Image
Image Caption
Audio
Tara Beagan
Michelle Thrush has directed a new play that has its world premiere tonight and runs to Sept. 29 at Theatre Calgary. The play is called Honour Beat and is written by Tara Beagan.
Two grown sisters kick off a feud over their mother’s death bed, confronting each other, their identity and what will be left after their mother’s passing. It’s a tear-jerker, for sure, as is natural in dealing with life’s inevitability of death, but the play also makes audiences laugh, as that’s the other side of grief and important relationships.
Thrush spoke with Jeremy Harpe of CJWE 88.1 FM Calgary about how she became involved with the production. She was born and raised in Calgary and has 60 film, television and theatre projects under her belt.
Beagan is a proud Ntlaka’pamux and Irish “Canadian” halfbreed, her bio reads. She has written more than 20 plays, and also directs and performs.
Honour Beat actors include Monique Mojica, Tracey Nepinak, Paula-Jean Prudat and Bernard Starlight. Thrush said it’s the first time that Theatre Calgary has brought in a full Indigenous crew, with four Indigenous lead actors and key designers who are Indigenous.
“It’s an amazing human story,” said Thrush of Honour Beat.
“It’s the story of redemption and resolution and love and spirit and finding ways to work through things that happen in our lives.”
She said the true gift of Honour Beat is looking at the mother/daughter relationship.
Learn more about the production or find ticket information here: https://www.theatrecalgary.com/2018-19/honour-beat