You once
said that the goal of the
playwriting and help walk them through the creation of their first script. It’s
an attempt to begin filling a void in the American dramatic canon, where
has this goal evolved?
The goal of the Alaska Native Playwrights
Project (ANPP) remains the same today as on day one – identify, train and nurture
Alaska Native playwrights – and I believe we’ve made significant progress
towards it. In January, we conducted our third Playwriting Intensive Workshop
with eight writers. By the time this cohort completes its writing process, with
first-draft scripts in August, we will have trained 32 playwrights in three
years. Only two of those participants did not finish scripts, so that means
ANPP has introduced 30 new plays to the canon. We also maintain a community
between us – writers, mentors, teachers and program staff – through Facebook,
email and convenings, and the writers maintain long-term relationships with
their mentors, which enable them to enjoy continuing professional support and
consultation. So in that way, both the training and nurturing components of our
goal are being met.
Project (ANPP) remains the same today as on day one – identify, train and nurture
Alaska Native playwrights – and I believe we’ve made significant progress
towards it. In January, we conducted our third Playwriting Intensive Workshop
with eight writers. By the time this cohort completes its writing process, with
first-draft scripts in August, we will have trained 32 playwrights in three
years. Only two of those participants did not finish scripts, so that means
ANPP has introduced 30 new plays to the canon. We also maintain a community
between us – writers, mentors, teachers and program staff – through Facebook,
email and convenings, and the writers maintain long-term relationships with
their mentors, which enable them to enjoy continuing professional support and
consultation. So in that way, both the training and nurturing components of our
goal are being met.
Tell me
more about the mentors that have been involved with this project and share some
important advice that they’ve offered.
more about the mentors that have been involved with this project and share some
important advice that they’ve offered.
I attribute the success of the ANPP to its
grounding in one-on-one mentorship. All too often in the western educational
system, students receive instruction in one way – through lecture and testing –
and success is demonstrated only by those for whom the information “sticks,”
with the rest falling through the cracks. Mentorship, with the apprentice in a
long-term, side-by-side relationship with someone who has mastered the
particular skill, is a preferable model, especially in the arts. The mentors
and teaching artists that we have managed to secure in the ANPP have been among
Native America’s best known and most prolific playwrights. Diane Glancy,
Larissa FastHorse, Joy Harjo, Diane Benson, Terry Gomez, and many others – all
published and produced playwrights, inspiring artists and accomplished
teachers.
grounding in one-on-one mentorship. All too often in the western educational
system, students receive instruction in one way – through lecture and testing –
and success is demonstrated only by those for whom the information “sticks,”
with the rest falling through the cracks. Mentorship, with the apprentice in a
long-term, side-by-side relationship with someone who has mastered the
particular skill, is a preferable model, especially in the arts. The mentors
and teaching artists that we have managed to secure in the ANPP have been among
Native America’s best known and most prolific playwrights. Diane Glancy,
Larissa FastHorse, Joy Harjo, Diane Benson, Terry Gomez, and many others – all
published and produced playwrights, inspiring artists and accomplished
teachers.
Together with Lead Teaching
Artist Rob Caisley, Head of Dramatic Writing Program, University of Idaho,
these professional practitioners provide nine days of “boot camp” instruction
in the basics of the craft, and then select program participants in
mentor-mentee pairings, and over a seven-month writing process, guide their
students through the challenging process of completing their scripts, giving
advice, answering questions and sharing their experience. The advice they share
with their mentees ranges from the nuts and bolts of dramatic structure, how to
build characters and voice, develop dialogue and scenes of conflict. But
perhaps the best tips they share involved inspiring writers to write – how to
develop a practice of putting words on the blank page on a daily basis and
avoid the blocks that tend to arise after the initial creative spurt and
prevent the completion of writers’ work. Each teaching playwright brings his or
her own specific tools, exercises and inspiration for how to tell dramatic
stories, and all have been most generous in sharing them with their cohorts.
Artist Rob Caisley, Head of Dramatic Writing Program, University of Idaho,
these professional practitioners provide nine days of “boot camp” instruction
in the basics of the craft, and then select program participants in
mentor-mentee pairings, and over a seven-month writing process, guide their
students through the challenging process of completing their scripts, giving
advice, answering questions and sharing their experience. The advice they share
with their mentees ranges from the nuts and bolts of dramatic structure, how to
build characters and voice, develop dialogue and scenes of conflict. But
perhaps the best tips they share involved inspiring writers to write – how to
develop a practice of putting words on the blank page on a daily basis and
avoid the blocks that tend to arise after the initial creative spurt and
prevent the completion of writers’ work. Each teaching playwright brings his or
her own specific tools, exercises and inspiration for how to tell dramatic
stories, and all have been most generous in sharing them with their cohorts.
Tell me
more about the participants that have been involved with this project and share
some important lessons they’ve learned.
more about the participants that have been involved with this project and share
some important lessons they’ve learned.
The February/March 2011 issue of First Alaskans
magazine featured the first (2010) cohort of ANPP writers, the nine who
completed plays and had them read publicly at Cyrano’s Playhouse in November,
2010. That article includes quotes and comments regarding the mentorship and
writing process, and their plays.
magazine featured the first (2010) cohort of ANPP writers, the nine who
completed plays and had them read publicly at Cyrano’s Playhouse in November,
2010. That article includes quotes and comments regarding the mentorship and
writing process, and their plays.
Subsequent cohorts have included nine new
writers in the 2012 cohort and a group of five returning (Level II) playwrights
from the 2010 group, who, with support from the Native Arts & Cultures
Foundation, joined the 2012 Workshop and worked with mentors to explore an
advanced curriculum and write new plays. The 2013 cohort of eight writers
includes three returning writers and five novices.
writers in the 2012 cohort and a group of five returning (Level II) playwrights
from the 2010 group, who, with support from the Native Arts & Cultures
Foundation, joined the 2012 Workshop and worked with mentors to explore an
advanced curriculum and write new plays. The 2013 cohort of eight writers
includes three returning writers and five novices.
The 32 participants have represented a diverse
mix of Alaska Native cultures – Yup’ik, Inupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik,
Athabascan, Sugpiaq, Unangax, Tlingit – as well as a Native Hawaiian and a
Mohawk writer. Their backgrounds have ranged from visual and performing
artists, poets, non-profit professionals and therapists, to a nurse and a goat
farmer; parents, grandparents, urban and rural Natives.
mix of Alaska Native cultures – Yup’ik, Inupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik,
Athabascan, Sugpiaq, Unangax, Tlingit – as well as a Native Hawaiian and a
Mohawk writer. Their backgrounds have ranged from visual and performing
artists, poets, non-profit professionals and therapists, to a nurse and a goat
farmer; parents, grandparents, urban and rural Natives.
Many quotes regarding their lessons learned are
included in the First Alaskans article mentioned above. My favorite, from Lisa
Marie Heitman-Bruce (Sugpiaq) was: “The workshop was very emotional. There was
a lot of crying. You realize how much Native cultures have suffered – how long
we’ve stayed quiet about it.”
included in the First Alaskans article mentioned above. My favorite, from Lisa
Marie Heitman-Bruce (Sugpiaq) was: “The workshop was very emotional. There was
a lot of crying. You realize how much Native cultures have suffered – how long
we’ve stayed quiet about it.”
How has
theAlaska
participants?
the
participants?
The ANPP has launched a few writing careers, I
would say. No one has a play on Broadway yet, but then we wouldn’t expect that
in three years. The path of plays to full production is generally a long one.
As mentor Diane Glancy – who has had many books of her plays published and even
more produced for the stage – says, “I’ve never had a play produced that didn’t
have at least three years of revision before it was ready.” But it seems that
most of the playwrights that have come through the program continue to write
regularly, some have completed new pieces, and a few of the writers’ paths have
taken exciting turns as a result of their participation.
would say. No one has a play on Broadway yet, but then we wouldn’t expect that
in three years. The path of plays to full production is generally a long one.
As mentor Diane Glancy – who has had many books of her plays published and even
more produced for the stage – says, “I’ve never had a play produced that didn’t
have at least three years of revision before it was ready.” But it seems that
most of the playwrights that have come through the program continue to write
regularly, some have completed new pieces, and a few of the writers’ paths have
taken exciting turns as a result of their participation.
Two playwrights, Holly
Stanton and Suzie Silook, were invited to the 14th Annual Festival of New Plays
at the Autry and were given the opportunity to have their plays workshopped,
with dramaturgs advising and professional actors reading, for public readings
inLos
Angeles
read in the New Play Lab at the annual Last Frontier Theatre Festival (Valdez , AK
Rowley’s play, Raven One, was one of six plays selected nationwide for
inclusion in the Native Voices at the Autry’s Short Play Festival and won the
first prize. Holly Stanton’s play Cikiuteklluku (Giving Something Away), was
one of the pieces workshopped at Native Voices at the Autry and, subsequently,
received a developmental production at Out North Contemporary Art House, in
association withJuneau
Stanton and Suzie Silook, were invited to the 14th Annual Festival of New Plays
at the Autry and were given the opportunity to have their plays workshopped,
with dramaturgs advising and professional actors reading, for public readings
in
Angeles
read in the New Play Lab at the annual Last Frontier Theatre Festival (
Rowley’s play, Raven One, was one of six plays selected nationwide for
inclusion in the Native Voices at the Autry’s Short Play Festival and won the
first prize. Holly Stanton’s play Cikiuteklluku (Giving Something Away), was
one of the pieces workshopped at Native Voices at the Autry and, subsequently,
received a developmental production at Out North Contemporary Art House, in
association with
Art Rotch, Artistic Director of Perseverance,
has expressed a strong interest in having his company collaborate with the
Heritage Center to develop and produce ANPP plays on their mainstage over the
long term. As a company whose mission is to produce “plays by and for
Alaskans,” Perseverance is looking to ANPP to help ensure that the Alaska
Native voice is included in its repertoire. With potential partnerships such as
this in the offing, it seems the future of ANPP’s writers is bright.
has expressed a strong interest in having his company collaborate with the
Heritage Center to develop and produce ANPP plays on their mainstage over the
long term. As a company whose mission is to produce “plays by and for
Alaskans,” Perseverance is looking to ANPP to help ensure that the Alaska
Native voice is included in its repertoire. With potential partnerships such as
this in the offing, it seems the future of ANPP’s writers is bright.
What is
your vision for the future of TheAlaska
your vision for the future of The
The immediate goal is to identify and secure
funding to keep the program going beyond this year. Initial funding for ANPP
was a one-year grant from the Ford Foundation. That was supposed to be it. But
then, based on the success of the first cohort, the Foundation stepped up with
two additional years of support, which will take us through the current 2013
cohort. Now we’re seeking funders to keep the program going forward.
funding to keep the program going beyond this year. Initial funding for ANPP
was a one-year grant from the Ford Foundation. That was supposed to be it. But
then, based on the success of the first cohort, the Foundation stepped up with
two additional years of support, which will take us through the current 2013
cohort. Now we’re seeking funders to keep the program going forward.
Beyond the immediate, the vision for ANPP would
be a Native Writers’ Institute, with both playwriting and screenwriting
strands, multiple annual convenings, teaching workshops, and a regular process
for developing works with staff dramaturgs and a resident group of Native
actors to give readings of the plays that are in development. The dream would
be a campus somewhere in the woods, in direct touch with the natural world – a
place of both solitude and community, inspiration and sharing – to house a true
residency program for Native writers inAlaska
be a Native Writers’ Institute, with both playwriting and screenwriting
strands, multiple annual convenings, teaching workshops, and a regular process
for developing works with staff dramaturgs and a resident group of Native
actors to give readings of the plays that are in development. The dream would
be a campus somewhere in the woods, in direct touch with the natural world – a
place of both solitude and community, inspiration and sharing – to house a true
residency program for Native writers in
We’d also like to share the model with other
Native communities in the Lower 48 andHawai’i
a similar platform for their own peoples’ voices. There is no great secret to
how ANPP works – we provide high-level academic training, one-on-one mentorship
with working professionals, and nurture a sense of community among the writers.
And we believe the same can be done in any Native community in the country. So
we hope others will take the program up and run with it.
Native communities in the Lower 48 and
a similar platform for their own peoples’ voices. There is no great secret to
how ANPP works – we provide high-level academic training, one-on-one mentorship
with working professionals, and nurture a sense of community among the writers.
And we believe the same can be done in any Native community in the country. So
we hope others will take the program up and run with it.
What else
would you like our readers to know about theAlaska
would you like our readers to know about the
We’re always gathering names of those who might
be interested in participating in an upcoming cohort. Contact Ed Bourgeois at ebourgeois@alaskanative.net. No
playwriting experience needed!
be interested in participating in an upcoming cohort. Contact Ed Bourgeois at ebourgeois@alaskanative.net. No
playwriting experience needed!
Great to read about this fine project in more detail. Thanks Leslie!