Spiderwoman Theater and La MaMa to Host Two-Week Festival

Spiderwoman Theater’s Global Indigenous Theatre Festival will showcase nine days of performances and community events honoring Indigenous cultures. 

Founded by Muriel Miguel, Kuna and Rappahannock, in 1976, Spiderwoman Theater became a space to discuss cultural, social, and political concerns. The theater also offers theater training and education rooted in urban Indigenous performance practice.

The event, hosted in partnership with experimental theater La MaMa, also celebrates Spiderwoman Theater’s 50th anniversary. 

Performers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Minneapolis will be brought to the stage to share stories of global Indigenous excellence. 

The first performance, Kōpū by Te Pou Theatre of New Zealand, follows young wāhine Māori navigating the world. 

Invisible Shadows by Ikidowin Theater Ensemble of Minneapolis centers on youth struggling to manage their drug use and the intersection between the youths’ dreams and learning about their culture, families, and communities.

Maayuma li Mubirr (Healing Scars), performed by Moogahlin Performing Arts of Australia, traces the intergenerational journey lines of First Peoples healing from injustice. Composer and performer Warren Mason, Yuwaalaraay, will play guitar, perform spoken word, and sing alongside choreographed movement.

All My R(el)ations by Aanmitaagzi of Canada is a dance theater project built upon youth workshops and over 360 storytelling luncheons with elders.

The festival will end with Spiderwoman Theater Gala, joining together Indigenous artists and the downtown arts community. 

Global Indigenous Theatre Festival will be Oct. 30-Nov. 7 at LaMama in New York, New York. For more information on each event and to purchase tickets, click here.