National prize means freedom to playwright
Calgary Indigenous playwright Tara Beagan is this year's recipient of the prestigious Siminovitch Prize for excellence and innovation in Canadian theatre, which carries with it a $100,000 award.
Now in its 20th year, the Siminovitch Prize has honoured such playwrights as Marcus Youssef (2017), Olivier Choinière (2014), Joan MacLeod (2011), Daniel MacIvor (2008), John Mighton (2005) and Carole Fréchette (2002). Beagan is the first Calgarian and first Indigenous playwright to win the award.
“For me, the Siminovitch Prize was always one of those unachievable goals, those impossible dreams that keeps an artist working so hard,” says Beagan. She won the award for her play Honour Beat, which launched Theatre Calgary's 2018-19 season.
“This is an immense honour and it definitely gives me pause. It puts me in such esteemed company,” says Beagan, explaining the financial part of the prize will allow her to do two important, personal things. “Firstly, I can finally dedicate the time and effort to a really large research project I've been working on. This project has been calling to me for some time now and it could lead to multiple plays because the stories trapped in it are very strong.”
Born in Lethbridge, Beagan grew up hearing stories of the deaths of many Blackfoot men that were only really examined on the Blackfoot Reserve.
“These deaths were essentially ignored by the police and RCMP. I have stacks of files on these deaths.”
Beagan is a member of the Calgary wing of the Bear Clan Patrol, which she says “takes it into their own hands to care for the Indigenous people living in Calgary instead of simply calling for the defunding of the police.
“This award will allow me to volunteer much more of my time to this project.”
Beagan's Honour Beat is a dramedy that examines the significance of faith and family in Indigenous culture.
She says it was inspired by spending considerable time with Margo Kane and Monique Mojica, two Indigenous matriarchs, and listening to their great stories.
“I wanted to capture their incredible vibes and turn them into a family story that was both humorous and dramatic.”
Honour Beat was produced at London's Grand Theatre earlier this year, just before the pandemic shut down live theatre.
Beagan is working on a play called Rise Red River for the Prairie Exchange Theatre in Winnipeg that “examines a connection between climate change and missing and murdered women and girls.”
For me, the Siminovitch Prize was always one of those ... impossible dreams that keeps an artist working so hard.