“ Kaufman ’ s play offered this convergence between his identity as a
Seattle-trained theater artist and the Native American Coyote stories of his time , that were passed down from generation to generation .”
American lore , based from the Plateau tribes . Throughout the story , audiences see Coyote fall in love with a star , trick his friend Rabbit , steal a blanket from a rock , and save his community of animals and plant life from a monster , through which the creation of the Plateau tribes comes about .
The play is an anthology of stories from the Plateau and other tribes , which serves as an opportunity to share in and celebrate Native American history and lore through intergenerational storytelling . Kauffman had heard many of the Coyote stories from his own grandfather and he integrated them into the play . “ Kaufman ’ s play offered this convergence between his identity as a Seattle-trained theater artist and the Native American Coyote stories of his time , that were passed down from generation to generation ,” said Keefe .
The play started its tour opening on Indigenous People ’ s Day in 2022 in Spokane , Washington , and has since had 26 shows across Washington , Idaho and Oregon — reaching over 4,200 audience members . With the play ’ s current production hitting the road again and traveling on tour across the Pacific Northwest , Kauffman ’ s goal of bringing it to urban and rural Tribal communities has been achieved .
John Kauffman
Before his passing , Keefe said her uncle always saw his play as a show that was meant to travel and be accessible to Native youth , families and audiences ( both urban and rural ), to create an opportunity for accessibility to the arts .
She added that he also wanted to “ share the stories and vibrancy of dramatic play with his audiences — the kind of theater that inspired him to pursue the arts as a Native man , and to create that joy and excitement of intergenerational storytelling for Native audiences , particularly for Native youth .”
“ This is a production that is following in his footsteps , following in the mission that he put forth and that he created with this show ,” she said . “ The initial inception of this show was to travel and we ’ re trying to honor that with our own production .”
Keefe described the production as very fulfilling for her as not only a theater artist herself but also as Kauffman ’ s niece . The play was one of the first live theater productions she had seen as a young girl . Her aunt Carlotta Kauffman performed it for her school , which left a lasting impact on her .
“ I always knew that I wanted to experience this show . I didn ’ t know if it would be something that I would pursue in portraying Coyote myself ,” Keefe said . “ But coming out of the pandemic and how , as an artist , very uninspired I was in my own art at the time I
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