Isabella dancers recreate Indian ceremony at Battell Chapel.

Head-bopping Tashanka, played by Janet Mead.

It was a cold afternoon, and the roads were snowy, but a good-sized crowd was on hand in Battell Chapel to watch this year’s Isabella Eldridge Club play, written and directed by Jude Mead. On stage were four disparate women, all descendants of great Native American chiefs. Three are great-great-granddaughters—crisply tailored Hahanna (Louise Davis), proud staff-bearing Bullamina (Betsy Gill) and prim and proper Seattle Lee (Gloria Gourley). The fourth is a great-great-great granddaughter, the tattoo-sporting, Converse-wearing, head-bopping Tashanka (Janet Mead), who prefers to go by the name of Tattoo. The women are sitting in the green room at the Academy Awards, each hoping that the film about her ancestor will win the award for best documentary. While waiting for the award to be announced, the women trade stories about their ancestors and their contributions to American history. Their dialogue was punctuated by expressive dances choreographed by Kristin Mudge (danced by her, Janis Graham-Jones and Michelle Childs), as well as dramatic readings of Longfellow’s “The Song of Hiawatha” (Marie Civco) and Chief Seattle’s famous speech (Jude Mead). Turi Rostad created the imposing renditions of the Oscar statuette that graced the stage.

Photos by Bruce Frisch.