A Note From the Playwright: Madeline Sayet
Photo of Madeline Sayet by Bret Hartman.
In Mohegan culture, we have a symbol, the Trail of Life, that depicts the ups and downs of life, and the people you meet along the way. This symbol is embedded in much of the design of Where We Belong, because what you are about to encounter is a journey along the trail, no more no less. I hope that you embrace this story as a journey. That is what it is for me, as I learn different things about myself, my ancestors, and the world around me, each time it’s traversed. I don’t want listeners to worry about the history they may not know, or try to absorb all of the information, but rather to just let whatever resonates resonate, and hopefully to laugh a little. It’s not intended for you to remember everything. It would be too much, given how little most people are taught about Native nations.
My hope is rather that you will dig into the questions that come up for me, and how they may relate to your own life. You see, this was never meant to be a play. I wrote it in 2018, to try to figure out some things about the lines drawn between people, and to piece myself back together. Since then, it keeps evolving, as the world around us continues to move. This play is like the river. The sky. The earth. It holds the stories that came before but also those of this moment, which is ever-changing.
If after listening, you want to know more about some of the ancestors who come up along my journey, I will name some of them here — Uncas. Mahomet Weyonomon. Samson Occom. Fidelia Fielding. Gladys Tantaquidgeon.
And please remember: this is only one Mohegan story. Only my story. Achokayis’ story. And even beyond that — only a part of my story. A small and finite thing in the spectrum of our world. I am from a Native nation on the opposite side of the continent, with different experiences than the Native nations here. The performer you are watching is from another Native nation, with other complex experiences.
Here, in the Portland metropolitan area, we are on the lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and more. These nations have their own struggles, history, language, and creativity that I hope you leave wanting to learn more about. I feel so lucky to be performing this show today in a city with such a vibrant community of Native artists.
Kutápatôtamawush to the incredible team of performers, artists, producers, crew, staff, and family that have made sharing this story with you possible. Something I could never have imagined as a kid. I hope coming along and sitting in my mind for a while, might help you see the world a bit differently. And for every Indigenous person in the audience, know that your story is powerful and has as much right or more to be told on this stage.
More about Where We Belong:
Reviews of Where We Belong
"I learned so much about indigenous people and their struggles, and to be honest, I thought I was already well-informed. [Jessica Ranville] was amazing. I didn't know what to expect, but I'd frame the show as a history lesson everyone needs to hear."
"Very powerful ...
Where We Belong Reading List
Calling all readers! Multnomah County Library put together a reading list inspired by our production of Where We Belong.
Current & Upcoming
Art Exhibit: ¡Soy Yo! by Mika Martinez
¡Soy Yo!, is a multi-media project, created by Mika Martinez, that examines and celebrates Latinx identity featuring more than 50 portraits of the Hispanic/Latino community in Portland.
Piano Bar with Courtney Freed and David Saffert
Join us for this monthly event with local songstress Courtney Freed and Portland-based pianist David Saffert as they host a good old-fashioned PIANO BAR.
Nassim
From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour (creator of the Off-Broadway smash hit White Rabbit, Red Rabbit) comes an audacious new theatrical experiment, presented in collaboration with Boom Arts. Each night, a new, unrehearsed local performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits, unseen, in a sealed box... Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, NASSIM is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us.
Art Exhibit: Garam Garam Chai by Yusra Siddiqui
Portland Center Stage will host Garam Garam Chai, an art exhibit by Portland-based multidisciplinary artist Yusra Siddiqui, featuring a series of hand-sewn teabag printmaking pieces that serve as a contemplation of the communal tea times shared between Desi and British culture.
Coriolanus
Shakespeare’s tragedy about the war hero Coriolanus and the fight between the elite and the deprived masses will be fueled by a dynamic female and non-binary ensemble with a muscular, movement-focused staging.
May First Thursday with Adriana Wagner Quartet
May First Thursday will feature live music by the Adriana Wagner Quartet in the Main Lobby, joined by Garrett Baxter on bass, Matthew Sazima on piano and Ken Mastrogiovanni on drums.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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