The Thanksgiving Play

Content Warning: This section discusses anti-Indigenous racism and the genocide of Indigenous Americans and features an episode of anti-Indigenous mock violence and suicide.

Scenes 1, 3, 5, and 7 stage Thanksgiving performances that are “sadly inspired by the internet, mostly current teachers’ Pinterest boards” (7). In other words, these are real performance ideas posted online by real teachers. Fasthorse suggests that the director play creatively with the staging and theatricality of these scenes, perhaps by using puppets, children, or multimedia. In Scene 1, the performers sing to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” but the gifts are from “the Natives” and include stereotypical items such as “Native tomtoms,” “Native teepees,” “moccasins,” and “Native headdresses.” A note at the end offers the suggestion of dividing students into “Indian and Pilgrims, so the Indians can practice sharing” (9).

The even-numbered scenes are set in a high school drama classroom. Logan, a white woman, is the drama teacher. Jaxton, a white man, helps her set up a snack table. Both are hipsters in overpriced clothes designed to look vintage. Throughout the play, all the characters often settle into yoga poses; Caden’s are the least adept.