Samantha Craig/Connector contributor

The Theatre Arts Department presented another installment of the Theater Lives series, as internationally known Ojibwa-Canadian playwright, humorist and author Drew Hayden Taylor came to UMass Lowell to share his knowledge of playwriting. In his time on campus, Taylor gave a lecture on Aboriginal humor Wednesday afternoon, spoke to multiple classes of students and taught a two-part master class on storytelling and playwriting. Over the course of four days, UMass Lowell students and teachers were treated to stories about growing up on a reservation, as well as insight into what it means to have a career as an author and playwright.
In the master class on Friday afternoon, students sat around telling stories about things that happened in their lives. Ryan Perry, a sophomore Theater Arts major, told a very funny story about how he was late to class one day due to getting stuck in the middle of a funeral procession on his way from east to south campus.
Later in the master class, students wrote continuations, preludes or different scenarios of the stories that were shared. Perry wrote about the aftermath of getting stuck in the funeral and the unfortunate events that took place when he was trying to escape without anyone knowing he was there.
After the class Perry said, “it’s amazing how small stories from your everyday life can lead to big success.”
Growing up, Taylor was very interested in the way people told stories. He accredited his “superpower” of storytelling to his family. He said his lullaby at night was the sound of family and friends laughing and sharing stories outside his window late at night.
“To be a great writer, you have to be a great reader,” said Taylor. At a very young age, Taylor’s mother would bring home books about exotic places and adventures.
“All these exotic places and people found their way to this kid on a reserve in Canada… Wouldn’t it be cool if I could take stories from my little reserve and send them all over the world?” said Taylor.  He talked about how he didn’t get much control over his life as a child on a reservation near Peterborough, Canada and how writing was an interesting way of getting to take control over somebody’s life.
“In a non-sacrilegious manner, writing is like being God, you get to create people, places, things, problems, you make people fall in love, hate each other, fight, and create problems and solutions, you get to create your own universe,” Taylor said.
Taylor has had a very successful writing career; his 287th book is set to be released next month and his 28th in October. Taylor writes plays, essays, articles, novels, and short stories. He writes everything from the aboriginal perspective and considers himself a contemporary storyteller. What is the most important thing about writing according to Taylor? “Give yourself permission to laugh,” said Taylor.