There There

Tommy Orange's incandescent debut, "There There," weaves together the intricate lives of twelve urban Native American characters, all converging on the Big Oakland Powwow. From Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and seeking reconnection with her fragmented family, to Dene Oxendene, collecting stories to honor his late uncle, and Edwin Black, on a quest for his true father, each character carries the weight of history and the complexities of modern Indigenous identity. Their individual journeys of hope, pain, and discovery intertwine, revealing an invisible tapestry of kinship and shared experience. While many come for celebration and community, the arrival of Tony Loneman, burdened by darker intentions, hints at an impending collision that will challenge their understandings of self, heritage, and the future. Orange crafts a powerful narrative that explores themes of belonging, trauma, and resilience, culminating in a poignant exploration of what it means to be Native American in contemporary America.