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Indigenous, First Nations, Native Theatre

In this section, content focuses on the work of Indigenous, First Nations, and Native theatremakers. Mary Kathryn Nagle’s series Native Voices is a great starting point, as are series specifically focusing on the performance practices of Kānaka Maoli, the Indigenous people of Hawai‘i, and on Alaska Native theatre.

The Latest

The Living Presence of Our History Part IX
Video
The Living Presence of Our History Part IX
A Conversation with Indigenous Screenwriters Regarding Representation on Screen
Sunday 15 October 2023
Massachusetts
Kinship, Solidarity, and Working Towards Everyone’s Survival
Essay
Kinship, Solidarity, and Working Towards Everyone’s Survival
by Mary Amanda McNeil , Samora Pinderhughes, Storme Webber
14 September 2023
On Black and Indigenous Shared Kinship Futures
Essay
On Black and Indigenous Shared Kinship Futures
by Kyle T. Mays, Amber Starks
13 September 2023
a lake surrounded by mountains
What Does the Play Need?
Essay

What Does the Play Need?

Why I Cancelled a Workshop in Favor of a Two-Week Trip Through Rural Alaska

6 May 2019

Playwright Vera Starbard (Tlingit/Dena’ina) reflects on her journey through rural Alaskan Native communities to reawaken the ancestral spirit of her work, Native Pride (and Prejudice).

two actors onstage in costume
At the Core of Theatre for Young Audiences is Voicing Identity, Intersectionality, and Empathy
Essay

At the Core of Theatre for Young Audiences is Voicing Identity, Intersectionality, and Empathy

20 March 2019

Kim Peter Kovac looks at the way the theatre for young audiences field has changed over the last few years, where it’s at today, and what his hopes are for the future.

The promotional image for a production of Battle of Kuamoʻo
Striving for the Summit
Essay

Striving for the Summit

The Mountain Hawaiian Theatre Artists Must Climb

7 March 2019

Ākea Kahikina traces the geneology of hana keaka (Hawaiian theatre), and muses on the future of the theatrical form.

performers dancing
Hawaiʻi’s Theatre Landscape
Essay

Hawaiʻi’s Theatre Landscape

Majestic and Rugged as its Terrain

6 March 2019

Kiki Rivera talks about the importance of telling stories from underrepresented communities in Hawai‘i’s theatrical landscape.

Perfomers on stage in front of a volcano
Carrying On Our Cultural Responsibility Through Theatre
Essay

Carrying On Our Cultural Responsibility Through Theatre

5 March 2019

Kau‘i Kaina writes about combining her love of theatre with her desire to be part of the Hawaiian language and cultural revitalization. 

performer in traditional Hawai'i clothing
Hanakeaka
Essay

Hanakeaka

Hawaiian Medium Theatre Inspiring Hawaiian Identity

4 March 2019

Kaliko Baker looks at how hanakeaka—Hawaiian medium theatre—has had a huge impact in the Hawaiian language revitalization movement.

group of Hawaiian performers singing onstage
I Ola ka Mo‘olelo
Essay

I Ola ka Mo‘olelo

Perpetuating Our Stories Through Hawaiian Medium Theatre

3 March 2019

Playwright and director Tammy Haili‘ōpua Baker talks about the history, practice, and importance of hana keaka—Hawaiian medium theatre.

a group of people on stage
What Indigenous Writers Can Bring to Theatre
Essay

What Indigenous Writers Can Bring to Theatre

22 August 2018

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

actors onstage
Healing Stories from Naa Kahidi Theatre
Essay

Healing Stories from Naa Kahidi Theatre

21 August 2018

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.

two actors onstage
Navigating Western Theatre And Ancient Inupiaq Responsibilities
Essay

Navigating Western Theatre And Ancient Inupiaq Responsibilities

20 August 2018

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

a group of people
Alaska Native Theatre Comes of Age
Essay

Alaska Native Theatre Comes of Age

19 August 2018

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

The Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE) and The Vrystaat Arts Festival
PACE
The Vrysaat Kunstefees Arts festival
Video

The Pan-African Creative Exchange (PACE) and The Vrystaat Arts Festival

Saturday 7 July 2018
Bloemfontain, South Africa

The Vrystaat Arts Festival • Tsa-Botjhaba is an Afrikaans language festival that forges creative connections with English and Sotho cultures. They contribute to the exchange of ideas around arts, culture and society through connections with other national and international creative communities. PACE is a biannual arts market for African artists, developed for national and international presenters and producers, providing the highest quality inter-disciplinary arts (theatre, dance, music, craft, etc) from Africa, to buyers, artists and the general public.

Decolonizing Creation Processes by Reclaiming Narratives/Reclamando Nuestras Narrativas
Essay

Decolonizing Creation Processes by Reclaiming Narratives/Reclamando Nuestras Narrativas

El Giro Decolonial en el Proceso Creativo

28 May 2018

Robert Goodwin and Mary Kathryn Nagle discuss decolonizing Western theatre, linear narrative structures, the historic silencing of underrepresented voices, Shakespeare, and more.

Jean-François Côté: The Revival of Aboriginal Theater Metamorphosis of the Americas
Segal_Centre_Logo
Segal
Center
Video

Jean-François Côté: The Revival of Aboriginal Theater Metamorphosis of the Americas

Monday 26 March 2018
New York, NY, United States

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center presented Jean-François Côté: The Revival of Aboriginal Theater Metamorphosis of the Americas livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 26 March at 6:30 p.m. EDT (New York) / 5:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 3:30 p.m. PDT (San Francisco). Follow @HowlRound on Twitter for updates, and use #howlround.

Keynote Speeches from the IETM Porto Plenary Meeting
IETM Logo.
IETM
Video

Keynote Speeches from the IETM Porto Plenary Meeting

Thursday 26 April 2018
Portugal

IETM - International network for contemporary performing arts presented three keynotes from the IETM Porto Plenary Meeting 2018 livestreamed on the commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 26 April, Friday 27 April, and Saturday 28 April. Share your impressions and join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #IETMPorto.

Performance of A Tale of Two Tricksters
PRTT
Alaska Native Heritage Center
Video

Performance of A Tale of Two Tricksters

Pregones Theater

Saturday, April 14, 2018
The Bronx, NY & Anchorage, Alaska, United States

The fifth season of Artspace’s Art Bridge program culminated in Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater and Alaska Native Heritage Center presenting an experimental workshop performance of A Tale of Two Tricksters, livestreamed from the The Bronx in New York City and Anchorage, Alaska on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv. Tune in Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 8 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4) / 7 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -3) / 5 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles, UTC -7) / 4 p.m. AKDT (Anchorage, UTC -8).

Panel "Responsibility to Represent"
Video

Panel "Responsibility to Represent"

Monday 9 April 2018
Portland, OR, United States

Artists Repertory Theatre, NAYA, and Native Arts & Cultures Foundation in Portland, Oregon presented the panel discussion “Responsibility to Represent: What is the artists responsibility to their community and how does it inspire/empower future generations of indigenous artists?” livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv Monday 9 April 2018 at 7:30 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 9:30 p.m. CDT(Chicago) / 10:30 p.m. EDT (New York).

Manahatta's Gender Flip
Essay

Manahatta's Gender Flip

Equity in Action

2 April 2018

Holly Derr discusses the dramaturgical implications of playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle changing one of her characters to a woman in her newest play Manahatta, which premiered at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in March 2018.

Off the Rails
Essay

Off the Rails

Look at Shakespeare, See a Native Play

22 January 2018

Off the Rails, which was produced at OSF in October, shows how Native plays can include depictions or descriptions of Native history as an element of lived experience, not as the entirety of the play’s purpose.

Performance of Don’t Feed the Indians—A Divine Comedy Pageant
La MaMa Logo
La MaMa
Video

Performance of Don’t Feed the Indians—A Divine Comedy Pageant

Sunday 12 November 2017
New York City, NY, United States

La MaMa in New York City presented a performance of Don't Feed the Indians—A Divine Comedy Pageant livestreamed from CultureHub on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 12 November at 19:00 GMT (London) / 2 p.m. EST (New York) / 1 p.m. CST (Chicago) / 11 a.m. PST (Vancouver) / 10 a.m. AKST (Anchorage). In Twitter, use #howlround.

 

 

a performance of Ping Chong's ALAXSXA
La MaMa Logo
La MaMa
Video

a performance of Ping Chong's ALAXSXA

Saturday 14 October 2017
New York, NY, United States

La MaMa Experimental Theater Club presented a performance of ALAXSXA, a production of Ping Chong + Company, livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound.TV network on Saturday 14 October at 7:00 p.m. EDT (New York) / 6:00 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 4:00 p.m. PDT (San Francisco).

Announcing the HowlRound Challenge Convenings
Essay

Announcing the HowlRound Challenge Convenings

4 October 2017

HowlRound announces the four selected convening proposals for the HowlRound Challenge, a new initiative to incubate ideas and seed action to make a better theatre and a better world.

The Breathing Hole and Inuit Cultural Dramaturgy
Essay

The Breathing Hole and Inuit Cultural Dramaturgy

22 September 2017

Canadian playwright Colleen Murphy writes about the importance of including Indigenous characters in plays and Indigenous artists in the process of making them.

Theatre History Podcast #46
Podcast

Theatre History Podcast #46

Reimagining Shakespeare’s Legacy with Madeline Sayet

14 September 2017

Madeline Sayet joins us to talk about how she's producing Shakespeare's work with Native American artists to place them in a new, more diverse context.

AsiaTOPA
Essay

AsiaTOPA

Redefining Performing Arts Festivals

30 August 2017

Ambassador Cynthia P. Schneider, who attended the AsiaTOPA Performance Festival in Australia, reflects how as the United States devalues diversity and imposes restrictions on immigration, Australia recognizes the value of its relationship with its Asian neighbors, and of its own diverse population.