To help actors prepare to submit for this year’s Misty Upham Award for Young Native Actors, Kimberly Guerrero (Colville, Salish), star of stage and screen, will be teaching a monologue acting workshop online on Wednesday January 22nd from 7-9 ET/4-6 PT.
Kimberly’s most recent acting work includes streaming hits Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls, the gritty revenge thriller, Catch the Fair One starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kali Reis, the breakout animated Netflix hit, Spirit Rangers, Season Two of Outer Range, the gripping limited series The English opposite Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer, and HBO’s upcoming prequel to the IT franchise, Welcome to Derry. On stage, Kimberly originated the role of “Johnna” in Tracy Letts’ Tony Award-winning play August: Osage County on Broadway. Kimberly has also worked extensively with Native peoples across North America using filmmaking as a tool to empower youth and promote wellness in tribal communities, and she currently serves as a Professor in the department of Theater, Film and Digital Production at UC Riverside empowering a new generation of storytellers.
Kimberly is one of the finest actors working today, as well as a generous and gifted teacher, so this is a truly incredible opportunity for any Native actors interested in participating. This workshop is free for all Native actors, with priority registration given to actors 25 and under who intend to submit to the annual Young Native Actors Contest, so that they have this resource to help prepare their audition tapes. Please email madeline.sayet@yale.edu to register for the workshop. Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions! We want to make sure as many actors as possible get the chance to be coached by this phenomenal artist and leader.
As a reminder, The 5th Annual Misty Upham Award for Young Native Actors is sponsored by the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program (YIPAP) to honor Misty’s desire to uplift young Native artists and support the next generation of Native actors. The winner will receive $500, and transportation to and housing on Yale campus to be a part of the 2025 YIPAP New Native Play Festival in April at the Yale Cabaret. They will have the opportunity to be cast in workshops of new Native plays in development, and be honored as part of an award ceremony. Native actors age 25 and under are invited to record themselves performing a monologue to be considered for submission. Video submissions are due Feb 1st 2025 and will be evaluated by a team of professional theater artists. The review panel for the award has traditionally consisted of significant Native Theater Artists and Casting Directors, creating additional exposure for all applicants.
For the purposes of the competition, we have compiled a special folder of monologues for Native actors under 25 by Native playwrights such as Marisa Carr, Carolyn Dunn, Tara Moses, Mary Kathryn Nagle, Vera Starbard, William S Yellowrobe Jr, and Vickie Ramirez, with their permission. New monologues have also been added since last year’s submissions. (We are open to additional materials, but all submissions should feature the actors performing the work of Native playwrights.)
For Acting Award Applicants:
Applications are due: February 1st 2025
All submissions must be emailed to madeline.sayet@yale.edu
Actors must be 25 and under and identify as Indigenous.
To prepare your monologue submission:
Please email madeline.sayet@yale.edu to gain access to the folder of Monologue Submission Materials. We do accept all monologues 1.5-4 minutes long, but some of the materials in the folder may need to be cut down.
Please memorize your submission piece. If you are unable to do so, please still keep your eyeline up away from the script, so we can connect with your emotions through the camera.
Please do not attempt to edit together multiple takes. Treat this like a real audition.
Please choose a camera frame that suits your audition piece. We want to at least see your head and shoulders, but it could be to your advantage for certain pieces for us to also be able to see more of your arms/torso/movement if it’s a very physical piece and that’s important.
Do not worry about picking a piece that other people might have done, you are being judged only on your unique performance.
You do not need to over-emote to prove anything - the auditions are being judged on the clarity of the journey, moment to moment work, honesty and specificity of the choices the performer makes. Folks can win with a comedy monologue just as easily as a drama. It’s more important the text is clear, rooted, and the journey is honest, than any emotion be pushed.
Do not be shy about asking to read the play the monologue is from. It often helps the performer gain a deeper understanding of the monologue.
Best of luck to all submitting to both of this year’s contests! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.