Larissa FastHorse

Originally trained as a dancer and choreographer, Larissa FastHorse turned her attention to writing after an injury. She worked in film, then in theatre, and used her own experiences as a Native American Lakota woman as a foundation for her plays.

In 2000, FastHorse was a United Nations delegate, and spoke about the impact of film for indigenous peoples. She cofounded (with Ty Defoe) Indigenous Direction, an organization that advocates and organizes to help groups accurately portray works by and about indigenous groups. Her plays earned her a MacArthur Fellowship, the NEA Distinguished Play Award, as well as many other honors. FastHorse has developed new works with theatre companies around the country, from Cornerstone Theatre Company, to Center Theatre Group, to Arizona Theatre Company.

FastHorse lives in Santa Monica with her husband, Edd Hogan. Together, they manage HoganHorse Studio.