Monique Mojica ( Kuna and

Rappahannock Rappahannock may refer to: Education *Rappahannock Academy & Military Institute (1813–1873), a school in Caroline County, Virginia *Rappahannock Community College, a two-year college located in Glenns and Warsaw, Virginia *Rappahannock County ...

) is a playwright, director, and actor based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was born in New York City, but came to Canada as founding member of Native Earth Performing Arts. She has appeared in several films and plays, including ''

Smoke Signals The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication. It is a form of visual communication used over a long distance. In general smoke signals are used to transmit news, signal danger, or to gather people to a common area ...

'' in 1998, and her own stage play '' Princess Pocahontas and the Blue Spots''.

Biography

Mojica comes from a long line of theatre practitioners. Her mother, Gloria Miguel, and aunts Muriel Miguel and Lisa Mayo (born Elizabeth Miguel) are the founders of Spiderwoman Theater. Mojica began training in acting and theatre at the age of three and follows many of the traditions of storytelling and theatre creating seen in Spiderwoman's works. She is also of Jewish ancestry. Jewish–Indigenous hybridity is one of the themes of both

David Treuer David Treuer (born 1970) (Ojibwe) is an American writer, critic and academic. As of 2019, he had published seven books; his work published in 2006 was noted as among the best of the year by several major publications. He published a book of essays ...

’s and Mojica's work.

Career

Her most famous plays include ''Princess Pocahontas and the Blue Spots'', ''Birdwoman and the Suffragettes'', and ''Chocolate Woman Dreams the Milkyway''. She has collaborated with Floyd Favel on research and theatre projects that focus on Native performance culture. From 1983 to 1985 she was artistic director of Native Earth Performing Arts, which is Canada's oldest professional Indigenous theatre company. She is currently the artistic director of Chocolate Woman Collective. Along with Jani Lauzon and Michelle St. John, Mojica co-founded Turtle Gals Performance Ensemble which produced the plays ''The Scrubbing Project'' and ''The Tripple Truth''. Mojica is co-editor of ''Staging Coyote's Dream: An Anthology of First Nations Drama in English'' with Ric Knowles. She has been nominated for best supporting actress by Native Americans in the Arts for her role in ''Smoke Signals''. In 2019, Mojica was involved with the launch of Canada's National Arts Centre's Indigenous Theatre. She performed in their first show, ''The Unnatural and Accidental Women'' by Metis-Dene playwright Marie Clements.

Filmography

* ''

Rabbit Fall ''Rabbit Fall'' is a Canadian television supernatural drama series, which aired on Space, APTN and Saskatchewan Communications Network. The series stars Andrea Menard as Tara Wheaton, a police officer of Métis descent who takes a job in Rabbit ...

'' (2007) * '' The Perfect Man'' (2005) * ''

Sonny by Dawn Sonny is a common nickname and occasional given name. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in N ...

'' (2005) * ''

Queer as Folk ''Queer as Folk'' may refer to: * ''Queer as Folk'' (British TV series), 1999–2000 * ''Queer as Folk'' (American TV series), a 2000–2005 American and Canadian version of the UK series ** ''Queer as Folk'' soundtracks, soundtrack albums from ...

'' (2003) * ''

The Outer Limits ''The Outer Limits'' or ''Outer Limits'' may refer to: Television * ''The Outer Limits'' (1963 TV series), a black-and-white science fiction series that aired from 1963 to 1965 * ''The Outer Limits'' (1995 TV series), a revival of the older series ...

'' (2001) * '' The Misadventures of Tron Bonne'' - Police Captain * ''

La Femme Nikita La Femme Nikita may refer to: * ''La Femme Nikita'' (film), a 1990 French action film by Luc Besson, originally named "Nikita" * ''La Femme Nikita'' (TV series), a 1997–2001 TV series based on the film, also called "Nikita" * ''Nikita'' (TV se ...

'' (1999) * ''

'' (1998) * '' Earth: Final Conflict'' (1997) * '' PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal'' (1996) * '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues'' (1996) * '' The Rez'' (1996) * '' Street Legal'' (1991-1992) * '' Night Heat'' (1987) * '' The Campbells'' (1986)

Theatre appearances

* '' The Rez Sisters'' (Native Earth) * ''Red River'' (Crow's Theatre) * ''The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God'' ( Nightwood Theare/

Obsidian Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...

/ Mirvish) * ''Home is My Road'' (Factory Theatre) * ''Death of a Chief'' (Native Earth/ NAC) * ''The Governor of the Dew'' (Globe Theatre/NAC) * ''Jessica'' ( TPM) *''Honour Beat'' ( Theatre Calgary) *''Side Show Freaks and Circus Injuns'' - co-created by Mojica with LeAnne Howe and Jorge Luis Morejón

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mojica, Monique Canadian women dramatists and playwrights Living people First Nations dramatists and playwrights Canadian theatre directors Kuna people First Nations women writers 20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 21st-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Canadian women writers 21st-century Canadian women writers 21st-century First Nations writers Canadian artistic directors Year of birth missing (living people)