when we breathe

by Jaisey Bates

FULL LENGTH.
Zee tries to write. Tee and She are four days gone.  LIGHTNING: a predatory white Coyote with a bard ruff and sharp white teeth in the window. THUNDER: an otherworldly howl and pounding at the door. Bee storms in, setting off a dangerous dance of blood memories, grief, horror and hope as HISTORY -- written with black ink in red blood by white hands on white pages -- opens its eyes. AND ITS MOUTH.  ...

FULL LENGTH.
Zee tries to write. Tee and She are four days gone.  LIGHTNING: a predatory white Coyote with a bard ruff and sharp white teeth in the window. THUNDER: an otherworldly howl and pounding at the door. Bee storms in, setting off a dangerous dance of blood memories, grief, horror and hope as HISTORY -- written with black ink in red blood by white hands on white pages -- opens its eyes. AND ITS MOUTH.  

Written through the Vagrancy Theater's 2019-2020 Writers' Group and its 2020 Blossoming Festival of New Works via Zoom.

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when we breathe

Recommended by

  • Gina Femia: when we breathe by Jaisey Bates
    “

    A beautiful, epic and deeply moving play, this play was breathtaking and filled me with life and joy. I hope to see it produced often and soon.

    A beautiful, epic and deeply moving play, this play was breathtaking and filled me with life and joy. I hope to see it produced often and soon.

    ”
  • Playwrights Foundation: when we breathe by Jaisey Bates
    “

    Playwrights Foundation highly recommends WHEN WE BREATHE, which excelled to the Finalist round (top 35) for the 44th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival out of 755 plays. Our community of readers felt this play best represented the mission of our festival. This work engaged us, inspired us, moved us, and was an outstanding example of transformative storytelling. Our local Bay Area Literary Council commends WHEN WE BREATHE as a compelling, relevant, cathartic new work which should be produced now. Congratulations! #BAPF2021

    Playwrights Foundation highly recommends WHEN WE BREATHE, which excelled to the Finalist round (top 35) for the 44th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival out of 755 plays. Our community of readers felt this play best represented the mission of our festival. This work engaged us, inspired us, moved us, and was an outstanding example of transformative storytelling. Our local Bay Area Literary Council commends WHEN WE BREATHE as a compelling, relevant, cathartic new work which should be produced now. Congratulations! #BAPF2021

    ”
  • Emma Goldman-Sherman: when we breathe by Jaisey Bates
    “

    A stunningly beautiful evocation through incredible language the most theatrical story of Navajo legend become personal, moving, urgent plea for humanity to recognize each other. A play that must be produced. A play for all time. A play of Shakespearean proportions. A play that sings and silences and spontaneously could heal us all.

    A stunningly beautiful evocation through incredible language the most theatrical story of Navajo legend become personal, moving, urgent plea for humanity to recognize each other. A play that must be produced. A play for all time. A play of Shakespearean proportions. A play that sings and silences and spontaneously could heal us all.

    ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

BIPOC / global majority.
Any adult age.
Navajo or otherwise Indigenous-heritage’d.
Female id or NB or any gender other than cis AMAB.
  • TEE
    Late teens.
    A sheep.
    Supernatural mixed species (sheep and human) heritage’d.
    Rez-raised. Rez-waters kilt.
    Black, with Navajo and White heritage.
    (They them theirs)
    Also: ONE.
    Any adult age
    Black and Navajo
    NB -- or any gender other than cis AMAB
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • ZEE
    Late teens.
    A human.
    Rez-raised.
    Black father. Navajo mother.
    (Ze zir zirs)
    Also: TWO.
    Any adult age
    Navajo and Black
    NB -- or any gender other than cis AMAB
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • BEE
    Late teens.
    A human? (Current viability status TBD.)
    City-grown.
    White father. Navajo mother.
    (She her hers)
    Also: THREE.
    Any adult age
    White and Navajo
    Female -- or any gender other than cis AMAB
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • SHE
    Late 30s.
    Was human, Navajo, a mother.
    This was her home.
    (She her hers)
    Also: FOUR.
    Any adult age
    Navajo
    Female id -- or any gender other than cis AMAB
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female

Development History

  • Reading, Clay & Water, Clamour Theatre Company's Annual Playwrights' Retreat, 2021
  • Reading, Cutting Ball Theater, 2021
  • Reading, Native Voices at the Autry, 2021
  • Reading, Vagrancy Theater's Blossoming Festival of New Works, 2020

Awards