Visionaries Jean Bruce Scott and Randy Reinholz created successful Native Voices - Los Angeles Theater | Examiner.com

Visionaries Jean Bruce Scott and Randy Reinholz created successful Native Voices - Los Angeles Theater | Examiner.com

from the new poetry manuscript...

winter count

Deepened octaves of winter,
three different words for
snow
and we can't seem
to fathom even one.
Bringing us to our
knees, the road ends
here, in a mist of sky,
water, and air
greeting earth in
a kiss of white and
the end of time.
Drifts rise
smoke of prayers
ascending upon a
breath of a distant
light, long ago laden
with the end of beauty.
How can we move
'if we are frozen
in a fear of change, of death,
of endings and beginnings
that are one in the same?
Can this frozen starlight,
glittering starry-eyed
in the darkness and silence
of night,
remain just what
breathing was meant to be---
beginning, ending, ending,
beginning---
and the mercy of an eternal
night
brings the breathing
to prayers looking
skyward
to heaven as we wish
the road would lead
us home.

© Carolyn Dunn 2011

Hollywood Indians living in the woods...

My friend Terri Windling has been doing a series on her blog about writers and artists and their work spaces. I can finally say that I now have a studio to work in, instead of a cramped den shared with kids and coffee cups, old candy wrappers and strawberry tops that the kids never seem to throw away. My studio, as we call it, ia a small attic room at the top floor of our house in the redwood forest that is filled with my stuff...knitting supplies, guitars, posters, music, boxes from the move (yes, we are barely unpacking) books, hand drums, and a really cool retro chair bought from our friend Dawni's yard sale in September, which I am sitting in right now. I love this little attic studio. The kids do too... and do the dogs! I have to fight just for the space. Can't tell if it's because they all want to hang out with Mama or they love the magic of the space. Even Piper is happy amongst the books and dolls...and yes, that really is Piper, looking like a stuffed doll that she is!!

This year has brought many changes for all of us, and we are managing to roll with them. Most exciting, of course, is the world premiere of my play The Frybread Queen at the Wells Fargo Theatre and the Autry National Center. The Frybread Queen has been in development for the last three years with Native Voices at the Autry; Robert Caisley has been the dramaturg throughout the process and I am excited to announce will direct the premiere. Producers Jean Bruce Scott and Randy Reinholz locked themselves in a hotel with Rob and me to get the production draft ready to go last November and I am happy to say the script looks pretty solid. It has been a great three years working on the project, and I'm glad to see it finally coming to fruition.

In terms of producing, we will be working on two projects this winter at UCSC with the American Indian Resource Center. On February 17th we'll be hosting Arigon Starr, Robert J. Conley, and Gayle Ross for an evening with Oklahoma Indian Storytellers at the Fireside Lounge at Stevenson College. We're also working on a film symposium with Peter Bratt late in the quarter and are looking forward to that as well.

More sooner than later ;P

The Turquoise Ledge in Santa Cruz

Last nightg Book Shop Santa Cruz hosted the legend that is Leslie Marmon Silko, who read from her new book The Turquoise Ledge. The Turquoise Ledge is part memoir, part family history, and all wonderful. We had a great turn out and I was honored to introduce Leslie, whom I had never met, but I felt like I knew. Her father, the photographer, Lee Marmon, took James and I and the kids out to coffee at the market in Laguna when we were last in New Mexico two years ago. The Marmons are cousin through Laguna to the Francis family, including Paula Gunn Allen, Carol Lee Sanchez, and Lee Francis III and IV.

Also in attendance last night were several UCSC faculty and staff, including Karen Tei Yamashita, who has been honored with a National Book Award nomination:
http://news.ucsc.edu/2010/10/yamashita-national-book-award.html

Karen was an early inspiration to me when we worked at KCET in Los Angeles in the 1980's where she wrote Tropic of Orange, while working full-time.

All around a good evening!

Haunting drama tells the story of native families - Montana Kaimin - Arts+Culture

Haunting drama tells the story of native families - Montana Kaimin - Arts+Culture

Nice review of The Frybread Queen, which premiered last weekend at Montana Rep and the University of Montana School of Theater and Dance...

‘Frybread Queen’ explores individuals, roles, tribes

‘Frybread Queen’ explores individuals, roles, tribes

The Frybread Queen makes her appearance in Montana

Rehearsals began this week for my play The Frybread Queen which will be presented by Montana Repetory Theater, in production with the University of Montana and Native Voices at the Autry in Missoula, Montana, running two weekends, September 16th-19 and the 23rd-26th at the Masquer Theater at UM. I am thrilled to be part of the first weeks of rehearsal and it has been an amazing journey. Directed by UM's Jere Hodgin and dramaturged by Robert Caisley, the play tells the story of three generations of Indian women who come to terms with the death of a family member. Over the course of two days, secrets are revealed and tragic consequences occur. Starring Jane Lind as Jessie, Arigon Starr as Annalee, Lillie Gladstone as Carlisle and Tiffany Wild as Lily, this play will also be part of Native Voices at the Autry's season in Los Angeles as a staged reading in November and a full production in March. More later!