photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Tweesna Rose Mills, Audrey Singer and Guadalupe Chibitty perform during a rehearsal of "The Return," a street opera commissioned for a restorative justice conference at Haskell Indian Nations University, on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

At the upcoming restorative justice conference taking place on Haskell Indian Nations University’s campus Thursday and Friday, there’ll be more than just breakout sessions to listen to.

One of the highlights on both days of the conference is a street opera performance of “The Return,” an original play written and adapted by the founder of the Ste. Genevieve Theatre Guild, Kristen Chibitty, and directed by Ric Averill, the Lawrence Arts Center’s artistic director emeritus of performing arts. The Journal-World was invited to capture some photos at a Wednesday afternoon dress rehearsal of the performance, which was commissioned especially for the conference.

The production features diverse actors, dancers, musicians and storytellers; in fact, the majority of the performers are Indigenous. That includes Marc Chibitty, who helped create the production with his wife, co-producer and performer Tweesna Rose Mills, and fellow performers Audrey Singer and Guadalupe Chibitty.

Though the full “Growing Restorative Communities: Cultivating Change by Tending our Roots” conference requires a registration fee to attend, both performances of “The Return” are free and open to the public. The Thursday performance will take place at 5:30 p.m. and the Friday performance is set for 9:10 a.m., both outside in front of the Haskell Auditorium.

photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Marc Chibitty, part of the husband-wife team that helped create “The Return,” performs during a dress rehearsal of the street opera Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Live music played on instruments from the viola to a toy piano are an integral part of “The Return.”

photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Tweesna Rose Mills, Audrey Singer and Guadalupe Chibitty perform during a rehearsal of “The Return,” a street opera commissioned for a restorative justice conference at Haskell Indian Nations University, on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Performer Tweesna Rose Mills adds paint to part of the set of “The Return” during a dress rehearsal of the performance Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Tweesna Rose Mills and Audrey Singer dance during a rehearsal of “The Return” Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

photo by: Austin Hornbostel/Journal-World

Ric Averill, who’s directing and co-producing “The Return,” soundtracks the performance on a toy piano.