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Tomson Highway
Tomson Highway was born on his father's trap-line in northern Manitoba on December 6, 1951, 100 miles north of the reserve that he belongs to called Brochet Manitoba. His father, Joe Highway, was a trapper and fisherman, and a legendary dog-sled racer.
Tomson is the eleventh of twelve children, five boys and seven girls. Only six of the eleven are alive today. For the first six years of his life he lived a traditional nomadic lifestyle in the remote forests and lakes of northwestern Manitoba. Cree was the only language spoken among his family, and he only became fluent in English in his late teens. He was sent to a Roman Catholic boarding school at the age of six. He stayed there until age fifteen, and was then sent to Churchill Highschool in Winnipeg, where he stayed with a number of white foster families. He graduated in 1970.
After highschool Tomson spent two years at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Music studying piano, which he had picked up at the age of thirteen. He then went to London, England where he studied to be a concert pianist under William Aide. After a year he returned to the University of Manitoba for a year and then went on to the University of Western Ontario where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music in May 1975. He stayed another year to complete English courses required for a Bachelor of Arts degree. During this period in his life he met and worked with poet/playwright James Reaney and saw his first Michel Tremblay play.
After university he went to work with Native groups in Ontario and across Canada for seven years. When he turned, thirty he brought these experiences together and began to write plays. His pays were performed mostly on reserves and at urban Native community centres. He also worked with various native theatre companies as an actor, director and muscial director.
In December 1986 his play, The Rez Sisters, became a hit, winning the Dora Mavor Moore Award for best new play in Toronto's 1968-87 season. It was performed to sold-out audiences across the country.
His next play was Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing, which was workshopped at Playwrights' Montreal, and then produced in Toronto first at Theatre Passe-Muraille, then at the Royal Alexandre. He has been the Artistic Director at Native Earth Performing Arts for the last 5 years.
Plays
Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing, Native Earth Performing Arts, Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto, 1989; Dir: Larry Lewis.Annie and the Old One, Centaur Theatre, Montreal, 1989; Dir: Jerry Franken.
The Sage, The Dancer and the Fool, Native Earth, Native Canadian Centre, Toronto, 1989; Dir: Rene Highway, Tomson Highway.
New Song...New Dance, Native Earth Performing Arts, Native Canadian Centre, 1988.
Aria, Native Earth Performing Arts, Annex Theatre, Toronto, 1987; Dir: Larry Lewis.
The Rez Sisters, Act IV Theatre Company/Native Earth, Native Canadian Theatre, Toronto, 1986; Dir: Larry Lewis.
A Ridiculous Spectacle in One Act, De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig Theatre Company, West Bay, Ontario, 1985; Dir: Tomson Highway.
Published Work
Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing, Fifth House Publishers, 1989.The Rez Sisters, Fifth House Publishers, 1988.
Awards
Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award, Outstanding New Play, 1989 (Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing); Finalist, 1988 (The Rez Sisters).Governor General's Literary Award for Drama, Finalist, 1989 (Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing); Finalist, 1988 (The Rez Sisters).
Dora Mavor Moore Award, Outstanding New Play, 1987 (The Rez Sisters).