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