14 minute read
Program Notes
LENA CASTRO
(Consuelo Flores) is grateful to be a part of the Alliance Theatre in this year’s production of Sit-In. Recent credits includes The Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre); she has also participated in Alliance Theatre workshops and the Atlanta Children’s Theatre. In addition to acting, Lena enjoys orchestra and chorus at Howard Middle School and has participated in the Statewide Honors Chorus. She is proficient in piano, having received an achievement award for piano from the Decatur Music Teachers Association. Lena appreciates all the love and support of her family and friends.
IBRAHEEM FARMER
(Bobby Payne) is a new ATLien from Natchitoches, LA. Atlanta credits: The Welcome Table (Theatrical Outfit), Sit-In (Alliance Theatre), The Brothers Size (Actor’s Express Theatre), If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must Be A MuhFucka (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company), GHOST (Alliance Theatre). Regional: Blood At The Root (Next Act Theatre), White Privilege (Marquette University Theatre), My Family Came For This (Arts @ Large), King Lear (Optimist Theatre), I And You (Next Act Theatre). Educational: The State of Mississippi and the Face of Emmett Till, Blues for an Alabama Sky, A Lesson Before Dying, and Bus Stop (Grambling State University). Education: BA, Visual and Performing Arts, Grambling State University; First Stage Theater 2017-18 Teaching Artist Fellow. All thanks to God and his tribe of family and friends. BELLA FRAKER (Mary Beth) is beyond thrilled to be a part of this amazing story. Working with Pearl Cleage and The Alliance Theatre is such a honor. Bella began her journey with The Alliance Theatre at the age of 7. Credits include A Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre), the National tour of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and the National tour of Broadway’s School Of Rock. Giving much love and thanks to God and family for all of the support. Stay safe and be kind. Follow Bella on Instagram @bellafraker.
RIVER KEARSE (Janet Payne Singing Voice) is 11 years old, comes from a musical family, and has been singing, writing songs, and acting since the age of 5. She is a member of Atlanta Music Project and has had the opportunity to sing at events across Atlanta. She has appeared in Madeline’s Christmas at Horizon Theatre and First Noel at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre. River is so excited to be part of her first Alliance Theater production! She hopes to be on Broadway one day and would like to thank her family for supporting her growth.
SHARONNE LANIER
(Ella Payne/Dr. Wilson): In fourth grade, Sharonne Lanier’s teacher forced the entire class to learn Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech for an oratorical contest. Sharonne thought this idea was weird, but little did she know this would change the course of her life forever. She discovered she had a talent for performing in front of people. This talent would lead her down the road of acting and blossom into her undying passion.
Sharonne Lanier studied Theatre Performance at the University of Central Florida graduating magna cum laude. While studying, doubts and thoughts of giving up began to cloud her dreams. On the verge of switching paths, her mother said to her, “I believe God gives you dreams and visions for a reason. Don’t run from it”. Since then she hasn’t looked back. Sharonne is a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association and has performed professionally in countless stage plays, television, and film productions. One of her favorite roles includes Rosa Parks in Barry Alexander Brown’s and Spike Lee’s “Son of the South” set to theatrically release in 2021. It is not Sharonne’s goal to simply entertain, but she says, “I am an actress who will use my God given talents to positively motivate people. I seek to participate in productions that aim to teach and enhance the joy and integrity of people’s lives. I will leave this world knowing I contributed to making a number of people’s lives easier to live.”
EDEN LUSE (Janet Payne Speaking Voice) is honored to perform her first lead narration as Janet in Sit-In. Her promising career as a young actor includes her film debut as Big Girl 2 in Tiger Rising. Acting in school plays since second grade, Eden made her professional theatrical debut as Daphne in 20 performances in the 10th Anniversary of Madeline’s Christmas (Green Cast), directed by Spring Mason (Atlanta Children’s Theatre) at the Horizon Theatre. Since then, Eden has played Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods Jr. (Atlanta Public Schools Xanadu drama camp), Martha Cox in High School Musical (The Children’s School Players) and provided narration for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. Eden has trained at the Alliance Theatre Acting Program, Atlanta Children’s Theatre, Catapult Acting Studios (drama and narration) and Debra Killings Studios (voice). In between auditions and acting workshops, she enjoys social studies, math, lacrosse, travel, and hanging out with her friends. Eden thanks her parents and grandparents for reminding her that “I can become anyone I want in this world.”
L WARREN YOUNG
(Mr. Payne) was born in Nashville, TN and began his acting career in church. A graduate of Tennessee State University (Drama), during which he spent a semester at Weber Douglas School of Dramatic Art, in London. He is a forty year stage veteran, who has been dubbed by the Atlanta Journal and Constitution as “one of Atlanta’s finest Actors, who graces the stage too infrequently.” Film and TV credits include: We are Marshall, Trois III, Three Can Play That Game, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Daddy’s Little Girls, Van Wilder III, The Preacher’s Kid, Fab Five Cheerleader Scandal, The Way Home, The Blind Side, Life as We Know It, CrackerJack, Footloose, Firelight, COMA, Field of Vision, The Game, My Dad’s a Soccer Mom, Nashville, Rectify, Bound, Anchorman II, Lets Be Cops, Reckless, The Bessie Smith Story, Greenleaf, Don’t Waste Your Pretty, and Cooking Up Christmas. Stage credits: The Hot Mikado, Chess, A Christmas Carol, Piano Lesson, Tambourines to Glory, Fraternity, Jitney, Sheddin, Shakin the Rafters, Right On and most recently Sweet Water Taste. When not in front of the camera, he focuses on his children, his life partner, and training young actors to hone their craft.
MARK VALDEZ (Director) is an artist, organizer, and consultant based in Los Angeles. His work has been seen at the Alliance Theatre, Childsplay Theatre, Cornerstone Theater Company, East West Players, La Peña Cultural Center, Mark Taper Forum, MACLA, Trinity Rep, and others. For over 20 years, Valdez has produced and created community-engaged projects in his home state of California and around the country. During his tenure as the Executive Director of the Network of Ensemble Theaters, Mark designed and implemented the MicroFest USA project, hyper-local events that were part performance festival, part think-tanks celebrating art-based community development. Presently, Mark is working on Exiled in America, a multi-year, multi-city project that aims to impact housing policy utilizing performance, cultural organizing, and creative community development strategies. Mark believes deeply that environmental issues are racial justice issues, and that Black Lives Matter.
PEARL CLEAGE (Playwright) is Distinguished Artist in Residence at the Alliance Theatre. During her almost 30 year relationship with the theatre she has premiered 10 plays on Alliance stages. She co-authored In My Granny’s Garden, a book for children with her husband, Zaron W. Burnett, Jr., with illustrations by Radcliffe Bailey. The book was chosen for the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club and adapted for young audiences by director Rosemary Newcott. She has guided the Palefsky Collision Project for 10 years as Playwright and Mentor working closely with Atlanta teenagers on an original show every summer. In addition to her work with the Alliance, Pearl is a New York Times bestselling novelist and a much produced playwright, including her play Flyin’ West, which was the most produced new play in the country after its premiere at the Alliance in 1992. A 2019 production of her play Blues for an Alabama Sky won critical praise at the Keen Company in New York City and a British production is scheduled for an upcoming production at the National Theatre in London. She is currently working on an original play, Digging in the Dark, written to be performed outside in the Woodruff Arts Center Piazza and a song cycle to commemorate the upcoming 50 anniversary celebration of Maynard Jackson’s election as Atlanta’s first African American mayor. This is her first animated work.
CHRISTOPHER MOSES
(Line Producer) Chris has been working in professional theatre education for over 15 years. In January of 2011, Chris took on the position of Director of Education at the Alliance Theatre, overseeing the Alliance Theatre Institute (twice recognized as an Arts Model by the Federal Department of Education), Theatre for Youth & Families, and the Acting Program. Under his leadership, the Alliance launched its Theatre for the Very Young program, which provides fully interactive professional theatre experiences for children of all abilities from ages 18 months to 5 years old, the Alliance Teen Ensemble, which performs world premier plays commissioned for and about teens, and Alliance@ work, a professional development program designed for the business sector—the latest offering of which uses theatre practice to create a culture of civility in the workplace. In 2014, Chris added the title Associate Artistic Director, and has continued to expand the Alliance’s education offerings. Chris serves as a board member for TYA/USA, the national service organization for Theatre for Youth, and Working
Title Playwrights and is on the Board of Advisors for the Atlanta Speech School, and the Atlanta Public School’s Partners for Education.
EUGENE H. RUSSELL, IV (Composer/ Music Director) was born and raised in southwest Atlanta and is a multi-talented vocalist, musician, songwriter, and award-winning actor. As a saxophonist, he’s played in bands opening for the likes of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Boyz II Men, KC & the Sunshine Brand, Brand New Heavies, and Mother’s Finest. Eugene IV had the honor of donning the roles of composer, producer, and performer for “Beautiful Blackbird: Original Alliance Theatre Cast Recording,” the cast recording of the Alliance Theatre’s world premiere. An actor with decades of stage performances, one of which garnered him the prestigious Woodie King, Jr. Award, his screen credits include the TV series MacGyver, Star, and Tyler Perry’s The Oval. Eugene recently released a full length music video for his latest single, “Brand New Day,” available on all streaming platforms.
DAVID AND MATTHEW ADEBOYE
(Filmmakers) are a director duo (who are also brothers) from Atlanta, Georgia. Since founding PALETTE, a production company and creative agency in 2016, the two have gone on to produce documentaries for the High Museum of Atlanta, an animation for the Alliance Theatre, and a documentary for GloATL, just to name a few. Their approach to filmmaking starts with their passion for stories, culture, and design. They aim to heighten the palette of every project through innovation and fearless storytelling. To view their work, visit thepalettegroup.com.
ANDREW ASHER (Animator) is an animator with the Palette Group. He is a motion designer, animator, and video editor. Andrew studied at Savannah College of Art and Design and has worked in animation and design since 2019. He currently lives in Atlanta, GA.
CORY ANCHORS (Artist/Designer) is a founder and Chief Creative Honcho at Hey Buddy Creative Collective. As a multimedia artist in Birmingham, Alabama, Anchors has dug a foothold in the Southeastern creative industry, from helping his buddies businesses grow with startup brands, to working with Emmy Award-winning teams on productions like Facebook’s Chasing Corruption. A straight shooter, that happens to shoot from the hip, Anchors enjoys any form of creative challenge, spanning from illustration, design, videography, animation and motion graphic design.
JOSH SAME (Animator) has explored the world of audio and visuals for the past 15 years by focusing on motion graphics, directing, videography, photography, and virtual reality. Working on this short film with all of these tremendous people has been an unforgettable experience. This project was so special not only for its story but also as being the pioneer project for Josh’s launching company, Of the Globe. Growing up as a wanderer, Josh was enchanted by the idea of sharing unique perspectives with the hope that they change the world for the better. This is the core foundation Of the Globe embraces. Josh continues to work with companies like Dell, Microsoft, CVS, Visa, and others to elevate the traditional way of storytelling. On the
weekends, Josh spends his time with his wife and dog hiking outdoors and searching for the ultimate chicken biscuit.
ANDREW LUIS “DRU” CASTRO
(Recording Engineer) is a Grammy Award-winning recording engineer, producer and songwriter in Atlanta, Georgia. He has produced or engineered songs for artists such as Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Usher, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Trina, Jamie Foxx and India. Arie. Recently, Castro produced and wrote songs with the Grammy award winning singer/songwriter India.Arie on her recently released album Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics. Her 2006 album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, for which Castro recorded and/or produced seven songs, debuted and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including “Best R&B Album”. To date Castro has worked on 12 Grammy nominated projects (4 have won the award). www.drucastro.com
PATRICK MYERS (Visual Dramaturg) serves as the Education Process Manager for the Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he manages the Press Play digital theater initiative. A graduate with honors of the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Performing Arts, Patrick’s work has encompassed a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to writing, producing, criticism, and teaching. He is a proud facilitator for the Alliance Theatre’s Allyship Training, an introductory two-hour course on cultivating anti-bias thought, and specializes in developing strategies for increasing access to the arts through virtual spaces. His work has appeared in American Theatre and ARTS ATL, and in his free time he writes and records for Ghost Light: The Serialized Horror Podcast.
LIZ CAMPBELL (Stage Manager) Recent Alliance credits include Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, A Christmas Carol, Max Makes a Million, The Wizard of Oz, Paige in Full, Winnie the Pooh, The Jungle Book, The Dancing Granny, Cinderella and Fella, Ugly Lies the Bone, Pancakes, Pancakes!, Tiger Style!, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, James and the Giant Peach, Shrek, and Charlotte’s Web. Local credits include Camelot, The World Goes Round, Million Dollar Quartet, Dreamgirls, Peter Pan, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Ragtime and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Atlanta Lyric Theatre); Book of Will and It’s a Wonderful Life (Theatrical Outfit). She holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from Niagara University. Member of Actors’ Equity Association. Love to Ali and Maggie.
SUSAN V. BOOTH
(Jennings Hertz Artistic Director) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2001 and has initiated the Palefsky Collision Project for teens, the Alliance/ Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, the Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab and commercial partnerships on such projects as The Prom; Tuck Everlasting; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; The Color Purple; Bring It On: The Musical; Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk; and Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL. She has directed nationally at the Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, New York Stage and Film, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, Court Theatre and many others. She holds degrees from Denison
and Northwestern universities and was a fellow of the National Critics Institute and the Kemper Foundation. She has held teaching positions at Northwestern, DePaul and Emory universities and is a past President of the board of directors for the Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for the field. Booth’s leadership is underwritten by the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle, an initiative to support and promote women’s theater leadership funded by the Pussycat Foundation. She is married to Max Leventhal and is the proud mother of Moira Rose Leventhal.
MIKE SCHLEIFER (Managing Director) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2014 as General Manager, and in 2016 became Managing Director. While at the Alliance, Schleifer has led the administrative team on more than 50 productions and was one of the architects of the “On the Road” season, in which the Alliance produced 12 shows at 12 venues. He is proud to have started the Alliance’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and to serve on the League of Resident Theatre’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. Previously, he spent 13 years at Baltimore’s Center Stage, working as Associate Producer, Production Manager and Resident Stage Manager. While in Baltimore, he spent seven years as an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and guest lectured all over the East Coast. Schleifer began his career as a Stage Manager and has dozens of stage-management credits in New York and regionally. He is married to theater director and educator Laura Hackman and is the proud father of two boys, Jack and Ben.
MUSIC CREDITS
WRITTEN & PRODUCED BY EUGENE H. RUSSELL IV PERFORMED BY RIVER, LENA, & BELLA EUGENE H. RUSSELL IV - SAXOPHONE, KEYS, PERCUSSION OKORIE “OKCELLO” JOHNSON - CELLO ALI BARR - TRUMPET DENNIS COFER - BASS JIMMIE HOWELL, JR - DRUMS
“DOWN AT LEILA’S DINETTE” WRITTEN & PRODUCED BY EUGENE H. RUSSELL IV EUGENE H. RUSSELL IV - SAXOPHONE, ADD’L KEYS MAUSIKI SCALES - KEYS JIMMIE HOWELL, JR - DRUMS
“HOUSE IS ON FIRE” WRITTEN & PRODUCED BY EUGENE H. RUSSELL IV PERFORMED BY RIVER KEARSE, IBRAHIM, LENA, BELLA, & ENSEMBLE EUGENE H. RUSSELL IV - SAXOPHONE, PERCUSSION, ADD’L KEYS MAUSIKI SCALES - KEYS ALI BARR - TRUMPET
ALL SONGS MIXED & MASTERED BY MICHAEL SCHENCK AT TWO|TWELVE RECORDERS
AUDIO RECORDED AND EDITED BY: DRU CASTRO @ PARHELION RECORDING STUDIOS ATLANTA, GA.
