Fasthorse wins NEA grant

Lakota writer wins National Endowment for the Arts Award

By Eva ThomasLarissa FastHorse, Lakota, is one of five writers to receive the National Endowment for the Arts 2010 New Play Development Program’s Distinguished New Play Grant. The grant will support the early stages of development for her play, “Fancy Dancer,” with the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis.

Working in close collaboration with the playwrights, the NEA grant funding will be used for development activities, such as dramaturgy, design workshops and consultations, read-throughs, public readings, workshop productions and open rehearsals.And:“Fancy Dancer” is based on FastHorse’s journey to become a professional ballet dancer. FastHorse, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, grew up in South Dakota where she began her career as a professional ballet dancer before becoming a playwright.

“The play is auto-biographical,” FastHorse said. “I was encouraged to develop the play by the people at the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis who were interested in my experience as a ballet dancer. We want to develop the story and incorporate dance into the show.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Native Plays and Other Stage Shows.