Manitoba’s theater community is deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Ian Ross, a renowned Métis-Ojibway playwright, storyteller, and educator who passed away at the age of 57 on Wednesday. Kelly Thornton, the artistic director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, expressed the profound impact Ross had on numerous individuals, both within the theater community and beyond.
Born in McCreary, Manitoba, in April 1968, Ross later relocated to Winnipeg and obtained a bachelor’s degree in film and theater from the University of Manitoba. His play, “fareWel,” a dark comedy portraying life on a fictional First Nations reserve, premiered at Winnipeg’s Prairie Theatre Exchange in 1996. It garnered national attention in the theater scene and earned Ross the prestigious Governor General’s Award for English Drama in 1997, marking him as the first Indigenous playwright to receive this honor.
The success of “fareWel” led to an invitation for performance at the esteemed Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2001. Ross was also the creative mind behind several other plays, including “The Gap,” “Heart of a Distant Tribe,” “An Illustrated History of the Anishinabe,” and “Baloney,” a production targeting young audiences that tackled themes of poverty. More recently, his play “The Third Colour” debuted at Prairie Theatre Exchange in 2019.
Apart from his theatrical achievements, Ross was recognized for his creation of the character “Joe from Winnipeg,” featured in segments he wrote and performed on CBC Radio and TV during the 1990s. His dedication to supporting and educating other Indigenous playwrights in Manitoba was a source of immense pride for Ross. In 2020, he initiated RMTC’s Pimootayowin Creators Circle program, aiding in the development of new plays by Indigenous artists based in Manitoba, resulting in the production of works by several local Indigenous artists.
Ross, who also shared his expertise in theater at the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba, was known for his light-hearted teaching style infused with humor and laughter. Rosanna Deerchild, a playwright whose work premiered at RMTC through the Pimootayowin Creators Circle, fondly referred to Ross as “Ojibway-wan Kenobi,” drawing parallels to the wise mentor character from the “Star Wars” series.
Kelly Thornton emphasized the importance of continuing Ross’s legacy and vision through the Pimootayowin Creators Circle program. She stressed the significance of Indigenous storytelling and the essential role it plays in sharing narratives on stage. Thornton affirmed the commitment to preserving Ross’s legacy and ensuring that these meaningful stories are shared and celebrated together in the future.