SHAWNEE LIVING HISTORY TOUR

Directed by Kane Stratton
Written by Kane Stratton and Jeremy Turner

• This is a four part series of outdoor drama vignettes to be performed in sequence at local and state parks in Greene and Clark counties Ohio from September 6th through November 2nd 2023, Sunday through Thursday. All four locations are of historical significance to the Shawnee. Travel expenses to and from Ohio plus housing accommodations for the two month season in the Yellow Springs, Ohio area will be provided for the cast.
•  Cast Members will also be expected to participate in historical interpretation CFT programming.
•  All American Indian characters will be cast solely with citizens of any federally recognized Tribes. We will clearly vet this process, and be 100% transparent with everyone who auditions. The auditions will be available in person and through Zoom.
• FILM OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE CAST 

SCENE ONE (Caesar Ford Park) “September 1778”

Caesar 

• Early 30s, African-American, male, capable orator, virtuous
• A formerly enslaved person, marooned with the Shawnee Tribe since well before 1773, Caesar is a guide and an interpreter. He is trusted to be honest and unbiased, proven in his ability to speak the Shawnee language in his uncertain world, surrounded with political upheaval.

Simon Kenton 

• Early 20s, Caucasian, male, Virginian accent, athletic, confrontational
• Living by an alias, Simon Butler, he is on the run, fearing he is wanted for a murder a handful of years back in Virginia. Since running off to the Ohio Country, Simon has been land speculating, trapping, hunting, and scouting for militia operations coming down out of the Appalachian Mountains into Ohio Tribal lands. These actions have led him here to this moment where he is a captive, being held as a horse thief and a spy!

SCENE TWO (John Bryan State Park) “Two Trails Along the River”

Nonhelema 

• 40s, Tribal citizen, female, powerful physical presence, welcoming persona
• Nonhelema is the sister to the late Cornstalk, Peace Chief of the Shawnee people. She has been traveling back and forth from the East and Fort Pitt, Fort Randolph on the Ohio River and her husband, Richard Butler’s trading post. Sharing her brother’s belief that the Shawnee should be open to working with the Americans, Nonhelema has hope of a better future, putting her in an awkward position with her Tribe.

Polly Whiteman 

• Early 20s, Caucasian, female, adopted Shawnee, meak *support role

Hokema Blackfish 

• 40s, Tribal citizen, male, militant, prideful, successor to Cornstalk and defender of Tribal lands in Ohio
• Blackfish is the War Chief of the Shawnee who has just returned from an attack on Boone's Station south of the Ohio River. Blackfish knows from decades of dedicating his life to the Saawaanooki, the Shawnee people, he must continue to fight for victory against the American invasion.

Captain Buffalo

• Early 20s, Tribal citizen, male, young warrior of the western Delaware Tribe, intimidating *support role

Scootash

• Late 20s, Tribal citizen, male, young Wyandotte warrior, intimidating
  *support role

SCENE THREE (Glen Helen Nature Preserve) “A Grandmother’s Job”

Koko’ge 

• 60s, Tribal citizen, female, Shawnee Clan Mother, elegant, spiritual
• The role of the Clan Mother is at the top of the leadership hierarchy in the Shawnee Tribe. She looks after not only the Tribe’s past and present, but most importantly, Koko’ge is the protector of the future generations of the Tribe. With that responsibility, she will not back down to any, including those in her own Tribe who may put her little ones in harm's way.

SCENE FOUR (George Rogers Clark Park) “The Whirlpool”

Blue Jacket

• 20s, Tribal Citizen, male, possibly became the greatest War Chief in the history of the Algonquian speaking Native people, orator, leader
• Has positioned himself at the headwaters of the Mad River, near the great Shawnee council house of Wapatomica, and closer to his Algonquian speaking brothers, the Miamis. Together with Little Turtle, Blue Jacket goes on to defend Ohio, and stun the United States of America on the field of battle.

Little Turtle

• Late 20s, Tribal citizen, male, Miami Nation war chief, stout *support role