Best known for her work on the episodic television shows Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls, Jana Schmieding is making an impact as a writer as well as an actor and comedian. Her gifts as a storyteller and strong sense of comedic timing will make June 25 an evening of what Schmieding has called ‘Native Joy.’ As she has stated in Vanity Fair, “Our joy is as vast and sacred as the land we’ve inhabited for thousands of years. Despite the many attempts over the course of history to stifle our optimism, we remain flexible and buoyant, eyes turned toward the future and ready to step into our fullness.”
Instead of a traditional Q&A, Jana Schmieding will invite audience members to engage in dialogue through a format she likes to call Letters to Auntie. Upon entering the theatre, fans will be invited to write questions for Jana that will be a placed in a mailbox. The comedian will take the ‘letters’ out periodically through her act to answer inquiries and riff on the subject matter. Says Free State Festival Director Marlo Angell, “comedy is a true highlight of the Free State Festival and giving space for a gifted artist at such a pivotal moment in her career will be a great experience for all of us lucky enough to be in the room that night.”
The Free State Festival is produced by the Lawrence Arts Center and takes place in venues across Lawrence June 25-40. Please see freestatefestival.org for details on tickets, passes, and a full schedule of events.
