Herbie Barnes is known as a dramaturge working to develop a number of great plays and emerging playwrights. Herbie has written for television shows Including Guilt Free Zone, Buffalo Tracks and Tipi Tales (a show that also uses his performing talents as a puppeteer and voice talent).
Throughout his twenty-five year career, Herbie Barnes has played many roles either on stage or in film. Herbie had principal roles in films like Dance Me Outside, Spirit Rider, and Spirit Bear. Television shows that feature him include Guilt Free Zone, Murdoch Mysteries, Tipi Tales and The Rez. Some of Herbie’s best-known stage roles include Elwood P Dowd in Harvey, Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit, Norval Morrisseau in Copper Thunderbird and singing and dancing as a Wikershame Brother in Seussical The Musical. Herbie spent a year in the ensemble cast of the National Arts Centre.
Herbie teaches at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, high schools, private schools, universities, and theatre companies. Herbie’s film direction includes RepREZentin' in Fort Chip and also as a shadow director with The Rez.
Herbie has directed large pieces across North America, including The Music Man (Talk Is Free), Oliver (Bluff City Theatre), The Remember (MTYP), Alice in Wonderland (Bluff City Theatre), and Someday (Native Earth). Smaller shows he has directed include, Such as Tales of an Urban Indian (Public Theatre NYC, Autry Theatre LA), and Dinky (Native Earth).