A Play that Reminds, Responsabilizes, and Reclaims
Usually, because I’m all over the place, sitting down to learn about the show I’m going to review is not a common occurrence. That is, I have not seen a production of that show before, and it has worked well because I go in knowing nothing and without expectations. When my husband asked what show I was seeing, and I said “Indian Princesses,” he said “Oh, is it a show about Native Americans?” to which I answered “OMG, that is so racist!” and what is my surprise when I am sitting in that theatre?!?… My husband was right… sort of… And I understand the kids today hate the ellipsis, and I will leave it there. 100% Generation X over here!
Indian Princesses is a world premiere hosted by La Jolla Playhouse, written by Eliana Theologides Rodriguez and directed by Miranda Cornell.
It is the summer of 2008, and following the blurb, which I am not ecstatic about, but has everything to do with the context, “five young girls of color and their white fathers show up at a community center.”. Lily (Anissa Marie Griego) and Hazel (Serenity Mariana), sisters, arrive with their stepfather, Chris (Greg Keller). Andi (Rebecca Jimenez) with her dad, Mac (Mike Sears), Maisey (Clarissa Vickerie), and her dad, Wayne (Jason Maddy), and Samantha (Haley Wong) with her grandfather, Glen (Patrick Kerr), who is running the summer program. In a woodland setting, aiming to create a wholesome environment adorned with feathers and khaki vests, the girls participate in various activities and rehearse for their grand finale, a play to debut at the end of the camp, with the treasured prize of a pizza party on the line. As the days pass and they spend time together, secrets are revealed, stories and feelings are shared.
Emmie Finckel’s set design accurately replicates a community center’s “multidisciplinary” room, featuring an integrated hallway with peeping windows that reveal different scenes. I loved how Samantha C. Jones played with the costume design, truly illustrating these teenage girls in star-printed leggings, boy-short jeans, and tutu-style skirts. Mextly Couzin’s lighting also played with the settings, capturing the usually dim, unappealing light of these community centers to then implement a beautiful, natural-looking light for the outdoor and nighttime scenes, which illuminated the happenings perfectly. Salvador Zamora’s sound had special “camp” effects, such as wilderness sounds, kids, and audience, which rounded out the scenes.
I appreciated the grouped setting, both in Eliana’s writing and Miranda’s directing, which allows you to see the dynamics among the girls, the ones with the dads, and the father-daughter relationships all combined. There are familiar places that were relatable, such as when a dad would drive one of the other girls home in a carpool style. Another aspect I liked about the girls was their innocence (also relatable at that age), when one is their true, authentic self, before the world comes crashing in. Anissa Marie Griego, as the child actor, up-and-coming star Lily, is hilarious and witty. Her relationship with her sister, Hazel, showed authenticity and the rough patch these girls are going through. Serenity Mariana gave me the younger sister vibe, and I was here for it with bursts of energy and just raw, blunt honesty. Both Griego and Mariana need to do a tutorial on that beautiful, long hair!. I think I can speak for many audience members who wanted to tell Maisey where she came from and why people and history do not talk openly about it, because it has to do with owning up and taking responsibility. Clarissa Vickerie brings comedic relief, sometimes in a “pow” way, leaving food for thought. Rebecca Jimenez, as the shy, reserved Andi, also lent many laughs by portraying the typical crushes of those teenage years and the desire to learn more. Haley Wong as Samantha retook our hearts, reminding us what it looks like when a child’s world meets the “real” world, and all the questions come with the not-so-great answers.
The dad dynamic when ideas and upbringing credos collide. Greg Keller as the woke stepdad who wants to be a part and a good influence in these kids’ lives, Jason Maddy, who did a total 180, practically 360 from his last role as Lee in True West, displayed a loving father lost, not knowing how to do the best for his kid—the same for Mike Sears’ Mac—a dad who does not know how to talk openly and feels lost. Patrick Kerr as Glen is a hoot, not giving three shizes about the slurs and all the wrong happening with that camp and, at the same time, aiming to be a loving, caring grandfather for Samantha.
For this play to be seen under the “big lights” for the first time is quite impressive, and what I liked most is that it truly embodied all the feelings involved, leaving the audience utterly moved.
The playwright shares an essential note in the program that I would like to replicate here:
“I do not possess any remnants of the sacred dress or artifacts of my ancestors, but I do have a faux-suede vest with the YMCA logo and some plastic-beaded dreamcatchers. I do not know a word of my ancestors’ languages, but I remember every word of our 2008 tribal chant. In other words, I cannot call myself Native, but I can call myself a YMCA-certified Indian Princess.”
When googling “YMCA” and “Indian Princesses” in San Diego, these camps are still there, noted, yet rebaptized.
As I often mention, theatre does justice by reclaiming some of the space that is taken up wrongfully and unconsciously by white people. What Eliana reminds us is that it is often done unconsciously because they have been doing it for so long that it just comes naturally.
Indian Princesses is currently playing until July 6.
Alexa Burn is the stage manager for this production, and Jack Ganguly is the assistant stage manager.
The understudies are America Covarrubias, Jason Heil, Mikaela Macias, Mai Lan Nguyen, and Kennedy Tolson.
