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Daniel Leeman Smith

@dleeman

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2S Chahta 🪶
Director & writer of new work, adaptation & ensemble-driven performance
👨‍🎓 Doc Candidate @ NYU
🏡 is NYC

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Minneapolis Story Circle: Sharing Our Stories of Alcatraz

Blossom Johnson (Diné) and Daniel Leeman Smith (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) invite you to join them for a community story circle exploring the legacy of the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island by Indians of All Tribes. We are gathering stories, memories, reflections, and perspectives to inform a new documentary theatre project about the occupation, its impact, and its ongoing significance for Indigenous communities and movements for sovereignty and self-determination.

The story circle is a chance to come together, share what this history means to you, listen to one another, and help shape how these stories move forward in a good way. We have been commissioned to create a new play, Proclamation to the Great White Father and All His People for the Democracy Cycle at PAC NYC, and each performance will ask audiences to co-imagine what a kinship-centered democracy looks like. We will also be inviting interested participants to take part in individual interviews during our week in Minneapolis.

Whether you have a direct connection to the occupation, remember its impact on your community, or carry stories and perspectives you believe belong in this conversation, we welcome you.

Please join us Monday, October 26th from 5:30 to 8:30 pm at the Minneapolis American Indian Center for pizza, sparkling water, and a good conversation.

Your story matters. Join us in creating space for these histories, memories, and voices to be heard.

Poster Designed by Sierra Edd
@sierrareadiing

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INTRODUCING 💡 The Democracy Cycle Festival 2026 Readings 📚
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These work-in-progress readings offer an early look at a new Democracy Cycle-commissioned project currently in active development. We invite you to be a part of this vital part of the creative process as the artists continue to shape their work.
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CIVILITIES, OR HOW TO SECEDE WITHOUT REALLY TRYING
Jan 17, 2027 at 10am
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By Holly Bass
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SIX NATIONS: ONE FIRE
Jan 17, 2027 at 4pm
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By Vickie Ramirez, Ty Defoe, and Jeanette Harrison
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BARRY, THE 1970S BLACK SITCOM THAT NEVER HAPPENED
Jan 19, 2027 at 2:30pm
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By Nathan Yungerberg
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PROCLAMATION TO THE GREAT WHITE FATHER AND ALL HIS PEOPLE
Jan 23, 2027 at 12pm
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By Daniel Leeman Smith and Blossom Johnson
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Link in bio for full descriptions and to RSVP 🎟️

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ANNOUNCING: THE DEMOCRACY CYCLE FESTIVAL 💡 From January 15-23, join us for the World Premieres of The Puerto Rico Experiment and At the Altar plus free panels, workshops, work-in-progress readings, musical performances, and more ✨

ABOUT: As an extension of The Democracy Cycle commissioning program, the Festival is an ambitious
initiative committed to commissioning and developing 25 new works of live performance across
theater, dance, music, opera, and multidisciplinary practices that invite artists to explore themes
related to the nature, practice, and experience of democracy.

FREE and OPEN to the public!
Link in bio for more ⭐️

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A proper recap is necessary for such a fun and inspiring weekend earlier in August at the National Native Theatre Convening! 🎭

Thank you @hai_choo for making sure I knew about the convening. I’m glad we got to be in a theatre environment together again. Shout out to everyone in our artist confab group! I cried less than 2 hours into the day (😅) and I appreciate the safe space you created for me.

Huge thanks to @nativeperformingartsnetwork for organizing the convening! 🫶🏽 I’m in awe of all the wonderful artists and theatre advocates I had the privilege of meeting! There are so many projects and works in progress to be excited about.

The shared experiences and conversations from this weekend made it abundantly clear that we have amazing stories to tell. Our stories are important and need to be told.

I went into the convening feeling incredibly unqualified to be in the same room as everyone else. But I left feeling seen, heard, and I walked away with a sense of belonging amongst my fellow native artists. No one led with ego, but embraced one another with understanding and community. I haven’t experienced that in so, so long.

Here’s to us, our stories, and perpetuating native art. 💜

#nationalnativetheatreconvening #nativeartist #nativetheatre #nativestorytelling

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For the archives.

Three boujee native theater artists celebrate all the small and big wins.

(Dillon, Daniel and Blossom)

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Donuts and Books 📚 🍩

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Just dropped! Our reflection on July’s NDN Book Club selection “All the Real Indians Died Off: and 20 Other Myths about Native Americans” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Dina Gilo-Whitaker. This thorough essay applies each myth to theatre education and production through a personal and accessible lens. Read at the links in bio and on our website.

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ayóó’áníínísh’ní in Poughkeepsie for @newyorkstageandfilm’s Summer Indigenous Voices Residency.

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5 years in NYC with the best people - family visits, new friends, old friends, friends who’ve since left New York… I’m so lucky

#nyc #anniversary #friendship #family #gay

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Two weeks of WEST🪶
So grateful for this opportunity and that I get to go to “work” with kinfolk, building community, overflowing with Native JOY.

As hard as this workshop was to get thru emotionally, it was also a beautiful reminder that my brother has joined our ancestors. Thank you for carrying me thru this Mikey🫂❤️‍🔥♾️

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Such an amazing two weeks with these talents folks!
❤️🪶❤️🪶❤️

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