Material Witness Tour
April-May 2019
Material Witness explores personal and family stories of violence and the healing journeys of Indigenous women in our global community. Developed in partnership with Loose Change Productions and Aanmitaagzi, an arts collective from Nipissing First Nation.
Material Witness Toured to: Peterborough, Sudbury, Debajehmujig Theatre, Sault Ste Marie, Pic River First Nation, and Thunder Bay
Fear of Oatmeal
June 2018
Presented at The Studio at St. Anne's Warehouse, a new play written and directed by Spiderwoman Theater Artistic Director, Muriel Miguel. Set in the Native American community that lived in Brooklyn's Boerum Hill area from the 30's through the 60's, the play explores the nature of vision and prophecy. Miguel is joined by an all-Indigenous cast: Spiderwoman founding member, Gloria Miguel; Donna Couteau; Joe Cross; Soni Moreno and Sheldon Raymore.
Lu! Lu! Lu! Lu!
Spiderwoman Theater Celebrates 40 Years:
A Benefit Theatrical Event at La MaMa
September 19, 2017
A 40th Anniversary celebration with performances by A Tribe Called Red, Taylor Mac, Soni Moreno, Talking Band, Split Britches, and many more!
Spiderwoman Theater
Material Witness
May 2016
Material Witness explores personal and family stories of violence and the healing journeys of Indigenous women in our global community. Developed in partnership with Loose Change Productions and Aanmitaagzi, an arts collective from Nipissing First Nation.
The Elder's Project: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
2012
Gloria Miguel’s humorous and poignant look at being an elder in her community and the treatment of elders in our society. Tu Tu Kapsus, a Kuna woman, comes down from the stars to land in the Brooklyn of the 1920’s. Through her journey, she rediscovers the influences that shaped her life and recounts stories of her daily life as a “senior” in our culture.
Red Mother
2012-2013
The compelling story of Belle, an old Native woman and mother, who travels with her red cart and her magical horse and companion Blue Fred, through endless wars, witnessing the devastation of her people. The production explores the desires of the craven women who live in Native society, not the noble mothers but the failed ones.
Inspired by Mother Courage, Red Mother interweaves Brechtian themes with demon tales an integral part of the mythology of the Kuna people. Developed in collaboration with Loose Change Productions, the production is a tribute to those who have been lost and to their stories of survival.
Persistence of Memory
2002
Three sisters journey to understand their heritage through the memories that they have created over the years. Woven through the play are video clips of previous Spiderwoman classics, songs, and dance.
Trail of the Otter
1996
Recounts Otter's ecological journey across the continent and encounters with AIDS, oil spills, greed, and battered women
Daughters from the Stars:Nis Bundo
1995
Performance about mending the riffs and misunderstanding created by physical and emotional borders. Based loosely on the sisters travel to the San Blas Islands (their father's homeland), Daughters relates to their experiences and attempts to connect and integrate family from the North with the South. Daughters emerged from Lisa Mayo's a one-woman piece entitled, Voices from the Criss-Cross Bridge.
Power Pipes
1992
A humorous, yet serious look at the instruments that are a part of the lives of the Kuna/Rappahannock Indians, which critiques the misuse of Native spirituality by both Native and non-Native people.
Reverb-ber-ber-ations
1990
This performance weaves together stories of the Miguel sisters' experiences growing up with "the gift". It explores their experiences growing up, specifically those surrounding their learning about Native spiritual beliefs and practices. As adults who now fully appreciate what was so carefully preserved for them by their parents and community, the sisters hope to pass on the importance of staying connected.
Winnetou's Snake Oil Show from Wigwam City
1988
Loosely based on the fictional Apache character Winnetou, and his close friend Old Shatterhand, made famous by the nineteenth century German author, Karl May. Spiderwoman Theater satirizes the stereotypes perpetuated by authors like May and New Ageism in general, by performing a bona fide Snake Oil Show, spoofing the New Age plastic shaman, phony mysticism, and the wannabe Indians who have come to expect miraculous results from American Indian spirituality.
3 Up, 3 down
1986
This performance combines personal narratives and Native American politics through a spoof of JANE EYRE and WUTHERING HEIGHTS.
Women in Violence, 10th Anniversary Celebration
1985
Tenth-anniversary performance of WOMEN IN VIOLENCE, a play about violence against women, especially in Native communities.
The Three Sisters from Here to There
1982
An Adaptation of Chekhov's THREE SISTERS presented at Theater for the New City.
I'll Be Right Back
1982
A play about the threat of nuclear war premiered at Theater for the New City.
Sun, Moon and Feather & Split Britches
1981
A play about the threat of nuclear war premiered at Theater for the New City.
The Fittin' Room
1980
A play which critiqued the way categories create expectations that women feel forced to meet. Both heterosexuality and lesbianism were scrutinized through songs such as "Butch Meets Butch - Encounters in New York City Bathrooms" and sketches including a "how-to-be-attractive-to men" lesson.
Oh, What a Life
1980
Premiered at WOW festival, Theater for the New City
Cabaret: An Evening of Disgusting Songs and Pukey Images
1979
A play critiquing and satirizing how women are forced to swallow male platitudes about love and challenged classical, commercial, homogenizing images of women.
Trilogy: Friday Night, Jealousy, and My Sister Ate Dirt
1978
Three plays premiered at Theater for the New City.
Lysistrata Numbah!
1977
An Adaptation of Aristophanes' Lysistrata at La MaMa, ETC.
Women in Violence
1977
Spiderwoman's first play, centered on violence against women, especially in Native communities premiered at Washington Square Church.
