Joilet Harris Cabaret 2015-16 Stagebill

Joilet Harris February 12th & 13th

Arden Theatre Company

Hamilton Family Arts Center: Studio Theatre 62 N 2nd St, Old City, Philadelphia

About The Arden Cabaret Series The Arden Cabaret Series features live music and performance in the 100-seat Studio Theatre at the Arden’s Hamilton Family Arts Center.

Developed to provide an opportunity for artists to perform, develop and present work that is important to them, the Arden Cabaret Series offers a unique and intimate conversation between Arden artists and audiences.

A Note From Joilet Harris LOVE: the thing that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more; that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That’s what I hope to give you…forever. -The Notebook. LOVE…we all want it. We all need it.

To live, to thrive. It’s the first feeling we’re supposed to experience. Made from love, we are…supposed to be. To love and to be loved in return – the ultimate exchange. A never-ending longing for, searching for….love. So necessary for our existence. Having it is as essential as breathing. We sing about it, write about it, talk about it, rap about it, preach about it, pray for it. We operate out of it.

LOVE…reaches outside of external circumstances: race, creed, color, religion, physical appearance, sexual preference, geographic distances. LOVE…maternal, paternal, familial. Eros, storge, philia, agape! Platonic, sentimental, ludus, pragma, philautia. In love… for love… with love. LOVE…Thank you. Please? Okay. I ‘m sorry. I forgive you. May I help you? 18 hours of labor and delivery…ooooh, now that’s love. LOVE…If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. And now these three remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is…

LOVE! 1 Corintians 13: 1, 4-8, 13.

From me to you – with LOVE! Joilet

About the Artist JOILET HARRIS is a dynamic, passionate and multifaceted entertainer who commands attention on the stage, screen and wherever her magnetic energy takes her. As an actress, Joilet may be best known for her recurring role of Officer Caroline Massey on the HBO series “The Wire”. Her additional TV credits include Guest Starring roles on New York Undercover, Law & Order SVU, Philly, and Hack. Joilet most recently starred as “Gloria” in the Boundfor-Broadway musical Because of Winn Dixie, directed by Marcia MilgromDodge. She also starred as “Mother Shaw” in Regina Taylor’s Crowns at The Human Race Theatre.

Who’s Who Her 33 year stage career is made up of a myriad of works, including “Ella Fitzgerald” in Ella The Musical, “Motormouth Maybelle” in Hairspray, “Lena” in A Raisin in the Sun, “Miss Jones” in How to Succeed in Business, “Caroline” in Caroline or Change (Barrymore Award Winner for Best Actress), Ain’t Misbehavin’ and It Ain’t Nothin but the Blues. Joilet also starred on the big screen, appearing in the films Rocky V, Beloved, 12 Monkeys, Animal Factory, Maximum Risk and many more. In March of 2014, Joilet was the Executive Producer of Jeff Stetson’s “The Meeting” at The Kurtz Performing Arts Center and Philadelphia’s Robin Hood Dell. Her lifelong motto: ‘TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!”

BARRY SAMES (Pianist) A graduate from Temple University’s Boyer College of music, Barry was a member of the Arpeggio Jazz ensemble in the early 90s, and led his own fusion group INSYNK with weather report drummer Ishmael Wilburn. He was an accompanist, and has arranged and recorded, for many of Philadelphia’s top jazz vocalists. Barry has been actively involved in world music for the past 20 years, experimenting in various world genres, performing Latin Jazz with Marlon Simon & Alfredo Naranjo, Arabic fusion with Cellist Kinan Abou-Afach thorugh Al-Bustan Arabic Music society in Philadelphia. He presently performs with South African Guitarist Sharon Katz and the Peace Train, Moroccan Oriental jazz sextet M’oudswing and his own Jazz trio. Barry has been a proponent of Gospel Jazz since the 1990’s. Barry has produced for various independent artists as well as national industrial music projects (Jacki Chan, Montel Williams, Richard Simmons). He was a teaching artist for MUSICOPIA from 2004-2010.

LEON JORDAN SR (Drummer) has more than 35 years of experience as a professional musician touring and recording with various jazz and R&B artists.

Leon Sr. has toured and/or recorded extensively with Grover Washington Jr., John Blake Jr., Phyllis Hyman, Benny Golson, Chaka Kahn, The Stylistics, Lou Rawls, Monette Sudler, Joey DeFrancesco, George Benson, Roy Ayres and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. Leon Sr. also appeared in ensemble and orchestral performances for the touring companies of Ain’t Misbehavin, Five Guys Named Moe and Purlie and served as a music contractor and performer for the Prince Theater. Leon has been a presenter with Musicopia’s roster since 2002, and leads the Pos-Jordan Jazz Ensemble. Leon is currently the founder and leader of the Renaissance Orchestra based in Philadelphia.

MATTHEW DECKER (Cabaret Series Director) is the Associate Artis-

tic Director at Arden Theatre Company and Co-Founder and Resident Director of Theatre Horizon. Arden: The Jungle Book, Great Expectations, Incorruptible, Pinocchio, Robin Hood. Theatre Horizon: Into the Woods, Circle Mirror Transformation, Spring Awakening, Kimberly Akimbo, …Spelling Bee, Fat Pig. Matthew is a two time Barrymore Award winner and a graduate of NYU where he studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company. Next, he directs Lobby Hero at Theatre Horizon and The Stinky Cheese Man at the Arden.

Cabaret Producer......................................................................Jonathan Silver Stage Manager.....................................................................................JD Stokely Production Manager.............................................................. Courtney Riggar Technical Director.................................................................... Glenn Perlman Master Electrician.................................................................. Martin Stutzman Master Carpenter........................................................................ Justin Romeo Production Assistant..........................................................................JD Stokely Audio Engineers..................................... John Kolbinski and Patrick Ressler Special thanks to the Arden staff, led by Managing Director Amy Murphy and Artistic Director Terrence J Nolen, for their help in launching the Arden Cabaret Series

Upcoming Cabarets...

Krissy Fraelich - April 22-23 Tony Braithwaite - June 17-18 8:00 PM Studio Theatre at the Hamilton Family Arts Center

Continue the Conversation!

Today, you are participating in a unique and intimate conversation between an artist and his audience. Our Cabaret Series gives artists the opportunity to perform, develop and present work that is important to them, and invites you into that work.

This collaboration is only possible through the support of our generous donors.

Only 60% of our costs – for things like supporting the work of Philadelphia artists like Jeff Coon, commissioning the next great new play, designing our costumes and props, even keeping the lights on – are covered by ticket sales. For the rest, we rely on you.

Please help us keep the conversation going, and make future cabarets possible, by making a tax-deductible gift to the Arden’s annual fund. Remember, gifts received

by December 31 are eligible to count as a deduction on your 2015 taxes.

Donate online at www.ardentheatre.org/support.