Walker Art Center Presents INDIgenesis: Indigenous Filmmakers Past and Present

Photo courtesy of the Walker Art Center.

Right on the heels of the amazing announcement celebrating Indigenous performances from the Ordway (which kicks off this weekend - don't miss it!) comes the announcement from the Walker Art Center that they will be presenting a film festival this month celebrating Indigenous filmmakers. The series will begin TONIGHT with The Daughter of Dawn, a silent film from 1920 featuring more than 300 members of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes, and culminates in a discussion with those documenting the ongoing activism surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock.

The press release had wonderful information detailing the event, so I'm sharing it here. Many of these events are free or extremely affordable ($10 or less), so make sure you stop by the Walker Art Center to check this out!

Several filmmakers will be present through the run of INDIgenesis to talk about their work including, Lyle Corbine, Missy Whiteman, Zack and Adam Khalil, Heather Rae and Cody Lucich. Picture the classic western The Searchers set in Nunavut. Find yourself in the Minneapolis neighborhoods of Missy Whiteman's newest film. Pay tribute to American Indian Movement peace warrior John Trudell and enjoy the Pines' music video on which he and Whiteman collaborated. Join an exploration of ancestry and language in a program of shorts, learn the Ojibwe tale of the Seven Fires Prophecy, and more.

Reflecting upon the series, Whiteman says, "We are in the beginning of a new era in Native cinema, a place where our ancestors are given life, our voices rise, and we return to our traditional ways of being through the lens." INDIgenesis builds upon the legacy of the Two Rivers Native Film and Video Festival and is programmed in collaboration with Whiteman (Northern Arapaho and Kickapoo Nations), a writer, filmmaker, and digital media consultant whose films incorporate indigenous teachings and values as a means of revitalization and preservation.


The Daughter of Dawn  
Directed by Norbert A. Myles
Friday, March 3, 7:30 pm

Shot in the summer of 1920 in southwest Oklahoma, the film features more than 300 members of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes who integrated personal objects into the story of two suitors vying for the affections of the Kiowa chief's daughter. A live score accompanies the screening. 1920, US, silent, 87 minutes.


Mekko 
Directed by Sterlin Harjo
Saturday, March 4, 7:30 pm

A thrilling redemption quest inflected with shades of the supernatural, Sterlin Harjo's third feature follows Mekko, a recent parolee who encounters Bill, a malevolent figure he suspects might be a shape-shifter. 2015, US, 84 minutes.


The Searchers  
Directed by Zacharias Kunuk and Natar Ungalaaq
Friday-Saturday, March 10-11, 7:30 pm

In this reimagining of John Ford's classic western of the same title, gorgeously set in Nunavut circa 1915, an Inuk man tries to find the invaders who destroyed his home and kidnapped his wife. 2016, Canada, in Inuktitut with English subtitles, 94 minutes.


DNA/Memory: Storytelling and Cultural Heritage  
Director Lyle Corbine in Person
Saturday, March 11, 2 pm
Free

Using storytelling to address erasure and preserve traditions for future generations, these short films beautifully express filmmakers' examinations of ancestry, language, and history. Program includes Shimásáni by Blackhorse Lowe, Anishinabemowin Nagishkodaading by Eve Lauryn-Lafountain, and Shinaab by Lyle Corbine


Area Premiere!   
The Coyote Way: Going Back Home  
Director Missy Whiteman in Person
Thursday, March 16, 7:30 pm
Free

This sci-fi docu-narrative follows Charlie, who is forced to make a difficult choice. Featuring an entirely Native American cast, the film was shot in the Minneapolis neighborhoods of Phillips and Little Earth. 2016, US, 30 minutes.


INAATE/SE/ (It Shines a Certain Way. To a Certain Place. It Flies. Falls.) 
Directors Zack and Adam Khalil in Person
Friday, March 17, 6:30pm
Saturday, March 18, 7:30pm

This experimental documentary explores the Ojibwa story of the Seven Fires Prophecy, which has been interpreted as predicting the arrival of the Europeans and subsequent destruction. Bold, smart, and unflinching, the film examines the relationship between cultural tradition and modern indigenous identity. 2016, US and Canada, 75 minutes.


Trudell  
Director Heather Rae in Person
Friday, March 24, 7:30 pm
Free
Preceded by the music video "Time Dreams"

This intimate portrait of poet and American Indian Movement leader John Trudell is the result of 12 years of extensive research and features interviews and archival footage. He passed away in 2015, and the screening pays tribute to his life and influence. 2005, US, 80 minutes.

"Time Dreams" 

Resulting from a collaboration with John Trudell and featured as the closing track on the Pines' 2016 album Above the Prairie, "Time Dreams" serves as a grace note to a life of inspiration, activism, and preservation of the human spirit. The video is a collaboration between the musicians and Missy Whiteman of Independent Indigenous Film and Media.


Views from Standing Rock  
Filmmakers Heather Rae and Cody Lucich in Person
Saturday, March 25, 7:30 pm
Free

Native filmmakers Heather Rae (director of Trudell), and Cody Lucich discuss documentary filmmaking, activism, and representation and present footage from a forthcoming documentary about the global, indigenous uprising born at Standing Rock in North Dakota.

We Are Proud to Present is Profound

For a visceral understanding of colonialism, look no further than the Guthrie's latest offering. 

Photo by Dan Norman.

We Are Proud to Present: A Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915, currently playing at the Guthrie's Dowling Studio, is probably the most specifically-named show you will ever come across. It is also one of the most confounding in terms of categorization. Is it history? Is it performance? Is it fiction? Is it scripted? Does any of that even matter if the point gets across?

Photo by Dan Norman.

We Are Proud to Present begins with a brief history of German and English colonialism in Namibia (the German version of which took place between 1884 and 19195, after which the colony was taken over by the British during WWI). It then circles back to the beginning of this history in 1884, examining the lives of the colonialists through letters of the Germans sent to the colony as they wrote (and thought) of home. The performances of these letters are meant to guide the audience to truly understanding the massacre of the Herero Tribe and the horrors the Germans committed in the name of progress, but they immediately hit multiple problems that seem wholly unanswerable as the cast discusses them.

Photo by Dan Norman. 

We know what these soldiers include in their letters, but what about what they don't include? Does the fact that no written accounts of the Herero's experience survive make their experience less valid or true? Does imagining what happened to the Herero cheapen the horror of their situation? Over 80% of the Herero people were massacred in the drive to seize Namibian lands for Germany; how does that compare to modern genocides like the Holocaust or Armenian or Rwandan tragedies? Does the fact that the extermination of the Herero wasn't physically documented in videos and photographs somehow make it less important than the others? We Are Proud to Present's uncomfortable honesty lies in the fact that it doesn't provide the answers to these troubling questions for you. Instead, by commissioning the audience to directly engage with the actors as they "rehearse" through multiple scenarios, it directly engages us with this difficult history and ties us completely to the devastating actions that eventually close the play.

Photo by Dan Norman.

This show would be impossible to perform without a strong cast, and thankfully it has one here. The experience is guided by Nike Kadri, who narrates the show, serves as the "Artistic Director" of the rehearsal, and plays the parts of black women in the colonial vignettes. Kadri is forceful and well rehearsed, and her strong personality is able to guide the experience with a necessary firm hand. Nika Pappas plays the white female characters and supports Kadri in the role of peacemaker between the male characters. Pappas is lithe and energetic and provides some desperately needed comedy throughout the performance.

Photo by Dan Norman.

The biggest tension of the show lies in the fraught discussions between the two white male (Sam Bardwell and Quinn Franzen ) and two black male (JaBen Early and Lamar Jefferson) characters. Each has a different perspective that directly conflicts with the others and makes consensus on the truth of the narrative they are trying to portray impossible. From the white men:

• Thinking themselves modern and thus unconnected to colonial history
• Sharing fond (but troubling) memories of their white immigrant ancestors
• Assuming historical omissions are a sign of historical truth; 

From the black men:

• Not knowing their specific African heritage as descendants of slaves
• Empathizing with the horrific experiences the Herero experienced, as a person of color in a white power world
• Having a lot of differences with each other despite having the color of their skin in common and struggling to provide a united front) .

The strong tensions as these fine actors discuss the progress of the play and the appropriate ways to process their individual traumas is deeply illuminating. Each man presents his perspective with conviction and verve; you can feel the audience react viscerally as each unravels more of himself and sometimes aggressively confronts his fellow characters. Watching their confrontations is frankly quite uncomfortable, but it's necessary: these are the kinds of conversations bubbling to the surface in America today, but without this specific kind of honesty, it is difficult to see how they can be resolved. Sometimes a flagrant honesty is required to reach the root of a troublesome truth, and only once it is confronted can it be rooted out, warts and all.

Photo by Dan Norman.

If you're uncomfortable with the removal of the fourth wall, this show will be very tough to watch. Its blurred lines between lecture and fiction, performance and rehearsal, and distinction between history and today makes it impossible to remove yourself from the implications this incisive examination of racism and colonialism raises. That, however, is entirely the point; history is never "dead." We are all living, breathing products of those who came before us, and we carry the legacies of our ancestors with us. It is only when we can confront those legacies head on and tear them down, brick by brick, that we can begin to rebuild a better, fairer world for us all. We Are Proud to Present is a powerful call to self-examination, and it's one we need now more than ever; everyone should see this and confront their personal demons. We Are Proud to Present runs until March 12; for more information or to buy tickets, click on this link.

The King and I is a Lavish Delight

Despite the show's problematic history, it's a lovely immersion into a complicated world of splendor.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

There's no such thing as an untouchable classic. I have always been a firm advocate of judiciously editing stories from the past (even Shakespeare); they still have something to say to us, but we don't need to swath ourselves in the racism/homophobia/colonial perspective of the time they were written in, and sometimes they're just too damn long.

On this vein of thinking, a great case is currently being made for prudent pruning of the cultural behemoth that is the catalog of Roger's and Hammerstein musicals. I was raised on the 1940s and 1950s movie versions of these shows. I have a strong love for the catchy tunes and sunny dispositions of these film versions. But many of them, written in the last dying throes of the colonial era, really need a refresh to retain the good in them but give a more realistic view of the stories they try to present.

Photo by Matthew Murphy. 

The King and I, currently running at the Orpheum Theater, is a perfect example of how this can be done. For new viewers, The King and I tells the story of a Anna, a widow of a British colonial officer in the 1860s who travels to the kingdom of Siam to serve as a teacher to the king's children after her husband dies. Siam (now known as Thailand) is the only kingdom in Southeast Asia that has yet to fall to a colonial power, and Anna is retained to help the king and his family navigate the treacherous waters of international politics in the nineteenth century. There are many growing pains in this relationship, as Anna remains relentlessly Western and independent; the king and his family try their hardest to cling to an ancient world that is rapidly slipping away from them; and the unending drumbeats of progress drive them all to a series of cultural compromises. The story remains multiplicitous, a great thing in our current age of oversimplifications. The King and I resists reducing Anna and the King's relationship to a storybook romance, and with its updates lessens the impact of cultural whitewashing, demonstrating the profound conflict within a man who must keep his kingdom, people and heritage alive without leaving them to be swallowed by the march of Europe across the world.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

This Broadway tour pulled no stops with its casting, featuring a set of all-star players. Laura Michelle Kelly is a Broadway and West End regular and knocks it out of the park as Anna Leonowens. Kelly has a gorgeous voice (think Marni Nixon meets Julie Andrews), and her subtle acting makes Anna into a subversive, complex character. She is beautifully paired with Jose Llana as the King of Siam. Llana starred in the Tony-winning revival of this show before it went on tour, and his thoughtful performance demonstrates the distress of a King under attack. Llana really bridges the show's cultural divide, and he was wonderful.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

The ensemble cast (featuring mostly people of color, always a pleasure and too often a rarity, especially in traveling shows) is too large to name individually, but they really support the show. Joan Almedilla is wonderful as the King's first wife Lady Thiang; another Broadway superstar, Almedilla perfectly navigates the audience through the space in between Anna's staunch Westernism and the King's traditional upbringing, showing the warm side to two stridently separate perspectives. She also has a rich, lovely voice that weaves beautifully with the rest of the cast. Manna Nichols is excellent as the renegade Princess Tuptim, driving the story's political themes into stark relief. Kavin Panmeechao is delicious as Tuptim's lover Lun Tha, which a gorgeous, lyrical voice and the sparkling eyes of a lover to match. And Anthony Chan is powerful as the young Prince Chulalongkorn, a boy who too soon is forced to become a king. Chan has the proud demeanor befitting such a prince, and he is a wonderful addition to the cast.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

One of the absolute best parts of the show is the gloriously gilt, colorful set and costumes. The entire show is replete with silks and golds and deep colors and shining Buddhas. Michael Yeargan (set designer) and Catherine Zuber (costume designer) are Tony Award winners for a reason, and you won't be disappointed by what they have to offer here. The orchestra, conducted by Gerald Steichen, is similarly wonderful and provides a powerhouse sound. And the choreography (Christopher Gattelli) is marvelous, particularly in a thorough, riveting sequence of Thai dancing during "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet. The sequence is the best of the show, and you will consumed with the delicate, ornate dancing.

Photo by Matthew Murphy.

While the shroud of unexamined white privilege still hangs over this story, don't dismiss The King and I too quickly. Nestled within catchy, joyous songs such as "I Whistle a Happy Tune," "Shall We Dance" and "Getting to Know You" are some really important themes. It is not often we are graced with an examination of slavery from the perspective of a non-Western, non-white perspective. It is not often we are shown an inside look into the problems of colonialism from the perspective of those who it would replace. And it's not often we see a white main character treated as a minority, forced to reckon with her cultural assumptions and wrestling with her place in two very different worlds. The script has been updated and it could (and probably should) have gone further; but I still greatly enjoyed The King and I, and for many audience members is a good first step to understanding white and Christian privilege, colonialism, and just how quickly things have changed in the last 150 years.

I highly recommend going to see The King and I before it closes on March 5; the cast is wonderful, the sets and costumes are spectacular, and it's a true glimpse into what might have been if we had only taken the time to observe other cultures rather than destroy them. The show is long but thoughtful, and sure to provide a great date night. See more information and buy tickets by clicking on this link. 

A Lunatic King Lear

Shakespeare's searing indictment on the moral limits of power is incredibly timely. 

Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Some narrative arcs seem to remain essential to the human condition. Love, death, fear, and the quest for power are among the most elemental and recurrent of these narratives; they pop up over and over again in art stretching back to the beginning of recorded history. When it comes to dissecting the limits of these elements of the human condition, no one quite does it like Shakespeare.

King Lear, now showing on the Guthrie's main stage, may not be the best known of Shakespeare's tragedies (that award would have to go to Hamlet, Macbeth, or maybe Othello in certain circles), is probably the best example of the limits of power and filial love. King Lear is an aged king who is slowly (but violently) slipping into dementia. As he names his successors, his youngest (and most beloved) daughter Cordelia refuses to ply him with flattery; as a reward, Lear marries her to the lowest bidder to be banished forever and is left with his two elder daughters Regan and Goneril, two wolves in sheep's clothing who take advantage of their father's madness and fight their way to power. King Lear manages to escape their worst attempts on his life, spending  his time wandering in the moors and forests among the common folk with a few close friends, but Cordelia does not; after returning with an army to rescue her father from her sisters, Cordelia loses the war and is killed after capture. Cordelia's death provides the king's final moment of clarity and closes the play, with his family rent into tatters and his end-of-life prospects lonely ones.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Stewing within this Lear family drama are several key players. One is Gloucester and his sons, one an heir (Edgar) and one a bastard (Edmund). Edmund crawls his way to the top of his family, but only after banishing his brother, betraying his father (whose eyes are put out), sleeping with both of Lear's daughters, and finally being killed by Edgar in a fit of vengeance. Kent, Lear's most loyal adviser (who is banished with Cordelia when he speaks up for her), remains behind in disguise to protect Lear and help Cordelia. Cornwall, Goneril's husband, is fatally wounded while torturing Gloucester and his keen military mind is a key reason that Cordelia's army is defeated.

Suffice it to say, there's a lot going on. And it would be easy to be lost in the action without a strong hand to steer the ship. This production has two actors playing King Lear. Although it would be a fascinating study to see both, I was only able to see Nathaniel Fuller, and he provides a marvelous performance. Fuller completely disappears into his role, riding the waves of Lear's emotions, careening between anger, fear, disgust, timidity, love, and vengeance. It is a masterful performance that will keep you riveted throughout the show, and despite Lear's cruelty gives him a tenderness that you can't help but want to protect.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The surrounding cast is equally excellent. Sun Mee Chomet (Regan), Kate Nowlin (Goneril) and Kim Wong (Cordelia) are delicious as Lear's daughters, each providing a different foil to Lear's erratic behavior. Their strong performances actually turn the play into a treatise on the expanses (and limits) of female power in society; each uses whatever gifts she has to try to wend her way back to the throne and to Lear, and these actresses use every inch of their scripts. A note to the Guthrie: there is not a *single* production photo of these ladies (or 90% of the rest of the cast) - please add one, they deserve to be seen!

Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The young men provide the show's brightest sparks. Jason Rojas* utterly unrecognizable as Edgar in one of the most transformative performances I've seen in ages. Thomas Brazzle is delicious as the deceitful Edmund, slithering between the action and piercing the audience with his fiery taste for power. And Howard Overshown is stately and dangerous as Cornwall, truly embodying the possibilities of a man who has nothing to lose and no shame to fear. Although not in the youthful contingent, James A. Williams is righteous as Gloucester, providing the show's only true loving, fatherly presence and a comforting haven from the ruinous action for the rest of the show. And J.C. Cutler is steadfastly heartwarming as Kent, the straightest arrow of the show and the provider of some much-needed comedic relief at key moments.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

The theme for production design seems to be "simple but truly luxurious." Marion Williams' spare set recalls Bane's tower in The Dark Knight Rises or some far corner of Westeros, with a tall, dark, concrete tower set sparsely with lights and a single, leafless tree. It's an eerie backdrop for the action and wisely keeps all focus on the drama on-stage. Jennifer Moeller's costume design can only be described as opulent and truly covetable; each character is given simple outfits made of such high quality that they gleam from the stage, particularly two drop-dead-gorgeous fur coats. It lends an opulence and familiarity to the cast that helps ease the centuries-old language into the modern age. Jennifer Tipton's lighting design, combined with Darron West's sound design, is subtle but pointed, each respectively leaving the stage awash with an eerie aura. And three cheers for a production team that is 75% spearheaded by women; like the truly diverse cast, this was an awesome thing to see while flipping through the program.

Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

With society seemingly careening every day nearer and nearer to the brink of disaster, it's impossible not to see the tragedy of King Lear as some kind of ill fated omen. What happens to a country when the man (or family) ruling a nation becomes corrupted, either by madness or lust for power? At what point is someone's inherited title overcome by their inability to do their job? What is the line between sanity and madness? At the end of the day, who is responsible for ensuring that citizens are kept safe from harm? Where is the line between betrayal and necessary honesty? I think Artistic Director Joseph Haj summarizes the legacy of King Lear best in his program notes:

"I think that the play, finally, is about how close our worse selves are to our better selves, about how fragile a civilized society can be and how easily it can descend into barbarity and irrationality. In each one of us there is a capacity for righteous acts and regretful ones, for both sanity and madness. And in times of turmoil, when a country falters and a family breaks, those distinctions become perilously thin."

This King Lear is an essential treatise on the limits of power and the necessity of a thoughtful, guiding hand to protect a nation's best interests when its leaders have run amok. Written nearly two hundred years before the American experiment began, King Lear could not have more to say to an America struggling with the limits of a man and an office descending into madness. This is marvelously staged production and beautifully performed Shakespeare. Please make sure to go before the show closes on April 2. More information and tickets can be found by clicking on this link.

*In my initial review I listed Nathan Barlow in this role; he was replaced at the last minute. Sorry for any confusion. 

Experience Native American Cultures at the Ordway Center

Expand your horizons (and your palate) next week with this rich new festival celebrating Native American cultures. 

Photo courtesy of the Ordway.

We are super blessed to have a global, rich food and arts community here in the Twin Cities, and while we're historically not always great at acknowledging or supporting our diverse communities, we are definitely getting better.

A great example of this is the world class programming at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, which today announced an amazing new series focusing on the artistry and culture of Native American communities including artists from Native American, Indigenous and First Nations groups. The week of residency programs will culminate in the performance by Oyate Okodakiciyapi: A Unique Celebration of Native Music and Dance on Saturday, March 4 that will feature artists from many different stripes, including solo Hawaiian choreographer Christopher Morgan; Santee Smith of the Mohawk Nation; and an inter-tribal group called Dancing Earth. The Oyate show is guided by community coordinator Christal Moose and an advisory council of Native and Indigenous community leaders, in collaboration with Rosy Simas of Rosy Simas Danse.

Key to the success of this residency is their partnership with many local organizations such as All My Relations Arts, Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), Two Rivers Gallery and The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts. The event is a part of the Taking Our Place Centerstage initiative through which the Ordway and SoulTouch Productions work in collaboration with communities of color. This partnership has faced some controversy, with criticisms about nonprofit funding distributions and the transparency of partnerships with diverse arts organizations being leveraged by groups such as Mu Performing Arts. The points raised in this excellent article are valid, and I hope a conversation about fair arts funding is able to progress through the spark that Mu has lit.

Photo courtesy of the Sioux Chef social media.

Still, there's no denying that a center stage, widely distributed arts organization such as the Ordway is able to spread the message to the masses quite a bit further than multiple individual groups; so here's to hoping that this coming week does a respectful, great job of celebrating Native American cultures. The lineup is really impressive to start, and it's broad, covering not just dance and theater but also food traditions and cultural lectures by great features such as The Sioux Chef (who I've written about as one of the most exciting new things to hit the Twin Cities food scene in ages).

A list of descriptions of programming follows. If you're like me and are constantly looking to widen your understanding of the world around you (and the real history of the places we live in), definitely consider checking this series out!

Photo courtesy of the Sioux Chef social media.

A Survey of Native Contemporary Dance
Sunday, Feb. 26  2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.  at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

Presented by The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts in partnership with Rosy Simas Danse and Ordway. This public talk highlights the incredible diversity of Native people who live and dance in the Twin Cities. Guest speakers include Kate Beane, Athena Cloud, Lumhe Sampson, Rosy Simas, Winona Tahdooahnippah, Sandy WhiteHawk and Larry Yazzie. Opening prayer led by Janice Bad Moccasin. Optional travel to and from the event on a Storytelling Bus featuring “Coffee Shop” Al Gross from Powwow Grounds is also available.

Indigenous Contemporary Dance Workshop with Rulan Tangen
Tuesday, Feb. 28  4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.  at Two Rivers Gallery

In partnership with Rosy Simas Danse and Two Rivers Gallery. This workshop is led by Rulan Tangen, founding director and choreographer of Dancing Earth, an internationally recognized company of intertribal contemporary dancers. Rooted in respect for Native worldview and cultural wisdom as shared by her elders and mentors, Tangen invites class participants to experience a journey into indigenous embodiment. The workshop is free, but registration is required. RSVP at 651.282.3060 or tsar@ordway.org.

Welcome Gathering
Tuesday, Feb. 28  6:00 p.m.  at Two Rivers Gallery

In partnership with Rosy Simas Danse, All My Relations Arts, NACDI and Two Rivers Gallery. Come together with artists and community members to welcome several visiting renowned Native contemporary dancers and artists. The opening blessing will be done by Nancy Bordeaux. Catering by Gatherings Café will be provided. On display in the Two Rivers Gallery will be Gathering of Contemporary Indigenous Artists, an exhibition curated by Gordon Coons (Ojibwa/Ottawa).

Powwow Boot Camp with Santee Smith
Wednesday, March 1  6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.  at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

This high-energy Powwow/dance training class will be led by Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s artistic director, Santee Smith. This intensive and fun boot camp style workout is for anyone interested in maximizing their physical fitness. Participants will practice skills in the Indigenous dance forms of Powwow and Onkehon:we (Iroquois) social dances. The class is free, but registration is required. RSVP at 651.282.3060 or tsar@ordway.org.

Tanya Lukin Linklater Exhibition
Friday, March 3  6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. (opening reception)  at All My Relations Gallery

Presented by All My Relations Arts in partnership with Rosy Simas Danse and Ordway. Tanya Lukin Linklater’s performance collaborations, videos, photographs and installations have been exhibited nationally and internationally. She is compelled by relationships between bodies, histories, poetry, pedagogy, Indigenous conceptual spaces (languages) and institutions. The visual art installation will be on view March 3–April 7.

A Night with NACDI: Indigenous Foods and Arts
Saturday, March 4  3:00 p.m.  at All Nations Church

Presented by NACDI in partnership with Ordway. Enjoy dinner by The Sioux Chef while engaging in a talk about the Indigenous food movement. Hosted by Robert Lilligren, president and CEO of NACDI. The event is free, but registration is required. RSVP at tpayer@nacdi.org or 612.284.1102.
At 5:30 p.m., free transportation to and from Oyate Okodakiciyapi: An Evening of Native Contemporary Dance at the Ordway will be provided. The Storytelling Bus will feature “Coffee Shop” Al Gross from Powwow Grounds.

Oyate Okodakiciyapi: An Evening of Native Contemporary Dance
Saturday, March 4  7:30 p.m.  at Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Co-curated with local choreographer Rosy Simas, Ordway presents a showcase of Native contemporary dance companies called Oyate Okodakiciyapi, which means “people coming together” in the Dakota language. This thrilling evening of dance will feature solo works by native Hawaiian Christopher K. Morgan and Santee Smith from the Mohawk Nation, as well as a new work by Dancing Earth, an indigenous, intertribal dance ensemble. Tickets are available at www.ordway.org. This performance is part of the Ordway’s World Music & Dance Series.

Arrive early for a pre-show Ordway Extra at 6:30 p.m. to hear Zoë Klein, artistic director/performer at Paradizo Dance in San Francisco, and Tanya Lukin Linklater, a multi-media artist from Ontario, explore defining culture in contemporary terms in a discussion moderated by Rosy Simas.

On display in the lobby will be Gathering of Contemporary Indigenous Artists, a visual art exhibition curated by Gordon Coons (Ojibwa/Ottawa). Themes explored through the art will connect with Native American and Indigenous identity. The exhibition is free to those attending Ordway performances March 2-4, April 20-21 and May 30-June 4. Featured artists include Camille A. Lacapa (Hopi-Tewa/Ojibway), Cole Jacobson (Lakota), Chholing Taha (Cree), Gordon Coons (Ojibwa/Ottawa), Gwen Westerman (Lakota) and Joseph Allen (Lakota).

Round Table Discussion: An artist to artist talk with Indigenous choreographers from Turtle Island
Sunday, March 5  11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.  at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

In partnership with Rosy Simas Danse, The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts and All My Relations Arts. Featuring conversation with Tanya Lukin Linklater, Christopher K. Morgan, Maura Garcia, Rulan Tangen, Zoë Klein, Sam Mitchell and Rosy Simas. The discussion will touch on current work, aesthetics, challenges, methods, audiences, community engagement and plans for the future.

Dr. Seuss's The Sneetches: The Musical Will Open Your Eyes

The Sneetches: The Musical is the perfect way to talk to your kids about current events.

Photo by Dan Norman.

If you think all of the problems we're facing as a country are somehow new to us, think again. Xenophobia, bullying, sectionalism, racism and other divisive philosophies and actions have existed for thousands of years. That does not mean, however, that we are doomed to suffer from them for time immemorial. All it takes is a few people to do the right thing and steadfastly stand up for equality to teach us the errors of our ways and begin to lead us to a better, fairer future.

Photo by Dan Norman.

There is no better way of understanding these problems (and their solutions) than the visionary world of Dr. Seuss (known in real life as Theodore Geisel). Dr. Seuss came of age during both world wars, which tremendously impacted his life and work. After beginning his career as a political cartoonist and advertising illustrator, he transitioned into film and then published children's books that featured gloriously unique illustrations and clever word rhymes. These books have become international best sellers and introduced millions of children worldwide into learning to read in English. Some are simply silly (Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Box) and some are more serious or educational; The Lorax, Oh The Places You'll Go!, Yertle the Turtle and How the Grinch Stole Christmas are all tales of morality disguised in the fantastical rhymes and illustrations of Dr. Seuss.

@childrenstheatrecompany ALWAYS knocks it out of the park. I've been dying to see this, I can't wait! #drseuss #thesneetches #TCTheater #dontmissthis #relevant

A post shared by Becki Iverson (@beckiiverson) on Feb 16, 2017 at 4:58pm PST

The Sneetches falls right into the latter category, describing what happens when we allow cosmetic differences to separate us from others. On Sneetch Beach there are star-bellied Sneetches and plain-bellied Sneetches. The star-bellies have set up a system in which they benefit from the labor of the plain-bellies. Sneetch Beach is vigorously segregated and things only continue to get worse for the plain-bellies, until one little star-belly named Standlee changes everything.

Photo by Dan Norman.

Standlee has trouble socializing with her fellow star-bellies, so she seeks friendship among the plain-bellies with Diggitch, another isolated fellow. Although their friendship is expressly forbidden, the two hit it off and play anyway. They are eventually found out and an uproar ensues, causing Diggitch to be banished. After leaving Sneetch Beach Diggitch encounters Sylvester McMonkey McBean, a seemingly friendly capitalist who offers a solution to their problem: for a small fee, he can simply give all of the plain-bellies a star, and everyone will be on the same playing field once more.

Photo by Dan Norman.

The introduction of McBean's solution creates chaos for the Sneetches. Without their innate cosmetic differences, the former star-bellied Sneetches begin a rush to re-divide themselves by removing their stars, but it only makes things worse. The former plain-bellies are determined to be the same, and continue to change themselves to follow the former star-bellies. By the time all of the Sneetches run out of money for McBean's machine, the former star-bellies and plain-bellies are completely mixed up. McBean's departure forces the Sneetches to learn to love each other (and importantly, themselves) despite their differences; after all, star does not dictate how fun or nice someone is, or the value you hold within yourself. Through the reconciliation process the Sneetches learn about forgiveness, honesty and apology to help heal the divides they had created for themselves, and they leave us in a far more integrated, fairer and happier state than before.

Photo by Dan Norman.

The cast is exuberant and brings a lot of life to this story. Natalie Tran is wonderfully expressive as Standlee, with spot-on pitch and a bright demeanor that perfectly bridge the Sneetch divide. Reed Sigmund is cuddly as Standlee's friend Diggitch, blustering his way through the score. Bradley Greenwald inhabits Sylvester McMonkey McBean, cloaking McBean's sinister greed in a candy coated smile and powerhouse pipes. Ryan Colbert was hilarious as Stelvin and recruited the audience to understand the plight of the plain-bellies. With exuberant dancing and expressive faces, the ensemble really engaged the kids in the audience, who clearly understood the story and got quite invested towards the end.

Photo by Dan Norman.

One of the most delightful elements of Dr. Seuss's work is his wonderful illustrations, which are well-represented in this production. The set is filled with vibrant colors and textures that help to lighten the heft of the story. Costume Designer Alex Jaeger did a great job of modifying the actors just enough to make them look animated without removing their ability to move and be expressive, and Scenic Designer William Boles creates lots of fun vignettes and machines for the Sneetches to play with.

Photo by Dan Norman.

The lessons in this parable cover the gamut (racism, bullying, classism, politics, depression, self-acceptance), making it a perfect way to gently teach kids how to navigate tough situations. Alternatively, this is a great, hands-on way to explain some of the political situations facing America today (think Build the Wall, Black Lives Matter, etc.) in a way that kids can really engage with. The Children's Theatre Company includes a marvelous page about discussing and understanding privilege in the children's portion of the program that is an incredible guide to walking kids through that concept and standing up for others.

The @childrenstheatrecompany gets it- this is in the kids part of the program for The Sneetches. #TCTheater #thesneetches #drseuss #teachthemyoung #racismislearned #relevant #thebabieswillsaveus #childrenareourfuture

A post shared by Becki Iverson (@beckiiverson) on Feb 16, 2017 at 6:07pm PST

The Sneetches: The Musical is a gift offered at the perfect time, helping us navigate difficult issues with a smile. Don't shy away from honest conversations with your kids (or the grownups in your life). If you're wondering how to do so, just follow Dr. Seuss's lead: put out your hand, shake into a dance, and smile with each other. That will go a long way to bridging all the lines we draw in our own sand beaches, and we need that positive attitude more than ever. The Sneetches is a lovely way to brighten your family's end of winter; make sure to go see it before it closes on March 26. You can find more information or buy tickets by clicking on this link.

Nina Simone: Four Women Remains a Must-See

Round two of this quintessential show does not disappoint. 

Photo by Petronella.

Some things are just meant to be classics.

Nina Simone: Four Women, running in a refreshed reprise at Park Square Theater, is just such a piece. The first iteration of the show, which premiered last year (and absolutely blew me away), stunned me with its relevance and poise. This year, with the extension and addition of a few new songs and some slight tweaks to dialogue and staging, Nina Simone: Four Women remains more relevant than ever.

For those who missed it the first time around, Nina Simone tells the story of Nina Simone as she is in the process of writing "Mississippi Goddamn" after four little girls are killed in the bombing of the church in Birmingham, Alabama. Nina travels to Birmingham to the church to find inspiration for the final verse. While there, Nina encounters three other women local to Birmingham: Sarah (also known as Auntie), a local maid who enters the church to escape the protests outside; Sephronia, a local activist working with Dr. Martin Luther King's desegregation movement; and Sweet Thing, a prostitute who has a complicated romantic entanglement with Sephronia. Each woman has a different context and relationship with the civil rights movement (notably, not all of it positive); each woman also has a unique way of dialoguing about the problems the country faces and a different solution to offer. The thing that unites them is the horror of the grotesque death of the four little girls and the desire to see better done for them in their memory and for the other little black girls still alive.

Photo by Petronella.

Regina Marie Williams remains a revelation as Nina Simone. Williams clearly has immersed herself in her subject, and has the walk, the mannerisms, the speech, and especially the voice down pat. Williams' rich voice anchors all of the musical action, and she mightily leads the show. I could watch her do this for hours (and we all know how I feel about show length). For her alone, go see this. (And by the way, Hollywood: Nina Simone deserves to have her story told in a good adaptation (think Ray or Walk the Line); call. Regina. NOW).

The rest of the cast is magnificent, too. Aimee K. Bryant (Sarah) and Traci Allen Shannon (Sweet Thing) also returned from last year's performance, and I'm so glad. Bryant's magnificent voice provides a powerful gospel counterpart to Williams' silky jazz, and Shannon's dulcet tones offset the harshness of her character's circumstances. They form the perfect quartet with Jamila Anderson (replacing Thomasina Petrus this year as Sephronia). Anderson is a little weaker in the vocals department than Petrus, but she still has a lovely voice, and brings a much sharper, clearer-eyed perspective to Sephronia's activism.

A welcome change in this year's performance is the expansion of the musical selections; with such talented musicians, shouldn't they be maximized? As before, "Sinnerman" was given a bombastic treatment and exploded through the audience in Act I, and the second act was wrapped up with a bone-chillingly perfect version of "Four Women." The ad hoc performances throughout the show are just as lovely and feature fiery vocals from each performer, particularly the gospel intro from Bryant for "His Eye is On The Sparrow." Bryant's voice soars through the theater and is unbelievably moving; regardless of your personal faith (or lack thereof), you can't help but feel swept into her emotion. Faye Price returned to direct this year and wisely lets the artists take control of their roles; she's done a superb job, and I hope to see her directing more pieces in the near future.

Photo by Petronella.

Context is everything, and while this show was mightily relevant on its premiere last year, there is a new urgency and strength to draw from it in our current political climate. The intersectional conversation between four women of color who have all, in their own way, been overlooked and belittled by society; who have all found an inner strength and purpose and way to protest (outside of the traditional "march"); and who collectively are able to forge relationships and empathy for each other despite their differences; is a vital lesson to us today. There is so much to glean from the wisdom in this play, and I urge everyone and anyone who is able to go see it, not only for the beautiful music and performances, but the powerful words and the thought provoking dialogues. Put some of your entertainment budget towards supporting locally produced/performed art by women of color. The payoffs will be exponential.

For more information about Nina Simone: Four Women and to purchase tickets, click on this link. The show runs through February 26.

Also, a special thanks to everyone who came out last Sunday to the Twin Cities Theater Bloggers latest talk-back event! We love having a chance to dialogue with you guys after shows to hear your thoughts and to help us process our own reactions. Building community is more important than ever, and we hope you continue to join us in the future! You can see the bloggers who attended below: 

Artfully Engaging

Cherry and Spoon

Talkin' Broadway

The Room Where It Happens

Twin Cities Stages