Wildside

HUSH

Created, performed, written & co-directed by Sylvia Cloutier
Co-directed & designed by Clea Minaker

“How were we once the strongest survivors in the world to a people now facing the highest suicide rate among our Inuit youth?” – Sylvia Cloutier

"Wildside is an opportunity for some of Montreal's most talented and adventurous artists to deepen their exploration and work."
Rose Plotek, Wildside Curator

About

“HUSH is a response to how I feel about the suicide crisis in my hometown Kuujjuaq, Quebec. A suicide rate twelve times higher than the National average made no sense to me until I asked myself: How did we go from once being the strongest survivors in the world with no outside help, to facing the greatest loss of our young people to suicide in the world? This is the question that drove me to create the play HUSH and to explore how a community is impacted by the loss of someone to suicide.” – Sylvia Cloutier

Above banner image by Clea Minaker. Photos below by Laurence Plouffe.

Cast

Sylvia Cloutier
Creator, performer, writer & co-director
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Sylvia Cloutier

Sylvia Cloutier is an actor, musician, playwright, television and theatre producer, director, motivational speaker and mother from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), currently residing in Montreal. During her more than twenty-five year career in the performing arts, she has shared the stage with musicians and ensembles such as Tafelmusik, the National Art Center Symphony Orchestra; co-founded Aqsarniit, the Inuit performing arts company promoting Inuit culture; and was Artistic Director of Qaggiq Theatre Company (2004-2009), among other accolades. A highly sought after director and producer for both stage and screen, Cloutier has produced six Inuktitut television shows and numerous high-level events and concerts. In 2009 she was named “Woman of the Year” by Pauktutiit, the national Inuit women’s organization, and in 2013 she received an award for “Outstanding Young Woman of the Year” from Qullit Nunavut Women’s organization.

Clea Minaker
Co-director, Designer
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Clea Minaker

Clea Minaker trained at L’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts de la Marionnette in France (2002-2005). She has collaborated with Feist (The Reminder Tour), Kid Koala, Atom Egoyan, So-called and others, and created ‘carte blanche’ for the N.A.C Orchestra,The Banff Centre for the Arts, If! Istanbul, and Festival Casteliers. In 2013 she created The Book of Thel, a solo presented at La Chapelle Scènes Contemporaines. In 2009, Siminovitch Laureate Ronnie Burkett awarded Clea with the Protégé Prize. Clea has worked as a visual designer, director, and coach for many and has taught at Concordia University, Université du Quebec à Montréal, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, the National Theatre School of Canada, and Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal.

Creative Team

Sylvia Cloutier - Co-director, Playwright, Performer
Clea Minaker - Co-director, Designer
Flavia Hevia - Lighting Designer
Mina Maina Tukai - Artist & Design Apprentice

Photos

A hunter scene of an inuk performer plays a hunter who hunts on the sea ice under the moonlight.

About Wildside

This year, Wildside includes two weeks of performances in collaboration with La Chappelle Scenes Contemporaines and the long-awaited performance of HUSH – originally scheduled in last year’s festival that was cancelled.

Wildside Residencies @ Centaur

Centaur offered a residency to 2022 Wildside Artists in preparation to their encounter with an audience, a vital step in the development of new work.

Content advisory

The Wildside Festival celebrates work which takes risks in a variety of ways that are meant to surprise and provoke the audience. We believe that is an important aspect of the Festival. That said, the content of this year’s line up contains very mature imagery, stage craft and subject matter. If you are concerned that this may be a challenge for you and want more information on the specifics please contact our Box Office and we will be happy to discuss the nature of the work with you.