LILY: "The Gunakadeit production
included a musical score performed by the actors as
part of the storytelling process. Here I am rehearsing
my xylophone part." |
Hope to perform 30-minute adaptation
of Tlingit story
By KORRY KEEKER, JUNEAU EMPIRE
FEB 23, 2006
Ishmael Hope will present his one-act, 30-minute
adaptation of the Tlingit story Gunakadeit
during the second installment of the three-part "Storybox"
storytelling series Thursday, Feb. 23.
The evening is sponsored by the Juneau Arts and Humanities
Council. In addition to the Gunakadeit performance,
Lily Hudson will present "A Frog Story;"
Eve Dillingham will share "Brer Rabbit" and "The
Tar Baby." Harborview Elementary student Gavin Beasley
will tell a dramatic story.
Gunakadeit is based on a story told by Katishan,
chief of the Kaasx'agweid of Wrangell, to ethnographer John
Swanton in 1904. It was published in "Tlingit Myths and
Texts" in 1909. The story chronicles a man who turns
into a sea monster. Hope used Katishan's story structure for
his version but not a line of his text. "I took complete
artistic license and went as far as I could go with just being
an artist," Hope said.
"It's a great epic," he said. "I relate it
to when I was growing up reading comic books and I always
dreamed about being some kind of hero."
Hope, Hudson, Allan Hayton and Victoria Johnson will perform,
and Jim Simard will direct. Dave Hunsaker adapted the story
a few years ago at the old Naa Kahidi Theater. Hope's version
is much different, in part because of composer Stefan Hakenberg's
percussive score.
"I wrote it originally with the idea that it would have
to have strong musical components," Hope said. "It's
essential just because of the mystery of music and what music
can communicate about basic things."
Back to Theater Page
|
