Following its West Coast premiere at the Marin Theatre Company last fall, Sovereignty will make its NYC debut online (photo by Kevin Berne)
Who: DeLanna Studi, Gary Farmer, Derek Garza, Danforth Comins, Shyla Lefner, Enrico Nassi, Max Woertendyke, Daniel Pearce, Christopher Ryan Grant, Mary Kathryn Nagle, Laurie Woolery, more
What: New York online premiere and Q&As
Where: Theatre for a New Audience online
When: Friday, October 30, free with RSVP, 7:00, and Sunday, November 1, free with RSVP, 2:00
Why: Theatre for a New Audience debuts its new “Artists & Community” programming with the New York virtual premiere of Mary Kathryn Nagle’s Sovereignty. The story takes place in present-day Oklahoma, when the inherent jurisdiction of Cherokee Nation is being challenged in the Supreme Court, and 1835, when ancestors of the defense lawyers are deciding whether to accept Andrew Jackson’s Treaty of New Echota. The show debuted in January 2018 at DC’s Arena Stage and then ran last fall at Marin County Theatre in California. Directed by Laurie Woolery, the online TFANA production features DeLanna Studi as Sara Polson, Gary Farmer as Major Ridge/Roger Ridge Polson, Derek Garza as Elias/Waite, Danforth Comins as Andrew Jackson/Ben, Shyla Lefner as Sally (Sarah Bird Northrup)/Flora Ridge, Enrico Nassi as John Ridge, Max Woertendyke as Samuel Worcester/Mitch, Daniel Pearce as John Ross/Jim Ross, and Christopher Ryan Grant as White Chorus Man. There will be two live performances, on October 30 at 7:00 and November 1 at 2:00, each followed by a Q&A that puts the play, which has been further refined by Nagle (Sliver of a Full Moon, Manahatta), into context of 2020, including the July decision in the McGirt v. Oklahoma case.