A Gathering Digital Program

A Gathering 2022

a celebration of community

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022 7PM at the WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

A Gathering 2022

A Gathering is a creative cultural collaboration between local artists, working together, lending our voices to celebrate community and the chosen family. In the 40 years of the fight against HIV/AIDS, caregivers, friends and chosen family have been the reason we all survived as a community. Tonight’s performance is an amazing illustration of what we are capable of doing together. Everyone is donating their time and talent tonight.

In September 2022, 25 local dancers, actors and community leaders, ranging from 23 to 70 years of age, met over drinks and dinner and openly shared personal experiences around HIV/AIDS. It was a gathering for A Gathering, and that conversation shaped tonight’s show.

It was a remarkable evening of honesty, tears, laughter and revelation. We then took the transcript of that 2 ½ hour discussion and decided to focus this year’s A Gathering on a celebration of those that step up and make a difference, the quiet heroes. One’s community, family, service organizations, those that truly make a difference.

Interlaced with song, dance and theater, and a bit of drag, tonight we hallmark 40 years of HIV/AIDS, but we celebrate “Family,” however you define it.

This is a community of artists responding to decades of HIV/AIDS. It is a testimony to the remarkable acts of kindness, and the love, loss, hope and inspiration we have all experienced.

Tonight, we share this with you.

Cover Image: Photo by Kent Barker, Models: Sofia Downing Ortega, Seth York, Terrell Rogers, Jr., Megan Storey, Hana Delong, McKinley Willis, Sean J. Smith

Dear Patrons,

Thank you for being here tonight. In 2011 and 2013, A Gathering was created and presented here in this beautiful theater. It was a powerful and remarkable evening. Arts publication TheaterJones said of A Gathering, “Sometimes you see something, and it is great art. Sometimes you see something, and you know you are seeing history in the making. A Gathering is both.” After a remarkable Covid lockdown, and after 40 years of HIV/AIDS, we decided to hallmark the four decades of HIV/AIDS and produce A Gathering 2022.

This is always a daunting project to pull together, and after the Covid lockdown, it was no small task. But what we have here tonight is a remarkably joyful, moving and fun celebration of community, chosen family and service. Our cultural community came together, once again donating their time and talent, to lend their/our support and commitment to honor those effected by this disease, and to celebrate those that step up to support each other. We celebrate family, however you define it. We must remember this remains a critical issue in all our lives.

In the face of hardship and HIV/AIDS, extraordinary acts of heroism, friendship, caring and generosity continually present themselves. The saying “that which does not kill us makes us stronger,” couldn’t be truer. As a community, we continue to see extraordinary acts of kindness and love that define who we are, and fuel the hope that love will save the day.

Tonight, ten different arts organizations and a hundred local performing artists come together to support and celebrate the work of four HIV/AIDS services organizations providing to too many in our community. Their efforts make a difference in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, and in the lives of all of us. And we say, thank you.

What we do together, truly does make a difference.

Sincerely,

Charles Santos Chris Heinbaugh TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND AT&T Performing Arts Center

A Gathering 2022

Dallas Artists Celebrate Community and Chosen Family Benefiting Four Primary HIV/AIDS Service Organizations

Welcoming

vocalists: Rachel Dupard Cherish Robinson

Wash Me Clean music: K.D. Lang - Ingénue vocalist: Damon K. Clark

AS choreography: Bridget L. Moore music: Stevie Wonder; George Michael Mary J. Blige dancers: Jenna Davis Tay Diggs Christina Johnson Carolyn Fisher Krissy Rideau Sarah Wales

Family, Scene I – Meet Cute playwright: Jonathan Norton actors: KARIZMA –Rachel Nicole Poole LEONARD –Paul Taylor

No More Drama music: Mary J. Blige: No More Drama vocalists: Rachel Dupard Damon K. Clark

We Remember Them

choreography: Greg Dolbashian in collaboration with the

performers

music: Donald Grantham –Conspirare & Craig Hella Johnson – Requiem singers: Verdigris Ensemble dancers: DASH Academy DBDT/Encore!

Family, Scene II - Intake playwright: Jonathan Norton actors: KARIZMA –Rachel Nicole Poole DEB –Sally Vahle LEONARD –Paul Taylor

End of Time

choreography: Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. music: Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, Op. 19: III. Andante dancers: Paige Nyman Valentin Batista

Night Flight to San Francisco* Prelude in E Minor

choreography: Bruce Wood music: Prelude in E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4 in E by Frederic Chopin costumes: John Ahrens piano: Dr. Jose Antonio Bowen actor: Sally Vahle dancer: Megan Storey Chopin in A Minor choreography: Joy Bollinger music: Mazurka in A Minor by Frederic Chopin costumes: John Ahrens dancers: Claude Alexander III Jillyn Bryant Megan Storey Cole Vernon

* AIDS Memorial Quilt panels courtesy of National AIDS Memorial

Lady Marmalade music: Christina Aguilera Lil’ Kim Mya & Pink artists: The Cast of the Rose Room Cassie Nova Kelexis Davenport Sasha Andrews Layla Larue

INTERMISSION

Seasons

of

Love music: Jonathan Larson; RENT vocalists: Cherish Robinson with A Gathering 2022 Soloists

Stand By Me

music: Mavis Staples –Spirituals & Gospel vocalists: Rachel Nicole Poole Cherish Robinson

Polyester Dreams

(Excerpt – What’s Going On) choreography: Bruce Wood music: Recorded –What’s Going On –Marvin Gaye dancers: Jaime Borkan Kevyn Bryant Sofia Downing Ortega Stephanie Godsave Lauren Hibbard Ali Marshall Weaver Rhodes Mia Rosin Elliott Trahan Seth York

Feel it to Heal it music: Billy Porter – At the Corner of Broadway and Soul (LIVE) vocalist: Sinclair Freeman

In My Life

music: Paul McCartney and John Lennon vocalist: Rachel Nicole Poole

Same Love

music/Video: Maclemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert

Family, Scene III – Westward, Ho playwright: Jonathan Norton actors: KARIZMA –Rachel Nicole Poole DEB –Sally Vahle LEONARD –Paul Taylor

Nobody Knows music: Pink – I’m Not Dead vocalist: Mel Arispe

Brighter Days choreography: Bridget L. Moore music: Cajmere – Brighter Days (Feat. Dajae) dancers: Nyla Aikens Ella Barron Georgia Cain Vary Carraway Juliana Crawford Selena Lin Ava Lopina

Trinity Kelly Ziari Thomas Austin Tredemeyer Mariah Tyler Gabriella Walker Ella Williams Briyana Wyche

Angels in America (Excerpt: A Conversation between Pryor and the Angel) actors: Paul Taylor Sally Vahle

Love Will Save The Day music: Whitney Houston –Whitney artist: Rose Room’s Layla Larue Family, Scene IV – San Francisco (You’ve Got Me) playwright: Jonathan Norton actors: PATRICK –Sinclair Freeman DEB –Sally Vahle KARIZMA –Rachel Nicole Poole LEONARD –Paul Taylor

I Know Where I’ve Been music: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman; Hairspray vocalists: Cherish Robinson with the cast of A Gathering 2022

ARTISTS

BAND

José Antonio Bowen piano

Benjamin Brown bass

Kami Lujan drums

Aaron Sutton guitar

SOLOISTS

Mel Arispe independent artist

Damon K. Clark independent artist

Rachel Dupard independent artist

Sinclair Freeman independent artist

Denise Lee independent artist

Cherish Robinson independent artist

ACTORS

Paul T. Taylor

Rachel Nicole Poole

Sally Vahle

Sinclair Robinson

THE ROSE ROOM CAST

Cassie Nova

Kelexis Davenport

Sasha Andrews

Layla Larue

VERDIGRIS ENSEMBLE

Sam Brukhman artistic director & conductor

Rachel Jones soprano

Briana Salas soprano

Jacki Miller alto

Claire Choquette alto

Spencer Simpson tenor

Johnny Brown tenor

Conner Allison bass

Tres Hunter bass

CHOREOGRAPHERS

Joy Bollinger bruce wood dance

Greg Dolbashian dash academy, dallas black dance theatre/encore!

Bridget L. Moore b. moore dance, booker t. washington hspva

Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. texas ballet theater

Bruce Wood bruce wood dance

DANCERS

Valentin Batista texas ballet theater

Paige Nyman texas ballet theater

Jaime Borkan bruce wood dance

Kevyn Bryant bruce wood dance

Sofia Downing Ortega bruce wood dance

Stephanie Godsave bruce wood dance

Lauren Hibbard bruce wood dance

Ali Marshall bruce wood dance

Weaver Rhodes bruce wood dance

Mia Rosin bruce wood dance

Elliott Trahan bruce wood dance

Seth York bruce wood dance

Gillian Clifford dbdt encore!

Aleigha Mayo dbdt encore!

Brandon Palmer dbdt encore!

Brianne Sellars dbdt encore!

Micah Sherard dbdt encore!

Trinity Waterhouse dash academy

Lauren Rahimizadeh dash academy

Kali Knewitz dash academy

Morgan Ferris dash academy

Cambree Dupuy dash academy

Kyndall Moore dash academy

Clancy Bartusek dash academy

Brynn Angel dash academy

Jaci Clendaniel dash academy

Emily Gilchrist dash academy

Jenna Davis b. moore dance

Tay Diggs b. moore dance

Christina Johnson b. moore dance

Carolyn Fisher b. moore dance

Krissy Rideau b. moore dance

Sarah Wales b. moore dance

Nyla Aikens btwhspva dancer

Ella Barron btwhspva dancer

Georgia Cain btwhspva dancer

Avry Carraway btwhspva dancer

Juliana Crawford btwhspva dancer

Selena Lin btwhspva dancer

Ava Lopina btwhspva dancer

Trinity Kelly btwhspva dancer

Ziari Thomas btwhspva dancer

Austin Tredemeyer btwhspva dancer

Mariah Tyler btwhspva dancer

Gabriella Walker btwhspva dancer

Ella Williams btwhspva dancer

Briyana Wyche btwhspva dancer

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY