Under the direction of Curtis Kirby III and Illusion Theater staff, the youth in the Ikidowin Acting Ensemble program were trained in the issues surrounding sexual abuse, rehearsed scenes from the original play and began to create improvisations.

Native Grandmothers from the Ogitchidakwe Council of Elders, whose mission is to help victims of physical and sexual violence in the Native community visited the group to share their stories with the Ikidowin youth.
The teens developed improvisations based on the stories told by the grandmothers and some from their own experiences. All the scenes in the play were inspired by actual events.

As the youth began to rehearse the play, Kirby and Morris wanted to include the Ogitchidakwe Grandmothers in the piece to tell their truths on the stage as the youth performed their scenes. The Grandmothers’ stories recount what happened in the Boarding schools –where their language, their clothes, their names were taken away, and where they were physically and sexually abused leading to the inter-generational historical trauma that the Native community continues to struggle with.

Everything is a Circle was performed at the Minnesota Indian Women Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC) at their conference at the Grand Casino in Onamia in early April. The response was a standing ovation with
many invitations to perform the piece in other Native communities. Many attendees remarked how important it was to have the youth break the silence about physical and sexual abuse and about the abuse that occurred in the Boarding Schools.

Admission is free; Reservations are encouraged.

Read more about The Ikidowin Peer Education Program

Illusion and  Ikidowin are planning  more performances of Everything is a  Circle. Details to  follow.