Frances Koncan (born 1986) is an Saulteaux- Slovene journalist, theatre director, and playwright from Couchiching First Nation who lives in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

. As of 2023, Koncan uses she/they pronouns.

Early life and education

Koncan was born in May 1986 in Couchiching First Nation. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1877, it is the first university of Western Canada. Both by total student enrolment and campus area, the University of ...

and a master's degree in fine arts in playwriting from Brooklyn College of the

City University of New York The City University of New York (CUNY, pronounced , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven ...

Career

Koncan is currently an assistant professor at the School of Creative Writing at the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...

. She wrote the play '' Women of the Fur Trade,'' '' zahgidiwin/love,'' ''Flesh-Coloured Crayons'', and ''Space Girl''. Koncan has also worked as assistant director on ''Seminar'' (for the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre/ Mirvish Productions), '' The Humans'','' and A Doll's House, Part 2'' (RMTC), and ''Stripped Down Anthony & Cleopatra'' (Shakespeare in the Ruins).'''' In addition, Koncan worked as an arts reporter for the '' Winnipeg Free Press'' from 2019 to 2022. She was the Artistic Director of Sarasvati Productions from 2020-2021. They obtained the Writer-in-Residence position at the Winnipeg Public Library from 2022-2023. They are currently an Assistant Professor at the

in the School of Creative Writing teaching playwriting.

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

Works

Television

*''That’s AWSM!''

Theatre

*''Trendsettlers'' *'' Women of the Fur Trade'' *''Riot Resist Revolt Repeat'' *'' zahgidiwin/love'' (2016 Harry Rintoul Award winner) *''How to Talk to Human Beings'' *''The Dance-off of Conscious Uncoupling'' (2015 Tom Hendry Award for Best New Comedy) *''Little Red'' *''Flesh-Coloured Crayons'' *''Space Girl''

Film

*''Outdigenous''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koncan, Frances 1986 births Living people 21st-century Canadian women writers 21st-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 21st-century First Nations writers 21st-century Canadian journalists Canadian theatre directors Canadian women theatre directors University of Manitoba alumni Brooklyn College alumni First Nations journalists First Nations women writers Canadian women film directors Film directors from Ontario Saulteaux people People from Rainy River District Canadian women dramatists and playwrights Writers from Winnipeg Film directors from Winnipeg 21st-century Canadian women journalists