Kainai playwright and social worker Terry Ivins wrote a play called ‘Time Stands Still’ and it’s heading back to stage in Calgary Nov. 18th. It is about two Blackfoot friends serving 5-10 years in federal prison for armed robbery. The play is set during their first-year anniversary in prison together.

The artistic director of Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society is Michelle Thrush and she’s also the play’s director.

Thrush says the play has been on stage across Canada since the late 1990s but it hasn’t run recently. She told the board she was interested in resurrecting the play, ‘Time Stands Still.’

She says that Ivins was interested and wanted to include his cousin, Canadian singer-songwriter Corb Lund, who will be performing live music on stage.

Thrush says that she believes that Ivins was inspired to write the play because of high Indigenous incarceration rates.

Thrush says the play is about two prisoners—played by Blackfoot actors Dustin Frank and Garrett Smith—who have different conversations on stage.

“They are talking about memories of growing up — you know, tough times, funny things, love, what they’re going to do when they get out, how they make time go by while they’re in, how they screwed up really bad, people back home on the rez. It’s really funny. It’s a funny play and [it] all takes place, sort of, in one night — one night in the prison cell.”

The play runs from Nov. 18-27, 8 p.m. at the Flanagan Theatre at the Grand in Calgary, with no show on Monday. Matinees will show at 2 p.m. on the weekends.

COVID-19 protocols will be in place and attendees will be seated according to their personal bubbles. Proof of complete vaccination will be required.

Further information on tickets  can be found on the Making Treaty 7 website.