A Native American Story. Onstage in October.

Help us to fund a theater production of Toypurina, staged at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse.

Toypurina was a Gabrieleno shaman who led an uprising against the San Gabriel Mission. The rebellion was quelled and Toypurina was reportedly held in solitary confinement for a period of 16 months. She was subsequently moved  North to Monterey where she remained in exile from her people, language and culture until her death in 1799 at the age of 39. Toypurina's love for her people, her desire for justice and her passionate struggle made her a timeless hero, whose story has been passed down through the generations.

The play is written by Andrew Morales and Matthew Lovio, members of the Gabrieleno-Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians, ancestors of Gabrieleno’s who lived and worked at the San Gabriel Mission during Toypurina’s time.

We need your help in producing this play, all donations have perks and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. All donations go towards production costs, or to spreading the word about this play.

In the fight to reclaim a land stolen, a culture overpowered and a history disregarded, the story of one woman’s fight for her land and freedom is no less important today than it was over 200 hundred years ago.

 'ekwaa shem ~ We are still here

Directed by Jonathan Salisbury. A collaboration with the Gabrieleno-Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians.

Fiscally Sponsored by Fractured Atlas.

What is the Money For?

The funds we are looking to raise will go towards production costs of the play: lighting, sound, cast and crew, props, costumes, set, etc. as well as spreading the word about this important play.  Your support will help make it happen. 

What is Fractured Atlas?

Fractured Atlas helps raise money for artistic work. As the country’s largest arts fiscal sponsor, they work with thousands of artists and arts organizations to provide education and support for raising funds.

There is a passionate community of philanthropic individuals, charitable foundations, and government institutions devoted to funding the arts. The catch is that many independent artists and small companies lack the 501(c)(3) tax status that makes them eligible to apply for grants and incentivizes individual gifts. 

[http://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal/]

What is Fiscal Sponsorship?

In the simplest terms, “fiscal sponsorship” is one entity accepting and managing funds for another.

Fiscal sponsorship is commonly used when a project wants to secure funding from sources that give only to nonprofit organizations with IRS tax-exempt status. These can include foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individual donors who wish to receive tax deductions in return for their contributions. To be considered exempt, an organization must hold a current 501(c)(3) certificate from the IRS.

However, many artists prefer not to attempt the involved and costly process of securing tax-exempt status themselves. Instead, they may contract with a nonprofit fiscal sponsor to extend tax-exempt status to their project.

[http://theintersection.org/programs/intersectio...]

Why Toypurina?

Telling the story of Toypurina is one way for the Gabrieleno-Tongva to recover their culture and bring it back to the fore. Like so many Native peoples, the Gabrieleno-Tongva saw their population and culture decimated by the influx of colonial settlers.

Toypurina’s struggle to save her people’s land, culture and livelihood is an important part of our history, for residents of the San Gabriel Valley, for Los Angeleno’s, for Californian’s and for our Nation.

About the Theatre

Dedicated on March 5th, 1927, this lavish facility was built by John Steven McGroarty for his famed Mission Play. The world-renowned production told the dramatic story of the founding of the California missions by the Franciscan Fathers under the leadership of Father Junipero Serra.

After the end of the 1932 season and an astounding 3,198 performances, the effects of the depression plus an attempt to produce it on Broadway ended the long run of the play. A re-imagined version of the play, directed by Jonathan Salisbury and featuring dancers and musicians from the Gabrieleno-Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians was presented in April 2013 as part of the City’s Centennial Celebrations.  

Today, the auditorium looks much as it did when the Mission Play was in production and plays host to vast range of performing arts event attracting up to 80,000 visitors each year.

[http://www.missionplayhouse.org/about/history-o...]

About San Gabriel and the Mission

The founding of the Mission San Gabriel Archangel dates from the decision of Padre Serra to find an establishment midway between San Diego and San Carlos Borromeo.  Thus, the fourth Mission had its beginning on September 8, 1771. In 1776, the Mission moved to its present site.

By 1852, after American occupation, San Gabriel had become one of the first townships in the County of Los Angeles. When the 1860 census was taken, there were only 586 persons listed. The City of San Gabriel was incorporated as a City on April 24, 1913, with a population of 1,500. Today San Gabriel boasts a population of 39,718, some of California's best Asian restaurants, and the historic Mission District.

[http://parish.sangabrielmissionchurch.org/apps/...]

[http://www.city-data.com/city/San-Gabriel-Calif...]

About the Tribe

The Gabrieleno-Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians live in the San Gabriel area; their mission statement is one of togetherness, perseverance, education, culture and tradition.

Their aims are

·  To be vigilant, effective guardians of their lands and ancestral remains.

·  To be wise teachers of their youth so that they will be informed and be proud guardians of the ways of the ancestors.

·  To increase efforts at cultural recovery and renewal: language, songs, dance, music, basketry, storytelling, ceremonial regalia, and spiritual traditions.

·  To achieve federal recognition for their people.

“The Gabrieleno Tongva Tribe's survival depends on the combined support of one another. We become strong together and, like a nation, we keep growing with independence and pride.”

Find out more at http://www.gabrielenotongva.com/

About the Creative Team 

Director Jonathan Salisbury hails from England where he studied Acting at Rose Bruford College in London, as well as numerous performances on the London stage, he also spent many years as a director and producer. He was also Artistic Director of the Shoreditch and Hoxton Festival, Hoxton Hall, Camden Peoples Theatre and Trinity Theatre and Arts Centre. 

Since moving to Los Angeles in 2009, Jonathan has appeared in a number of independent award-winning movies and as a series regular in the historical drama Courage, New Hampshire shown throughout the US on PBS.

Jonathan’s stage work in LA includes critically-acclaimed performances in Blue/Orange (Player King Productions) and Games on a Bombed-Out Beach (Macha Theatre/AhHa Productions). Jonathan directed the Mission Play Re-Imagined at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse in 2013 featuring a cast of over 70 performers as part of the City of San Gabriel’s Centennial Celebrations.

Find out more at http://www.jonathansalisbury.net/

Matthew Lovio is a descendant of the Gabrieleno Tongva tribe. He’s currently majoring in creative writing at Pasadena City College. He has completed one novel and is in the process of writing a second book. Matthew is currently writing a screenplay based upon his first novel. His future goals are to continue to act, write, and to spread and teach the knowledge of his ancestors, the first indigenous people of Los Angeles.

Andrew “Guiding Young Cloud” Morales is an active tribal member of the Gabrieleno Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians and is the son of “The Chief.” He is a shaman, youth leader, dance captain, and teaches the Tongva language for the tribe. He conducts many ceremonies, blessings, cultural presentations, and also composes tribal songs and dances. His goals are to write plays, produce and act in feature films.

Why Support Us?

Maybe you like theater, history, Native American history, would like to help support some art or help to support people part of a culture so rich and beautiful it deserves to be honored and cherished.

Help the Gabrieleno-Tongva recover their culture and spread knowledge of their history.

Tickets are available as a perk or at http://www.toypurina.org/

*For all perks that require shipping, shipping is only available within the US. Opening night event may include complimentary champagne which is only available to over 21's. Signed item perks should be received in October, please allow time for shipping. Reserved seat perks will be booked for you, for the night of your choice, and you will receive an email confirmation of your ticket from us.