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Between Two Knees

Feb 4—24, 2024

By The 1491s
Directed by Eric Ting
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Yale Repertory Theatre Production

Run time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission

An outrageously funny ride through American history written by the acclaimed intertribal sketch comedy troupe The 1491s (Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls).

Coming to PAC NYC following acclaimed runs at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theater and Seattle Rep, this play centers on one family’s story of love, loss, and resilience spanning the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee, forced re-education at Indian boarding schools, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam and the American Indian Movement occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. Directed by Obie Award winner Eric Ting and infused with The 1491s’ boldly uninhibited comedy, this New York City premiere takes a hard look at the effects of systemic oppression long after our textbooks typically stop teaching Native history.

Also, it’s funny.

A “raucous remix of Native American history!” —American Theatre  Read the full feature article

A PAC NYC Production.

Major Production Support for Between Two Knees is provided by the Roy Cockrum Foundation

Photo: Jeremy Daniel.

Production Credits

The 1491s – Authors
Eric Ting – Director

Rachel Crowl – Ensemble
Derek Garza – Young Isaiah, Eddie, Ensemble
Justin Gauthier – Larry
Irma-Estel Laguerre – Understudy for Older Irma, Ensemble
Shyla Lefner – Young Irma, Irene, Ensemble
Wotko Long – Older Isaiah, Ensemble
Jessica Ranville – Understudy for Young Irma, Irene, Ensemble
James Ryen – Ensemble
John Scott-Richardson – Understudy for Older Isaiah, Ensemble
Kholan Studi – Understudy for Young Isaiah, Eddie, Larry, Ensemble
Shaun Taylor-Corbett – William, Ensemble
Sheila Tousey – Older Irma, Ensemble
Ryan Anthony Williams – Understudy for Larry, William, Ensemble

Choreographer – Ty Defoe
Original Choreography – Shaun Taylor-Corbett
Regina García – Scenic Design
Lux Haac – Costume Design
Elizabeth Harper – Lighting Design
Jake Rodriguez – Sound Design
Shawn Duan – Projection Design
Younghawk Bautista – Wig & Hair Design
Ryan RedCorn – Original Songs
Julie Felise Dubiner – Dramaturg
Rod Kinter – Fight Director
Samantha Shoffner – Properties Supervisor
Paul Pinto – Vocal Coach
Stephanie Yankwitt, Tanis Parenteau – Additional Casting
Joy Dickson – Original Casting
Tara Rubin C.S.A. – Yale Casting
Amanda Nita Luke-Sayed – Production Stage Manager
Kevin Jinghong Zhu – Assistant Stage Manager
Amber Johnson – Assistant Stage Manager
Kholan Studi – Assistant Director
Lindsay Mummert – Assistant Scenic Designer
Sonia Alvarez – Associate Costumes Designer
Lindsey Eifert – Assistant Costumes Designer
Edward Hansen – Assistant Lighting Designer
Emily Duncan Wilson – Associate Sound Designer
Benji Arrigo – Assistant Projection Designer
Ridley Walker – Asst. Projection Designer/Programmer
Natalie Lay – Assistant Properties Supervisor
Susana Montoya Quinchia – Assistant Fight Director

Post-show Discussions: Feb 16 and Feb 23

Feb 16
Members of the cast and company discuss the inspiration, themes, and creative process behind Between Two Knees.

Feb 23
An illuminating discussion on responses to Between Two Knees from Indigenous perspectives led by Kianna Pete (Diné/Navajo) (previous president of the Native American Council at Columbia University), Neil Patterson Jr. (Executive Director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry), and Patricia Tarrant (Executive Director of the American Indian Community House).

Content Advisory

Contains depictions and graphic details of violence against Native peoples including war, genocide and massacres; depictions of death and gun-related violence; depictions of Native American boarding schools; use of aggressive and stereotypical anti-Native rhetoric; pedophile priests; Nun-ja fights; country line dancing, ballet, hip hop, traditional powwow; Vaudeville; prophecies; surprise revelations; loud rapping; 31 wigs; over 300 props; Disney princesses; mime wolves; a bison; a rapture; and a really big explosion.

Production Advisory

This production contains theatrical fog and haze, prolonged and repeated use of strobe light effects, blood, gunshots, profanity, and loud sound effects.

Music Credits

“Apache”
Written by Jeremiah Lordan
Songs of Universal Inc., on behalf of Primary Wave 3 Songs (BMI)

“Apache (Jump On It)”
Written by Clifton Chase, Cheryl Cook, Sylvia Robinson and Michael Wright
Songs of Universal Inc. on behalf of Primary Wave 3 Songs (BMI)

“Adagio for Strings”
Written by Samuel Barber
Wise Music on behalf of G. Schrimer Inc., (ASCAP)

“The Girl From Ipanema”
Written by Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobin, Marcus Vinicius Da Cruz de Mello Moraes and Norman Gimbel
Songs of Universal Inc., on behalf of itself and Corcovado Music Corp. (BMI)
Words West LLC on behalf of New Thunder Music Co. (BMI)

“From Here To Eternity”
Written by Fred Karger, James Jones and Robert Wells
Published by The Music Goes Round, B.V. d/b/a Barton Legacy (ASCAP), administered for the US by Austintatious Tunes.
©️1953

“S.W.A.T. – Theme”
Written by Barry De Vorzon
EMI Gold Horizon Music Corp. (BMI)

“Pal-Yat-Chee”
Written by Eddie Maxwell
Arranged by Spike Jones
Published by Spike Jones-Helen Rosen Music (ASCAP)
Administered by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.

“TAR SEQUENCE”
By Lalo Schifrin
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

“Navajo Joe – Main Title ”
Written by Ennio Morricone
Published by BMG Platinum Songs US (BMI) obo Primary Wave Tunes (BMI)
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

“I’m An Indian Too”
Written by Irving Berlin
Universal Music Corp. on behalf of Berlin Irving Music Corp. (ASCAP)

Music Clearances by Yolanda Ferraloro, MUSIC RIGHTZ, Inc.

Additional Resources
Invitation to Members of the Native and Indigenous Community

To celebrate and honor members of the Native and Indigenous community, free tickets are available for the entire run of Between Two Knees.

Use promo code B2KPAC during checkout.

Ticket Savings Programs

The following discounts are currently available by calling 212-266-3000:

Student Discounts
Full-time students are invited to purchase tickets at 50% off plus applicable fees for select events, subject to availability. One student ticket per valid ID. Identification is requested at the time of ticket pick up.

Under 30 Discount
Under 30s are invited to purchase $30 tickets for select events, subject to availability. Proof of age for each member of the party will be required at the time of ticket pick up. Under 30s can purchase one ticket per event, and applicable transaction fees will be applied to each purchase.

The following discount is currently available by calling 212-266-3011:

Group Discount
Groups of 10 or more receive 10% off and 20 or more receive 15% off.

Critic’s Pick!
“Audaciously sidesplitting. Directed with ingenuity and finesse by Eric Ting. The ensemble inhabits a head-spinning roster of characters with unfaltering versatility.”

—Naveen Kumar, The New York Times

 

A mad romp of A show!
Achieves the remarkable feat of lampooning history while simultaneously illuminating it.”

—Charles Isherwood, The Wall Street Journal

 

Cast:

Rachel Crowl
Rachel Crowl Ensemble
Derek Garza
Derek Garza Young Isaiah, Eddie, Ensemble
Justin Gauthier
Justin Gauthier Larry
Irma-Estel Laguerre
Irma-Estel Laguerre Understudy for Older Irma, Ensemble
Shyla Lefner
Shyla Lefner Young Irma, Irene, Ensemble
Wotko Long
Wotko Long Older Isaiah, Ensemble
Jessica Ranville
Jessica Ranville Understudy for Young Irma, Irene, Ensemble
James Ryen
James Ryen Ensemble
John Scott-Richardson
John Scott-Richardson Understudy for Older Isaiah, Ensemble
Kholan Studi
Kholan Studi Understudy for Young Isaiah, Eddie, Larry, William, Ensemble
Shaun Taylor-Corbett
Shaun Taylor-Corbett William, Ensemble
Sheila Tousey
Sheila Tousey Older Irma, Ensemble
Ryan Anthony Williams
Ryan Anthony Williams Understudy for Larry, Ensemble

Creative Team:

The 1491s
The 1491s Authors
Ty Defoe
Ty Defoe Choreographer
Eric Ting
Eric Ting Director
Regina García
Regina García Scenic Design
Lux Haac
Lux Haac Costume Design
Elizabeth Harper
Elizabeth Harper Lighting Design
Jake Rodriguez
Jake Rodriguez Sound Design
Shawn Duan
Shawn Duan Projection Design
Younghawk Bautista
Younghawk Bautista Wig & Hair Design
Rod Kinter
Rod Kinter Fight Director
Julie Felise Dubiner
Julie Felise Dubiner Dramaturg
Stephanie Yankwitt and Tanis Parenteau
Stephanie Yankwitt and Tanis Parenteau Additional Casting
Amanda Nita Luke-Sayed
Amanda Nita Luke-Sayed Production Stage Manager
Amber Johnson
Amber Johnson Assistant Stage Manager
Kevin Jinghong Zhu
Kevin Jinghong Zhu Assistant Stage Manager