Summer waves

Full cast of Raven's Radio Hour at Alaska Native Heritage Center
Ed Bourgeois, Stephen Blanchett, Christina Gagnon, Jack Dalton, George Holly, and Colleen "Yaari" Kingeekuk
Photo courtesy of Bonnie Lopez

This summer, instead of experiencing heat waves, Native Voices has taken to the airwaves. As you may recall, Randy, Jean, and Miss Arigon Starr spent July in Lincoln, Nebraska adapting and recording the radio version of The Red Road with legendary director, Dirk Maggs.

For August, Randy and Jean have traveled all the way to Anchorage, Alaska to record Raven's Radio Hour with playwrights Ed Bourgeois and Jack Dalton (check out their profiles below). The show is being produced by Brian Price of Great Northern Audio Theatre and directed by our very own Randy Reinholz.

Both of these recordings will be aired in November 2009 over Native Voice One. For info on how to get Native Radio Theatre on the air in your community please contact NAPT's Georgiana Lee at 402-472-0497 or glee3@unl.edu.

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About the playwrights

Ed Bourgeois, Director of Public Programs at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, earned a Theater degree from the Catholic University of America and began his career as an actor. He has performed professionally at Ford’s Theatre, Olney Theatre and Alaska Repertory Theatre, as well as in film, television and radio. At Anchorage Opera (1996-2007) he developed the Studio Theatre young artist program, stage directed multiple mainstage and education program productions, and served as the company’s General Director from 2003 to 2007. He has directed productions for Cedar Rapids Opera, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). At the Alaska Native Heritage Center he has co-written and directed productions of Panik’s Revenge, Growing Up Native in Alaska and Raven’s Radio Hour, and most recently collaborated with Tsimshian master artist David Boxley to create a play from his story, The Three Enemies.

Growing up between two worlds, Jack Dalton is ambassador of both his Yup'ik Inuit and European heritages. Raised in Alaska, he has traveled the world sharing his Yup'ik culture through the art of storytelling. He is also a writer, teacher, playwright, and mentor. Recently, his play, Time Immemorial, (co-written with and co-starring Allison Warden) received audience and critical acclaim in Alaska. His recent travels found him performing in France, Denmark, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. He currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska. www.ravenfeathers.com.