LIVE CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING 800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM >> COMING UP ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," LAST WEEK KEET-TV ATTENDED CONTACT IN THE DESERT IN INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA, AND TOURED PALM SPRINGS' WORLD FAMOUS WIND FARM FACILITY.

WE'LL HAVE THE HIGHLIGHTS.

ALSO, WE SIT DOWN WITH DIRECTORS LAURA MUNOZ AND SAMANTHA WILLIAMS-GRAY FROM THE 5th AND D STREET THEATER PRODUCTION OF WUSATOUMUDUK TO TALK ABOUT THEIR NEW MULTICULTURAL STAGE READING SET TO BE PERFORMED THIS WEEKEND.

FOR FREE.

COMING UP NOW, ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT."

FROM THE TOP OF HUMBOLDT HILL, THIS IS "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT."

I'M JAMES FAULK.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

LIVING IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD CAN BE COMPLICATED.

DIVISIONS SEEM TO BREED LIKE CATS, AND ALL TOO OFTEN, HUMANS ARE CONTENT TO STAY WITHIN THEIR PARTICULAR BUBBLES AND BARRICADE THEMSELVES WITH ONLY THOSE FOLKS WHO LOOK AND ACT LIKE THEY DO.

POLITICS HAS BECOME A PARTICULARLY SEPTIC BREEDING GROUND FOR THESE DIVISIONS, AND AS WE APPROACH THE 2024 ELECTION, WITH ALL THE ATTENDING VITRIOL AND HYPERBOLE, WE CAN ALREADY SEE PEOPLE FORGETTING THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING OUT SIMILARITIES AND BUILDING COHESION.

ONE REALM THAT STILL ALLOWS FOR MUCH IN THE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNITY IS THE ARTS.

NO MATTER YOUR BACKGROUND OR EXPERIENCE, USING CREATIVITY TO HELP TELL YOUR STORY AND FOSTER UNDERSTANDING IS A UNIVERSAL HUMAN PROCLIVITY, AND, THIS WEEKEND AT THE 5th AND D STREET THEATER, A NEW PLAY WILL LAUNCH THAT MAY HELP FOLKS ON THE NORTH COAST BETTER UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS.

DIRECTORS LAURA MUNOZ AND SAMANTHA WILLIAMS-GRAY WILL JOIN US SHORTLY TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS EVENT CAME ABOUT AND WHAT IT WILL ENTAIL.

BUT GIVEN THE WIDE GULFS THAT NOW SEEM TO DIVIDE ONE PART OF AMERICA FROM THE OTHER, PERHAPS WE CAN LEARN FROM SUCH ENDEAVORS AND THROUGH THE ARTS FIND A MORE SECURE AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR POINTS OF VIEW AND PERSPECTIVES THAT TOO OFTEN ARE IGNORED.

HERE'S HOPING.

BUT BETTER THAN HOPE, AS ALWAYS, IS ACTION.

AND THESE FOLKS ARE DOING THEIR PART.

BUT FIRST, THE NEWS.

WITH A MASSIVELY LARGE AND EXPENSIVE WIND PROJECT NOW IN THE OFFING FOR HUMBOLDT COUNTY, KEET THIS PAST WEEK TOOK THE TIME TO TOUR THE LARGEST WIND FARM IN CALIFORNIA.

GIVEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES WE ALL FACE, IT'S BECOME INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE IN HOW WE PRODUCE AND TRANSMIT ELECTRICITY.

THE DAYS OF COAL-FIRED PLANTS AND FOSSIL FUELS MAY BE NUMBERED, BUT WHAT COMES NEXT?

AND HOW WILL THIS TRANSFORMATION IMPACT OUR LITTLE CORNER OF THE CONTINENT?

ON PAPER FOR MANY, THE PROPOSED HUMBOLDT COUNTY OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT SEEMS LIKE ONE ANSWER.

ACCORDING TO MANY, IT'S A NO-BRAINER, AND PERHAPS THAT'S TRUE.

BUT THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT AND THE EQUIPMENT IT WILL DEPLOY WILL CERTAINLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE HERE, AS WELL AS THE LANDSCAPE.

BY TOURING THE PALM SPRINGS WIND FACILITY AND GETTING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE TECHNOLOGY, WE HOPE TO OFFER A MORE REALISTIC SENSE OF WHAT IT WILL MEAN.

>> THE' SUNRISES BEHIND US IN THE EAST.

IT HEATS UP THE DESERT AIR.

HOT AIR GOES UP, CREATING A VACUUM UNDERNEATH IT.

THE VACUUM BLOWS IN COOL AIR FROM THE OCEAN AND THE COOL AIR COMES HERE, AGAIN, FROM THE WEST, AND HEATS THESE TWO PEAKS.

THESE ARE THE TALLEST PEAKS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

THE COOL WIND CANNOT GO OVER THAT PEAK SO IT GETS PUSHED INTO THE TROUGH BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND JUST COMES RIGHT DOWN HERE.

SO IT GETS FUNNELED RIGHT DOWN HERE.

IT IS LIKE A NATURAL FUNNEL HERE.

>> AS HUMBOLDT COUNTY CONSIDERS A FUTURE TO PROVIDE SAFE AND CLEAN WIND ENERGY TO CALIFORNIA'S GRID SYSTEM, KEET-TV VISITED THE MASSIVE WIND FARM LOCATED IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA.

WHILE THE TWO PROJECTS ARE DIFFERENT, THE SHEER SCALE OF THE MACHINERY MAY HELP HUMBOLDT COUNTY RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THE GEAR THAT WILL BE MANUFACTURED AND DELIVERED OUT OF THE PORT OF HUMBOLDT BAY.

WE WERE DRIVEN AROUND THE SITE ON THE BACK OF A SOUPED UP GOLF CART.

>> NAYSAYERS WILL ALWAYS FIND A REASON TO SAY NO.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN ABSOLUTE SOLUTION, THERE IS NO SUCH THING.

>> NOT YET.

>> IF YOU DON'T GET 100%, YOU GET 95%, YOU NEED TO BE HAPPY.

>> THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PROJECTS THE WIND TURBINES TO BE PLACED OFF THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY COAST ARE MASSIVE, MUCH LARGER THAN THOSE IN PALM SPRINGS.

THE INSTALLATIONS FROM SHORE WILL ONLY BE VISIBLE WITH BY -- BINOCULARS.

IN PALM SPRINGS EACH TURN PRODUCES ENOUGH POWER TO ENERGIZE ONE FAMILY HOME FOR ONE DAY.

ON AVERAGE THE TURBINES SPIN 60 TIMES PER MINUTE.

WITH THE TURBINES OFF HUMBOLDT BAY ARE SLATED TO BE MASSIVE, THEIR PRODUCTION OF EMERGENCY IS LARGE.

>> THE BIGGER THEY ARE, THE MORE ENERGY THEY CAN HARVEST.

>> DURING PEAK HOURS THE FACILITY RUNS ON NATURAL GAS, THAT USE OF FOSSIL FUELS, SAY CRITICS, MAKE IT JUST ANOTHER DIRTY SOURCE OF POWER.

YET RECENT AND ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SITE THAT COULD BE DUPLICATED IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY HAS A STATE OF THE ART BATTERY THAT CAN STORE EXCESS FUEL.

IT WILL REPLACE THE PEAK HOUR PRODUCTION OF POWER.

AS HUMBOLDT COUNTY PREPARES TO ENTER THE WIND POWER FRAY, INNOVATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO GET MADE.

WE HOPE PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK ON OUR DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD AS THE RIGHT ONE FOR THE TIME AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I'VE BEEN COVERING THE RECENT NATIONAL INTEREST IN UFOs AND UAPS, BOTH AS PART OF THIS SHOW AND NOW AS PART OF OUR GROWING PODCAST ON THE SUBJECT, NEON GALACTIC.

WHILE I PERSONALLY DON'T ADVOCATE FOR YOUR BELIEF ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, TWO CONVERSATIONS I HAD RECENTLY AT CONTACT IN THE DESERT, THE WORLD'S LARGEST UFO CONFERENCE, HELD IN INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA, SPEAK TO WHY I FIND THIS SUBJECT SO FASCINATING.

IT'S NOT LITTLE GREEN MEN.

HUMANITY HAS RECENTLY DECIDED, AS IT HAS MANY TIMES BEFORE, THAT IT HAS THE BULK OF THE WORLD'S MYSTERIES FIGURED OUT.

THIS ARROGANCE PERSISTS EVEN AS WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MAKES UP OVER 95% OF THE MATTER IN THE UNIVERSE.

DARK ENERGY AND DARK MATTER BOTH CONFOUND OUR GREATEST MINDS AND YET WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ZERO CLUE AS TO WHAT THEY ARE.

DON'T BELIEVE ME?

LOOK IT UP.

IN THE PAST, WE SUFFERED FROM THERE SAME SORT OF HUBRIS.

BEFORE QUANTUM MECHANICS AND RELATIVITY THEORY, THE MOST PROMINENT SCIENTISTS OF THE DAY WERE OPENLY DECLARING THAT BUT FOR SOME MINOR MECHANICAL DETAILS, PHYSICS WAS A DEAD PURSUIT.

ALL THE QUESTIONS HAVE SUPPOSEDLY BEEN ANSWERED AND THIS WAS BEFORE WE HAD NUCLEAR BOMBS, ATOMIC POWER, JET AIRPLANES AND SPACE TRAVEL.

LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE A SEIZE THAT HAS EVOLVED TO PERCEIVE AND -- WE ARE A SPECIES THAT HAS EVOLVED TO PERCEIVE AND UNDERSTAND ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE SURROUNDING SPECTRUMS OF LIGHT AND SOUND, MEANING THAT MOST OF WHAT GOES ON IN NATURE IS ABSOLUTELY HIDDEN FROM US.

COUPLE THESE FACTS WITH THE REALIZATION THAT THOUSANDS OF RELIABLE WITNESSES OVER MANY DECADES INCLUDING PILOTS, SOLDIERS, SCIENTISTS AND ACADEMICS, AMONG OTHERS, HAVE REPORTED SEEING STRANGE THINGS IN THE SKIES THAT DEFY CONVENTIONAL EXPLANATION, AND YOU'VE GOT ME HOOKED.

THE ANSWERS ARE UNCLEAR, BUT THE QUESTIONS ARE CERTAINLY WORTH ASKING.

ANTHONY PEAKE, BRITISH AUTHOR AND RESEARCHER, TOLD ME AT CONTACT IN THE DESERT THAT HUMANITY'S ARROGANCE HAS BECOME A BARRIER TO OPEN-MINDED RESEARCH.

>> I AGREE.

I THINK THERE IS SUCH A DEGREE OF HUBRIS AT THE MOMENT IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

I READILY ARGUE AND READILY ACCEPT THAT MATERIAL REDUCTIONISM AS A MODEL OF UNDERSTANDING IN THE WORLD IS BRILLIANT.

YOU TAKE SOMETHING APART, YOU FIND A CAR ENGINE, YOU TAKE IT APART.

BY TAKING IT APART YOU CAN PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER AGAIN AND DECIDE WHAT THE OBJECT IS.

THAT WORKS.

BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT FOR THINGS LIKE CONSCIOUSNESS.

IN 1975, 1995 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SAID WE HAVE A SOFT PROBLEM OF SCIENCE, HOW THE BRAIN FUNCTIONS MECHANICICALLY AND HOW THE NEUORNS AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS WORK.

YOU HAVE THE PROBLEM HOW WITHIN YOUR BRAIN ATOMS REACTING ELECTRICALLY CREATING AN AWARENESS, A SENT OF SELF, MEMORIES, HOPES, DREAMS, THAT WE ARE NOT EVEN AT FIRST BASE AT.

WE ARE REDUCING THE BRAIN DOWN AND BY REDUING IT, WE CAN'T REDUCE THE BRAIN LIKE WE CAN A CAR ENGINE.

>> AUTHOR KELLY CHASE FROM THE UFO RABBIT HOLE PODCAST AND THE FLEDGLING COMPANY, ONTOCALYPSE PRODUCTIONS SAID EMBRACING MYSTERY AND OPENING OUR MINDS TO PREVIOUSLY DISMISSED POSSIBILITIES CAN HELP US ALL TO BETTER INHABIT AND ENJOY THE WORLD.

>> WE NEED TO STOP WAITING FOR PERMISSION FROM SOMEONE ELSE OR WASHINGTON OR CERTAIN SCIENTISTS OR LEGACY INSTITUTIONS TO TELL US THAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO EXPLORE THIS.

AND THAT'S HAPPENING.

I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING THING IS THAT IT IS HAPPENING.

THERE IS A MASSIVE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND THAT IT IS EXPLODING EXPONENTIALLY FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, THERE IS A RIPPLE EFFECT FROM THE WORK WE DO AND THE PEOPLE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TELL THEIR OWN STORIES AND START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

I HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT INSPIRED BY HOW POWERFUL THIS IS AND THAT WAY IT TOUCHES PEOPLE IT TRANSFORMS THEIR LIVES.

AND THAT SEEMS TO BE JUST SOMETHING THAT GROWS.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY NATURAL PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN AND THE STATE OF OUR CULTURE RIGHT NOW, THE STATUS QUO IS VERY UNNATURAL.

>> YEAH.

>> AND WE'VE ALL MISTAKEN IT FOR REALITY OR THE WAY THAT THIPGS -- THINGS ARE.

IT IS NOT THE WAY THINGS ARE AND NOT THE WAY WE ARE.

I'M INSPIRED OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN AND CONTINUE TO HAPPEN OVER THE COMING YEARS AND DECADE, I FEEL LIKE THERE IS THIS REALLY HEAVY FEELING IN OUR COUNTRY, IN PARTICULAR, AROUND I THINK AROUND THE WORLD, THAT, LIKE, THINGS ARE JUST BAD AND THEY ARE GOING JUST KEEP GETTING WORSE.

>> SO SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL HAS TO CHANGE.

>> I DON'T HAVE THAT FEELING ANYMORE AFTER WORKING IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE HAVE ENORMOUS REASON TO BE HOPEFUL AND THAT, YOU KNOW, HUMANITY IS IN RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF COMING TO ITS OWN RESCUE.

I HAVE A LOT OF OPTIMISM THAT CAN HAPPEN.

>> TO CATCH THE REST OF THESE INTERVIEWS AND MORE, INCLUDING AN HOUR-LONG CONVERSATION WITH WRITER AND EXPERIENCER WHITLY STRIEBER, AUTHOR OF COMMUNION, VISIT OUR YOUTUBE PODCAST NEON GALACTIC.

JOINING US NOW IN STUDIO ARE DIRECTORS LAURA MUNOZ AND SAMANTHA WILLIAMS-GRAY FROM THE 5th AND D STREET THEATER PRODUCTION OF WUSATOUMUDUK TO TALK ABOUT THEIR RECENT COLLABORATION.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> HOPEFULLY I DIDN'T STRANGLE THAT TOO BAD.

IS THAT CLOSE.

WUSATOUMUDUK.

>> YES.

>> WHICH IS WE MAKE IT BURN.

>> WE MAKE IT BURN.

WE HAVE A THING GOING ON AND THERE IS A FLYER HERE AND IT HAS WE MAKE IT BURN RIGHT ON THERE, SO IT IS AN EASY TRANSLATION.

THIS IS A STAGED READING, NOT NECESSARILY A FULLY PRODUCED PLAY.

CAN YOU FIRST START BY, LAURA, START WITH YOU, TELLING US WHAT THAT MEANS SO PEOPLE CAN BE PREPARED WHEN THEY GO IN?

>> YES.

SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING THE SCRIPT.

WE'VE HAD THREE MAIN WRITERS.

MARNEY ATKINS, MICHELLE HERNANDEZ, WITH COLLABORATION FROM KATE, WHAT'S HER LAST NAME?

>> DROVES.

>> AND MAGGIE PETERS AND SOLOMON ABERTA.

WE ARE PUTTING THE SCRIPT ON ITS FEET FOR THIS READING.

SO THE AUDIENCE WILL SEE WHAT THE FEEDBACK IS, WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T.

SO IT IS A LIVE SCRIPT RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH.

>> AND INSTEAD OF JUST A COMPLETELY JUST SITTING AND READING THE THING, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BLOCKING AND THEATRICALITY.

WE HAVE LIVE ACTORS AND SHADOW PUPPETS.

>> I LOVE THAT.

THAT SOUNDS SO EXCITING.

>> I KNOW.

AND ANIMATION AT THIS POINT IT IS AN IX MATICS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT ANIMATICS IS?

>> IT IS THE SKELETON OF THE ANIMATION.

SO WE'LL SEE THE VERY FIRST SEEDLINGS OF THAT.

>> OKAY, COOL.

>> THE CELLS AS THEY SORT OF DEVELOP?

>> YEAH, WELL, WE'LL HAVE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WE'LL JUST HAVE THAT.

>> OKAY.

>> AND HOPEFULLY -- NOT HOPEFULLY, ON PHASE TWO WE WILL HAVE THE ANIMATIONS.

>> YEAH.

CAN WE START, SAMANTHA, WITH HOW THIS CAME TO BE AND WHAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PRODUCTION?

>> AS FAR AS I AM AWARE, THIS PROJECT WAS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN I THINK THE NORTH COAST REP TERRY THEATER AND THE WYOT TRIBE.

I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THAT ASPECT OF APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND STUFF.

>> YEAH.

>> I BELIEVE IT IS ALSO A PART OF THE CREATIVE CORE OF CALIFORNIA.

>> YEAH.

UPSTATE CREATIVE CORPS AND CALIFORNIA ARTS GRANTS.

>> YEAH.

SO IT IS THIS BRAIN CHILD AND THIS IS THE FIRST PHASE WHERE WE'RE BRINGING IT TO THE PUBLIC.

>> YEAH.

>> AND TRYING TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND WORK TOGETHER AND REWORK THE SCRIPT AND CARRYING IT INTO PHASE TWO.

I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT BECAUSE WE ARE ON WYOT LAND.

>> YES.

>> SO HIGHLIGHTS WYOT STORY TELLING AND IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF IMPORTANT CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS BEEN PASSED ON SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THAT IS SHARED WITH THE GREATER COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA.

AND I THINK THE IS EXCITING.

THERE ARE NUMEROUS SALULUK WORDS IN THE SCRIPT.

WE ARE GETTING GLIMPSES INTO THESE CHARACTERS.

>> IS IT FICTIONAL OR ADOPTING SORT OF LIKE ORAL TRADITION TO MAKE IT PRESENTABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

HOW IS THE STORY COMING ABOUT?

>> YES, IT IS FICTIONAL.

HOWEVER THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL STORIES.

>> I LOVE IT.

THAT IS FANTASTIC.

>> WORKED INTO IT.

THERE ARE COMMON STORYLINES FOR NATIVE AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT SURFACE IN THIS PLAY.

AND NOT JUST NATIVE AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS, BUT NATIVE FOLKS IN GENERAL.

>> YEAH.

WOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, I GUESS WE WILL GO TO YOU NOW LAURA.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF WORKING WITH SO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN?

THERE ARE PROBABLY A LOT OF VISIONS.

IT SEEMS YOU ARE FINDING YOUR WAY FORWARD.

>> YES.

IT IS A PROCESS.

WE HAVE TWO ARTISTIC DIRECTORS AND TWO STAGE DIRECTORS.

I'M GOING NAME THEM ALL.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, ARMANDO -- >> PENNA.

>> THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT.

WE HAVE A BRUCER, CALDER JOHNSON FROM NCRT AND HE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL, VICTORIA AND BRIAN AND EVERYONE VERY SUPPORTIVE.

WE HAVE A HUGE TEAM AND IT IS A LOT OF LISTENING AND SEEING WHERE THE THING IS GOING, ALSO COMING WITH A POINT OF VIEW, BUT, YEAH, ACCOMMODATING AND ALSO QUESTIONS, CONSTANT QUESTIONS THAT BRINGING THEM BACK TO THE WRITERS AND, YOU KNOW.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING AND BEAUTIFUL BOTH.

>> YEAH.

NOW ONE OF THE THINGS THE PRESS RELEASE SAYS IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY AFTER THE READINGS IN ORDER FOR THERE TO BE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE AUDIENCE BETWEEN THE PERFORMERS AND THE PEOPLE IN THE SEATS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF THAT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

>> I THINK THE VALUE OF IT IS WE WANT DIRECT AUDIENCE FEEDBACK FOR THIS STORYLINE.

>> IT IS ALMOST LIKE WORKSHOPPING IN A WAY.

>> IT IS.

WE ARE BRINGING THEM IN AS COLLABORATORS ALSO BECAUSE MAYBE CERTAIN ELEMENT OF THE PERFORMANCE ARE VERY CLEAR TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH IT FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT IT MAY NOT COME ACROSS CLEARLY TO THE AUDIENCE.

>> YEAH.

>> SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIND THOSE MOMENTS SO WHEN WE DO MOVE INTO PHASE TWO AND POTENTIALLY PHASE THREE, WE GET TO HAVE A REALLY AMAZING SUPER HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT AND TAKE THAT OUT TO THE WORLD.

AND I THINK THAT IT WILL BE GREAT TO INCLUDE THE AUDIENCE IN AND REALLY GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND WORK WITH THAT.

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE WRITERS AND FOR THE DIRECTORS AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT.

IT IS LIKE A FOCUS GROUP FOR HOLLYWOOD BUT YOU ARE DOING IT IN A MORE ORGANIC AND COMMUNITY-ORIENTED WAY, WHICH I THINK IS FASCINATING.

DOING THINGS LIKE SHADOW PUPPETRY AND THINGS FROM THAT NATURE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE SEEM CHALLENGING AND DIFFERENT FOR A DRAMATIC PRODUCTION.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT IS GOING LOOK FOR FOLKS AND HOW CHALLENGING WAS IT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> SO, I WANT TO MENTION JAMES HILDEBRAND, HE HAS BEEN OUR PUPPET MAKER AND HE MADE BEAUTIFUL PUPPETS.

WE WORKED IN A LITTLE BIT OF ISOLATION FROM THE ANIMATION.

SO THE NEXT PHASE THERE WILL BE A LITTLE MORE COHESIVENESS IN TERMS OF THE IMAGES THAT WE SEE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PUPPETS ARE -- WE HAVE AN OVERHEAD PROJECTOR SO SOME OF THEM ARE LANDSCAPE THAT MOVES.

WE HAVE PUPPETS THAT YOU HOLD AND JUST THE HUMAN SHAPE.

WE HAVE A HAND.

AND A FLASHLIGHT.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IT IS VERY BASIC AND SIMPLE.

IN A WAY I THINK OF SHADOW PUPPETRY AS THE BEGINNING OF CINEMA.

>> YEAH.

ABSOLUTELY.

>> THE IMAGE IN THE SPOT.

>> THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

I UNDERSTAND PHASE ONE.

THIS IS PHASE ONE, WORKSHOPPING IT AND DOING IT IN PUBLIC AND DOING A DRAMATIC READING.

STAGE TWO WILL BE A MUCH MORE DEVELOPED AND FINALIZED VERSION OF THE PLAY.

WHAT DOES STAGE THREE LOOK LIKE AND WHAT CAN PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO OR OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP FUND IT OR SEE IT IN THE FUTURE, WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO?

>> PHASE TWO IS WE WILL TURN THIS INTO A FULL-SCALE PRODUCTION AND OPEN IT UP TO PROBABLY ABOUT THREE WEEKS TO A MONTH, I WOULD IMAGINE, OF SHOWS AND PERFORMANCES.

>> LIKE A REGULAR DRAMATIC RUN LIKE YOU WOULD SEE AT THE THEATERS >> RIGHT.

JUST A NORMAL PLAY.

AND PHASE THREE WOULD REALLY BE TO TAKE THIS PERFORMANCE ON THE ROAD AND MAYBE TAKE IT TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL RESERVATIONS AND ALSO POTENTIALLY, I MEAN, WE HAVE KIND OF HIGH HOPES, I THINK, FOR THE AUTRY MUSEUM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

AND I THINK IF PEOPLE WANTED TO HELP SUPPORT THIS THEY COULD DEFINITELY CAUGHT THE WIYOT TRIBE DIRECTLY AND SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO THROW SOME MONEY AT THIS PROJECT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE MONEY IS COMING FROM THEM AND THE GRANTS IN ORDER TO HELP DEVELOP THIS.

SO THE MORE MONEY THEY HAVE, THE MORE THEY CAN HELP DEVELOP IT, RIGHT?

PRETTY BASIC RELATIONSHIP ECONOMICALLY.

>> YEAH.

>> IF PEOPLE LIKE THIS KIND OF WORK AND WANT TO SEE IT MORE DEVELOPED PLEASE CONTACT THE WIYOT TRIBE.

YOU ARE CO DIRECTORS.

I HAVE A DIRECTOR WHO IS UP IN THE BOOTH.

I DON'T THINK HE WOULD BE GOOD WITH ANOTHER DIRECTOR.

HOW DO YOU GUYS BALANCE IT OUT?

>> IT IS VERY ORGANIC.

>> YEAH.

>> WE DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL AND I KNEW OF SAM AND I KNEW SHE'S AN ARTIST AND SOMATIC EDUCATOR.

IT HAS BEEN VERY ORGANIC.

I MEAN, SHE WAS REGIONALLY MORE FOCUSED ON THE ACTORS AND I WAS MORE THE INTEGRATION OF ALL THE DIFFERENT MEDIA.

AND NOW WE ARE BOTH DOING BOTH THINGS.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IT IS A FREE READING SO PEOPLE, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN GO AND ENJOY ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND THE TIMES ON THAT ARE SATURDAY JUNE 15th 7:00 P.M. AND SUNDAY JUNE 16th AT 2:00 P.M.

RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> YOU CAN GO AND WATCH THEM DO THIS AND IT IS FREE.

THIS IS QUITE THE TREAT THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND I'M JUST TICKLED PINK BY THIS WHOLE IDEA.

IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE A DRAMATIC CO LLAGE.

IT IS TELLING MULTIPLE STORIES?

IT IS ONE OVERARCHING STORY OR A SERIES OF VIGNETTES?

>> IT IS ONE OVERARCHING STORY FOLLOWING OUR MAIN CHARACTER LOU WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH TRYING TO BRING TRADITIONAL CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICAL APPLICATION IN A MODERN DAY SETTING.

>> YEAH.

>> SHE IS GOING COLLEGE AND DEALING WITH JUST LIFE AS AN INDIGENOUS COLLEGE STUDENT AND THEN THAT IS SUPPORTED BY SOME OTHER TRADITIONAL STORIES AND ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF SORT OF MAGICAL IN BETWEEN DREAM WORLD KIND OF STORY TELLING ALSO.

TO GIVE SOME DEPTH TO THE WHOLE STORY.

>> YEAH.

>> YOUR SHIRT SAYS DECOLONIZE ACADEMIA.

WHICH I LOVE.

DOES THAT SPEAK TO THE SAME ISSUES.

YOU WENT TO COLLEGE?

>> YES.

>> YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE.

YOU SOUND EDUCATED.

DOES THIS SPEAK TO YOUR EXPERIENCE HAVING GONE TO UNIVERSITY AND, YEAH, I GUESS THAT IS IT?

>> YES.

MOST DEFINITELY.

I HAD A UNIQUE LIKE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

I LEFT HIGH SCHOOL EARLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T FOR ME.

>> YEAH.

>> AND HIGHER EDUCATION HAS BEEN VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR ME.

AND IT REALLY, THERE IS STILL NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR INDIGENOUS THOUGHT AND PERSPECTIVE S >> YEAH.

>> WITHIN HIGHER EDUCATION.

>> YEAH.

>> AND IT JUST, AFTER YEARS OF DEALING WITH IT, IT WEARS YOU DOWN.

>> SURE.

YEAH, YEAH.

>> BUT IT'S, I MEAN, EVERY NATIVE COLLEGE STUDENT I KNOW HAS DEALT WITH IT.

>> YEAH.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, BEYOND JUST NATIVE STUDENTS, PRETTY MUCH ANYONE OF COLOR HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE.

>> YEAH.

BECAUSE THERE ARE POWER SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND IF YOU ARE NOT FROM THAT POWER SYSTEM YOU GET SHOVED TO THE SIDE OR IGNORED OR WHATEVER ELSE.

SOMETHING I LIKE TO COVER IN VARIOUS WAYS IS WE HAVE A CULTURE HERE THAT THINKS IT HAS THE ONLY WAY OF KNOWING THINGS.

THERE ARE VARIOUS SYSTEMS AROUND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS JUST AS EFFECTIVE, IF NOT MORE, AND MORE CAPABLE OF LIVING ON THIS PLANET WITHOUT THE EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE THAT WE SEE EVERYWHERE AROUND HERE.

WELL, I APPRECIATE IT.

IS THERE ANYTHING I DIDN'T ASK YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP?

I'M KIND OF TRYING TO BUILD MY CONCEPTION OF IT AS WE GO.

THERE ARE SO MANY ELEMENTS IT IS A MYSTERY.

AND I FIND THAT MORE INTRIGUING.

>> I LOVE THAT YOU SAY THAT.

I JUST WANT TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME AND TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

>> YEAH.

>> AND REALLY BUILD THIS PART OF THE CULTURE, A DIFFERENT CULTURE, HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD IN A DIFFERENT WAY, THE WAY WE ARE WORKING AND DIFFERENT STORIES BEING BROUGHT FORWARD AND JUST COME AND SUPPORT IT.

WE NEED AN AUDIENCE.

THEATER IS THIS SIDE AND THEN THE AUDIENCE.

SO WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR PART.

>> YEAH.

>> AND, YEAH, I THINK IT IS GOING BE BEAUTIFUL AND FUN AND MYSTERIOUS AND ALL OF IT.

>> ALL OF THAT.

YEAH.

REAL QUICK, SAMANTHA.

DO YOU THINK THIS KIND OF PLAY GOES TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IN HIGHER EDUCATION?

'I MEAN, DOES THIS HELP PEOPLE MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THE CULTURAL SPHERE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND?

>> I HOPE SO.

>> LIMITS AND PROBLEMS?

>> I REALLY HOPE SO.

I'M NOT SURE.

I THINK THAT ART IS ONE OF THE BEST BRIDGES INTO PULLING TOGETHER CULTURAL DIVIDES.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND I THINK THAT IT BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ART OPENS US UP IN THIS OTHER FORM OF EXPRESSION.

>> YES.

>> TO WHERE YOU CAN FEEL IT IN A MORE WHOLE-BODIED EXPERIENCE.

TO HEAR THESE STORIES FROM AN INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE AND I THINK THE THEATRICAL ASPECTS OF ARE SO MUCH FUN >> MM-HMM.

>> IT ADDS THESE DIFFERENT VERY CREATIVE ELEMENTS TO IT.

I THINK WE ALL LIVE ON WIYOT LAND IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IT IS ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT AND HONOR THE HISTORY AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE WIYOT PEOPLE HAVE AND THAT THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO GET BACK THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY LOST.

>> YEAH.

>> SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

>> YEAH.

>> IT SHOULD BE A LOT OF FUN.

>> WELL, I ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND CHECK IT OUT.

SATURDAY JUNE 15th AT 7:00 P.M. AND SUNDAY JUNE 16th 3:00 P.M. 305th STREET IN EUREKA.

NOW THE 5th STREET THEATER.

THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THE SHOW AND CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EVENING.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

STAY TUNED AND STAY INFORMED.

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