Directed by JMU English and Theatre Arts Honors student Robby Bassler. Shows are at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and also on Friday at 11:59 p.m. Recommended for Mature Audiences. Tickets: $4.
Bassler describes Geiogamah’s 49 as a "gut-wrenching dissection of the Native American culture through subconscious creation and elaboration." A driving drumbeat leads the narrative through the past and into the future as a community of young Native Americans, celebrating the “49” ritual, coalesces to protect their culture. Geiogamah drives the piece with music, movement, and classic myth derived from Native American nations.
Robby is a former student of mine. He has directed scenes from African theatre in several of my world literature classes. Vibrant energy infuses his direction, and I hope you can all attend what is sure to be an exciting theatre event!
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Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeletePlease come to the play! Liz, Nidie, Matt and I (Will) are helping out with this play. The proceeds go to two local tribes who are helping with the production, it fits in with the class via the De Landa piece. Also, after showing at JMU, the play will be moving up to Boston, MA to perform. It is a pretty exciting piece, we hope to see you all there!
I found this play very interesting. It combined visual, audio, and instrumental aspects well and made the audience a part of the act. I felt that it related best to the oral stories we discussed in class at the beginning of the year. There were unique stories told, with an old man (played by a woman), as the story teller. The two Night Walkers had strong stories and perspectives to share. In their fight over old versus new traditions they came to a compromise where both types would influence the tribe. This piece drew in the audience just as an oral narrative would, and made you feel like you were a part of the story.
ReplyDeleteKatie Crandell
My name is Stephanie Maguire and I am in the 11:15 World Literature class. I saw this play Thursday night and thought it was an interesting way to show the idea of Native American culture getting trampled. I thought that the most interesting aspect was that those who were supposed to have come from tribes were easily assimilated by another culture. When the sirens and speakers would play, they got frightened and covered their ears. When the one Night Walker lured them to come watch the TV, however, they seemed willing to come watch and then reinact what they had seen. I thought that this showed that cultural genocide CAN be stopped, even if does not seem possible, and that the people who are part of the culture in danger are not totally willing to protect it, they are more at risk of losing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm Toni Kimbriel.
ReplyDeleteI saw 49 opening night. It was so much fun, and very touching. I enjoyed the community/listeners-to-a-story feeling of sitting on blankets and pillows watching the show. I was fortunate enough to be pulled into the show by cast members, and I realize now that maybe oral literature storytellers did/do the same thing with their audiences--get them physically involved in the 'show.'
49 was touching because parts of the play urged the audience to nurse their knowledge of their heritage rather than their technological abilities. This is synonymous with periods in colonized countries where a group of indigenous people realize the country needs to remember what it was before "civilization" was "given" to them. Parts of the play also prompt the audience members to discover who they are, know it thoroughly, and embrace it.
I wish I could have seen 49 multiple nights, because it was different every night, which also relates to oral literature. I loved the show!