FRANCES KONCAN | DIRECTOR, CURATOR
Home: Winnipeg, Manitoba in Treaty 1 territory (born Fort Frances, Ontario – Couchiching First Nation)
Instagram: @franceskoncan
Previous work: The Dance-off of Conscious Uncoupling, Women of the Fur Trade, Space Girl
Frances Koncan (she/they) is a mixed Anishinaabe and Slovene writer working in theatre, television, and media. She was born in 1986 in Fort Frances, Ontario (Couchiching First Nation) and currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is the Writer-in-Residence at the Winnipeg Public Library. Her play The Dance-off of Conscious Uncoupling received the 2015 Tom Hendry Award for Best New Comedy.
Frances has had numerous productions of her work, including Space Girl at Prairie Theatre Exchange directed by Krista Jackson, and Women of the Fur Trade at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre directed by Audrey Dwyer. In Women of the Fur Trade, Koncan modernizes the story by incorporating current pop culture references, including male heartthrobs like Justin Trudeau, Don Draper, and Tom Hardy.
Frances Koncan has upcoming productions of Women of the Fur Trade at Stratford Festival, the National Arts Centre and the Great Canadian Theatre Company.
For more information about the show visit gctc.ca.
More about Frances Koncan
How were you first introduced to your creative discipline (i.e. music, dance, comedy, etc.)?
“I got into theatre through music. I was a fairly serious musician in high school and even went to university for french horn performance, but found myself frustrated with the rigidity of classical music. My love of music introduced me to musical theatre, which lead me to “straight” plays, and I very quickly became obsessed with the possibilities afforded by theatre to tell stories.”
How has your city, region or places you were raised impacted you artistically/creatively?
“I was born in Fort Frances, Ontario in Treaty 3 territory and am a member of Couchiching First Nation. The land there is full of lakes, rocks, and forests. But I was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba in Treaty 1 territory – the prairies. Nearly all of my work is set in one of these locations and draws heavily upon the landscape and environment. I think there is a lot of strength to be drawn from the land, and that the land itself is a character that has a story to tell.”
What has been your biggest professional achievement(s) so far?
“I think the most prolific professional achievement of mine is the upcoming production of my play, “Women of the Fur Trade”, at the Stratford Festival this summer. It’s the first time my work will be presented professionally outside of Manitoba!”
What’s something people should know about you?
“I don’t think I have any interesting facts to share about myself so I will share this uninteresting fact: every morning I start my day with a can of caffeine free diet pepsi.”
Innovators & Icons is a presented by the National Arts Centre in partnership with SHIFTER
Related content:
7 CANADIAN WOMEN OF COLOUR BLAZING A NEW TRAIL IN MUSIC & COMEDY
https://shiftermagazine.com/culture/women-of-colour-in-these-are-seven-women-of-colour-who-are-blazing-a-new-trail-in-music-and-comedy-in-canada
