The Capitol Theatre completes this season’s Global Voices and Capitol Best Series with two productions, The Aunties on May 15th and The Addams Family on June 2nd and 3rd.
On Thursday, May 15th (7:30pm performance) the Capitol Theatre presents a uniquely Yakima event. The Aunties is an invitation to come together to honor the women that shape, heal, and uphold Indigenous communities—the aunties—through an evening of contemporary storytelling, shared live from the stage alongside familial and archival photographs, and works of legacy. The Aunties project representing our region is one installment in a series of events across Turtle Island (North America), featuring stories by Indigenous women from the local region who have dedicated their lifework in service to their community.
Storytelling from the live performances will be preserved on film to become the heart of a narrative-driven documentary series that captures the artistic, cultural, and visual integrity of the places and people from which auntie stories emerge. The documentary films are intended as a cultural resource for the benefit of future generations.
We come together to honor the contributions and enduring legacy of our aunties, whose stories inspire new narratives and guide new generations of leaders. The three aunties that represent our region include Elaine Miles, Mary Lee “Smunitee” Jones, and Emily Washines.
Elaine Miles is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and was born and raised in eastern Oregon. Her acting debut was in the award-winning show, Northern Exposure, and among many other credits was featured more recently in the series, The Last of Us. She is the first Native woman cast as a regular on an international television show. She learned Indigenous art techniques and skills in her youth, such as storytelling, beading, pottery and weaving, and she is a prize-winning powwow dancer.
Mary Lee “Smunitee” Jones is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. She is a daughter, mother, and grandmother. A traditional food gatherer and medicine gatherer, she works for the federal government and also assists in building mini forests with the Natural Urban Forest program. Mary Lee is a significant contributor to the community Swan Dancers (aka Iksiks Washanalama). She lives by the words of her elders, “Teach and do not take it into the ground with you.”
Emily Washines, MPA and scholar, is an enrolled Yakama Nation tribal member with Cree and Skokomish lineage. Building understanding and support for Native Americans is evident in her films, writing, speaking, and exhibits. Emily received a 2025 Emmy Nomination for her cultural consultant work on the film, “Billy’s Magic.” She teaches at Yakima Valley College and The Evergreen State College. She lives on the Yakama reservation with her husband and three children.
Completing the 2024-25 Capitol Best series, the Capitol Theatre presents The Addams Family on Monday and Tuesday, June 2nd and 3rd (both 7:30pm performances).
Based on characters from the classic TV series of the same name, The Addams Family is a comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family. Featuring an original story, it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before– keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia.
Contact the Capitol Theatre Box Office at 509-853-2787 or visit the website at www.capitoltheatre.org to learn more information and find out about all the amazing programs offered at the Capitol Theatre and 4th Street Theatre.
Posted May 06, 2025
