Red Sky About Us - Hero Image

The Power and Originality of Indigenous Storytelling

About Us

Elevating Indigenous Arts and Performance Worldwide

 

Red Sky Performance is a global leader in contemporary Indigenous arts and culture. We bring bold, inspiring, and transformative new works of dance, theatre, music, and multimedia to audiences across Canada and around the world.

 

Founded in 2000 by visionary Sandra Laronde (Misko Kizhigoo Migizii Kwe, which means "Red Sky Eagle Woman" in Anishinaabemowin), we are an Indigenous-led company. Red Sky Performance celebrates Indigenous ingenuity, beauty, and resilience through powerful storytelling and artistic innovation.

 

 

Our Vision and Impact

 

Driven by Sandra Laronde’s groundbreaking vision, Red Sky Performance creates works that elevate and evolve contemporary Indigenous arts and storytelling, contributing to the vibrancy of Canada and the world.

 

Renowned for powerful storytelling and hybrid innovation in dance, theatre, music, and multimedia, our practice along with collaborators reflects a deep commitment to exploration and experimentation to create productions that resonate with audiences across Canada and globally.

 

From emerging artists to seasoned practitioners, we provide unparalleled opportunities to hone artistic expression through a collaborative process, nurturing creativity and professional excellence.

 

 

A Global Journey

 

Acclaimed for groundbreaking collaborations and a boundary-defying approach, the company performed nearly 4,000 shows across 22 countries on 4 continents, driven by our mission to create inspiring experiences of contemporary Indigenous arts that bring meaningful transformation to society.

 

We are at home performing on world stages, national stages, and regularly perform in rural and reserve communities. Whether on global stages or in intimate community settings, our performances inspire, engage, and transform. Our world stages include 2 Cultural Olympiads (Beijing and Vancouver), World Expo Shanghai, Venice Biennale, The Kennedy Center, and Jacob’s Pillow, and toured to every province and territory across Canada.

Celebrated and Recognized

Red Sky Performance’s innovative works have earned 17 Dora Mavor Moore Awards and nominations, two Indigenous Music Awards, three International Youth Drama Awards (Shenzhen, China) and the prestigious Smithsonian Expressive Award, among many others. These honours, alongside international recognition, reflect our commitment to artistic excellence and storytelling that sparks conversation and drives meaningful change.

Moving Forward, Together

Indigenous arts, culture, and ways of knowing are more relevant than ever. Looking ahead, we are expanding and elevating the Indigenous canon worldwide, while continuing to share stories that matter.

 

We are ignited by creating a strong future for Indigenous arts and culture—one that will resonate for generations to come.

Join us in making an impact and be a part of our journey.

Red Sky Team

Kathy Morrison
General Manager
Emma Walker
Finance Administrator
Albert Plant
Associate Artist
Siobhan Quinn
Project Manager
Yui Ugai
Administrative Assistant
Ashley Huston
Community Engagement & Partnerships
Don Kavanaugh
Wisdom + Culture Keeper
Luana Shirt
Wisdom + Culture Keeper

Kathy Morrison

General Manager

Kathy Morrison (Scottish/Anishinaabe/French) is General Manager at Red Sky Performance. She has two decades of experience in arts management with a strong focus on Indigenous arts and cross-cultural collaboration. She began her career at the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity where she served as Program Manager in Literary Arts for four years. Following a writing sabbatical, she returned to the Banff Centre as the Program Manager for Indigenous Arts for eight years. Under the leadership of Sandra Laronde, she helped deliver exceptional programming for Indigenous storytellers, musicians, singers, dancers, writers, and filmmakers across Canada and beyond.

 

From 2017-2019, she worked at ILBIJERRI Theatre in Melbourne, Australia's leading First Nations theatre company. She holds a BA from McGill University and a Master of Science in Writing & Cultural Politics from the University of Edinburgh. Kathy has lived and worked in Canada, Japan, Scotland, Mexico, and Australia, bringing a global perspective to her work. With her passion for cultural integrity, community engagement, and the arts, she is instrumental in driving the company’s vision and sustainability.

Emma Walker

Finance Administrator

Emma Walker is the Financial Administrator at Red Sky Performance, where she brings extensive experience in both arts and financial management. She has worked with several esteemed charities and non-profits, including Toronto Dance Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, and the Heliconian Club, contributing her expertise to the sustainability and growth of the arts sector. In addition to her administrative work, Emma is a dedicated educator, teaching in the Arts Management program at the University of Toronto, Scarborough.

 

Emma holds an M.B.A. from the Schulich School of Business, with a specialization in non-profit management, arts administration, and public policy. Her academic background also includes a Master’s degree in Dance, as well as Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in both Dance and Music, reflecting her deep and ongoing commitment to the arts.

Albert Plant

Associate Artist

Albert Plant III is Anishnaabe, Salish, and Kootenai. He was born in Little Current, Ontario, and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. From a young age, Albert has been immersed in powwow culture—dancing on the trail since he could walk. Each summer, he traveled between Montana and Ontario, participating in powwows across the region. These gatherings have remained a central and grounding force in his life.

 

In the past five years, Albert has expanded his work into social services. His journey began during the height of the pandemic, working at an overnight warming center. He then joined the Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy, where he discovered a deep passion for cultural outreach—connecting people with traditional teachings, local elders, and crafting skills.

 

Today, Albert serves as a Cultural Resource Developer with the Wiikwemkoong Heritage Organization. In this role, he continues his commitment to community empowerment by supporting cultural revitalization through powwows, educational initiatives, and hands-on workshops. He is also a fancy dancer with Red Sky Performance and most recently became an Associate Artist.

Siobhan Quinn

Project Manager

Siobhan Quinn is the Project Manager of Special Projects at Red Sky Performance, with over 25 years of experience in commercial production, post-production, theatre, dance and short-form content. She has held senior roles at Publicis Toronto and worked with a wide range of Canadian and U.S. companies. Her expertise spans large-scale campaigns, experimental and culturally specific projects and marketing. She is also expanding her work into audio and AI-integrated productions.

 

At Red Sky, Siobhan contributes to major dance, theatre, and live performance projects. Known for her attention to detail and team-building skills, Siobhan brings deep production knowledge, creative thinking, and a passion for storytelling to every project.

Yui Ugai

Administrative Assistant

Yui Ugai is thrilled to join Red Sky Performance as Administrative Assistant. She is a Toronto-based movement artist originally from Hiroshima, Japan. She holds a BFA in Dance and Music from Kobe Jogakuin University and an Honours BFA and MFA in Dance at York University in Toronto.

 

Yui is passionate in her pursuit of arts administration and supporting dance companies, artists, and community with her experience as a dance artist and an educator.

Ashley Huston

Community Engagement & Partnerships

Ashley Huston is excited to join the team, bringing her passion and expertise to our Aki Creators platform. With over 20 years of experience in advertising sales, she has built strong relationships with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit organizations, including the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, the Ontario Native Women’s Association, and the Chiefs of Ontario.

 

Originally from Manitoba, Ashley’s deep connection to nature has shaped her personal and professional journey. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, and exploring new destinations. She also volunteers as a Community Connector and Champion for the Moose Hide Campaign.

Don Kavanaugh

Wisdom + Culture Keeper

Niigaanipinens izhiniikaazo, Makwan ododeman (Don Kavanaugh) is Anishinaabe from the Lake of the Woods and lives in Animakee Wa Zhing First Nation. Don currently works as a Mineral Development Advisor for Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council. He became involved in theatre in 1996 while working as the Executive Director for the Lake of the Woods Ojibway Cultural Centre.

 

As a participant of traditional powwow dance for more than four decades, Don is a firm believer in his culture and its traditional teachings. Since 1991, his work has been integral to arts and cultural development in the Kenora area where he supports artists and community members to pursue arts activities. Don has been a Cultural Advisor, instructor and performer at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre’s Summer South Program at Trent University, and at the Summer West Program at the University of Lethbridge.

 

Following a 7-year hiatus from arts, Don returned to pursue the arts in a more supportive role. In 2016, he supported the Lake of the Woods Ojibway Cultural Centre’s arts programming revitalization efforts and in 2017, he was involved in 2 projects- No Wilderness: This Is Home and Summer Stories: The Northwest Angle- Treaty 3 Territory.

Luana Shirt

Wisdom + Culture Keeper

Luana Shirt is Plains Cree - Anishinaabe kwe. Born in Treaty 6 Territory in Alberta, Luana's family relocated east in her early years and she was raised in Toronto among her Great Lakes relatives, the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Nations.

 

In the 1980s, she graduated from Wandering Spirit Survival School, Canada’s first urban Indigenous school, founded by her parents on the principle of ‘Self-Determination through Native Way Education’. A visual artist, chartered herbalist, and Indigenous language curriculum developer, Luana is deeply committed to promoting Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

 

Her work centers on Indigenous language advocacy, women’s holistic health and wellness, the arts, and the revitalization of traditional medicines. A mother of two, she currently resides in the Simcoe County region.

Join the Red Sky Team

Be part of something great! We’re always looking for passionate, talented individuals to grow with us — explore our opportunities today.

ACTORS, MOVERS, PUPPETEERS:

We're casting for a new production for 9 + roles! The production has yet to be cast. We encourage both Indigenous and non-Indigenous performers to apply!

 

WORKSHOP DATES:

TBC February 2025 (actors only)

 

REHEARSAL DATES:

May 5- May 24th, 2025 (full cast)March 9-April 12th, 2026 (full cast)Venue: Roy Thomson Hall, TorontoAuditions: First round by tape

 

TORONTO LOCALS ONLY - OPEN TO UNION AND NON UNION PERFORMERS.

She Holds Up the Stars, is about a mesmerizing journey of a young Indigenous girl who returns home to live on the rez and unexpectedly bonds with a wild horse, cruelly broken by a rancher and his son. Amidst rising tensions, we witness her navigate a challenging world, revealing an inner strength that shapes her connection to home, land, and heart.Sandra Laronde’s debut novel, "She Holds Up the Stars", received the coveted Kirkus Star which marks books of exceptional merit, was named as one of 2022 Best of Canadian Books for Young Adults by CBC Books, won the 2023 Horace Mann Upstander Award, joint winner of 2023 Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Center, and was nominated for the 2024 Manitoba Young People’s Choice Awards.

 

APPLY HERE + LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROLES:

https://sheholdsupthestars.castingcrane.com/

Background Media
Sandra Laronde

Sandra Laronde

Executive & Artistic Director

Sandra has created an extraordinary body of work with collaborators that has led to powerful arts experiences elevating the ecology of arts and culture in this country while strengthening an international presence.

© Copyright 2025 Red Sky Performance