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FAQs for Teachers

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about Raven Stole the Sun.

Q. How long does it take to rehearse?

This piece involves many layers including text, choreography, lighting, and sound. Red Sky can work very quickly with professional actors, and we are able to put this piece together in a one-week rehearsal process.

Q. Do you do other plays?

Yes - Red Sky has a variety of other productions, some for family audiences such as Caribou Song and other pieces for dance audiences such as Tono, Shimmer and Dancing Americas.

Q. What’s your favourite part?

We all have different favourite parts, but these two things are lots of fun: being able to share this story with an audience, and doing the Raven Hop!

Q. I love your costumes – tell me about them!

The costumes and set for Raven are based on traditional designs of the Tlingit nation. The Tlingit nation are a people who straddle the borders of the Yukon and Alaska. Many of their designs were based on the clans of the people - bear, salmon, and raven. The Red Sky designer, Cheryl Lalonde, used the traditional designs to inform the costumes for Raven Stole the Sun. You will also see the use of buttons which were originally made of abalone shells.

FAQ for Kids About Raven

Is this a true story?

Raven Stole the Sun is a creation story – it explains, from a certain perspective, how the world came to be as it is today. To those who believe, this story is very real, just like the story of Genesis is real for its believers.

How does your belly get so big?

In theatre, you can create many illusions and tricks on stage that make lasting impressions on audiences. The belly (which is really a beach ball disguised in cloth) is blown up through a tube. With each breath, the belly gets bigger and bigger and bigger.

What’s really in those boxes?

Imagination.

When did this story take place?

Raven is a timeless creature, and Raven stories can take place in all sorts of different times. This particular story, from the Tlingit people, is thousands of years old.

Do you perform this play in other schools?

Yes, Red Sky performs this play in other schools, theatre venues and festivals. Sometimes we even perform outdoors. Red Sky has performed to over 250,000 people in Canada, United States, Australia, China, Switzerland, and Iceland. We like to perform in many venues, communities, and festivals all over the world.

Is the Raven magic?

Yes, the Raven is magical. He lives and breathes in a world where magic is possible and where anything is possible.

Are you Aboriginal people?

Aboriginal people are at the core of Red Sky, although we work with people from all backgrounds. The cast of Raven Stole the Sun changes as we now have three casts touring in Canada and around the world. The cast does change, sometimes the entire cast is Aboriginal and sometimes there might be someone from a different background who is part of the cast.