NOW Magazine
Tomson Highway believes controversy is good for art
As Stratford remounts his play The Rez Sisters, the writer reflects on residential schools, casting of Indigenous actors and protests By Glenn Sumi and Jon Kaplan
Jul 12, 2021
30 years after his NOW cover, Tomson Highway believes non-Indigenous actors should be able to play Indigenous roles.
Tomson Highway loves a scandal. In fact, he says art needs more of them.
When his play Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing was mounted at the Royal Alexandra Theatre 30 years ago, protesters picketed the show, complaining about what they saw as misogyny and violence against women. Some audience members walked out. One woman fainted. (If you haven’t seen or read the play, I won’t spoil the details about the particularly controversial scenes.)