Read: The Native Theatre Movement - An Introduction
In response to Institutional Theatre Makers and the Industry at large:
Before the lights dim, theatres across this country offer land acknowledgments. They name the original stewards of the land. They thank us. They move on.
And then the season begins without us.
Because acknowledging us is not seeing us.
So We, a collective of Native and Indigenous artists and allies, have come together to say:
SEE US.
HEAR US.
JOIN US.
Since the beginning of this business, Native artists have organized, spoken up, provided countless hours of unpaid labor, asked for community meetings, and protested harmful, inaccurate depictions of our people on stage, ranging from Broadway to regional productions in every area of this country. And since the beginning, we have been belittled, dismissed, threatened, and silenced. Nevertheless, we have persisted through every risk to our careers, our health, and our reputations. These years of silencing and being ignored have resulted in a pattern of institutional, field-wide harm to our community. Unfortunately, this hostility and contempt have only grown towards Native people over the last several years as we have gathered to address institutional and individual harm.
2025 is the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Now, in 2026, we stand alongside the Native artist-activists who have laid the foundation for all Native work today, saying enough.
This letter, signed by Native artists and our allies, is a declaration.
We are done asking permission to exist in an art form our ancestors helped create. In an industry built on truth, authenticity, and belonging, we are still denied the space to speak for ourselves and tell our own stories. We are denied the inherent right to share our experiences and the impact redface, stereotypes, and exclusion have on our communities. That is settler colonialism in action, and we name it as such.
We are living, working artists who carry the weight of genocide while watching this federal government continue its threats against our sovereignty, and we will not surrender our voices in the one space that is supposed to welcome full human expression. The theatre cannot claim to be a place for everyone while actively silencing the people on whose land it stands.
We are not metaphors. We are not mascots. We are not backdrops. We are not land acknowledgments. We are not figures of someone else's imagination. We are human beings.
We, a collection of 250 Native artists and allies, demand community accountability, transparency, and the unequivocal recognition that the only people who can speak for us, about us, and on matters that implicate us, are us.
We will soon be demanding from institutions several things: make public vows to produce Native authored work, invest in training for Native artists, finally commit to the decades of offerings provided by the matriarchs of Native theatre, defer to the leadership of Native artists and our beloved Native-founded organizations, and move into genuine relationships with us for the first time. We will ask our allies to lend their voices to uplift ours, join us in cross-cultural collaboration and deep partnership, and build a coalition for a more equitable theatre for us all.
Standby.
Signed,
A Jordan Lambert
Adrian Enscoe
Aidan Colquhoun
Aileen Wen McGroddy
Ajuawak Kapashesit (White Earth Ojibwe Descendant)
Alexandre Jamon (Zuni Pueblo)
Allie Gonino (Cherokee)
Allison Hicks (Prairie Band Potawatomi / Choctaw of Oklahoma)
Ally Varitek
Alyssa Haddad-Chin
Amal Bisharat
Amy Almond
Andrea Sala
Andrew Aaron Valdez (Coahuiltecan)
Andrew Watring
Andrina Smith(Shinnecock)
Angela Startz(Inupiaq)
Anna M. Hogan
Annalisa Dias
Anthony Hudson (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Siletz)
Asa Benally (Navajo/Cherokee)
Ashley Malafronte
Aubee Billie (Seminole Tribe of Florida)
Audrey Erickson
Audrey Seraphin
Aydin Mallery
Azie Dungey (Pamunkey)
Becca Worthington (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)
Betsy Theobald Richards (Cherokee Nation)
Blake Elliott
Blossom Johnson (Diné)
Bo Shimmin (Pueblo of Acoma)
Boo Froebel
Bradley Lewis (Pueblo of Acoma)
Brian B. Johnson
Caleb Hammons
Cara Jade Myers (Kiowa/ Witchita)
Carlie Craig
Carolina Hoyos (Quechua-Kichwa)
Carolyn Dunn (Mvskoke and Cherokee descent, Tunica/Choctaw-Biloxi)
Carrie Lee Patterson
Cathy Tagnak Rexford (Iñupiaq)
Chandra East (Choctaw)
Charley Flyte (Oglala Lakota, Mohawk)
Charli Fool Bear-Vetter (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe)
Chingwe Padraig Sullivan (Shinnecock and Montaukett)
Chris Renfro
Christopher Austin
Christopher Robinson
CJ Ochoco
Claire Ganem
Claire Soleil(Métis-Cree)
Claude Jackson, Jr.(Gila River Indian Community)
Clint Ramos
Colin Hovde
Corinna Schulenburg
Courtney Elkin Mohler(Santa Barbara Chumash)
Cynthia Flowers
Dakota Camacho(Matao/CHamoru)
Daniel Leeman Smith(Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)
Danielle Carr
Danielle Soames(Mohawk)
Daria Miyeko Marinelli
Darrell Dennis(Secwepemc)
David Bertoldi
David Woolard
Dawn Jamieson(Cayuga)
DeLanna Studi (Cherokee)
Dillon Chitto(Mississippi Choctaw, Laguna Pueblo, Isleta Pueblo)
Dillon Yruegas(Coahuiltecan)
Dustin Chinn
Elisa Blandford
Elise Bear(Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma/Osage)
Ellen Boudreau Den Herder
Emery Barrera(Klamath/Lakota)
Emily Bubeck
Emily Hartford
Emily Larson
Eric Ting
Ernest Briggs(White Earth Nation)
Esther Almazan(Yoeme)
Evan Turissini
Frances Koncan(Couchiching First Nation)
Frank Cardinale
Frankie Pedersen(Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation)
George Loring (Pαnawάhpskewi/Penobscot)
Geraldine Barney(Dine')
Gethsemane Amy Herron-Coward
GiGi Buddie(Tongva and Mescalero Apache)
Gloria Majule
Hannah Levinson
Heath Jones, Jr.(Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)
Hollis Chitto(Mississippi Choctaw, Laguna, Isleta)
Ida Aronson(United Houma Nation)
J Miko Thomas(Chickasaw Nation)
Jaíme-Lynn Dickerson(Yamasee & Gullah Geechee)
Jameson Bryant
Jan Paulo Musni
Jasmine Goodspeed (Hassanamisco Nipmuc)
Jasmine Mahmoud
Jason Grasl(Blackfeet)
Jason Rugg
Jay Havens(Kanien'kehá:ka)
Jeanette Harrison(Onondaga)
Jeff Barehand (Gila River Indian Community)
Jeffrey Allmen
Jenni Werner
Jennifer Bobiwash(Ojibway)
Jennifer Lisa Vest(Seminole Mxdblood)
Jennifer Zeyl
Jesse Cameron Alick
Jessica Durdock Moreno
Jessica Morrow
Joe Barros
Joe Cross(Caddo Nation of Oklahoma)
Joey Clift (Cowlitz)
John Scott-Richardson (Haliwa Saponi / Tuscarora)
Jolie Cloutier (Onondaga)
Jorden Charley-Whatley (Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma)
Josh Glenn-Kayden
Joshua Riffle
Joy Tenenberg
Julie McCormick
Juliet Wolfe
Kaley Morrison (Waccamaw Siouan)
Kara Morrison(Waccamaw Siouan)
Kate Busselle
Kate Moore Heaney
Katelyn Paddock
Katherine Callaway Shaver
Kathleen Capdesuñer
Kegan Bordeaux(Klamath Tribes of Oregon)
Kelly Lynne D'Angelo(Tuscarora)
Kenny Ray Ramos (Barona Band of Mission Indians)
Kevin Lawler
Kholan Studi(Cherokee Nation)
Kija Deer (Cherokee Nation)
Kimberly JaJuan(Haliwa-Saponi)
Kimberly Powers
Kimstelle Merisma
Larissa FastHorse (Sicangu Lakota)
Lea McCormick(Mvskoke Citizen)
Lee Cataluna(Native Hawaiian)
Leilani Ricardo
Leslie Ishii
Linsey Bostwick
Lionel Morales(Taíno)
Liz Engelman
Logan Blount(Chickasaw Nation)
Lori Tapahonso (Diné/Acoma Pueblo)
Luzene Hill(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Lynde Rosario
Maddox Pennington(Cherokee Nation)
Madeleine Hutchins (Mohegan)
Madeline Easley(Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma)
Madeline Sayet(Mohegan)
Madison Nichols
Marci Diamond
Maria Hendricks(Assonet & Mashpee Wampanoag)
Marisa Diamond(Maya Q'eqchi)
Mark Kreel
Mary Kathryn Nagle(Cherokee Nation)
Matt Cross(Kiowa)
Matthew Solomon
Maura García, MFA(non-enrolled Cherokee/Mattamuskeet)
Mauricio Salgado
Meena Malik
Melissa Kievman
Mercedes Aznar
Michael Nephew(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Miriam Cortes
Mona Malec
Monet Hurst-Mendoza
Munroe Forbes Shearer
Mwalim (MJ Peters) (Mashpee Wampanoag)
Nabra Nelson
Nailah Unole didahnes'ea Harper-Malveaux(Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)
Natalie Benally (Diné)(Navajo)
Nathalie Standingcloud (Cherokee)
Nathan Luttrull
Naysan Mojgani
Nicholas Byers
Nicholas Patler
Nicholas Stauffer
Nicolette Blount (Chickasaw Nation)
Nolan Muña (CHamoru)
Olivia Reinebach
Olivia Woodward (Caddo Nation & Yuchi)
Opalanietet (Ryan Victor) Pierce (Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape)
P.C. Verrone (Osage & Kiowa)
Phaedra Michelle Scott
Phanésia Pharel
Pierre Barrera (Klamath / Lakota)
Pirronne Yousefzadeh
Princess Lucaj Daazhraii Johnson (Koyukon/Gwich’in)
Quinn Corbin
Quita Sullivan(Shinnecock/Montaukett)
Rachel Chavkin
Rachel Seeley
Rad Pereira
Rajah Morales(Taino)
Ramona Rose King
Raphael Regan (Eastern Band Cherokee)
Ray Yamanouchi
Richard C. Aven
Ronica Reddick
Rosalyn Tavarez
Ruth Łchav'aya K'isen Miller (Curyung Tribe of Alaska)
Ryan Anderson
Sacha Voteau
Sam Gould
Sam Mueller
Samah Meghjee
Samuel levit
Sarah Busic
Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahākalani Choo(Kanaka 'ōiwi)
Shandiin Sunrise(Diné/Navajo/Kewa/Santo Domingo Pueblo)
Sharelen Mack
Shaun Leisher
Shawn LaCount
Shayna Jackson(Prairie Island Indian Community)
Shira Helena Gitlin
Sophie Zmorrod
Spencer Battiest(Seminole Tribe of Florida)
Spencer Clouse
Spencer Rothbell
Stacey Greenberg
Steve Wood(Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
Sumi Narendran
Tammie L Swopes
Taneisha Figueroa (Taino)
Tanis Parenteau (Métis Nation of Alberta)
Tantoo Cardinal (Metis Nation)
Tanya Avendaño Stockler
Tara Lyn DeJolie (Navajo- Dine)
Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)
Tatyana-Marie Carlo
Tay Bass
Teddy Hendricks(Mashpee Wampanoag / Hassanamisco Nipmuc)
Thea Hopkins (Aquinnah Wampanoag)
Tim Martin(Yurok)
Timothy White Eagle(Shasta & Mohave (CRIT) descendant)
Tina Kuckkahn (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe)
TJ Stephens(Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians)
Tomi Endter(Lac La Ronge Indian Band)
Trevor Hosteen(Navajo Diné)
Tyler M. Holland
Vera Starbard (Tlingít)
Vichet Chum
Vickie Ramirez(Tuscarora)
Vijay Mathew
Wes Studie(Tsalagi)
Weyodi OldBear (Wuratsaakupu Comanche Nation)
Wren
Xavier Bryce Pegarido Borja(Taotao’ Guahan Native CHamoru)
Zoe Burke(Unenrolled Cherokee/documented Weapemeoc descent)