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Vera Starbard

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Vera Starbard in 2018

Vera Starbard (born 1982) is a Tlingit/Dena'ina television writer, author, playwright, and editor based in Douglas, Alaska, and current Alaska State Writer Laureate.

After premiering her first play, "Our Voices Will Be Heard," at Perseverance Theatre in 2016, she was named Playwright-in-Residence at Perseverance Theatre through the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright Residency Program.[1][2]

Vera began editing and writing as a journalist straight out of high school. She was editor of First Alaskans Magazine, a publication highlighting Alaska Native people, culture, and news, for ten years.

As a television writer Vera has written numerous episodes of the Molly of Denali animated children's program airing on PBS KIDS[3] and was nominated for three Emmy Awards for her work on the show.[4][5] Vera was on the writing staff of ABC's show Alaska Daily. Vera was appointed Alaska State Writer Laureate in 2024, a two-year appointment.[6]

Recognition

[edit]
  • Alaska State Writer Laureate[6]
  • Emmy Nominations, Childrens and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animation Program, 2022 and 2023, and for Best Short Form Program as Co-Head Writer in 2023[4][5]
  • Governor's Arts and Humanities Awards, 2021 Alaska Native Artist[7]
  • First Alaskans Institute Young Alaska Native Leader Award[8]
  • Peabody Award (as group for Molly of Denali writing)[9]
  • Mayor's Artist Award, Juneau, 2016[10]
  • Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Award in 2009[11]
  • Alaska Literary Award[12]
  • She received a New York Stage And Film NEXUS grant in 2021[13]

Plays

[edit]
  • Native Pride (and Prejudice)
  • Fog Woman[14]
  • Our Voices Will Be Heard performed 2016; published 2017; radio adaptation broadcast 2018[15][16][17]
  • Devilfish (2019)[18]
  • A Tlingit Christmas Carol (2020)[19]
  • Yan Tutan (2022)[20]

Television Episodes

[edit]

Molly of Denali aired on PBS Kids:[21]

[edit]
  • "New Nivagi"", aired August, 19 2019
  • "Turn on the Northern Lights", aired October 7, 2019
  • "Canoe Journey", aired May 29, 2020
  • "Eagle Tale", aired December 9, 2020
  • "Molly and Elizabeth," aired November 1, 2021
  • "Fili-bascan Chefs," aired March 17, 2022
  • "Midnight Sun Fun Run," aired July 21, 2022
  • "Gold Strikeout," aired January 16, 2023
  • "Forget-You-Not," aired March 20, 2023
  • "A Song for Lola," aired March 22, 2023
  • "A Qyah Juneteenth," aired June 17, 2024
  • "Thanks-for-Giving," aired November 4, 2024

Alaska Daily aired on ABC:[22]

[edit]
  • "Most Reckless Thing I've Ever Done", aired March 30, 2023

SuperKitties aired on Disney Junior:[23]

[edit]
  • "Snow Day" aired on February 3, 2023
  • "Showstopper" aired on June 2, 2023
  • "Dastardly Dumpster" aired on June 21, 2024

Additional Published Works

[edit]
  • "Primitive" essay in "My Life: Growing Up Native in America" anthology, 2024[24]
  • "Ax X’oos Shaxwatíx: My feet are firmly planted" essay in "Applied Theatre with Youth: Education, Engagement, Activism" textbook, 2021[25]
  • "Our Voices Will Be Heard" full-length play in "Contemporary Plays by Women of Color, 2nd Edition" textbook, 2018[26]

Personal Life

[edit]

Vera's Lingit name is T'set Kwei, her clan is Leeneidi (dog salmon,) and she's a citizen of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. She was born in Craig, Alaska, was raised in numerous communities around the state of Alaska,[6] and graduated from East Anchorage High School in 2000.

Vera met her husband Joseph "Joe" Bedard in 2011 through an introduction from actress Irene Bedard, Joe's sister. They married in Anchorage, Alaska, and live in Douglas, Alaska.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (5 April 2016). "The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and HowlRound Announce $5.58 Million in Grants through the National Playwright Residency Program". The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Alaska Native playwright Vera Starbard wins three-year writing residency". Juneau Empire. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  3. ^ Hohenstatt, Ben (9 August 2019). "'Molly of Denali' drums up fun, cultural pride". Peninsula Clarion. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b Larson, Clarise (2022-11-22). "'You can do these things': Emmy-nominated Juneau writers hope 'Molly of Denali' success opens door for more Indigenous voices". Juneau Empire. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  5. ^ a b "2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards", Wikipedia, 2024-10-10, retrieved 2024-10-20
  6. ^ a b c d Baxter, Adelyn; KTOO, Adelyn Baxter (2024-10-19). "Juneau's Vera Starbard named next Alaska State Writer Laureate". KTOO. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  7. ^ alaskabusiness (2022-01-11). "2021 Governor's Arts and Humanities Awards Recognize Nine Alaskans". Alaska Business Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-20. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ Pool, Press (2022-10-31). "Announcing the 2022 awardees of the First Alaskans Institute Howard Rock and Ted Stevens Smokehouse Gala". ICT News. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  9. ^ Anchorage, Tripp J. Crouse, KNBA- (2020-06-14). "Children's program 'Molly of Denali' wins Peabody award". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved 2024-10-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "Meet this year's winners of the Mayor's Awards for the Arts". Juneau Empire. 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  11. ^ Foundation, Rasmuson (2023-05-11). "All Years Awardees | Rasmuson Foundation". rasmuson.org. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  12. ^ "Vera Starbard (Tlingit/Dena'ina)". HowlRound Theatre Commons.
  13. ^ BWW News Desk. "New York Stage and Film Announces NEXUS Initiative Artist Grants". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Vera Starbard | New Play Exchange". newplayexchange.org. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  15. ^ Kirsch, Geoff. "Raising Voices". The Anchorage Press. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Our Voices Will Be Heard". KBOO. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  17. ^ Uno, Roberta, ed. (2018). Contemporary plays by women of color: an anthology (Second ed.). London: Routledge. ISBN 9781138189461.
  18. ^ Hohenstatt, Ben (26 September 2019). "Theater Review: 'Devilfish' is a hell of a play". Juneau Empire. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  19. ^ Crouse, Tripp J.; Anchorage, KNBA- (8 December 2020). "Alaska Indigenous theater production transforms classic holiday tale in 'Tlingit Christmas Carol'". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  20. ^ "38th Marathon of One-Act Plays". Ensemble Studio Theatre. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  21. ^ Molly of Denali (Animation, Action, Adventure), Sovereign Bill, Vienna Leacock, Lorne Cardinal, WGBH, 2019-07-15, retrieved 2024-10-20{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. ^ Alaska Daily (Drama), Hilary Swank, Jeff Perry, Grace Dove, Slow Pony, Co-Lab 21, 20th Television, 2022-10-06, retrieved 2024-10-20{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  23. ^ Superkitties (Animation, Short, Action), Emma Berman, Pyper Braun, Cruz Flateau, Sony Pictures Television, Disney Junior, Silvergate Media, 2023-01-11, retrieved 2024-10-20{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  24. ^ My Life: Growing Up Native in America. 2024-10-01. ISBN 978-1-6680-2170-5.
  25. ^ "Applied Theatre with Youth: Education, Engagement, Activism". Routledge & CRC Press. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  26. ^ "Contemporary Plays by Women of Color: An Anthology". Routledge & CRC Press. Retrieved 2024-10-20.

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