Frozen River (nîkwatin sîpiy) is a three-act play that explores colonization and reconciliation over seven generations through the friendship story of two eleven-year-old girls, one Swampy Cree and one Scottish, who are born under the same blood moon. The play is narrated by Grandmother Moon, who follows their friendship and that of their descendants. This is an exploration of the differences between their cultures, the openness and understanding that are needed to truly understand and appreciate those differences, and the importance of mending broken promises.

Throughout the play, many cultural practices and traditions of the Swampy Cree are shared, as well as their language. The book includes a set of language notes for readers that provide both definitions and phonetic pronunciations. Frozen River (nîkwatin sîpiy) was awarded the 2021 Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People Award by The Playwrights Guild of Canada.

Other End Matter: Language notes
Images: None
Contributor Affiliation: Michaela Washburn (Cree-Métis), Joelle Peters (Anishinaabe (Ojibwe)), Carrie Costello
Bibliography: No
Index: No

Evaluator: Anna A., High School Teacher & Indigenous Education Teacher Mentor, Indigenous Books for Schools

Michaela Washburn hails from Alberta and is a proud Métis artist of Cree, French, Irish, and English ancestry. Now based in North Bay, Ontario, she feels blessed to be grounded in ceremony and community-based arts in her work with Aanmitaagzi and Big Medicine Studio. An award-winning actor and writer, Washburn also has multiple award nominations, including the 2023 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize, the Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Award (2021 and 2018), and the K.M. Hunter Artist Award for Theatre (2011). A published poet, Michaela’s performance and written work has been shared internationally at festivals and theatres in Wales, Aruba, and across Canada and the United States. Her practice spans theatre, film, television, writing, spoken word, clown, improvisation, hosting, workshop facilitation, and stand-up. Michaela is honoured to be continuing to serve as an Associate Artist with the Stratford Festival.

Michaela Washburn's profile page

Joelle Peters is an award-winning Indigenous (Anishinaabe) actor/playwright working in theatre, television, and film and current Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts. Her plays include Niizh, Frozen River (co-written with Michaela Washburn and Carrie Costello), and do you remember? Joelle has performed at theatres and festivals across the country, including the Stratford Festival, SummerWorks, the Thousand Islands Playhouse, Western Canada Theatre, and more. She can be seen in the hit TV show Shoresy (Crave/Hulu), the film In Her City (Raven West Films Ltd.), and Web of Lies (Discovery+). Joelle has also narrated two audiobooks with Penguin Random House Canada.In 2020, Joelle was selected as the playwriting protege for the Siminovitch Prize by laureate Tara Beagan. In 2021, Frozen River was awarded the Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People Award at the annual Tom Hendry Awards. In 2023, the premiere production of Niizh was nominated for four Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Keep up with Joelle at joellepeters.ca and on Instagram: @joellepeters.jpg.

Joelle Peters' profile page

Carrie Costello has adapted seven children’s books into plays for various ages, including The Paper Bag Princess, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Snail and the Whale, and There’s a Mouse in my House. The latter was produced by Carousel Players in 2009 and 2010. Carrie’s next play, Water Under the Bridge, was her first historically inspired work, which she co-wrote with Michaela Washburn. This play was produced in 2012 and toured for two years across three provinces. Torn Through Time, co-written with Frances Koncan and Cherissa Richards, was produced by Manitoba Theatre for Young People in 2019. Carrie lives in Winnipeg.

Carrie Costello's profile page

• Winner, Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People Award

"The show’s script cleverly makes important issues digestible for young audiences."

Van City Vince