The Coyote Cycle

The Documentary on the COYOTE CYCLE, by Guy ZIMMERMAN

Coyote. #7 at 7,000 feet! Randall Davies Arboretum – Upper Canyon Road. Santa Fe, NM. 1985

It was our final rehearsal before opening the Coyote Plays for a two week run of seven plays, In seven specific outdoor locations in the arboretum! Crazy! We were excited. The all nighter was selling out and word was that many people were coming from Los Angeles to experience this play. The play, The Coyote Cycle, which Murray had started about 8 years earlier?, ended up being about the environment and saving Earth Mother! He didn’t know what it was about when he began! He began with two actors and wanted to build something over a period of time.

Murray had gathered us on a crisp Santa Fe morning to stage the last section of the last play that day. Murray wanted three of us to climb up a hillside and end in a tableau at the top of this hill against the morning sky. Norbert finished his last monologue as Trickster, at the base of the mountain. Norbert then climbed up to join us. The play was to end at Dawn against the light of “first light”. It was going to be beautiful. It was.

It was also very cold in September; we were in New Mexico and we were out in the open air.

We all went home to rest and reset. The show started well and every thing was going smoothly. Coffee and soup were available and we all managed to stay warm.

We were almost done and had finished the treacherous climb up the mountain side and all was going smoothly. We got to the top and stretched out our arms, said the last bit of poetry in unison. And suddenly I thought that it must be raining. However, I didn’t feel cold or wet. Peripherally, I could see what I thought were drops falling down on my arms. However, I didn’t feel the moisture. My hands were not wet or moist. Weird. I finally moved my head to one side and then the other and saw that it was SNOW! Beautiful white snow on our arms. my arms and body were outlined in snow!. A ridge of white snow down the length of my arms and body.

The last lines were said. Silence and then wonderful applause; as we all bathed in the Santa Fé morning snow. it was gorgeous . The first light had begun and the Sun, Tawa was bringing the dawn. I will never forget it.