The Thanksgiving play

Jaxton: some cheese Caden?

so sorry I’m late, my Uber app disappeared and the place where I’m staying has terrible reception and I couldn’t find the internet password so I had to take a bus. Have you ever taken a bus? Its impossible. I mean literally, it is not possible

Caden: I think the word you want is ‘figurtively” not “literally “

What?

Caden: because you’re here. So it wasn’t “literally” impossible. It’s a common mistake

are you the director?

Logan: No, I am. We met at your zoom audition

I thought you were the casting director

Logan: we don’t have casting directors for elementary school shows. I’m the director director

Oh. I’m Alicia. (ah-lee-cee-ah). Alicia

Logan: Yes, I remember. I hired you. I’m Logan, she-

Me?

Logan: Her

Who? What?

Logan: Um, this is Caden and Jaxton

Where’s my script

Logan: as my email said, we’re devising the piece together. That’s how I work

I’m an actress

Logan: we work as a team to come up with ideas. try them out, improv some scenes and then I put the connecting parts together and type it up

Could I come back when there’s a script? I just got to town and have a hundred things to do. And there’s the bus. Figuratively

Caden: the bus is literal

Logan: The devising process is meant to empower the actors

do I get paid extra for empowerment?

Logan: No. But I want you to know that your voice is the most important one in this play. More important than mine. We could not do this without you.

really?

Jaxton: really?

Logan: absolutely. and personally. I’m here for you

Alicia: Ok, I’ll try it

Caden: is this how you created all of your shows?

Jaxton: its been a dream of ours to get to do a fully devised educational play. It’s the wave of the future in theatre. I mean actors in Sweden haven’t toughed a script in years. They’re so far ahead of us.

Ikea is in Sweden right?

Caden: yes

I love Ikea

Caden: I suggest we begin four thousand years ago when the ancient Northern Europeans joined the agricultural revolution and reaped their first organized harvest as farmers. In order to give thanks to the gods for this new way of life they feasted with ceremonies. thousands of years later, those ceremonies became known as the modern Harvest home festival

I thought we’re doing a Thanksgiving play

jaxton: another option is to focus on the fact that this is a November play

right, for Thanksgiving

Jaxton: for native American heritage month

We’re performing at the turkey trot. Not the teepee trot

Blocking:

Jaxton: its not my place to tell you how to express yourself, but sound waves travel you know

Logan: as our native American compass, Alicia is allowed to say what she wants about it

flip hair

Jaxton: I am so sorry. It is truly an honor to work with you. I have always been drawn to your ways

You’re a fan of my work?

Jaxton: More than a fan. I’m a devoted follower

That’s sweet. I just opened a new Instagram account. You should follow that one too

Logan: this is a good time to mention in the interest of full disclosure , that especially now, since the tragedy of George floyd, there are so many factors, including grant and school board requirements that we need to consider with this piece. Which also means … Thanksgiving. I am a vegan so that subject is especially sensitive to me. However I want to lift up this awknowledgement that although my sensitivity about the slaughter of millions of animals, including 45 million turkeys is valid. I am conscious of not allowing my personal issues to take up more space in the room than the justified anger of the native people around the idea of Thanksgiving in our post colonial society . I want to make that crystal clear. especially for you alicia.

Um… ok

Logan: if there is anything you want to say on the subject please know we are holding that space for you

I’m good right here

Logan: ok, this bit of research is great Caden and helps fufill my excellence in educational theatre grant. But I wonder if the best place to start a fourth five minute Thanksgiving play for elementary school schildren is 4 thousand years ago?

yeah, was America even invented yet?

Jaxton: it was not. Better times. that makes me wonder if using the word conqueror “american” could be a trigger for people? what word would you prefer for naming this physical space? I’ve heard “turtle island” used a lot. Do you prefer that?

I like turtles

Logan: Thanks for lifting up the awareness Jaxton. Coded language is an issue we need to be conscious of. especially when dealing with the next generation

I don’t get codes

Jaxton: because that’s Navajo

Caden: My next idea is pretty cool. We can draw a direct line from the Harvest Home Festival to our modern Thanksgiving celebration. See I propose that we open on a huge bonfire with ancient Northern european ancestors dancing and feasting on one side and- this is the exciting part- ancient native american people doing the exact same thing on the other side!

I don’t get it

logan: lets move forward in history. What can we do to break down the myths and stereotypes of Thanksgiving in 45 minutes with three people? create a revolution in their minds?

45 minutes seems kinda long

well, its a play, so actually its quite short

but an average show at Disneyland is 20 minutes. That’s what they think kids can handle

Logan: um, we can consider that point of view but I don’t think Disney

If anyone knows kids, its Disneyland. Its like science to them. I know, I was the third understudy for jasmine

Jaxton: isn’t she middle eastern?

My look is super flexible

Jaxton: mine too

Logan: I hear you Alicia. But the standard commission from this school district is for a 45 minute show. so we should probably trust that they know a little something about children even if they do feed them slaughtered flesh and genetically enhanced garbage every day

I guess

Caden: In saint Augustine Florida

the pilgrims landed in Florida? I did not know that. So that’s why Disney world is there!

Caden: saint Augustine was a settlement of hundreds of Spanish people led by Pedro menendez

I might be a little bit Spanish! Para Espanol oprima Numero dos

Caden: but the science of the next recognized Thanksgiving happens thirty years later in Texas

OMG there were pilgrims in Texas too???

Caden: I assume so

ew.

Caden: much worse

ew

Jaxton: so far all of these stories are coming from the non-indigenous point of view. I think we need to hold space for the native perspective

that’s my role

Logan: Alicia, what were you told about the first Thanksgiving in your family

Well, not much really, I mean- we aren’t religious or anything

Jaxton: of course not

we just ate food and watched games. We didn’t talk about it much

Logan: maybe we could do something with that? Use “play” as a universal way to connect with the kids instead of those questionable children’s songs we make them sing every year

Jaxton: what kinds of games?

just the ones that everyone watches

Logan: right, is there any chance we could learn about these games with you as a cast?

I guess, I think the chiefs are playing Monday, right ?

Jaxton: there’s a whole game just for chiefs? that’s amazing. How many are there?

The same number as any team I guess. I don’t really know football that well. It was just on in the background.

Jaxton: wait, football ?

sure, what do you watch?

Logan: I can’t believe we did that, sorry alicia

We did do one different thing on Thanksgiving. It came from my mom’s people

Logan: do you mind sharing it with us?

Jaxton: if that’s allowed

first, we’d buy an extra frozen turkey, a small one and leave it in the freezer. then, before dinner all the kids would go out to the driveway and set up these wood blocks like bowling pins. then we’d take turns rolling the frozen turkey at the pins and see who could knock down the most

Jaxton: like bowling?

Logan: with a frozen turkey?

Yeah! That’s what they called it: frozen turkey bowling. It was hilarious. your hands would be freezing so you’d just chuck the thing and it would go all over the driveway. They call them Butterballs. But they’re not really balls

logan: this is your family tradition?

my mom grew up in Iowa, so it probably worked better there because it was cold. In LA it would start melting and get all mushy and runny.

Logan: Oh my god

Jaxton: deep breaths

Logan: We really want to honor your voice and your people’s, what are your people called?

Well, my dad’s side is the longs and my mom’s is Hogan. But I use my middle name as my last name for acting. it makes it so I can play all kinds of people

Jaxton: can I ask something in all respect?

I guess

Jaxton: isn’t that problematic? I mean, we’ve all become aware of redface. Doesn’t it worry you to be playing other races?

my agent had be taken headshots as six different ethnic people. which got me many roles such as jasmine

Jaxton: how do you even take headshots as ethnicities? what does that look like?

Different hair, accessories. My native American shot has me in braids and a turquoise necklace

Jaxton: native Americans need to take “native American headshots? that seems wrong

every actress in LA has different types of shots. My agent told me to

Logan: I wouldn’t do everything your agent says

He’s my former agent now so I don’t do anything he says. besides, native Americans like invented turquoise, so I don’t see why wearing it in a shot would piss them off. It’s paying them respect

Logan: them who?

The native Americans

Logan: but you’re them?

Who?

Logan: native american

I play native American

Jaxton: You’re not native american?

I’m English and French and a little Spanish. We think

Logan: But I hired you to be Native American

Yeah

Logan: but you aren’t?

No

LoganL but you were my cultural compass

You hired me to be an actress. Don’t worry, I’m gonna act my ass off

Logan: But that’s why your voice was so important?

so non-native American voices aren’t important ?

Jaxton: didn’t you wonder why we were asking your advice on all this stuff

because its devised

Logan: But we need a native American person to do this play. I got a grant

Look, you hired me off my native American headshot. so that’s on you. You can’t fire me because of this, its against the law.

Logan: so we’re four white people making a culturally sensitive first Thanksgiving play for native American heritage month? Oh my goddess

Whatever, it’s theatre. We don’t need actual native Americans to tell a native American story. I mean, none of us are actual pilgrims are we?

caden: interestingly, they called themselves seperatists

the point is, we’re actors. we act. that’s the job. Is lumiere a real candlestick?

Jaxton: actually, he kinda was

was grandmother willow a real willow?

Caden: she’s animated so-

In the Disneyland show?

Caden: no?

Exactly, and the whole Pocahontas cast was filipino!

caden: so you just moved here?

yeah

caden: what part of town are you in

I don’t know

Caden: I grew up here. If you want to know anything about anything, I can probably tell you

anything?

Caden: anything about this town?

oh

caden: but if there’s anything else you want to know about I could look it up for you. I’m really good at research

thats sweet

do you wan’t my number or whatever?

awww. Not yet

Jaxton: its the right thing to do

what part will I play?

Logan: a pilgrim

but I’m maybe part-spanish so I should have the biggest parts in the Florida and Texas stories

Logan: We aren’t going to do those stories

why not?

Logan: because there aren’t any white people in them and we’ve got a cast of white people?

in this country, if you’re part anything else, you’re not white. Its a drop thing. If i’m Spanish, I’m not white right?

Blocking

Caden: I think that depends on the region of origin. I’m not an expert on-

hair behind ear

Logan: the ethical thing to do is to play what we know we are

I was promised a large part

Logan: my race and gender equity in history grant only requires a lead female or BIPOC person, not both so that lead female will be you

good

Logan: this is a challenge, but we are the future of Theatre and education. are we all in agreement

main pilgrim

Logan: ok, then , no native Americans in our Thanksgiving play

Yay!

Logan: We need to get our creative justice flowing and figure out what our options are to celebrate native americans without them. lets act

which way is downstage

Logan: It doesn’t matter in an improv, you just react

lets put the audience here

you’re at a pilgrims house preparing the meal for the first Thanksgiving

I feel like its my house

Jaxton: wait. Didn’t we get this food from native American people

yeah, isn’t that the whole point of thanksgiving? to thank the native people for saving us from… something .. with food?

Caden: starvation

we should totally thank them for that

logan: ok, you’re sitting down to eat the dinner that is already prepared

would you like more…. stuffing?

Caden: so sorry, yes, I would love some, what did you call it, stuffing?

I was mistaken, its corn, native American corn

Jaxton: this meal is wonderful

Without our native American neighbors.. in the next room, we would be dead, from starvation

Caden: yes, we owe them thanks

I thanked them

Jaxton: good

We should say a prayer of Thanksgiving

Logan: public schools

what?

Logan: we can’t pray in public schools

alicia: pilgrims are religious,right?

Caden: yes

Brother Jaxton, would you say a prayer of thanks?

Caden: the truth is in the writings from this time, they were referred to as savages

so savages!

Jaxton: ok, but my point was going to be we should have our native brothers in the room to say the Thanksgiving prayer

yes. lets wait for them

more.. vegetable boys?

Caden: somehow, we need indians

a dream sequence

jaxton: how does that help?

My character can dream that she is a native person. and I’ll play me because it’s my dream