Known today as the “Adventure Princesses,” the YMCA’s father-daughter activity and camp program was initially born as the “Indian Princesses” and relied on a colonialized view of Native American traditions and cultures to build a sense of community and bonding.
“Indian Princesses,” currently playing at La Jolla Playhouse, looks at the program as it existed in 2008, when playwright Eliana Theologides Rodriguez and her sister participated in it. While the story serves as a thoughtful commentary on the United States’ appropriation of other cultures and our relationship to our own race, it also portrays the whirlwind of being a preteen girl and all that comes with it.
Five mixed-race girls and their White fathers sign up to join the program. There’s Lily (Anissa Marie Griego) and Hazel (Serenity Mariana), two sisters, alongside their stepfather, Chris (Greg Keller). Maisey (Clarissa Vickerie) is brought in to participate with her adoptive father, Wayne (Jason Maddy). Andi (Rebecca Jimenez) and her quiet, stoic father Mac (Mike Sears) are looking to join after the recent death of Andi’s mother. And Samantha (Haley Wong) is there as the granddaughter of the tribe’s chief, Glen (Patrick Kerr).
The one-act play is hysterical, with each of the girls bringing a unique and quirky personality to the mix. The girls all play off of one another with perfect comedic timing, but those strong and determined personalities also start to butt heads with their fathers. Just like their daughters, the fathers in the play exhibit a wide range of personalities and parenting styles. There are the parents who share too much with their children, the parents who share too little, and the ones who share all the wrong things.
With a cast of nine, “Indian Princesses” is a wonderful ensemble play with each father-daughter duo (and trio, in the case of sisters Lily and Hazel) getting the right amount of stage presence to build their stories and arcs. The highlight performances come from Rebecca Jimenez as Andi and Mike Sears as Mac. Mac so desperately wants to do right by his daughter, but can’t find it in himself to express the emotion and communication needed to do so. The scenes with Jimenez and Sears were so touching and, at times, difficult to watch. You find yourself truly empathizing with these two and everything they go through. The entire cast is stellar, making each character endearing, likable and memorable in their own way.
Costume designer Samantha C. Jones knocked it out of the park when it comes to the girls’ clothing choices. Like every decade, the mid-Aughts had such a distinctive style for teens, and Jones picked all the right numbers.
Emmie Finckel’s set design looks straight out of a YMCA and transforms beautifully into different settings when needed. The Playhouse has always stood out when it comes to its set design, and Finckel’s set is no different.
Everything that made this story stand out, from the characters to the representation of the time period and the understanding of the dynamics of a father-daughter relationship, was harmoniously brought together by director Miranda Cornell and playwright Eliana Theologides Rodriguez. The two have worked on this play for some time, and you can see the care that went into every aspect. Said Rodriguez in the program: “Like me, [Cornell] is a woman of color with a white dad, so we were able to discuss ‘Indian Princesses’ with a shared level of understanding. She made connections I hadn’t even realized were there. It was special because the play is partially about my personal struggle to feel understood, and then Miranda comes along and just gets it, which is funny because it sort of mirrors the friendships that make up the heart of the play.”
“Indian Princesses” had its opening night show on Father’s Day, and it could not have been more perfect. It is a celebration of cultural understanding, female friendships and parental struggles, making for a fun and thoughtful evening at the theatre. The play runs through July 6 and comes highly recommended.
(Photo credit: Rich Soublet II)
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