Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock / Education is Our Right
In these two plays, Drew Taylor delves into the past and speculates about the future as he examines the dilemmas facing young Native Canadians today.
TORONTO AT DREAMER’S ROCK is a moving portrayal of a teenage boy who is torn between the traditions of his people, which he only vaguely understands, and the lure of modern life. His magical encounters with two members of his tribe – one from 400 years in the past and one from the future – make him aware of how little he has thought about what it means to be an Indian.
EDUCATION IS OUR RIGHT borrows from the familiar story of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but in this version the spirits of Education Past, Present and Future attempt to show the Minister of Indian Affairs the error of his ways.
Drew Taylor combines humour, passion, spirituality, and tough realism to create a hopeful vision of the future that will appeal especially to young adult readers. Both plays have toured extensively to schools in Ontario and Quebec.
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Awards & Recognitions
- 1992 - First Prize ($10,000) Chalmer's Award for Best Play for Young Audiences for Toronto At Dreamer’s Rock
Reviews
Two words people – Drew Rocks! Yes you’ve heard it before but buy this book. It is a one act play dealing with Rusty a modern day First – Nations youth who fills his backpack full of beer and heads off to Dreamer’s Rock a place I have been to twice. If anyone is interested please go to the Birch Island Band Office which is located on the main highway to and from Manitonlin Island. You’ll pay a small fee and get a map too, anyway back to Rusty who’s all ready there. Rusty cracks open a cold one and a crow begins to caw near by. So what do you know about crows? The bird is held in high respect by Tibetans and Native North Americans, Tibetans as the protecter of the first Dali Lama and Native North Americans the crow can see the past,present and future all at once. So getting back the crow caws the rock shakes and a native boy the same age of Rusty steps out and wonders where he is because everthing has changed. Rusty gets sore because his solitude has been broken and is convinced that someone sent this guy up here as a joke. Kessic is the Indian from the past a gets under Rusty’s skin very fast asking endless questions. From the other side of the rock comes a Indian from the future whose name is Micheal who side steps Rusty and goes straight over to Keesic. Micheal informs Rusty that he is from the future and that Rusty is from the “era of alcohol” as Rusty tries to hid his beer. The boys soon talk about things similar to all guys – women and the endless problems of growing up. One of the boys points out to Rusty that he has a job to live up to and pulls out a newspaper clipping to prove it. Spiritual – yes up lifting yes! I saw the play twice and even helped sponsor it to come to a London Ontario Native Centre. De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig theatre group performed this play the first and best! Buy the book so Drew doesn’t have to get a real job. Meeg-wetch.
Explore Other Titles By Drew
Furious Observations of a Blue-Eyed Ojibway: Funny, You Don’t Look Like One #3
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