Tom Rokeby (he/him)

How did you get involved in RTS?

I guess I’ve been here from the beginning. I wanted to honour reconciliation in my little part of the world, live theatre, by attempting to decolonize my own practice and hopefully undo some of the legacy of the Indian Act on performing arts and and theatres in Canada.

After twenty years teaching high school drama in Harewood, I knew a bunch of incredibly talented and committed actors and crew, both settler and Indigenous, who were the perfect participants for a play-reading circle focused on Indigenous playwrights.

The circle began in 2018, in response to the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report, persisted through Covid, and when live events returned the community we gathered was ready to produce the scripts we had been reading.

How long have you been in theatre/performing/on stage?

My first theatre experience was in grade 11 thanks to the local theatre icon Roger Desprez. He was a science teacher at NDSS who happened to be directing MacBeth, and I was a grade 12 kid in the hall with long hair. I was cast as “Messenger” and “Murderer #3” in NTG’s production and never looked back. He gave a young fellow more than a couple of parts. He gave me direction, a passion and a purpose. Eternally grateful.

What is your favourite pre-show habit?

Stretching and script-reading. I never stop reading my script until closing night. However, I worry that my fellow-actors think I’m still trying to get off-book. lol

Why should someone come out and support RTS/Women of the Fur Trade?

People should come see “Women of the Fur Trade” because it is hilarious! Frances Koncan may be recentring women’s story, but she does it with a sass and satirical sense of humour that will keep you laughing.

It is a talented and energetic young cast, all of whom have performed at this level before with a variety of Mid-Island theatre companies. I’m the old guy around here...the overwhelming majority of our board of directors, artists, and crew are under the age of 35. Perhaps its the high school teacher in me, but I find it inspiring to watch the next generation of theatre artists come of age on Vancouver Island’s stages, and that alone is a great reason to support Reconciliation Theatre Society.