For 35 years, they performed in tents and opera houses in Illinois, Missouri and Mr. Schaffner's native Iowa, keeping to the grueling schedule that was indigenous to the profession: six different plays performed over a six-day period, with Sunday a day to travel to the next town and set up shop.
Thornton Media is recognized as a leader in the tech side of indigenous language revitalization, developing translation devices, talking toys programmed in native languages and other tools over its 17-year lifespan.