Alaska

Ishmael Hope (Tlingit) writes about why we need to support Native playwrights.

Actor and former Naa Kahidi Theatre ensemble member Allan Hayton(Gwich’in) reflects on the history of the company and how theatre can be used as a tool for community building and healing.

Playwright Lucas Rowley (Inupiaq) reflects on navigating expectations of Western theatre while also balancing his Inupiaq traditions and community responsibilities.

Vera Starbard (Tlingit/Dena’ina) introduces the series on Alaskan theatre through the lens of Alaska Native performance and storytelling.

Playwright Jaisey Bates urges us to include Native communities and artists in the work to combat climate change and in the work we put on stage.

Art Rotch, Executive Artistic Director of Perseverance Theatre and playwright-in-residence Vera Starbard discuss their participation in the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s National Playwright Residency Program.

Playwright Sharmon Hilfinger discusses how she developed Artic Requiem: The Story of Kivalina with composer Joan McMillen.

Perseverance Theatre has a long history of creating new work. A great deal of that new work embodies one of Perseverance’s core values: regional voice. In 35 years, Perseverance Theatre has premiered close to 70 new works. Two of the challenges of creating this work are the distance and isolation of being located in Alaska. These also serve as great opportunities to be unique in perspective and specific in terms of the type of work we do. This article is part of a series of four articles on Creative Placemaking publishing in conjunction with the 2014 ArtPlace America Grantee Summit. The Summit will livestream Mon, March 3 to Wed, March 5 on HowlRound.TV. In Twitter, use #ArtPlace to participate in the conversation. View the full series, schedule, and archive here: http://bit.ly/artplace2014.