Theaters Nationwide to Participate in 2026 National Day of Theater Readings for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives

The Native Performing Arts Network (NPAN) will coordinate a National Day of Theater Readings for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) on May 5, 2026.

The event will coincide with the National Day of Awareness for MMIWR and will feature staged readings of works by Native American Playwrights across the country. The initiative will include theaters of multiple sizes, educational institutions, and community partners. NPAN’s newly renamed organization—formerly Native Theater Project—continues its work in developing and supporting Native voices in the performing arts.

DeLanna Studi, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, will develop her new play I is for Invisible with NPAN, in partnership with Advance Gender Equity in the Arts (AGE) and Bag&Baggage. The play is a finalist for the 2026 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

NPAN Creative Director Jeanette Harrison said, “This is not just a crisis of violence, but a crisis of invisibility. Theaters — especially if we all come together — can make a significant impact on visibility.” Harrison added, “By joining this day of action, participating theaters will raise awareness in their communities about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives, and shine a spotlight on the work of Native theater artists, activists and groups like the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center.”

Harrison and NPAN are inviting theaters nationwide to participate. Many organizations have already confirmed their involvement, and interested companies may contact ntp@bagnbaggage.org for information. Harrison has also curated a list of recommended plays addressing MMIWR for New Play Exchange.

“These plays address various aspects of the MMIWR crisis,” she said. “One of the plays focuses on a family searching for a missing loved one, another is about the people left behind, another is about law enforcement. What I love most about these plays is how much heart they all have.”

Participating theaters in Washington, D.C., will include Mosaic Theater Company, Arena Stage, Theater Alliance, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Reginald L. Douglas, Artistic Director of Mosaic Theater Company, said, “Mosaic Theater Company is proud to participate in the National Day of Theater Readings for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives and help bring exposure to both this inspiring artistic event and important cause. At Mosaic, we believe that theater can be a powerful catalyst to civic change and honest conversations about urgent topics in our shared American history and future. Highlighting the work of Native writers and the narratives of resilience and resistance that they have so beautifully written for inclusion in this national event is an honor, and I hope this work will be a call to action for our local DC-area community, including our neighbors working in government. These are American stories from American artists, and we are proud to be sharing them with our audience this spring.”

Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif said, “To name what has been lost is an act of courage. To tell these stories is an act of love. The National Day of Theater Readings for MMIWR calls us to witness the stories of Indigenous women and relatives whose lives demand visibility and remembrance. Arena Stage is honored to be a part of this national movement. Our participation continues a long-held belief that the American theater must reflect the full spectrum of stories that shape our nation. We are grateful to stand in community with Native artists, to listen, to learn from their histories, and to share their visions for a more just world.”

Shanara Gabrielle, Executive Artistic Director of Theater Alliance, said, “At Theater Alliance, we're committed to telling stories that confront injustice and deepen our collective understanding of one another. Participating in this national day of readings is an act of solidarity and accountability — a way to honor the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and to amplify Indigenous voices through the power of theater. Our mission calls us to build community through story, to move beyond acknowledgment into authentic engagement, and to stand alongside our partners in shaping a more just and compassionate future.”

In Boston, Boston Playwrights' Theatre will incorporate an MMIWR-related piece into its 2026 Boston Theater Marathon. Artistic Director Megan Sandberg-Zakian said, “Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) has invited playwrights Isabella and Sophia Madrigal to contribute a new 10-minute play on the subject to be performed at the Boston Theater Marathon XXVIII on May 3, 2026. BPT is honored to be participating in the National Day of Theater Readings for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives, a critical opportunity for our theater community to turn our collective attention to the stories of those who have received too little stage time — literally and figuratively.”

In Oregon, NPAN, AGE, and Bag&Baggage will workshop DeLanna Studi’s I is for Invisible. AGE Artistic Director Andréa Morales said, “I have loved this play from the moment I read it. DeLanna has the superpower of writing about incredibly difficult subject matter with both empathy and humor. She tackles MMIWR with a story that is both relatable to the lived experience of Native people, and accessible to the general public. This play will make you laugh, make you cry, but most importantly, make you think. It inspired me to look closely at the ramifications of MMIWR and to raise consciousness in my own community and beyond. Being able to partner with NPAN on this project will allow me to do so, and for that I feel so honored. Jeanette is a trailblazing director and champion of this work, and AGE feels honored to collaborate with her to bring DeLanna's work to Hillsboro and the Portland community.”

I is for Invisible is a finalist for the 2026 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, marking the first time in 48 years a Native writer has been selected.

Additional participating theaters include Perelman Performing Arts Center (New York City), Eagle Project (New York City), Colorado College (Colorado Springs), Tiger Bear Productions (Palm Springs), Theatre of NOTE (Los Angeles), and the Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis), with more organizations expected to join.