HEATHER MORRISON
Arts Writer

The years of hard work and creative collaboration that led to the production of Act of Elusion, the second show of Live Five’s season, has given the show real momentum. 

It started in 2001, when local First Nations playwright Curtis Peeteetuce, inspired by Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company’s Circle of Voices program, wrote his first play.  

“I did it the old-fashioned way. I did it with pen and paper. I didn’t have a computer.”  

Peeteetuce then borrowed a friends’ computer for a week and sent the fruits of his labours off to Native Earth Theatre Company in Toronto, who invited him to participate in a program for emerging First Nations creators.  

Peeteetuce continued to write. He began to produce and collaborate on his work with organizations such as SNTC and the Saskatchewan Playwrights’ Centre.

In the spring of 2009, just in time for SPC’s initiative the Aboriginal Playwrights’ Circle, Peeteetuce dusted off Act of Elusion, literally.

“I wrote it a couple of years ago but I left it on the shelf. I found it on a disc I was about to throw out.”  

Fortunately for Peeteetuce, he checked the disc first, saw the potential in the script and submitted it to SPC.

“(The Aboriginal Playwrights’ Circle) opened the door to where we are now. This is a really great time for me as a writer; my writing’s now going through a growth spurt. I’ve become open in the workshop process.”  

Alan Long of Press Play Players is putting on the production with Peeteetuce, along with director Kennetch Charlette and actors Robert Benz and Lance Larocque. When Long saw the reading of Act of Elusion at the Aboriginal Playwrights’ Circle he knew the script had to be taken further. 

“I went over to Curtis and I said ”˜there’s a lot of Live Five people in the audience. You should apply.’ ”Â 

Long had first encountered Peeteetuce’s work at an SNTC Circle of Voices presentation.  

“I knew Curtis had this ability to write these stories to touch the emotions in people.”Â 

While the pair has collaborated on a number of projects through SNTC, this is their first project flying free of a larger organization.  

“We have complete artistic control,” said Peeteetuce. “which we’re excited and nervous about.”  

The show is described as mysterious, explorative and dark and has a very unusual source of inspiration — Wayne’s World 2. 

Peeteetuce was intrigued by the naked First Nations character in the film, and when he appeared again in a movie about the Doors, Peeteetuce did some research.  What he found was something that “any Doors fan will know” — that Jim Morrison, as a child, witnessed a car accident in which Aboriginal people were killed.

“Morrison believed the Aboriginal spirits went into his body. It was a possession. It’s a great concept for a back story.”

From there the piece evolved into what Peeteetuce describes as a “wicked mind trip,”Â one that both Peeteetuce and Long believe will resonate with audiences.  

“I’m pretty confident we’re going to provoke lots of thought and discussion,” said Long. “When the audience comes out (after seeing the show) I want them to go, ”˜What the fuck was that?’ ”
 
– –