Someday: A Play

by Drew Hayden Taylor

Someday is a powerful new play by award-winning playwright Drew Hayden Taylor. The story in Someday , though told through fictional characters and full of Taylor's distinctive wit and humour, is based on the real-life tragedies suffered by many Native Canadian families. Anne Wabung's daughter was taken away by children's aid workers when the girl was only a toddler. It is Christmastime 35 years later, and Anne's yearning to see her now-grown daughter is stronger than ever. When the family is finally reunited, however, the dreams of neither women are fulfilled. The setting for the play is a fictional Ojibway community, but could be any reserve in Canada, where thousands of Native children were removed from their families in what is known among Native people as the "scoop-up" of the 1950s and 1960s. Someday is an entertaining, humourous, and spirited play that packs an intense emotional wallop.

"One of the 50 Essential Canadian Plays"
-- Toronto Star

Genres: Plays, Drama, Canada, School, Indigenous, Read For School, Fiction

81 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 1993

About the author

During the last thirty years of his life, Drew Hayden Taylor has done many things, most of which he is proud of. An Ojibway from the Curve Lake First Nations in Ontario, he has worn many hats in his literary career, from performing stand-up comedy at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., to being Artistic Director of Canada's premiere Native theatre company, Native Earth Performing Arts. He has been an award-winning playwright (with over 70 productions of his work), a journalist/columnist (appearing regularly in several Canadian newspapers and magazines), short-story writer, novelist, television scriptwriter, and has worked on over 17 documentaries exploring the Native experience. Most notably, he wrote and directed REDSKINS, TRICKSTERS AND PUPPY STEW, a documentary on Native humour for the National Film Board of Canada.

He has traveled to sixteen countries around the world, spreading the gospel of Native literature to the world. Through many of his books, most notably the four volume set of the FUNNY, YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE ONE series, he has tried to educate and inform the world about issues that reflect, celebrate, and interfere in the lives of Canada's First Nations.

Self described as a contemporary story teller in what ever form, last summer saw the production of the third season of MIXED BLESSINGS, a television comedy series he co-created and is the head writer for. This fall, a made-for-tv movie he wrote, based on his Governor General's nominated play was nominated for three Gemini Awards, including Best Movie. Originally it aired on APTN and opened the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, and the Dreamspeakers Film Festival in Edmonton.

The last few years has seen him proudly serve as the Writer-In-Residence at the University of Michigan and the University of Western Ontario. In 2007, Annick Press published his first Novel, THE NIGHT WANDERER: A Native Gothic Novel, a teen novel about an Ojibway vampire. Two years ago, his non-fiction book exploring the world of Native sexuality, called ME SEXY, was published by Douglas & McIntyre. It is a follow up to his highly successful book on Native humour, ME FUNNY.

The author of 20 books in total, he is eagerly awaiting the publication of his new novel in February by Random House as "One of the new faces of fiction for 2010", titled MOTORCYCLES AND SWEETGRASS. In January, his new play, DEAD WHITE WRITER ON THE FLOOR, opens at Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay. Currently, he is working on a new play titled CREES IN THE CARRIBEAN, and a collection of essays called POSTCARDS FROM THE FOUR DIRECTIONS. More importantly, he is desperately trying to find the time to do his laundry.

Oddly enough, the thing his mother is most proud of is his ability to make spaghetti from scratch.

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don’t think Grade 11’s are fully able to appreciate the humour or execution, given that it feels outdated/ hard to connect with, and it certainly doesn’t help that this isn’t translated well on paper (likely needs to be acted out to appreciate it, though there’s no production of it that I’ve come across). But it deals with a difficult topic on the 60’s Scoop and abandonment/ generational trauma, I just wish it got to the point more in some areas and offered more attention to others. I’ve heard Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth is far superior, so I’m excited to read that!

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Amrutha Subbukrishna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A drama that explores the "trauma" of the 60's scoop in Canada. It is about the mother who is lost in the past waiting for her baby to come back, a sister who feels alienated within the family because she feels like she is cosntantly in the shadow of a long-lost sister and a woman in the midst of an identity crisis. Grace, who was taken away from Anne when she was a seven month old baby has found her birth family again. However, she cannot relate to them; she does not fit in leaving Anne disillusioned.

[Lisa the Tech · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in a trilogy (I believe) of plays. I read the third one first, followed by this one. I think I can sum this piece in one sentence. Reality falls short of expectation. The characters had their expectations about each other and reality fell short. Drew Hayden Taylor is not going to lie to us concerning the Great Scoop-up, and after years of living a different life, Janice/Grace cannot turn up at her mother's doorstep and expect/be expected to change upon crossing the threshold. Reality doesn't work that way, and neither does the author.
Migwetch, sir.

[Rachel Nazareth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This play was absolutely excellent. If you want to understand the 60’s scoop you should be reading this trilogy about the Wabung family and their journey.

I still think reading “Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth” first was the best way to read this trilogy because you fall in love with Barb & Janice/Grace.

Reading this play I hated Janice with all my heart. She was so cruel to her mother, Anne - I just don’t understand. Then again to be snatched away from your family - I can’t understand that pain.

But to side with white Canadians over your own Indigenous community? Fuck. That. It’s clear the Children’s Aid society fucked indigenous families with their racist policies.

In 2023 - everyone should be reading this trilogy and trying to understand the further trauma that the Indigenous community have been through.

[Megan McCaffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK/PLAY. once again, my english teacher made us read this but i loved it. it talks about the sixties scoop (once again, a violent attempt of indigenous assimilation into white society perpetuated by the canadian government) and the identity issues faced by indigenous people as a result of this event. as it it a piece of indigenous literature, it was very similar to the author’s experience and general consensus of what the sixties scoop was like for many. i highly recommend for anyone who is interested in reading about indigenous identity issues as a result of the assimilation into white culture/canadian society! it took no more than 6 days for me to read it (but re-read it a lot for some assignments) and taught me a lot more than what schooling has lead me to believe about the treatment of indigenous children during this time period.

[Kaliska Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someday by Drew Hayden Taylor is a play that explores what happened in Canada during the Sixties Scoop. Anne Wabung's daughter Grace was taken away by the children's aid society when she was only 7 months. It is 35 years later and Anne wishes to see her daughter once again. However, when the family is reunited, things do not go as planned. The humor in Someday felt outdated which made it hard to understand sometimes but I liked how the author wasn't afraid to talk about the trauma families went through because of the Sixties Scoop. I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn more about the Indigenous and the Sixties Scoop.

[TaraReadsandWrites · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Someday” is a brilliant piece of writing with strong voice and tone. I appreciate stories that are realistic and don’t have a perfectly tied together ending. I think many of the negative reviews are because the play mirrors reality. In real life, expectations are rarely met and closure is rare. Drew Hayden Taylor illustrates the lasting effects of systematic racism in Canada through the characters and plot without being apologetic or being preachy, making this play accessible to many readers.

[Robert Hudder · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long lost adopted daughter returns to an Indigenous family. Much hilarity ensues.

Or at least some attempt at looking at the differences afforded by different backgrounds. This would crackle on stage.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, just what does happen when ordinary honest people win the lottery big time? Maybe like this play tells us. Can a person really return to roots that have been transplanted?

[Nunu · Rating 5 out of 5]

My dan of emotion just broke free. There is no words left in me when Janice walked away.

Anne is a cute loving mother 🥰 and I love her so much.

[Angie☽ (Taylor’s Version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I read this for class and yes I’m counting it towards my goal ;)

[Majo de la Guardia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read for an English class essay. Don't know yet what the essay will be about.

[priscilla ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a good boookkk read for la, ending made me annoyed with janie

[Amaro Rogel cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

just take the money!!!

[Nicole]

Accidentally read out of order...have already finished the sequel. It was still enjoyable and added context to the 2nd play

[MeToo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, so good! Like this play book. It goes deep so far into the missing daughter "Grace," I like the personalities of the main characters in the story. This play seems interesting, excited to see how it goes.

This was a good play book!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and amusing, I found the pace too swift and the ending abrupt. There was so much more that could have been explored, and potential in all of the characters that was not plumbed. It seemed as though the plot development and character development were choppy and stalled when they served the purposes of getting the characters into the positions of particular interactions that Taylor wanted to explore, but were then never resolved or fulfilled (especially bits like the lottery win, so pivotal to the opening of the piece). In particular, Anne's seeming willingness to accept the choices made by other characters at the end of the play seems out of character with the passion of her earlier emotional responses.

As an educator who works in the North with many First Nations students, I see potential for utilizing this as a piece I could use in the classroom with a wide variety of kids. The language is accessible, as is the humour. Certainly, many of the unexplored depths of character motivation, the nuances of interaction and power dynamics would be discussion points in the drama or language arts classroom. I could particularly see the value in working with this piece for point-of-view and "What Might Happen Next?" type exercises with students.

There are some great one liners, and as a seasonal (Christmas) play, it offers a different view of the holidays - the expectations we often have a perfect family doing perfect things in perfect harmony - than is often the case, which also opens some avenues for critical thinking and purposeful discussion. Many Canadian students, perhaps especially those of First Nations decent, will be able to see themselves or family members, in this story. This play can also serve to open the door to discussions around briefly mentioned historical events and important people in Canadian First Nations history: Oka, the Meech Lake Accords, the service of First Nations peoples in the Canadian military, citizenship rights and the enfranchisement of First Nations peoples in Canada, Elijah Harper.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me, but it was enjoyable to revisit.  I liked the characters and the ways they interacted with each other.  The complicated emotions that they were feeling came across quite clearly in the story, and it was understandable why things were so hard for them to cope with.  I liked how it addressed the Sixties Scoop, and the complicated way that family was depicted.  I also appreciated the inclusion of humour to lighten the mood.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know because this play is real some time but I think it true

[Andrea Robyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

"This is no time for love talk" justifies my writing. I like the message but it's crammed into the last few pages while the rest is just shit

[Serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

had to read this last week for school

[ʚ safa ɞ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read it for school lol