On The Celebrity Trail with ‘Native voices’

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The Los Angeles Times says, “The Buz’Gem Blues” a play written by Drew Hayden Taylor “Has plenty of laughs and a fair amount of pithy cultural commentary. It’s all in good fun and all richly deserving.”

It stars actor Michael Horse (Yaqui-Mescalero) and singer Arigon Starr (Kickapoo) who are part of an initiative of Native theater productions performed at the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles called “Native Voices.”

Artistic Director Randy Reinholz (Choctaw) says, “It is a rare opportunity to see Native writers, directors and actors perform live theater where they have been extinct for years. “The Buz’Gem Blues” ran for three weeks and it was great to see Indians in the audience laughing and relating to the Indians on stage.”

The Autry Museum made plans to produce native plays after its success of “Urban Tattoo” in 1999 written by Canadian playwright Marie Clemens. The second theater production in 2002 was titled “Jump Kiss” written by Diane Glancy. By this time “Native Voices” found its home at the Autry Museum.

Randy Reinholz and his board of directors have created in the last three years a place for Native talent to flourish. “Learn How to Tell Your Story” was aimed at youth to empower kids to write their own stories. The play readings written by children brought out 17 diverse stories in 2003 alone. Professional actors were tapped to read all plays.

Reinholz says, “‘Native Voices’ is an ongoing project at the Autry Museum and is an advocate for Natives who love live theater.”

Reinzhoz will serve as director for all of the theater productions until they replace him and he is glad to have had the opportunity. An actor himself, he believes in the support of the arts especially for Native performers. He has worked with the Autry to have all artists receive union pay. It is only the beginning for Native people to be seen and heard when for many years they weren’t.

The greater urban Los Angeles community now has a reason to connect to Natives in the theatre. In the coming months, the Autry has readings of Native plays scheduled for June 27 and August 17. In November, a festival of three new plays will be unveiled and in January 2004 there will be a playwright workshop. And, next March another “Native Voices” theater production will be announced. To be announced in March of next year will be another “Native Voices” theater production.