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Strong Native Women
Posted 5/14/2009 3:17:31 PM
Company: American High School Theatre Festival, Rough Rock Community School, AZ (Native American Theatre Project)
Producer / Director David Shorey
Venue Rocket @ Demarco Roxy Art House (Venue 115)
Reviewer Mairi Anderson

This production by the Native American Theatre Project is informative, moving, inspiring and very well presented.

The cast of 3 young Native American women succeed in putting over a lot of information about the current circumstances of indigenous peoples as well as about their history. I have an interest and knowledge of Native American history, but I learned a great deal from this play.

The young women have great dignity and real pride in their heritage and traditions. It is clear that for them this isn’t just a “play” – it is integral to their lives. The struggle for recognition is still going on today. It is not ancient history and their message is very much for the here and now.

One feature I particularly liked is the matter of fact way that the history of the struggles is put over. The facts speak for themselves and are a matter of public record. Atrocities are committed by every race in every place and time. It is the dark side of human nature. As a white European it is still salutary to look into the eyes of a Native American woman as she speaks of terrible inhumanity shown in another time by people of my race against her people. It would be difficult not to be moved.

For me the opening sequence of flute music and the “Mother Earth Dance” was a real highlight.

The cast of 3 girls, Kayla Haley, Andrea Woody and Violetta Sam, create a beautiful piece of work. It is asking a lot for 3 young people to carry a whole show, but they perform with great dignity, grace and passion for their cause.

Each of the young women has her own unique type of beauty. I loved the delicate hand movements of the “Mother Earth Dance”. The expressive use of individually designed embroidered capes in “Return to Mother Earth Dance” creates the illusion of wild bird flight patterns.

The costumes and jewelry are stunning and sound and lighting work well. There was a little bit of sound bleed through from other shows, but it failed to blight such a good performance from this talented young cast.

These strong young native women finish the show with the inspiring Native American parting phrase “Walk in beauty” and each of them does that so well.

I never fail to be impressed by the consistently high standard of productions brought by the American High School Theatre Festival and this show is no exception. This is a creation of which they can all be justifiably proud!

© Mairi Anderson. 14 August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com