In Spirit

Twelve-year-old Molly was riding her new bicycle on a deserted road when a man in a truck pulled up next to her, saying he was lost. He asked if she could get in and help him back to the highway, and said he could bring her back to her bike after. Molly declined, out of interest for her own safety. The next things Molly remembers are dirt, branches, trees, pain, and darkness.

Molly is now a spirit.

Mustering up some courage, she pieces together her short life for herself and her family while she reassembles her bicycle—the same one that was found thrown into the trees on the side of the road. Juxtaposed with flashes of news, sounds, and videos, Molly’s chilling tale becomes more and more vivid, challenging humanity not to forget her presence and importance.

In an intimate, loving approach to the tragic subject of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the acclaimed author of Dreary and Izzy shines a light on the haunting tale of a preteen’s last moments.

AUTHOR

Tara Beagan

Tara Beagan is a proud halfbreed of Ntlaka’pamux and Irish Canadian heritage. She is Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts. Her debut play, Thy Neighbour’s Wife garnered three Dora Award nominations in ’05, winning for Best New Play. Ensuing plays include Dreary and Izzy, The Fort at York, for which she was head writer and co-director, and Miss Julie: Sheh’mah, which earned five ’09 Dora nominations. Short plays include Quilchena, Here, Boy!, Foundlings, BLUEBEARD’S WI7E, TransCanada, and Anatomy of an Indian. She was playwright-in-residence at the National Arts Centre in 2011, at NEPA in 2009/2010, and at Cahoots in 2007/2008. As well as a mentor for emerging theatre artists, Tara has written for film and radio, and is a Dora- and Betty-nominated actor.

Reviews

“In Spirit, though perfectly straightforward, packs a cumulative emotional wallop, asking viewers simply to care about the loss of a precious life.”

“In Spirit is a very touching piece, not only for the content, but also because of how we were transported into this little girl’s world… It is a refreshing change to see a play tackle a societal defect without hate and guilt. Through love and empathy it reminds us of the missing women and the horrors that are still taking place in our county.”

“Tara Beagan’s In Spirit distills the tragic disappearance of hundreds of native women along BC’s Highway of Tears into a powerful theatrical experience.”