Michelle Thrush, who is Cree with French and Scottish intermingled, was born and raised in Mohkinstis, also known as Calgary, Alberta. She is the recently appointed Artistic Director of Making Treaty 7 Cultural Society as well as a founding member, past director, and actor of this theatre company which began in 2012. She is best known for her film work and for her leading role as Gail Stoney in BLACKSTONE. In 2011 she won the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role. Michelle has been an actor writer and director in film, television and theatre for over 30 years. She believes that it is through the arts we are able to shine light into places that help us heal as Indigenous peoples. She is invested in how the arts can build bridges and bring voices together. “It is hugely important, as the Artistic Director, to create a safe place for artists to be vulnerable and to become a community to each other. Using an Indigenous-led process will always be the strength of what makes MT7 so successful.” 

Michelle has spent the last few years touring with her highly successful newest solo show Inner Elder. A comedy about the challenges of growing up as a brown girl, with alcoholic parents in a city of white privilege. Her 2020 tour of this award winning show was meant to open at the National Arts Centre as part of their Indigenous programming season but was cancelled due to Covid. 

Besides working many years in the film industry Michelle is best known for her work in community across Canada with youth and children, which is her greatest passion. She created characters such as “Majica”, the Indigenous Healing Clown, and “Kookum Martha”, a sprite old Indian Elder which she takes to reserves to explores healing through performance and laughter. She continues to write, direct, and produce theatre, and has played many leading roles on stage across Canada. Her most important production to date is her two beautiful daughters which Michelle admits was a co-production.

Photo by Nadya Kwandibens.

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