Diné Nishłį (i am a sacred being) or, A Boarding School Play was commissioned by Alternative Theater Ensemble in San Rafael, California and was developed with support from the Playwrights' Center's Jerome Fellowship Program, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Four high school girls are thrilled when their song’n’dance group is selected to sing the Navajo National Anthem at the Winter Olympics in 2002. Bursting with excitement, hope, and confidence, the girls’ plans are upset when a teacher thinks one of them left a threatening voicemail. Jumping into action, they launch a plan to get rid of that teacher. Exuberant, sunny, and delightful, this boarding school comedy celebrates the enthusiastic passions of young Native women.

AlterTheater is Berkeley’s 2024-2026 Indigenous Performing Arts Resident Company.

Sponsor(s): Arts Research Center, Department of Theater, Dance, & Performance Studies

Cast: Hanokee Dunn (Mississippi Choctaw), Sage Hemstreet (Diné & Laguna Pueblo), Lea McCormick (Mvskoke Nation), Shawna Shandíín Sunrise (Diné & Kewa), Zoey Reyes (Diné), Sabrina Saleha (Diné).

Stage Management: Frank Cardinale

Cultural Consulting: Brianna Nez (Diné)