One element of Taylor’s theatrical style that is responsible for his effectiveness as both a playwright and cultural educator is his ability to portray his characters and stories through a remarkably humorous, informed, and accessible vantage point. Taylor’s approach reflects his own approaches to cultural identity as well as the expression and understanding of that identity. 2 This dissertation, by examining historical, biographical, and aesthetic elements of Taylor’s career to date, seeks to provide a contextual and critical foundation through which to view Taylor’s work. Specifically, this study will address the following questions: What are the contextual elements, both historically and personally in regards to Taylor’s biography, which serve to foster Taylor’s emergence as a leading voice in the contemporary Canadian Native theatre? What are Taylor’s personal aesthetic goals for his work in the theatre and how does he achieve them? Is Taylor’s aesthetic drawn primarily from a Western or Native influenced perspective? And lastly, given Taylor’s aesthetic values and practice, what can be gained by viewing his work critically from an inherently Native-influenced perspective? This dissertation is significant in that it provides a deeper look at a body of work and career that up until this point has received little in-depth academic examination. By providing a contextual, historical, biographical setting through which to frame Taylor’s works for the stage, as informed directly by Taylor’s input, this dissertation opens the door for further investigations and discussions surrounding not only Taylor’s theatre work, but other contemporary Native theatre artists as well. By examining potential methods of critically framing Taylor’s works, this dissertation also is significant in that it purposefully moves away from a rather common assumption of post-colonial construct and intent on Taylor’s part in favor of a more fitting Native aesthetic and critical lens. Through analyzing examples of Taylor’s efforts towards a sense of humorous demystification of Native peoples, this work provides an alternative method for viewing both Taylor’s works and a Native centered aesthetic of theatrical construction. Lastly, through a

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