Native American Playwright Festival a great success

ARLEE — “Bringing the Reservation to the stage, by bringing the stage to the Reservation.”

That’s the motto capturing the goal of the Npustin Indigenous Theatre Project, and the project leaders delivered on that mission at this past week’s Native American Playwright Festival in Arlee.

“We had a great turnout,” said Zan Agzigian of Spokane, Wash., one of the featured playwrights who helped organize the festival.

Each night, 50-60 people crowded into the Hangin Art Gallery to watch and/or participate in staged readings of plays written by members of the community. The festival is part of a long-term project to promote a heightened interest in theater within the community.

“This has been in the making for at least 15 years,” said Agzigian, who along with fellow playwright Vic Charlo of Dixon, has been involved with local drama since the early 1990s.

While the event’s organizing committee tends to focus their work on vibrant Native American communities, they gladly welcomed participants of all backgrounds at the week’s readings and discussions.

“We’ve had this incredible cross-cultural engagement of Native and non-Native,” said Agzigian, speaking glowingly of the “collaborative spirit” that characterized the festival.

Agzigian said the aim is “to allow a bridge for Native and non-Native people to work together” in a nurturing artistic environment, where “the focus (is) on playwriting itself.”

The people attracted to the event were drawn from far beyond just the Reservation. A group of Muslim students from throughout North Africa and the Middle East attended Friday night’s finale as part of a five-week cultural exchange program conducted through Montana State University.

The group watched a heartfelt reading of Jennifer Greene’s play about the signing of the Hellgate Treaty, which led to the establishment of the Flathead Indian Reservation in 1855.

It was the first play written by Greene, an accomplished poet and educator at Salish Kootenai College, and it was very warmly received by its audience, including the exchange students.

“It was a very powerful response. They said that the most meaningful experience they had (in the U.S.) was with us,” said playwriter Julie Cajune.

In addition to the reception of her play, Greene was pleased with the overall success enjoyed by the festival.

“I think it meant a lot to the community in different ways. It gets people an understanding of what kinds of creative works are being made in our community.”

Agzigian, too, was strongly encouraged by the public response to the festival.

“People are excited and they want to have a part in it,” she said.

“Isn’t that what theater is about, anyway?” Agzigian added.

There are more good things to come for the area’s drama enthusiasts, as Agzigian and company plan to progress from readings to full theatrical productions by the end of the year. Individuals seeking more information or looking to get involved can contact the Arlee CDC.