Friendship takes centre stage at this year’s WeeFestival with Cheri Maracle’s “The Friendship Star”

A much-anticipated Toronto event, the WeeFestival of Arts & Culture for Early Years, is almost upon us. WeeFestival is dedicated to the presentation of theatre and performing arts created especially for children 0-6 years and their families. Led by visionary Artistic Director Lynda Hill, the festival curates a culturally diverse program of Canadian and international productions from companies and artists specializing in the field of arts for the early years.

This year’s WeeFestival brings the commission The Friendship Star, created and performed by multi-award nominated Indigenous artist Cheri Maracle and featuring original music by Marc Merilainen. The 30-minute show uses storytelling and song to share a story of the importance of friendship. Young Karawakwa and Piquot are little souls gazing into the dark night sky and entrusting their wishes for friendship to the Great Mystery that is The Creator. When their wishes are granted, their new friendship blooms  . . . only to be put to the test soon afterwards.

Maracle is from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Ontario and has been performing in Canada, the U.S. and Europe in the last 20 years. She has released three critically acclaimed albums: Closer To Home (2006), If I Am Water (2013), and most recently, jazz compilation Ache of Love. Her solo musical theatre show Paddle Song, based on famed Canadian Poet Pauline Johnson, earned a best solo performance nomination at the High Performance rodeo Festival in Calgary, 2016. Maracle performed this show in Norway and India, as well.

In her Artist Statement for The Friendship Star, Maracle explains, “it has been my pleasure to delve into the world of friendship and stars. The divine intertwining of the two – and the concept of loneliness and divination, creation and mystery, from an innocent and awestruck perspective fills me with joy”. For if the pandemic has taught her anything, it is to “appreciate friendship and camaraderie”. She fervently hopes that audiences will “fall in love with Karawkwa and Piquot and the beauty, truth and promise of the bright night stars, as I have”.

The four performances of The Friendship Star will run June 4th at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm and June 5th at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. The performance on June 4 at Native Earth’s AKI Studio will be followed by a special concert by Tribal Vision Dance at noon, and the launch and reading of Amik, a new children’s book by Sharon King at 4:00 pm.

Despite a frenetic schedule that includes rehearsals for The Friendship Star, writing a new piece – and creating music and costume for it – the warm, funny and relatable Maracle made time for a Q&A about the creation and development of The Friendship Star.

SM: Let’s start with you. Can you tell us a little about you and why you chose to pursue a career in theatre?

CM: I was bit by the theatre bug at a young age. I had been watching The Creation Story, our traditional Mohawk creation story being done in a dance piece at the age of 11. I was struck! I knew I needed to do that! What I was seeing.

Then my parents moved to Belle Bella where there was no theatre scene, rather a society rich in culture…. Anyway, I moved to Prince Rupert, BC in grade 9 and took theatre in high school and went to Capilano University for drama. Did my first play at 20 years old in Vancouver. Yay!!

SM: What would you like us to know about The Friendship Star? What will the wee ones and their grown ups experience at the performance?

CM: They will experience a bit of Indigenous background in these young characters, and the human traits that make us all human! The desire for love, acceptance, friendship, hope and fun! I love that these characters wear their hearts on their sleeves, and are open about lonliness and needing friendship.

SM: Would you like to speak about the themes of the piece, “loneliness and divination, creation and mystery, from an innocent and awestruck perspective” – all very universal and timeless – and how they’re being conveyed through storytelling and song, and through the characters, Karawakwa and Piquot?

CM: Yes, these boys are at an age where instinctually they want to be with other boys their age, but they’re still at the age where they are pure, and honest, and forthright… I love the element of dreams/mystery where the Great Spirit comes and talks to them in their dreams – sees them and recognizes their spirits, and what’s in their hearts.

I am someone who really cherishes friendship and do wear my heart on my sleeve. Especially in these times – the pandemic really awakened my need for people, and the good friends in my life, as I isolated alone. Perhaps that’s why I chose this theme to write about. It’s such a pure love, friendship.

SM: What was the greatest surprise to come out of creating The Friendship Star? Any challenges?

CM: I love the simplicity of the story, and how innocent these little humans are, with fragile emotions, and so much honesty and longing for truth. I learned I don’t like changing my words! Haha. I’m joking, but it was a little difficult making yourself write and create if you’re truly busy, tired etc., etc. I was doing a theatre piece, got sick, had to plough through, and it was difficult.

Now I’m rehearsing this one, and writing another piece, and creating music and costume for that one as well.

Welcome to being an artist in Canada!!

SM: What would you like us to know about you, even beyond or outside of the arts… anything that might surprise us?

CM: No surprises…really. I’m a HUGE animal lover! Lol. I’m an artist who has always acted and sang, now I am moving into writing. I’m a very proud Indigenous woman and bringing my culture and perspective into my work is what I live for! I love to bring awareness to audiences about who we are as First Nations people in Canada.

Reserve tickets to The Friendship Star and other WeeFestival shows here.

© Arpita Ghosal, Sesayarts Magazine, 2022