Rob Schmidt, of NativeVue, writes:
Soon after meeting the strange and exotic “redmen,” Americans began staging shows about them. The efforts included Wild West exhibitions such as Buffalo Bill’s and historical romances such as They were usually stereotypical, with savage braves, swooning maidens, and stoic chiefs.
Since then, playwrights have gotten serious about Indians. They’ve tackled subjects ranging from spirituality to substance abuse to suicide. The last few years have seen an explosion of genuine Native-themed dramas and comedies.
