Margo Kane
Encyclopedia
Margo Kane is a Cree
-Saulteaux
performing artist and writer known for her solo-voice or monodrama
works Moonlodge and Confessions of an Indian Cowboy, as well as her work with Full Circle First Nations Performance.
child adopted into a white working-class home. Her adoptive father had re-married three times. Kane grew up with an abusive and overly strict stepmother, and eventually found herself alienated from her family later on.
Kane found an interest in dance at an early age. She was an honours student in school; however, her teenage years led to severe depression. She has described her early life as having a sense of “cultural schizophrenia
”. Kane remembers that she knew she was native before her father had even told her. Of her first encounters with the children bussed to her school from the residential school, Kane recalls that “we just stared at each other like cows in the field. Just looking wide-eyes, wondering who was going to make the first move.”. By the time Kane graduated high school she had, what she describes as an “inferiority complex”.
By the age of twenty, Kane had taken up residence on Skid Row
, was living off social assistance, and was dependent on drugs
and alcohol
. Eventually, Kane was able to disentangle herself from her substance abuses, and move away from Skid Row and enroll in Edmonton
’s Grant McEwan College for performing arts; it was here that she excelled in dance, acting, and singing. Her performance at McEwan College led to scholarships with Banff School of Fine Arts and Circle in the Square Theatre Company in New York.
by George Ryga
, performed at Citadel Theatre
in Edmonton Alberta. During 1982, Kane toured with Prairie Theatre Exchange
’s production of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. Margo has also involved herself with a national youth caravan which brought theatre to small native communities across Canada.
During the 1980s, Kane became involved with the National Native Role Model Program, which highlights the accomplishments of ordinary First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Youth. Through this program, Kane went to Prisons, recovery centres, and group homes. It was around this time that she landed a small part on the CBC's first nations tv series, Spirit Bay
, in which she was cast as the school teacher.
Margo became the “first Native artistic director of Spirit Song Native Theatre School in the 1980s”. It was here that she realized that she was teaching performance more than performing herself. “I realized there weren’t a whole lot of roles for me out there – particularly since I was too old to be an ingenue and too young to be an interesting old lady” (Kane). She used her experience as a “cultural worker” to create roles for herself. Most of her work is autobiographical. She is probably best known for her acclaimed solo-voice drama Moonlodge which has toured for over ten years. Her performances blend traditional ritual with storytelling, song, poetry, and dance. A list of her most notable works can be found below.
Kane won a Canadian Achievement Award from the National Capital Commission
in Ottawa
in 1991.
First Nations Performance is Kane’s own theatre company; it was established in 1992 by Kane, who fulfills the role of managing and artistic director. The mandate for the theatre company is to “create opportunities for Aboriginal artists, writers and performers to express the reality of First Nations experiences and to work in harmony with First Nations traditions while engaging modern, interdisciplinary theatrical techniques”. Collaboration and Networking are integral to Full Circle’s mandate; much of what is produced is a collaborative effort of the artists involved.
Full Circle puts on an annual event called Talking Stick Festival, which hopes to "establish a unique showcase for talented, emerging and professional artists, to engage Aboriginal cultural communities, and to introduce Vancouver's many audiences to contemporary Aboriginal artistic practices.". The Theatre Company has also proven itself a leader among other theatre companies through its various workshops, training projects, and performance opportunities.
, or singular voice theatre) is a style of theatre performance rooted in storytelling and other oral traditions. It is a theatrical piece acted or designed to be acted by a single actor, usually playing a single part; however, not all solo-voice/monodrama pieces have just one character. Moonlodge is an excellent example of solo-voice which requires the transformation from one character to another, often interacting with each other. Kane's use of solo-voice mixes various techniques and styles of theatre including storytelling, ritual, dance, and mime. It is through movement, mimicry, voice changes and intricate use of stage properties that she is able to accomplish these character transformations. Watch a video of scenes from Moonlodge here: Moonlodge Video Stream.
, the United States
, Europe, and Australia
. It has also been adapted for CBC
radio in 1994.
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
-Saulteaux
Saulteaux
The Saulteaux are a First Nation in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.-Ethnic classification:The Saulteaux are a branch of the Ojibwe nations. They are sometimes also called Anihšināpē . Saulteaux is a French term meaning "people of the rapids," referring to...
performing artist and writer known for her solo-voice or monodrama
Monodrama
A monodrama is a theatrical or operatic piece played by a single actor or singer, usually portraying one character.- Monodrama in opera :...
works Moonlodge and Confessions of an Indian Cowboy, as well as her work with Full Circle First Nations Performance.
Early life
Margo Kane was the only First NationsFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
child adopted into a white working-class home. Her adoptive father had re-married three times. Kane grew up with an abusive and overly strict stepmother, and eventually found herself alienated from her family later on.
Kane found an interest in dance at an early age. She was an honours student in school; however, her teenage years led to severe depression. She has described her early life as having a sense of “cultural schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
”. Kane remembers that she knew she was native before her father had even told her. Of her first encounters with the children bussed to her school from the residential school, Kane recalls that “we just stared at each other like cows in the field. Just looking wide-eyes, wondering who was going to make the first move.”. By the time Kane graduated high school she had, what she describes as an “inferiority complex”.
By the age of twenty, Kane had taken up residence on Skid Row
Skid row
A skid row or skid road is a run-down or dilapidated urban area with a large, impoverished population. The term originally referred literally to a path along which working men skidded logs. Its current sense appears to have originated in the Pacific Northwest...
, was living off social assistance, and was dependent on drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
. Eventually, Kane was able to disentangle herself from her substance abuses, and move away from Skid Row and enroll in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
’s Grant McEwan College for performing arts; it was here that she excelled in dance, acting, and singing. Her performance at McEwan College led to scholarships with Banff School of Fine Arts and Circle in the Square Theatre Company in New York.
Acting, teaching, and cultural work
Margo received national attention during the late 1970s with the play The Ecstasy of Rita JoeThe Ecstasy of Rita Joe
The Ecstasy of Rita Joe is a drama by George Ryga. The play, in two acts, premiered at the Vancouver Playhouse, November 23, 1967. It was directed by George Bloomfield. The play has an important place in the history of modern Canadian theatre, as it was one of the first to address issues...
by George Ryga
George Ryga
George Ryga was a Canadian playwright and novelist.Ryga was born in Deep Creek near Athabasca, Alberta to poor Ukrainian immigrant parents. Unable to continue his schooling past grade six, he worked at a variety of jobs, including radio copywriter...
, performed at Citadel Theatre
Citadel Theatre
The Citadel Theatre is the major venue for theatre arts in the city of Edmonton, located in the Downtown Core on Churchill Square.-History:Originally the "Old Salvation Army Citadel", the Citadel was bought by Joseph H. Shoctor, James L. Martin, Ralph B. MacMillan, and Sandy Mactaggart, and the...
in Edmonton Alberta. During 1982, Kane toured with Prairie Theatre Exchange
Prairie Theatre Exchange
The Prairie Theatre Exchange is a professional theatre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It has its origins with the Manitoba Theatre School started by the Manitoba Theatre Centre in 1960....
’s production of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe. Margo has also involved herself with a national youth caravan which brought theatre to small native communities across Canada.
During the 1980s, Kane became involved with the National Native Role Model Program, which highlights the accomplishments of ordinary First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Youth. Through this program, Kane went to Prisons, recovery centres, and group homes. It was around this time that she landed a small part on the CBC's first nations tv series, Spirit Bay
Spirit Bay
Spirit Bay was an aboriginal family television show of 14 half-hour episodes that aired on CBC and TV Ontario from 1980 to 1986. The show focuses on the lives of townsfolk on an Ojibwe reservation town in MacDiarmid, Ontario. Here, the residents have adapted to white society while retaining...
, in which she was cast as the school teacher.
Margo became the “first Native artistic director of Spirit Song Native Theatre School in the 1980s”. It was here that she realized that she was teaching performance more than performing herself. “I realized there weren’t a whole lot of roles for me out there – particularly since I was too old to be an ingenue and too young to be an interesting old lady” (Kane). She used her experience as a “cultural worker” to create roles for herself. Most of her work is autobiographical. She is probably best known for her acclaimed solo-voice drama Moonlodge which has toured for over ten years. Her performances blend traditional ritual with storytelling, song, poetry, and dance. A list of her most notable works can be found below.
Kane won a Canadian Achievement Award from the National Capital Commission
National Capital Commission
The National Capital Commission , is a Canadian Crown corporation that administers the federally owned lands and buildings in Canada's National Capital Region, including Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec.The NCC was created in 1959, replacing the Federal District Commission , which had been...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
in 1991.
Full Circle: First Nations Performance
Full CircleFull Circle
-Albums:* Full Circle * Full Circle * Full Circle * Full Circle * Full Circle * Full Circle * Full Circle...
First Nations Performance is Kane’s own theatre company; it was established in 1992 by Kane, who fulfills the role of managing and artistic director. The mandate for the theatre company is to “create opportunities for Aboriginal artists, writers and performers to express the reality of First Nations experiences and to work in harmony with First Nations traditions while engaging modern, interdisciplinary theatrical techniques”. Collaboration and Networking are integral to Full Circle’s mandate; much of what is produced is a collaborative effort of the artists involved.
Full Circle puts on an annual event called Talking Stick Festival, which hopes to "establish a unique showcase for talented, emerging and professional artists, to engage Aboriginal cultural communities, and to introduce Vancouver's many audiences to contemporary Aboriginal artistic practices.". The Theatre Company has also proven itself a leader among other theatre companies through its various workshops, training projects, and performance opportunities.
Kane and solo-voice theatre
Solo-voice theatre (also known as monodramaMonodrama
A monodrama is a theatrical or operatic piece played by a single actor or singer, usually portraying one character.- Monodrama in opera :...
, or singular voice theatre) is a style of theatre performance rooted in storytelling and other oral traditions. It is a theatrical piece acted or designed to be acted by a single actor, usually playing a single part; however, not all solo-voice/monodrama pieces have just one character. Moonlodge is an excellent example of solo-voice which requires the transformation from one character to another, often interacting with each other. Kane's use of solo-voice mixes various techniques and styles of theatre including storytelling, ritual, dance, and mime. It is through movement, mimicry, voice changes and intricate use of stage properties that she is able to accomplish these character transformations. Watch a video of scenes from Moonlodge here: Moonlodge Video Stream.
Moonlodge
Kane has said that she "hoped that Moonlodge will be a part of the healing of our people. We have survived tremendous losses with a sense of humour, dignity and honour. We are capable of determining our own future and that of our children.".Plot
Agnes is a girl snatched from her home and family by Child Welfare government services. She grows up in a series of foster homes, apart from the warmth and support of her family and her cultural community. Popular media depicting Aboriginal people both entice and repel Agnes. Later, in the 1960s she joins many others hitchhiking across America and in that journey she begins to discover the authentic voice inside her that had been silenced but never lost.
Inspiration
Kane wrote Moonlodge as a tribute to the women in her life that have encouraged her, and who continue to encourage and guide her. While Moonlodge does not draw directly from Kane's childhood experiences, much of the content can seem biographical. Kane drew on stories and personal experiences of children who were displaced from their homes and families by the Children's Aid Department in the 1950s.Performance history
Moonlodge premiered at the Women in View Festival in Vancouver in 1990. Since its premiere, the play has seen performances in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has also been adapted for CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
radio in 1994.
“With nothing but a drum and suitcase for props, [Kane] weaves a spell that draws us all in, Natives and non-Natives together.” - Jane Emson, The Kamloops Daily News
"Kane's storytelling is innately theatrical, her superb physicalization explanation of events and the colourful characters she meets on her journey places this production at the very top echelon of the solo-performer format. The 90-minute show has heart, charm and finesse, alongside a truth that cuts deep." -Festival of the Dreaming
Plays and performance art
- Moonlodge – writer, actor - Premiered at Women In View FestivalFestivalA festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
1990 - Memories Springing/Waters Singing (Banff Centre, 1992) – environmental installation/performance piece
- Princess Minnehaha at the Tikki-Tikki Lounge (Vancouver 1992)
- Confessions of an Indian Cowboy – writer, actor
- The River-Home (Vancouver 1996) Performance Art Installation.
Appearances
- Unnatural & AccidentalUnnatural & AccidentalUnnatural & Accidental is a 2006 award-winning Canadian film directed by Carl Bessai and adapted from a Marie Clements play The Unnatural and Accidental Women.- Plot :...
(2006)- Mavis - DreamkeeperDreamkeeperDreamkeeper is a 2003 film written by John Fusco and directed by Steve Barron. The main plot of the film is the conflict between a Lakota elder and storyteller named Pete Chasing Horse and his Lakota grandson, Shane Chasing Horse...
(2003) - Cross Clan Mother - On the CornerOn the CornerOn the Corner is a studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis, recorded in June and July 1972 and released later that year on Columbia Records. It was scorned by critics at the time of its release and was one of Davis's worst-selling recordings...
(2003) - Dolly - Powwow HighwayPowwow HighwayPowwow Highway is a 1989 comedic road movie based on a novel by David Seals. It features A Martinez, Gary Farmer, and Amanda Wyss. Wes Studi and Graham Greene, who were relatively unknown actors at the time, have small supporting roles.-Plot:...
(1989) - Imogen - Higher GroundHigher Ground (film)Higher Ground is a 2011 American drama film starring Vera Farmiga. The film is also Farmiga's directorial debut.-Plot:Pregnant, married, and awkward at eighteen years old, Corinne Briggs grows more and more interested in Jesus, eventually giving herself over to a radical New Testament church...
(1988) - Mala Bremer - Spirit BaySpirit BaySpirit Bay was an aboriginal family television show of 14 half-hour episodes that aired on CBC and TV Ontario from 1980 to 1986. The show focuses on the lives of townsfolk on an Ojibwe reservation town in MacDiarmid, Ontario. Here, the residents have adapted to white society while retaining...
(1985) - school teacher - Running BraveRunning BraveRunning Brave is a 1983 movie based on the story of Billy Mills, a North American Indian brought up on the reservation, destined against all odds to become the best distance runner in the world in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics....
(1983) - Catherine - Good Things Too (1996)