DMT Powwow Emcee — M. Cochise Anderson, from the CHICKASAW and CHOCTAW Nations of OKLAHOMA, who grew up in North Torrance ~ LA, Calif. & Portland, OR, is a musician, actor, poet, spoken word performance artist, playwright, storyteller, and educator. He studied THEATRE ARTS and PHILOSOPHY at Portland (OR) State University and at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in NYC. Cochise received the Jerome Fellowship for playwriting (The Education of Benjamin Franklin) and the Bush Artist Fellowship for Storytelling/ Performance Art (The Only Good Poet is a Read Poet).
He has performed at The National Museum of the American Indian twice and The Open House Arts Festival at the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He has also been a repeat performer at the Lincoln Center Outdoors Series in New York City. As an award-winning playwright he has extended his craft by initiating a creative writing/spoken word theater for young Native students in the Twin Cities area. Cochise has been the instructor for The Penumbra Theatre's Summer Youth Institute and he has worked as a Native American cultural arts educator for the past twenty years throughout the country. From elementary schools to colleges and national cultural institutions he has developed a variety of curriculums and programs to entertain and educate all people about the beauty and struggle of Native America.
Cochise, an accomplished professional actor, has appeared in off-off Broadway and regional productions as well as Film and Television. He founded and was the artistic director of Chuka Lokoli ("Community"), Native American Theatre Ensemble in NYC with The Ensemble Studio Theatre. His acting credits include, (TV) The Cosby Show, Homicide: Life On The Streets, (Film) Daughters of The Dust, Bill's Gun Shop, and (Theatre) "To Kill A Mockingbird," at The Great American History Theatre and he originated the title role of Eddie Rose in "The Independence of Eddie Rose," at the Seattle Group Theatre. He recently completed a national tour playing Stevie Jackson in William S. Yellowrobe's Jr.'s play "Grandchildren of the Buffalo Soldiers," at The Penumbra Theatre and the Trinity Repertory Company. Cochise was Kanati in the new retelling of "Unto These Hills" at Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee, NC '06.
Cochise was also the featured performer for the HOOP Project conference at UCLA in August '06. Cochise was also a guest Equity actor in the '08 DePauw University's student production, "Natural Selection," in Indianapolis, IN. Most recently Cochise was an ensemble player at the World Premiere of "RED INK," at the Mixed Blood Theatre here in So. Minneapolis. Cochise also initiated a new massive Chicago Blues Band, COCHISE & The Unconditional Luv! A must see for any blues lover! Cochise also led a Native American Delegation over to Australia as part of the '08 International Indigenous "DREAMING FESTIVAL" in Brisbane, Australia. He will then be leading a Performing Arts Residency once again in Choctaw, MS!! Then it's back to teaching a 3 week storytelling residency with The Stepping Stone Youth Development Theatre 4 all ages in St. Paul. Cochise was a lead storyteller representing the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians for the 2009 ECHO Performing Arts Tour.
He dedicates his life's work to his Mother, Juanita A. Anderson and Father, Gilbert R. Anderson, practitioners of unconditional love, inspiring dreams and visions, as well as his Grandmother, Catherine "Granny" Pickens-Willmond of McMillian, OK who is a Chickasaw Language Teacher at UCLA, and is one of the main sources (ok the main source!:-)) for the complete analytical dictionary of our language "aunumpa" for the people. Chi Hullo Li Iposi!...U r Sacred 2 Me Granny!
M. Cochise Anderson, MySpace
