Playwright Center opens
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Keith Conway, Mars Sandoval and Bill Swaney act out “Frog’s Dance.”
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ARLEE – For those wanting to become playwrights, help has arrived. The Inter-Tribal Playwright Center officially opened their doors inside the Hangin Art Gallery.
Playwright William S. Yellow Robe Jr. plans to sit down with writers to develop their individual crafts with a multicultural focus, although he also hopes to help develop the Native American voice. Keith Conway will be on hand to share his artistic experience.
“There really hasn’t been anything for native people,” Yellow Robe said of playwright centers across the country.
Theater allows Yellow Robe to express himself.
“I do theater because it’s the best means to fight oppression without bloodshed,” he said.
Yellow Robe, a member of the Assiniboine Tribe, discovered theater a couple dozen years ago as an actor.
“There were no Indian roles so I started writing plays, then there were no Indian actors to play the roles,” he said. Things have changed and more Native people are getting involved with theater, but Yellow Robe doesn’t want people to think he is perpetuating stereotypical characters.
“Just because it’s (written by a) native doesn’t mean it’s a native play,” he said.
Yellow Robe officially opened the playwright center with a production of his play “Frog’s Dance.” The play was about a man struggling to put himself back together after a car accident. Cast members included Keith Conway, David L. Moore, Mars Sandoval, Bill Swaney, Ruth Swaney, Greg Younger and Laura John.
“I’m a psychologist and not a critic, but I thought it was a dark play,” said Gyda Swaney, faculty member at the University of Montana. Swaney led a discussion between the cast and audience after the play. “It was about historical trauma. It was powerful to listen to. It was really moving and funny,” she said.
One audience member said she really enjoyed the play but felt there were too many references to Spam. Yellow Robe said Spam was a symbol of poverty.
Mars Sandoval, 15, played Elmo, a Native American character struggling with his identity. Mars is from Pablo. He said he didn’t identify with the fatherless character, but he understood him.
“It was fun to get to pretend I’m someone else,” he said.
The Arlee Community Development Corporation is supporting the playwright center.
“This was a dream; now a reality,” said Donna Mollica, CDC director.
Anyone interested in becoming a playwright or donating to the center call (406) 726-5550.
