“It’s the first Canadian play about First Nations written by a First Nations playwrite,” said Jerry Wasserman, professor and acting head of UBC Department of Theatre, Film and Creative writing.

Tomson Highway’s “The Rez Sisters” stars a group of seven women living on a reservation on Vancouver Island. In order to fulfill their aspired dreams, they all make a “comic-tragic” quest to a huge jackpot in Toronto, where “the biggest bingo in the world” is being held. On the way, they yell, laugh, brawl, lose hope, find hope again and essentially learn a thing or two about themselves and the importance of having each other.

First premiering in 1986, “The Rez Sisters” veers from the common theme of oppressed Natives being disenfranchised by the selfish, short-sighted white man. Highway did not want to exult the tragic First Nations people and convince everyone else to feel sorry for them, but show the commonalities between all people.

“It’s the first time we saw First Nations characters on stage who weren’t stereotypes, who were multi-faceted, who weren’t victims, even though they might have been poor and suffering. But they don’t go around saying ‘oh, I’m poor, I’m suffering, I’m such a victim’; they just live their lives,” said Wasserman.

These characters are not as polished as characters who we may have seen in the past. There is no wise old Chief Runningwater narrating a tale that has been passed down generations upon generations around a fire with a group of grandchildren. There are, however, people who you realise are idiotic, really witty, or just nothing at all.

“He is not afraid to show both sides…we all have good and bad sides,” said Director Johanna Wright. “He trusts his audience to see and appreciate the full portrait that he is creating instead of just showing the noble side.”

Highway has the freedom to write his characters in any way he wants and feels no need to tip-toe around the subject like the non-Native writers (writing about Native peoples) before him. Therefore, he is able to open up new possibilities for different degrees of realism or idealism and not be afraid of accusations that non-Native writers feel they have to be wary of.

So how is the cultural gap between the characters in “The

Rez Sisters” and the audience bridged? According to Kim Harvey, who plays the character of Maria Del, there are several uniting themes.

“Everyone wants the chance to be something more and do something more,” said Harvey. “I think universally, all we have to work with is our surroundings.”

The values of family, friendship, love, sacrifice, and ambition, are not overly hyped up to the point where we completely disconnect ourselves from the characters in the play. They are real enough so that the audience can see the possibility of being in their shoes.

Highway has been said to be controversial not only due to the fact that he isn’t afraid to add flaws to his characters, but also because he insists on casting non-Native actors for Native roles. Although this may appear to undermine the culture of First Nations people, Wright believes that Highway feels there is something to be gained from doing this; it does not restrict the number of people who can play his characters for one, and there is a different kind of appreciation for characters when non-Native actors are cast for those roles. Despite negative attitudes towards his casting preferences, Highway is not afraid of criticism.

“If a producer,” insists Highway, “wants to cast a Black-Chinese lesbian midget with a 12-inch dick as a Chief of an Indian reserve in Canada, then that’s his right. No one—no one—has the right to come in and meddle with my work.”

A panel discussion called “Playing Indian: Casting and Race in The Rez Sisters” will be held in the Frederic Wood Theatre, Friday Nov. 23, from noon to 1 pm.

The play opens Nov. 14 and runs to the 24th at the Frederic Wood Theatre. Curtain will be at 7:30pm from Monday to Saturday.