SKELETON CANOE

Written and Performed by Ty Defoe

The story of young Nawbin as they leave home and set out on a rites of passage through a season of their life. Their journey along the water to discover their truth and way back to themselves and ancestral knowledge. Along the way they discover unexpected friends, weather storms, and gain a canoe! Through the use of puppetry, traditional Anishinaabe lifeways, and multimedia design, Skeleton Canoe makes known what is just below the water’s surface.

World Premier: The Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival, 2025

tHE TEAM

Production Stage Manager: Amanda Sayed 

Dramaturgy and Cultural Consultant: Mark Denning

Canoe, Mask, and Turtle Shell Design and Fabrication: The Great Lakes Lifeways Institute

Multimedia Design by: Katherine Freer

Costume Design by: Lux Haac

Original Composition and Sound Design by: Olivia Shortt

Lighting Design by: Emma Deane

Scenic Design: Tanya Orellana

Puppet Design: The Chicago Puppet Studio 

Illustrations by: Katrina Brown Akootchook

Lighting Associate: Neil Qiu

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