Actors bring

MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota has the second-largest Tibetan community in the U.S., with New York having the largest.

And this weekend, there’s a play to honor the world’s most famous Tibetan. And, there’s a unique reason this show requires walking shoes.

It’s a professional production. But this theater has a dirt and grass floor. 

Markell Kiefer is the director and producer of “The Buddha Prince.”

“By bringing the story outdoors is an opportunity to bring the community into nature,” Kiefer said.

And at Washburn Fair Oaks Park in Minneapolis, the performers have the community on their feet. There are three different sets, and audience members walk from set, to set, to set.

“It brings the audience on a journey through nature, telling the story of someone’s life journey, and this case it’s the life journey of his Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Kiefer said.

It’s a story that is especially sacred to Tenzin Ngawang, a Minnesotan whose parents are from Tibet, and like the Dalai Lama, fled to India. He is an adult cast member with a large cast of youth.  

“For the kids around here it’s like seeing those two different cultures basically keeping everything in balance,” Ngawang said.

Balance, and focus.

“It feels like it is really important at this time at this era to spread out as much of his teaching, which is compassion, kindness, truth,” Ngawang said. “So it feels like these are all general things that we as human beings need to know.”

TigerLion Arts and the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota are putting on the play for the next several weekends, in hopes of entertaining and enlightening. 

“A lot of people know who he is and kind of what he stands for. You know, compassion, kindness, respect for all life. But they don’t necessarily know kind of where he comes from and what his story is,” Kiefer said.

So from the birth of His Holiness, to leadership over his country, to fleeing to a new one – the audience is truly included on the journey towards peace.

The Buddha Prince starts this Friday night at the park in front of the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Tickets are $25 for adults, and free for kids under 12.