Frances Koncan

Frances Koncan
Born	1986[1] Couchiching First Nation
Nationality	Couchiching First Nation, Canadian
Education	University of Manitoba (BA), Brooklyn College (MFA)
Occupation(s)	journalist, playwright, director
Notable work	Women of the Fur Trade Zahgidiwin/love

Frances Koncan (born 1986) is an Saulteaux-Slovene journalist, theatre director, and playwright from Couchiching First Nation who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As of 2023, Koncan uses she/they pronouns.^[2]

Her play The Dance-off of Conscious Uncoupling received the 2015 Tom Hendry Award for Best New Comedy.

Early life and education

Koncan was born in May 1986 in Couchiching First Nation.^[1][3]

She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Manitoba and a master's degree in fine arts in playwriting from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.^[3]

Career

Koncan is currently an Assistant Professor at the School of Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.^[2]

She wrote the play Women of the Fur Trade,^[4] zahgidiwin/love,^[5] Flesh-Coloured Crayons,^[6] and Space Girl.^[7]

Koncan has also worked as assistant director on Seminar (for the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre/Mirvish Productions),^[3] The Humans, and A Doll's House, Part 2 (RMTC), and Stripped Down Anthony & Cleopatra (Shakespeare in the Ruins).^[3]

In addition, Koncan worked as an arts reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press from 2019 to 2022.^[3][8] They left the role and obtained the Writer-in-Residence position at the Winnipeg Public Library from 2022-2023.^[9]

Awards and honors

Koncan's theatrical work has won the REVEAL Indigenous Arts Award, the Winnipeg Arts Council's 2017 RBC On the Rise Award, and got her shortlisted for the Tarragon Emerging Playwrights Award.^[1]

Works

Television

• That’s AWSM!^[3]

Theatre

• Trendsettlers^[3]
• Women of the Fur Trade^[10][11]
• Riot Resist Revolt Repeat^[3]
• zahgidiwin/love^[4][5] (2016 Harry Rintoul Award winner)^[1]
• How to Talk to Human Beings^[3]
• The Dance-off of Conscious Uncoupling^[3][1] (2015 Tom Hendry Award for Best New Comedy)^[1]
• Little Red^[3]
• Flesh-Coloured Crayons^[4][6]
• Space Girl^[12]

Film

• Outdigenous^[3]

References

1. "Reconciliation leader, astronomy educator round out 2nd group of Future 40 finalists". CBC. Oct 31, 2017.
2. "Frances Koncan". University of British Columbia - Creative Writing. University of British Columbia. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
3. "Frances Koncan – Winnipeg Free Press". Retrieved 2022-08-06.
4. Hasselriis, Kaj (22 July 2016). "#FringeSoWhite: Why aren't there more Indigenous people and people of colour in the Fringe Festival?". CBC.
5. Dempsey, Shawna (14 July 2016). "zahgidiwin/love (review)". CBC.
6. Dempsey, Shawna (14 July 2016). "Flesh-Coloured Crayons (review)". CBC.
7. "Space Girl by Frances Koncan - Digital | Upcoming Events | Tourism Winnipeg". www.tourismwinnipeg.com. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
8. "Frances Koncan". University of British Columbia - Creative Writing. University of British Columbia. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
9. "Winnipeg Public Library Writer-in-Residence". Winnipeg Public Library. Winnipeg Public Library. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
10. Stranger, Darrell (2020-03-02). "Life, love and Louis Riel: New play Women of the Fur Trade opens in Winnipeg". APTN News. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
11. Cram, Stephanie (28 Feb 2020). "History, humour and a dash of Keanu Reeves: Women of the Fur Trade a fun, clever look at Red River Resistance". CBC.
12. Updates, Ben Waldman Posted: Last Modified: | (2023-03-15). "PTE's new play does a mind meld on social media, TV, film and the internet". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2024-02-18.