ABOUT | tulelakeproject

The strength of the Modoc tribe and their last stand. The resiliency of thousands of Japanese Americans and their incarceration. The beauty of the Coho salmon and the largest fish death in the history of the United States.

Welcome to Tule Lake, California.

Farms and fishers, myths and monsters, treaties and treachery. Tulelake weaves together these three stories as it moves through times and worlds to explore the political, cultural, and social unrest that has taken place there over the past 150 years. The voices of the past, in turns angry, triumphant, bitter, and hopeful, reverberate in the movement, dance, and spirit of Tulelake’s storytelling. As revolutions are fought and nature is caught in the crossfire of human conflict,Tulelake reminds us of the price we have paid for progress, and asks the question: Where do we go from here?

Inspired by Noh theater and written entirely in haiku, Tulelake takes three actors and a chameleonic chorus through multiple creation myths, identity shifts, and pivotal choices that ask the audience to grapple with the many faces and truths of American history. Actors combine dynamic movement with tribal rhythms and brilliant colors to breathe life into over a century of tumultuous cultural change.

The Tulelake Project began in 2002. Inspired by Noh drama and the history unfolding around them, Blake and Pete crafted a full length play written entirely in haiku. This play, full of myths and meaning, remains as relevant today as the day it was written. Expanding and shapeshifiting like its characters, Tulelake has gone through many changes and iterations to become its truest self. We invite you to join us as we continue this journey.