Organization

Singer

Mezzo-soprano

Marion Newman

Mimi

Baritone

Grant Youngblood

Bird

Against the Grain Theatre

English

Indians on Vacation

Toronto

Canada

Indians on Vacation Cusson

Public

Approved

Announcing Indians on Vacation by Ian Cusson and Royce Vavrek

We proudly announce Indians on Vacation, a new opera based on the novel by Thomas King composed by Ian Cusson with a libretto by Royce Vavrek. AtG, in partnership with Edmonton Opera and supported by the Yukon Arts Centre. While still in development, we are commissioning the work to be premiered in 2025.

Originally developed as a part of Edmonton Opera’s Wild Rose Project, this mini-opera adaptation of Thomas King’s novel will be expanded into a full opera starring Marion Newman as Mimi and Grant Youngblood as Bird.

In Thomas King’s Indians on Vacation, we meet a contemporary Indigenous couple: Bird and Mimi. We find the couple on a trip through Europe they decided to take after discovering a trove of old postcards from Mimi’s late Uncle Leroy, who absconded to Europe with a family heirloom 100 years ago. As the couple ventures across Europe, trying to unravel the mystery of Uncle Leroy, Bird confronts his inner demons.

A Cross-Canada Collaboration
Indians on Vacation will be developed over the next few years, receiving several workshops and presentations between the Yukon Arts Centre, AtG in Toronto, and Edmonton Opera. to help bring the work to life. We invite our community to follow along as we grow this project from a 10 minute scene to a fully-stage, 70-minute production.

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast