Gay theater does Ishi

Ishi approaches

John Fisher explores anthropology for Theatre RhinoThe story of Ishi, the last surviving member of his Native American tribe who found a final refuge as an anthropological celebrity in San Francisco, has long been a romanticized tale of loss and salvation.

"It's almost like a children's story, this happy little fable," said John Fisher, who has written a play that extrapolates on more recent studies debunking the myth of Ishi and his patron, the noted anthropologist Alfred Kroeber, whose work with Ishi beginning in 1911 has given him his most lasting fame.

"Kroeber was very ambitious, and really was the first great American anthropologist," Fisher said. "But there's a dark side to his history, the way he exploited Ishi, and that's one of the things the play goes into."Comment:  For more on the subject, see Native Plays and Other Stage Shows.