TRADING PLACES
SHOW DETAILS
Location: The Chanterelle
Date: March 23, 2024
Tickets: $10
Time: 7:30pm start time
Doors open 7pm
Cash Bar
Graphic Design: Kalina Hanson
ABOUT THE SHOW
Trading Places is the story of two women living in fur trade era Fort William: Memogway, a local Ojibwe woman, and Isobel, a runaway from Scotland.
Memogway has recently married into the North West Company to keep family ties with the fur trade strong, and Isobel has signed on to the Company under the guise of a man. All is going well until Isobel learns she is pregnant. Each woman attempts to navigate the complexities of her new situation, while forming a precarious allyship along the way.
A play with original folk music, Trading Places seeks to unpack what it was like for white and Indigenous women in 19th century Canada with humour and honesty, and to delve into the complexities of privilege.
ABOUT THE CREATORS
FAE ALEXANDER
Isobel / guitar
Fae Alexander is a singer/songwriter/actor from Robinson Superior Treaty (Thunder Bay), but has been living in Toronto since 2021.
Since graduating from Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre Performance program, Fae has been a part of many new musical workshops in Toronto, and loves the creation process behind musicals. This inspired her to start work on Trading Places, a show loosely based on the true story of Isobel Gunn.
Fae loves “herstories”; the untold lives of women in Canada’s history. Working with Sara during the songwriting and story-boarding process has been so much fun for her. Fae thanks Sara profusely for being open to meeting up with her long lost highschool business class partner and adding so much depth and perspective to the work.
Even though Trading Places is still in its early stages, Fae has big hopes for its future! Special thank you to Donna Marie for believing in the project in the first place.
SARA KANUTSKI
Memogway / guitar
Sara Kae of Lake Helen First Nation is a young Ojibwe/Cree artist born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Her music is best described as singer-songwriter, indie, pop with Indigenous influences.
Sara has shared her amazing talent as a singer/songwriter with her community for many years. Starting at the young age of 12, she was visiting communities and schools to help encourage positive lifestyles and the following of dreams. Sara’s parents were her role models. They took in youth who struggled with substance abuse and inadequate living situations. This shaped Sara and her goals to be a major role model in her own community and beyond.
In 2019, she graduated from Metalworks Institute as a vocal major in the Music Performance and Technology program. She was awarded the “Outstanding Graduate of the Year Award” from Career Colleges of Ontario.
Soon after graduating, Sara began working at a Toronto-based radio station owned by APTN. She quickly became an on-air personality during their Maximum Music Weekends. Later, she also completed a diploma in music business. She decided to pivot paths and began working with CBC Thunder Bay as a journalist, all while pursuing her love of music.
Sara's passion for her music and roots has led her to compose “Rise” and "Constellations". The two singles truly compliment her talent as an artist. She is currently working on various creative venture while prepping to release more music.
ADDITIONAL CAST
GALLERY
Photos: Frank Baratta