Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.
Today we’re talking with Brian Joyce (White Earth Nation), who has been acting and directing in the Twin Cities Theater scene for more than 40 years. Brian first appeared on stage in St. Paul at the age of four, and later earned his BA in Theatre Arts from Bethel College. Brian has been enjoying acting onstage and working behind the scenes, ever since. He also appears in some commercials and films.
Brian shares his insights about humor and fun being key ingredients of daily life and explains what being a theater director has taught him about patience and working with others. Brian also tells us about his work with the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) Program Director at the Minneapolis American Indian Center, where helps people find and train for jobs.
We discuss the exciting and profound work going on with two Indigenous-led companies: New Native Theatre and Turtle Theater. And, coming soon, Brian will direct shows for Theatre in the Round and Lakeshore Players Theatre.
Break a leg, Brian! Chi miigwech for this enjoyable conversation!
Would you or someone you know be a great guest on Native Lights? Drop us line at: nativelights@ampers.org.
Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
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More from Native Lights
- Jonathan Thunder: Finding Joy in Art and Life
In today’s episode, we welcome back Jonathan Thunder, who last appeared on Native Lights in 2021. Since then, the Red Lake Nation citizen and multidisciplinary artist has become a father and opened an art gallery. - Dan Ninham: Honoring Athletes and Indigenous Sports Traditions
In this episode, we speak with Dan Ninham, PhD, a retired physical education teacher and coach, co-founder of the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame and prolific freelance writer. - BearPaw Shields: Leaving a Legacy for Future Generations
In this episode, we speak with BearPaw Shields from the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. She is a Saint Cloud State University alumna and is currently the Indigenous Learning Community Program Coordinator at the University’s American Indian Center. In her forties, she decided to go to college and get a degree so that she could make the change she wanted to see in the world. She does that now through her work at St. Cloud State’s American Indian Center, helping Native students to succeed in school and connect with their culture through language, field trips and other experiences. As a board member with the Friends of the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, she had been instrumental in teaching park staff and visitors about the land’s Native history. Last year, that included the opening of an amphitheater with art provided by Indigenous artists and the names of park animals provided in Dakota and Ojibwemowin. BearPaw Shields lives in Zimmerman where she likes to go on hikes and find her serenity at the nearby Refuge.
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