Writer, performance artist, and social justice advocate george emilio sanchez confronts the 200-year-old history of Supreme Court decisions that have impacted the tribal sovereignty of Native nations in his solo performance piece, “In the Court of the Conqueror.” A story of power, resilience, and advocacy, sanchez details his experiences navigating  Indigenous identity in an Ecuadorian immigrant household.

The Moss Arts Center presents two performances of “In the Court of the Conqueror” on Thursday, April 24, and Friday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Cube.

Part history, part autobiography, “In the Court of the Conqueror” is a multidisciplinary experience reexamining place and its relationship to the past and present historical conflicts of Indigenous lands. This is the second installment of sanchez’ series, “Performing the Constitution,” which reflects on the ways racism and gender interact with the nation’s foundational document.

“In the Court of the Conqueror” is the third of a trio of performances handpicked by Andre Bouchard, the Moss Arts Center’s independent guest performing arts curator for its 2024-25 season.

“george emilio sanchez was first introduced to me by an old mutual friend,” said Bouchard. “sanchez' work over the last 40 years seeks to tell the stories created by the laws of this country. ‘In the Court of the Conqueror’ melds stories from a dozen Tribes, in addition to his own. As we seek to understand one another, as institutions like Virginia Tech seek to come to terms with the wealth they received at the cost of the first nations of this land, context such as what is presented by sanchez' storytelling must be a part of our journey.”

“In the Court of the Conqueror” was created in collaboration with visual artist Patty Ortiz. An integral element in the creative process of making this piece, the two artists traveled across seven states and the ancestral homelands of Native nations, where the Supreme Court cases cited in the work took place. 

As part of his artistic research for this performance work, sanchez enrolled in a Master of Legal Studies program in Indigenous Peoples Law. He completed his degree in August 2021 and received his diploma in May 2022 from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. 

sanchez’ work has been presented by theatres and museums in over 25 states and has received support from National Performance Network, the Fulbright Program (Peru), New York Foundation for the Arts, the Jerome Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Related events

Immediately following each performance, sanchez will lead an informal discussion with the audience. During his visit to Blacksburg, sanchez will engage with students across disciplines, exploring themes from “In the Court of the Conqueror.” In classes on applied collaborative techniques and social problems, students will explore the economic, ethnic, and national conflicts within the work. Partnering visual artist Ortiz joins sanchez to discuss the creative business, dramaturgy, and cinematography in hybrid storytelling as well as the art of collaboration. Students also will connect with sanchez through informal conversations on leadership, social change, and artistic collaboration.

Tickets

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Moss Arts Center's box office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.

Venue and parking information

The performance will be held in the Cube at the Moss Arts Center, located at 190 Alumni Mall. Convenient parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street and in downtown Blacksburg. Find more parking details online.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Jamie Wiggert at least 10 days prior to the event at 540-231-5300 or email wiggertj@vt.edu during regular business hours.  

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