MAAA | Programs | Special Projects | Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers

Special Projects

Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers

Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers by William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., an acclaimed Native American writer, will be co-produced and presented by two of America’s leading resident theaters and available for touring during the 2005-2006 season.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Arts Midwest, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, and the New England Foundation for the Arts will underwrite performance residencies for qualified engagements in their regions through presenter fee support.

Professionally cast, directed, and mounted, the production can play in a wide range of venues, from schools and community centers to major theaters and performing arts centers. The playwright will tour with the production to participate in activities including pre- and/or post-performance discussions and workshops. Integral to the project are opportunities for in-depth exploration of related subjects.

A nationally recognized Assiniboine playwright, William S. Yellow Robe, Jr., has written plays addressing issues of tribal autonomy, ecology, identity politics, and the legacy of Native/white relations. He is the recipient of many awards and an NEA Playwriting Fellowship. Through a Pew Fellowship, he is playwright-in-residence at Trinity Rep, where he founded No Borders, a Native American theater company.

The play is co-produced by Trinity Repertory Theater and Penumbra Theatre Company, directed by Penumbra Threatre Company’s founder and artistic director Lou Bellamy. Touring personnel includes eight actors, the playwright, and a staff of five.

For more information about hosting the performance at your venue, contact Jenny Tritt, Performing Arts Program Manager at jenny@maaa.org. For more information about the production, visit the Grandchildren of the Buffalo Web site at www.buffalosoldierstour.org.