Hands Up by Encore Magazine

A L L I A N C E T H E AT R E

OCT 8–31, 2021

Premier Exhibition Series Sponsor

Premier Exhibition Series Supporters Sarah and Jim Kennedy Louise Sams and Jerome Grilhot Dr. Joan H. Weens Estate

Benefactor Exhibition Series Supporters Anne Cox Chambers Foundation Robin and Hilton Howell

Ambassador Exhibition Series Supporters The Antinori Foundation Corporate Environments Elizabeth and Chris Willett

Contributing Exhibition Series Supporters: Farideh and Al Azadi, Sandra and Dan Baldwin, Lucinda W. Bunnen, Marcia and John Donnell, Helen C. Griffith, Mrs. Fay S. Howell/The Howell Fund, Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Jones, The Arthur R. and Ruth D. Lautz Charitable Foundation, Joel Knox and Joan Marmo, Dr. Joe B. Massey, Margot and Danny McCaul, The Ron and Lisa Brill Family Charitable Trust, Wade Rakes and Nicholas Miller, The Fred and Rita Richman Fund, In Memory of Elizabeth B. Stephens, USI Insurance Services, and Mrs. Harriet H. Warren

encoreatlanta.com

H A N D S

U P

F R O M T H E A R T I S T I C D I R E C TO R Between Us. .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F E AT U R E It’s About the Conversations After. . . Co-Directors Keith Arthur Bolden and Alexis Woodard on how Hands Up became a story of persistence, authenticity, and Black Joy

4 P age 4

Story by Ashley Elliott and Sally Henry Fuller Program Highlight.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Program Notes.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Onstage & Off. .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Your Story, Your Stage.

Synopsis. .

P age 9

D E PA R T M E N T S . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About the Alliance Theatre. Board of Directors. . Sponsors.

Annual Fund.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alliance Theatre Staff.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

30 36

P age 24

ENCORE ATLANTA is published monthly by B2 MEDIA, LLC. P.O. Box 1377 | Columbus, Georgia 31902 Phone 678-837-4004 Copyright © 2021 Encore Atlanta. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Encore Atlanta is a registered publication of B2 Media, LLC. The publisher shall not be liable for failure to publish an ad, for typographical errors, or errors in publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication.

COVID-19 Safety Precautions at the Alliance The Alliance Theatre is excited to return to in-person performances on its Coca-Cola Stage and Hertz Stage for its 2021/22 Season. Safety for our patrons, artists, and staff is our top priority. The Alliance will continue to closely monitor local, state, and federal policies regarding indoor activities and plan our safety protocols accordingly. Effective immediately, all patrons will be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test taken, as well as a matching photo ID, to enter the performance space. Here are a few ways we’ve redesigned the experience with safety in mind:

VA C CIN AT ION R E Q UIR E D

M A SK S R EQ UIR E D

A DDI T ION A L H A ND S A NI T I Z ING S TAT IONS

MOBIL E OR E -T IC K E T S ONLY

IMP R O V E D A IR CIR C UL AT ION A ND IONI Z AT ION

Learn more at alliancetheatre.org/covid-update

betweenus

Theater is a nimble art form. It can offer us solace and escape. It can distract us and take us on adventures of two hours’ duration. And it can do the heavy lifting of bringing us in immediate contact with the most demanding truths of our times. It is tempting to look away. From the news. From the marches. From the pain of stories unlike our own. And yet it is only through compassionate examination of both the source of trauma and its very present impacts that we can begin to do the utterly necessary work of breaking down systems of hate. Of exclusion. Of racism. Hands Up came into being in 2015, as a group of voices sought to make manifest their pain in the wake of the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. It is a kind of awful irony that their work remains as essential and evergreen as it does in 2021. Witnessing truth – and supporting those who speak it – is our human responsibility. And it is only a beginning. I am grateful that you’re here tonight. Susan V. Booth Jennings Hertz Artistic Director

4 | encore

o-Directors Keith Arthur Bolden and Alexis K. Woodard on the first day of rehearsals for C Alliance Theatre’s Hands Up. Photo by Aniska Tonge.

IT’S ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS AFTER Co-Directors Keith Arthur Bolden and Alexis K. Woodard on how Hands Up became a story of persistence, authenticity, and Black joy STORY BY

Ashley Elliott and Sally Henry Fuller alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

programfeature

fter almost a year and a half of postponing, Hands Up is finally happening. Based on seven monologues by seven playwrights that depict what it means to be Black in America, this powerful show will be the first Hertz Stage production since Seize the King in early 2020. “You know,” says co-director Alexis K. Woodard, “we’ve been producing a little this past year outside, but this will be the first time I do something in a theater [in a year].” “And we had a couple of casting snafus, too–” adds co-director Keith Arthur Bolden – “because they had other commitments – and some of those other commitments were other Alliance shows. We lost people due to other shows, but we found some really great people, too.” Woodard chimes in here: “I don’t know how we both started with a dream cast and ended with a dream cast because everyone is incredible.”

One of the Best Alexis K. Woodard is an Alliance Theatre Spelman Leadership Fellow, co-directing an Alliance show after associate directing the Alliance’s production of Working and A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play. She’s not a stranger to the position, however, having previously directed a new retelling of Romeo and Juliet at Spelman College (that Spelman’s President later said was “one of the best productions of Romeo and Juliet she had ever seen”). Keith Arthur Bolden is a professor at Spelman and usually onstage rather than off, but has directed before alongside his wife, Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, the Alliance’s BOLD Women’s Leadership Circle Artistic Director Fellow.

6 | encore

How can this not be an example of my ministry, which is empowering people to find their Black joy – their happy space. I’m very proud and very awestruck. H ands Up co-director, Keith Arthur Bolden is a professor at Spelman College.

Although the two are one-minded in how they approach directing, they both had completely different reactions to the pandemic’s impact on their show. “I didn’t do well this past year,” Woodard admits. “I really like to know what’s going on and how things are going to happen, and I really like to have a plan. Everyone’s plans just went out the window in the past year and a half. So the second it looked like it was going left, I would say, ‘Okay, here’s the version we could do in a parking lot. Okay, here’s the version we can do for streaming.’ I was always on top of the next way that we could do this show. Eventually, I just had to sit down and say, ‘It’s going to happen when it happens.’” “I did the exact opposite,” Bolden replies. “I was invested, but I wouldn’t fully invest until I knew we were starting. Also, the difference between Alexis and I is [that] Alexis is in meetings at the Alliance. I’m removed from that because I’m at Spelman and doing some TV stuff. But that’s what I love about our dynamic – she keeps me informed when it’s not on my radar because she asks me, ‘Well, have you thought about this?’ And I say, ‘Hell, no, I haven’t thought about that! I’m bathing children right now.’”

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

encoreatlanta.com

Hands Up at the [Atlanta University Center] was the first time that I’d ever seen theater that felt as if it spoke to me and my experience.

I n addition to co-directing, Alexis K. Woodard is an Alliance Theatre Spelman Leadership fellow.

Genuine and Moving Both have a deep connection to Hands Up, but it’s Woodard who has had the unique experience of observing it from all sides. She first watched the show when it first premiered at Spelman College, as a student and audience member. “I came from a very white area in Southern Georgia,” Woodard explains, “and I was one of, like, three Black people in my entire class. Hands Up at the [Atlanta University Center] was the first time that I’d ever seen theater that felt as if it spoke to me and my experience. It felt really genuine and moving and real in a way that I had never experienced in a theater before. And I said, ‘Wow, I have to be involved in this somehow.’ And here we are.” After working with each other previously on Romeo and Juliet (Woodard directed and Bolden did fight choreography), the pair only had kind words to say about each other. Bolden says he didn’t have to “worry about anything [with Hands Up] because I know that she’s doing it. So how could I not, right? How can this not be an example of my ministry, which is empowering people to find their Black joy – their happy space. I’m very proud and very awestruck.”

8 | encore “If I was going to have to co-direct with anyone,” Woodard replies, “it would be Bolden. And just because we know each other so well and particularly with this show – we’re so in each other’s heads.”

This Is What I Want to Do Although most of the questions were directed at the pair, Bolden often deferred to Woodard, making it apparent that he wanted her to have her day in the sun. She deserves it, too, after all the work and thought she’s put into this production. “In preparing for Romeo and Juliet, I had the dramaturgy knowledge from a Shakespeare program I had done the summer before in England,” she says. “And from working on Hands Up with Bolden in previous years I learned a lot about the director’s job as an interpreter. I was learning how to use shifts in scripts to help tell the story. I was doing the lights; I was doing the sound – I was thinking about how all those things intersected with the play. And then, on top of that, having these ideas and thoughts about the movement, the blocking, and how we can better physically tell our story. And then I just applied it all to Romeo and Juliet. After that show, I just said, ‘Oh, this is it. This is what I want to do and what makes me really happy.’” Towards the end of the interview, Bolden made a point to commend the Alliance for investing in the story. “It’s not easy to always support what some people may consider hateful or one-sided,” he explained. “This is not that. It’s a story. It’s a bunch of stories.” “The thing that always got me about this piece and still gets me to this day,” says Woodard, “are the conversations. It’s all about the conversations that happen after people see it. No matter what the demographic is, there are always really fruitful, engaging, productive conversations. So, yeah, I’m super excited about the potential to change hearts and minds – to steal from the Alliance’s mission [statement].”

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

programhighlight

TRANSFORMING ART INTO JUSTICE STORY BY

Skylar Burks and Liz Campbell Co-founders of Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice

ast summer, George Floyd’s death as a result of police brutality sparked a racial reckoning that ignited a movement across the country. Atlanta, being the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, took on another major role in this new movement with organized protests and marches.

Before I had the idea to start Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice (ATAJ), I will never forget the feeling of utter hopelessness. I sat in my room and cried, convinced that there was nothing that I could do as just one person with a degree in theater. I woke up the next day and scrolled through Facebook to see what protests were happening that day, inspired by all my friends and colleagues within our theater community that were determined to continue fighting for justice. I asked my friend Liz Campbell if it would be crazy to make a group just for theater artists who were attending the protests. She wholeheartedly supported it and agreed to help me run it. We started with basic information sharing locations of protests and meet-up points— and started to grow into a support system. Our Facebook group, which was supposed to be “only about 50 people,” quickly grew to hundreds in a matter of days. Members who were unable to protest in person due to health concerns during the pandemic were able to donate supplies for those who marched. At the height of the protests, we were distributing first aid, water and Gatorade, earplugs, masks, signs, and other supplies to grateful demonstrators throughout the metro Atlanta area. Our initial intent was to support and protect one another on the streets in dangerous and difficult times. What we found, however, was an emotional bond through shared experience, righteous anger, and a profound desire for justice.

10 | encore

ATAJ Staff: Top row (L to R): Amanda Perez, Skylar Burks, Jasmine Thomas, Liz Campbell Bottom row (L to R): Greg Hunter, Lexi McKay, Jackie Lenz

In addition to seeking justice on a national scale, ATAJ turned its attention to the racial reckoning happening within our own theater community. During the Town Hall for Racial Reckoning, an event hosted by CREAT and IDEA ATL, we listened to the voices of our peers and their experiences with racial inequity in our theaters. Many of the same concerns were voiced: “The wig designer didn’t know what to do with my hair as a Black woman,” “the lighting designer singled me out because my skin is darker than the other actors,” and the list goes on. We listened to this feedback and created our Intensives for Theatrical Mindfulness, a series of virtual intensives that center around issues we know to be problematic in the theater community. So far, we have held instructional sessions on stage lighting for every skin type, hair, makeup, and mindful language. These sessions were donation-based and will soon be available for viewing on our website. As we move forward, your support can help us continue to expand our conversations and make sure the people who make Atlanta theater address these specific continuing issues surrounding race on the stage. We would like to recognize CREAT, IDEA ATL, BLACT, and the Atlanta Artist Relief Fund for their work alongside us in this pursuit of justice within the Atlanta theater community.

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

encoreatlanta.com

| 11

Hands Up is a piece centered on the Black experience in America. It explores different life stories, celebrating unique points of view within this experience. We believe that each voice should have not only the right to be heard, but also listened to. Our group was founded to support those who wished to use their voice for change. It is supported and uplifted by people who want to see an end to police brutality, who want “those cops to be something they were totally incapable of being – protectors,” who hope that “But, officer, there must’ve been a miscommunication” will be someday rendered unnecessary as people finally start to listen and hear each other’s stories. Like some of the characters in this play, members of our community had reached a tipping point. It no longer felt sufficient to remain silent and complacent for the sake of fitting in or staying out of trouble. As the honorable John Lewis said, it was time to “Get in trouble – good trouble!” We felt it was our role to be a part of that good part of that good trouble, and to support those who helped make it. We are Atlanta, we make theater, we make art, and we are going to turn Atlanta’s theater art into justice.

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

12 | yourstoryyourstage

ARTISTRY AND ACTIVISM IN THE PALEFSKY COLLISION PROJECT STORY BY

Rodney Williams

en years ago, another world in the multiverse that is Theatre opened before my very eyes. I was, for the ninth year, working as the stage manager/sound designer on the Alliance Theatre Education Collision Project (a few years later Howard and Victoria Palefsky would endow the program into perpetuity, so it became the Palefsky Collision Project) and we had decided to tackle the Declaration of Independence as our source material. See, we take a piece of art, anything from Romeo and Juliet to Around the World in 80 Days to Antigone and use the themes from that piece as a jumping off point for 20 teenagers to tell their truth and understanding of the world as it relates to those themes. Remember 2011 — it was the third year of Barack Obama’s first term and there were no scandals in the Executive branch (not even a tan suit) and no existential threats to democracy, which means that a whole slew of people were considering themselves American for the first time ever and working to put that newfound sense of inclusion to work in forming a “more perfect Union.” So, we chose to examine what the Founders were founding and why, to determine what new generation of young Americans felt about their nation as well as the explicit andimplied promises and

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

R odney Williams, Palefsky Collision Project.

encoreatlanta.com

| 13

responsibilities of citizenship. So it was, we built the show of original monologues, songs, and scenes and began to sense a collective responsibility to empower these young artists with the sense that they are entitled to a just and great nation, but they also have the power and responsibility to make it so. The Collision Project had grown into its next level of development, as well as my understanding of what was possible using true narratives to change the world. Of course, I remember my Theatre History course where we learned about the beginning of Theatre as a method of group catharsis. But in this moment in our human development when there are quite literally billions of entertainment options at our fingertips in the warmth and security of our sweatpants and living rooms, how do we fully utilize the most democratic of art forms to remind ourselves what it means to be human beings, how precious the human experience is, and the necessity of an inclusive and just society? The answer is dialogue. Daisaku Ikeda (an international leader in culture, philosophy, and education) says of dialogue: “Conflict and tension do not in themselves render dialogue impossible; what builds the walls between us is our willingness to remain ignorant of others. This is why it is crucial to be the one to initiate dialogue. Everything starts from there.” So, in this time of racial tension let’s have hard conversations built on the true experiences of these seven amazing playwrights that reveal the truth of horrible experiences so we Atlantans can really see one another, appreciate our shared humanity, and project the sanctity of life.

Collision 2021. Photo by Aniska Tonge.

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

E XPERIENCE YOUR S TORY. Let the story move you. We welcome your reactions — laughter, tears, gasps, applause, and more — throughout the show.

RESPEC T YOUR S TAGE. Immerse yourself in the experience. We ask that you please silence your cellphones and other electronic devices.

SHARE YOUR S TORY. PRESERVE YOUR S TAGE. Feel free to take photos or videos before or after the show! Share on social with #AllianceTheatre. However, we do kindly ask that you refrain from taking pictures, recording audio, or capturing video during the performance.

Our stories are not simply told for you, but with you.

THE ALLIANCE THEATRE Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director & Mike Schleifer, Managing Director present

“Superiority Fantasy” by Nathan James “Holes in My Identity” by Nathan Yungerberg “They Shootin! Or I Ain’t Neva Scared…” by Idris Goodwin “Dead of Night…The Execution of…” by Nambi E. Kelley “Abortion” by NSangou Njikam “Walking Next to Michael Brown” by Eric Holmes “How I Feel” by Dennis Allen II SCENIC DESIGN

ISABEL A. CURLEY-CLAY MORIAH CURLEY-CLAY PROJECTION DESIGNER

MILTON CORDERO

COSTUME DESIGN

PAMELA RODRIGUEZ- MONTERO MOVEMENT CONSULTANT

MORGAN HAWKINS

LIGHTING DESIGN

BEN RAWSON CASTING

JODY FELDMAN

SOUND DESIGN

CHRIS LANE LORENZO MOORE STAGE MANAGER

R. LAMAR WILLIAMS*

DIRECTED BY

KEITH ARTHUR BOLDEN & ALEXIS K. WOODARD THIS PRODUCTION IS SPONSORED BY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Talkback Series sponsored by This production is supported in part by the BOLD Theater Women’s Leadership Circle.

“The New Black Fest’s HANDS UP: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com HANDS UP received its world premiere at Flashpoint Theatre Company at the University of the Arts on June 13, 2015, directed by Joanna Settle.

16 | programnotes CAST BRANDON BURDITT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “How I Feel”/Ensemble MARLON ANDREW BURNLEY . . . . . . . . . . “Superiority Fantasy”/Ensemble *LONDON CARLISLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Abortion”/Ensemble SEAN M. DALE . . . . . . . . . . . . “Walking Next to Michael Brown”/Ensemble CHARENCE HIGGINS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Dead of Night”/Ensemble *MARCUS HOPKINS-TURNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “They Shootin’!”/Ensemble JESSENIA INGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Dead of Night”/Ensemble *KALA ROSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Dead of Night”/Ensemble JOSH TURNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Holes in My Identity”/Ensemble UNDERSTUDIES BRIAN JOSEPH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .US “How I Feel”/Ensemble ZURI PETTEWAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . US “Dead of Night”/Ensemble EVAN HILL PHILLIPS . . . . . . . . . . . US “Holes in My Identity”/”Walking Next to Michael Brown”/Ensemble BRANDON L. SMITH . . . . . . . US “Superiority Fantasy”/”Abortion”/Ensemble MYLES WRIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . US “They Shootin’!”/Ensemble STAGE MANAGERS * R. LAMAR WILLIAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stage Manager BREA WALKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stage Management Production Assistant PRODUCTION AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE JODY FELDMAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line Producer HAYLEE SCOTT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COVID Coordinator RYAN BRADBURN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Projection Designer JASMINE WILLIAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Lighting Designer SKYLAR BURKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Casting Associate FOR THIS PRODUCTION JONESIA SMITH-WILLIAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stage Hand ROY SOCKWELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tour Stage Hand MONICA SPEAKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wardrobe GRAHAM SCHWARTZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sound Programmer CHARLES BEDELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sound Operator JESS FORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coverall Artist APRIL CARSWELL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guest Draper

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

encoreatlanta.com

| 17

SPECIAL THANKS The Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab Laura Morse MS, LPC, CPCS Dr. Roselyn Aker-Black CNP Georgia STAND-UP Black Men Smile Gangsters to Growers Special support for this production is provided by: Ms. Ellen Arnovitz, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Arogeti, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Arogeti, Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Bagen, Mr. and Mrs. Barry N. Berlin, Mr. Brandon Bush, Mr. Rob Cleveland and Ms. Mary Lynn Owen, Venessa Collins, Mr. and Mrs. David E. Dermer, Enid & Jerry Draluck, Scott Eisenberg, Mrs. Melanie F. Fine, Ms. Amy S. Gellins, Ms. Suzy Goldman, Joy Jernigan, Eydie Koonin, Debbie Kuniansky, Robin Lazarus, Ms. Donna R. Maslia, Mr. and Mrs. Todd Maziar, Mr. Christopher Moses and Ms. Brittany Loffert, Debbie & Lon Neese, Rosemary Newcott, Victoria & Howard Palefsky, Topher Payne, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Peterson, Ms. Renae M. Popkin, Mr. Jay C. Constantz and Mr. Doyle C. Reynolds, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rosenberg, Susan Timna, Pamela L. Tinter, Ms. Amanda Watkins, and Ms. Caitlin Way

* Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States The Alliance Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, an independent national labor union. The Alliance Theatre at the Woodruff is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and is a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young Audiences (ASSITEJ/USA), The Atlanta Coalition of Theatres, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Midtown Alliance. THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTING RECORDINGS OR STREAMS IN ANY MEDIUM, INCLUDING THE INTERNET, IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED, A VIOLATION OF THE AUTHOR(S)’ RIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE UNDER UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW, FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: https://concordtheatricals.com/resources/protecting-artists Photos may be taken in the theater before the performance, during intermission, and following the performance. If you share your photos, please credit the designers. Photos, videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited, is a violation of United States Copyright Law, and is an actionable Federal Offense.

18 | programnotes BRANDON BURDITT (“How I Feel”/ Ensemble) is honored to be making his debut with the Alliance Theatre alongside his mentor Keith Arthur Bolden. Burditt recently received his MFA in Acting student at the University of Illinois. He got his BFA in Drama at Morehouse College in conjunction with Spelman College. He was most recently seen in A Midsummer’s Night Dream and Cymbeline at Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. Past credits include Caesar in Gem of the Ocean directed by Chuck Smith, The Soldier in The Colored Museum (2017), Canewell in Seven Guitars (2015), and Jib in Hoodoo Love (2015). He has written a one-act play honoring survivors of sexual assaulttitled Interviews, which earned him a grant from Morehouse College and has been performed at both Morehouse and Tougaloo College in Mississippi. Instagram: @brandonburditt MARLON ANDREW BURNLEY (“Superiority Fantasy”/Ensemble) is a graduate of The University of Georgia where he completed his Master of Fine Arts in Performance. Atlanta Credits include: Red Speedo (Ray), The Royale (Fish), Twelfth Night (Orsino). University of Georgia credits include: Othello, Animal Farm, Titus Andronicus, The Skin of Our Teeth, Fires in the Mirror, and Mrs. Packard. Other theatre credits include: The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry IV, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Notre Dame Shakespeare). Original and collaborative works: Black in the Box, Always (K)new, The Encampment of Dr. Moreau.

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

LONDON CARLISLE (“Abortion”/Ensemble) is excited to be making his Atlanta debut at the Alliance Theatre. An Alabama native, Carlisle graduated from Auburn University with a BFA in Theatre Performance. His Auburn credits include Mr. Burns, Detroit, and Big Fish. Carlisle now splits his time between New York City and Atlanta. He was last seen in I and You at Lewiston’s Public Theatre. London is also a gaming content creator and avid player of Dungeons & Dragons. He would like to thank his family and friends for their endless motivation, love, and support. @londoncarlisle SEAN M. DALE (“Walking Next to Michael Brown”/Ensemble) is a classically trained actor based in Atlanta who is excited to make his Alliance Theatre debut in this incredible show! He earned his MFA in Acting from East 15 Acting School in London and has played roles from William in Lobby Hero to Caliban in The Tempest. He has performed on various stages throughout the UK, including a training residency at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. As the Artistic Director of Borderless Theatre Company, he has helped produce various plays via the podcast “Radio Plays.” Off the stage, Sean is fluent in Italian, enjoys tennis, wine tasting, barbershop singing, and, yes, “DnD.” CHARENCE HIGGINS (“Dead of Night”/ Ensemble) is a Mississippi native who has had a passion for storytelling as long as she can remember! She holds degrees in Psychology and Theatre from Jackson State University and is a member of the Class of 2021 MFA Acting program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Most recently she has taken the stage as Lily in Crumbs

encoreatlanta.com

| 19

from the Table of Joy, Escalus in Measure for Measure, and Sarah in Age of Bees in Theatre at Monmouth’s 2021 summer season. With Illinois Theatre she’s played Black Mary in Gem of the Ocean, Judy in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, along with several historic roles with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. She is elated to use her talents to tell thought-provoking stories and continue to inspire future theatre artists. MARCUS HOPKINSTURNER (“They Shootin’!”/Ensemble) is an Atlanta native and Morehouse College graduate. Regional Credits: Prince of Egypt (Tuacahn). Atlanta Credits: Julius Caesar (The Shakespeare Tavern), Tarzan (Atlanta Lyric Theatre), Once on This Island (Aurora Theatre), Father Comes Home (Actor’s Express), 1776 (The Legacy Theatre). He is thrilled to return to the Alliance Theatre. JESSENIA INGRAM (“Dead of Night”/ Ensemble) is an actor, writer, and producer from Plano, TX. She graduated from Spelman College in 2019 with a degree in Theatre and Performance and a minor in Management and Organization. She recently completed her time as a Spelman Leadership Fellow at the Alliance Theatre. Recent projects include Hamlet (Tiny Theatre Company), The Art of Facing Fear (Os Satyros, Brazil), and A Kids Play About Racism (Bay Area Children’s Theatre). Jessenia has a passion for “artivism” and using her art as a means to spread love and make change. She gives many thanks to her family, friends, and sisters for their continuous support and love. Follow her @jesseniaingram.

BRIAN JOSEPH (US “How I Feel”/Ensemble) A theatre graduate from Georgia Southern University, Brian has appeared in various film and theatre productions including NBC’s The Blacklist, The Wizard of Oz, and August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. He trained under several New York acting companies such as The Producers Club, Actors Connection, and The Barrow Group, Brian has recently relocated to Georgia where he continues to build his craft and experience the amazing talent and creativity Atlanta has to offer. ZURI PETTEWAY (US “Dead of Night”/ Ensemble) is a graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Theatre. Her family, from Hampton, VA, is full of artists, so she has been performing since she was very young. Her credits include The Blackout Company’s CHILL The Series (Britney), Actor’s Express’s Either You Got It or You Don’t virtual reading (Tracey), Serenbe Playhouse’s productions of Hair (ensemble), The Jungle Book (Shere Khan), and Sleepy Hollow (Katrina von Tassel), as well as VCU’s productions of Little Shop of Horrors (Ronette), Spamalot (ensemble), and Legally Blonde (Judge/Shop Manager). While not onstage, Zuri enjoys teaching theatre and dance, as well as journaling. EVAN HILL PHILLIPS (US “Holes in My Identity”/”Walking Next to Michael Brown”/ Ensemble) is a graduate of Michigan State University with a BFA in Theatre and an Alum of Aurora Theatre’s 2019 Apprentice Company. Evan is also an Associate Artist of the Sense-Ability Ensemble and is currently developing an original musical geared towards neurodiverse audiences. He is thrilled to

| programnotes make his Alliance debut! Previous credits include: Disney’s Newsies, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Reindeer Games, The Lawrenceville Ghost Tours (Aurora Theatre), Ellipses (Working Title Playwrights), Water Works (Herschend Family Entertainment),and Nowhere City (Kingdom Entertainment Studios). Lots of love to family and friends for all of their incredible support. KALA ROSS (“Dead of Night”/Ensemble) is honored to make her Alliance Theatre debut! Kala received her MFA from the University of Louisville, and her Bachelor’s in Theatre from Tennessee State University. She is the recipient of the Irene Ryan National Acting Scholarship. Her recent credits include A Christmas Carol, COVID-Classics, and Fix-it Black Girl (Actors Theatre of Louisville). As a vocalist, she has performed at the Nissan Stadium, Kentucky Yum Center, and the B.E.T. College Tour. Kala would like to recognize her family, friends, Luella High School, and mentor Baron Kelly for their unending support. She encourages all to remember; I can. I will. End of Story. For more information, please visit www.kalaross.com IG: @kalaross BRANDON L. SMITH (US “Superiority Fantasy”/”Abortion”/ Ensemble, he/him) is delighted to make his debut on the Alliance Theatre stage! Previous credits include: Hair (Serenbe Playhouse), Julius Caesar (Georgia State University), Love & Money (ART Station Theatre), and The Princess and The Frog CH (Clubhouse). He would like to give his greatest thanks to his friends and family for helping him achieve his dreams! Follow him on Instagram: @_thebrandonsmith

JOSH TURNER (“Holes in My Identity”/Ensemble) is an Atlanta native and graduated with his BFA in Acting from the Gainesville Theatre Alliance. His desire to tell stories was born at an early age through the influence of his grandfather, Ural Smith Jr. This began an early belief that great stories can change lives and transform hearts. Past credits: Tecumseh in Unto These Hills, Prospero in The Tempest, and Mowgli in The Jungle Book. He is incredibly excited to be a part of The Alliance’s production of Hands Up and would like to thank his village for always supporting him. Enjoy the show! MYLES WRIGHT (US “They Shootin’!”/ Ensemble) is delighted to return to the stages of the Alliance! Recent understudy credits: Ghost (Alliance Theatre). Other recent credits: Preacherman (Trailblazers Collective), Titus Andronicus (Rogue Ensemble), Macbeth (Adirondack Arts), and We Have Standards (No Peeking Theatre). Myles is an actor, writer, and mentor from Atlanta, GA, who obtained a degree in Film & Television Performance/ Production from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts in 2018. Myles also self-published a poetry book last year and is grateful for this beautiful opportunity and for the continued support from his family and friends! He dedicates this and all other appearances to his Grandma. @whereismyleswright KEITH ARTHUR BOLDEN (Co-Director) Keith Arthur Bolden native of Los Angeles, California, earned his MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois and is currently an associate professor of Theatre and Performance at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. He considers himself a tri-coastal actor and it is demonstrated

encoreatlanta.com

| 21

in his work, and in his ability to transform and embody a variety of characters based on his travels, life experiences, and observation of the human condition. Directing Credits include: Pipeline (Horizon Theatre), Two Trains Running (Triad Stage), Topdog/Underdog (NC Black Rep). Acting Credits include: Paradise Blue (True Colors Theatre), Fetch Clay Make Man (Dallas Theatre Center), Dreamgirls (DOMA Theatre), Gem of the Ocean (The Fountain Theatre, Rubicon Theatre). Recent Film/ TV credits: Genius: Aretha Franklin, The Haunting of Hill House, Nashville. ALEXIS K. WOODARD (Co-Director) is an Atlanta-based director, proud Spelman College alumna and current Spelman Leadership Fellow at the Alliance Theatre. Her directing credits include: Romeo + Juliet, Eurydice (Spelman College), Finished What We Started (Morehouse College), Hamlet (The Tiny Theatre Company), as well as assistant directing for the Suzi Award-winning play, Hands of Color (Synchronicity Theatre), A Kids Play About Racism (Bay Area Children’s Theatre), and associate Director for A Christmas Carol: The Live Radio Play, and Working (Alliance Theatre). Upcoming credits include: director for Do You Love The Dark (Alliance Theatre) and assistant director for A Christmas Carol (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis). She has also worked backstage on several productions such as Holler If Ya Hear Me (True Colors Theatre) and Hospice + Pointing At The Moon (Alliance Theatre). Film Credits include: Hands Up Teasers (Co-Director) and When Morning Comes (Writer). ISABEL CURLEY-CLAY & MORIAH CURLEY-CLAY‘s (Scenic Designers) work can be seen on stages around Atlanta as well as on several regional stages. Some favorite recent credits include scenic and costume design for Nobody Loves You, Freed Spirits, and The Toxic Avenger (2016 Suzi Award for Best Costume Design of

a Musical) and scenic design for The Cake, Sweet Water Taste, How to Use a Knife, The City of Conversation, and Sex with Strangers (Horizon Theatre); American Buffalo (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre); Silent Sky (Theatrical Outfit); Wit and I’m Not Rappaport (Aurora Theatre). Isabel and Moriah are the recipients of four Suzi Bass Awards, are resident scenic designers at Horizon Theatre, artistic associates at Theatrical Outfit and members of IATSE, United Scenic Artists 829. PAMELA RODRÍGUEZ-MONTERO (Costume Designer – she/her/ella) is a scenographer, educator, and visual artist from Costa Rica. She earned her BFA degree in Arts and Visual Communications from the National University of Costa Rica and received her MFA in Scenography from The University of Kansas (2017). She was recently named acting assistant professor of costume design at The University of California, Santa Cruz. Previously, she served as the assistant professor of costume design at Kennesaw State University 2019-2021. She has also worked as a guest scenographer for Washburn University and guest scenographer and cultural awareness mentor at The University of Central Missouri. Pamela has designed for dance, theatre, and devised work in Costa Rica and the US, including National Theatre for the Dance in Costa Rica, Costa Rica National Theatre, Kansas Rep Theatre, and Theatrical Outfit. She is honored to make her Alliance Theatre debut with this production. She is the proud recipient of the Ethel Hinds Burch Outstanding GTA in Theatre Award (2014 & 2015) in recognition of her excellence in teaching. She combines her motherwork with her labor as an educator and artist. For more information, please visit her website: pamelarodriguezmontero.com BEN RAWSON (Lighting Designer) is an Atlanta-based lighting designer for theatre, opera, and dance, member USA 829. Theatrical/opera design work can be seen at Atlanta Opera,

| programnotes Glimmerglass Opera, Theatrical Outfit, Actors Express, Aurora Theatre, Atlanta Lyric Theatre, 7 Stages, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Theatre Buford, Weird Sisters Theatre Project, and Synchronicity Theatre. Dance design work includes choreographers Danielle Agami, Ana Maria Lucaciu, and Troy Schumacher as well as Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre, Fly On A Wall, Staibdance, Bluebird Uncaged, Proia Dance Project, and Emily Cargill and Dancers. Ben has also worked across the country as an associate and assistant lighting designer for San Diego Opera (CA), The Alliance Theatre (GA), Berkshire Theatre Festival (MA), Atlanta Opera (GA), Lyric Opera of Kansas City (MO), Utah Opera (UT), Atlanta Ballet (GA), Palm Beach Opera (FL), and Playmakers Repertory Company (NC). benrawsondesign.com CHRIS LANE (Sound Designer) is a music producer, songwriter, DJ, sound designer and audio engineer for various productions across the nation, including Ghost at Alliance Theatre; Four Women and Skeleton Crew at True Colors Theatre Company; Pipeline and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime at Horizon Theatre; An Octoroon and The Brother’s Size at Actor’s Express; The 39 Steps and A Christmas Carol at Theatre Buford; Hands of Color at Synchronicity Theatre (GA); Skeleton Crew at Westport Country Playhouse (CT); Too Heavy for Your Pocket at George Street Playhouse (NJ); Four Little Girls and Ruby at Alabama Shakespeare Festival (AL); The Royale and The Children at The Kitchen Theatre Company (NY); Detroit ’67 at Virginia Stage Company (VA); and Incendiary at The Kennedy Center (DC), to name a few. He is also a proud Teaching Artist with Alliance Theatre, co-founder at Run Arts LLC, and professional graphic designer with a BS in Marketing from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He is a co-founder and current president at Multiband Studios. multibandstudios.com LORENZO MOORE (Sound Designer) is a composer, musician and actor from Atlanta, Georgia. He is an alum

of Morehouse College, where he got his Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts and graduated in 2018. His love for music began at a very young age and music served as his number one medium of expression. He started producing his own music and began to release music online. His vision for music is to be able to tell stories and make statements theatrically, about where he is as a person, as well as his views on society as a whole. MILTON CORDERO (Projection Designer) has a MA in Film Management and a BA in Communication with a minor in Drama. In film and TV, he worked for Canzion Films, Wiesner Distribution, and CineFiesta Film Festival. Currently he produces a kids TV segment for WIPR. Cordero’s Projection Designs have been seen on stages of New York, Atlanta, and Puerto Rico. Favorites credits include: Labzik: Tale of a Clever Pup and The Nether for Emory Theatre (GA), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime for Aurora Theatre & Horizon Theatre (GA), Tierra Mia for Gibaro de Puerto Rico, El Burlador de Sevilla for Teatro Círculo (NY), Voces Latinx National Playwriting Competition virtual projects for Repertorio Español and the Miranda Family (NY), and In the Heights (PR) miltoncordero.com MORGAN HAWKINS (Movement Consultant) began her dance training at All That Jazz of Charleston under the direction of Virginia White where she was able to compete with Nexstar, Showstoppers, Starpower, and Showbiz National competitions. She has performed with Walt Disney and Royal Caribbean cruise lines. Morgan continued her dance training at Spelman College under the direction of T. Lang. She has had the opportunity to work with UniverSoul Circus (touring), T Lang Dance (Atlanta), and Armada Dance (New York), Atlanta Lyric Theatre, and Independent Artist Playhouse. Ms. Hawkins has choreographed for The National Black Theater Festival, North Carolina Black Rep and Spelman Dance Theater of Spelman College. She is an active judge for Turn It Up Dance competition and is currently earning her MFA in Dance at Montclair State University. She

encoreatlanta.com

| 23

ccreates new and innovative ways to express movement through dance. JODY FELDMAN (Producer/Casting Director) began her theater career as an actress in Atlanta before moving into administration as the assistant general manager at Frank Wittow’s Academy Theatre. Feldman started her career at the Alliance as Casting Director in 1991, and added producer to her title and responsibilities in 2001. She has cast and produced more than 200 productions at the Alliance, including world premieres The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, What I Learned in Paris by Pearl Cleage, Broke and Troubadour by Janece Shaffer, In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell Alvin McCraney and more than 10 years of Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competitionwinning plays, plus such world- and regional-premiere musicals as Tuck Everlasting; Aida; The Color Purple; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring It On: The Musical; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; Harmony, A New Musical and The Prom. Jody is most proud of the thriving Alliance engagement activities and partnerships that recognize theatrical work as a catalyst for community conversation and connection. R. LAMAR WILLIAMS (Stage Manager) is an Atlanta native who studied theatre at Florida A&M University’s Essential Theatre. His 20-year tenure at the Alliance Theatre has included stage managing Hospice/Pointing at the Moon, The Temple Bombing, Choir Boy, Bike America, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, 18 years of The Palefsky Collision Project, and assistant stage managing a slew of great shows. Rodney is opening a new frontier in his career with Dramaturgy and Directing. For Sensei, JDawn, Chelsea & Solari and all humanity — “changing the world 1 play @ a time!” 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 Helen Gurley Brown 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, he 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, & Inclusion Committee and to serve on the League of Resident Theatres’ Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Initiative. Previously, he spent 13 years at Baltimore’s Center Stage, working as associate producer, production manager and resident stage manager. He spent seven years as an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and guest lectured all over the East Coast. He 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.

| onstage&off

he arts play a critical role in both inspiring meaningful dialogue and, just as importantly, advancing social change. The Counter Narrative Project (CNP) is proud to be a sponsor of Hands Up because we believe this production speaks to our moment through the incredible stories presented on stage. The recent public reckoning with the legacy of anti-Black racism and its manifestation through the criminal justice system has necessitated a confrontation with our present and our past. Bearing witness to this, we Charles Stephens is the Founder have a unique opportunity and responsibility and Executive Director of the Counter Narrative Project (CNP). to imagine different possibilities and build them in the cultural laboratory of the theatre. This, I am convinced, begins with not just seeing the theatre audience as a passive spectator, but trusting them to be committed and willing partners for change. There can be no social change without narrative change, and the arts have always been indispensable to that project. As champions of narrative change work, CNP stands against anti-Black racism and mass incarceration demonstrated through our efforts to end HIV criminalization, amplify racial justice, and elevate the voices of Black gay men. We are deeply inspired by the stories presented in this production. Our hope is that through the brilliance and beauty of Hands Up we are able to move the needle and that we are all transformed.

The arts play a critical role in both inspiring meaningful dialogue and, just as importantly, advancing social change.

encoreatlanta.com

| 25

SYNOPSIS Across seven monologues written by seven Black playwrights, Hands Up depicts the realities of Black America from the perspective of varying genders, sexual orientations, skin tones, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The play was originally commissioned in 2015 by the New Black Fest in response to a police officer fatally shooting an unarmed Black teenager, Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO.

GET SOCIAL Connect with us and other audience members on your Alliance experience. Share your comments and photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with hashtags #HandsUp and #HandsUpAtlanta . Plus, search your social media platforms with those hashtags for fun, behind-the-scenes photos from our cast, crew and creative team. alliancetheatre.org alliancetheatre alliancetheatre alliancetheatre alliancetheatre

Do you appreciate live theatre, enjoy meeting new people and trying new things? If so, then get involved with one of the largest volunteer forces in the arts. The Alliance Theatre volunteer STARS program offers a wide range of opportunities, which includes advocating for live theatre, ushering for Alliance productions, participating in and staffing fundraising & hospitality events, and assisting Alliance staff members with daily office tasks. STARS is composed of three committees working together on fund-saving and fundraising projects to benefit the theatre. The three committees are the Theatre Advocates, the Theatre Educators, and the Theatre Ushers. For more information on becoming a volunteer, please contact ATushers@alliancetheatre.org.

26 | aboutthealliance

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE THEATRE Founded in 1968, the Alliance Theatre is the leading producing theatre in the Southeast, reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually. Under the leadership of Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director, the Alliance received the Regional Theatre Tony Award® for sustained excellence in programming, education, and community engagement. In January 2019, the Alliance opened its new, stateof-the-art performance space, The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre. Known for its high artistic standards and national role in creating significant theatrical works, the Alliance has premiered more than 116 productions including nine that have transferred to Broadway. The Alliance education department reaches 90,000 students annually through performances, classes, camps, and in-school initiatives designed to support teachers and enhance student learning. The Alliance Theatre values community, curiosity, collaboration, and excellence, and is dedicated to representing Atlanta’s diverse community with the stories we tell, the artists, staff, and leadership we employ, and audiences we serve. www.alliancetheatre.org.

OUR MISSION To expand hearts and minds onstage and off. OUR VISION Making Atlanta more connected, curious, and compassionate through theatre and arts education. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT In the sincerest efforts to gain further understanding of the history that has brought us to reside on this land and to accept the knowledge that colonialism is a current and ongoing process under which we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation, we hereby acknowledge this native land of the Muscogee Creek Nation.

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

boardofdirectors

OFFICERS Chair Jocelyn J. Hunter Immediate Past Chair Lila Hertz Secretary E. Kendrick Smith Treasurer LeighAnn Costley Ex-Officio Hala Moddelmog LIFETIME DIRECTORS Rita Anderson Ken Bernhardt Frank Chew Ann Cramer Linda Davidson Laura Hardman Hays Mershon Richard S. Myrick Helen Smith Price Helen Regenstein Bob Reiser Jane Shivers Ben White BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristin R. Adams James Anderson Alba C. Baylin Kenny Blank Brittany Boals Moeller Terri Bonoff Matthew Bower Laura Brightwell Jeffrey S. Cashdan Steve Chaddick Miles Cook LeighAnn Costley Joe Crowley Alison Danaceau Fred Ehlers Reade Fahs Howard Feinsand Andrea Freeman Richard Goerss Lila Hertz

Jocelyn J. Hunter Malvika Jhangiani Anne Kaiser John Keller Andjela Kessler Lauren Kiefer Jim Kilberg Jesse Killings Mary Jane Kirkpatrick Carrie Kurlander Allegra Lawrence-Hardy Nichelle Hughley Mayberry Jean Ann McCarthy Alan McKeon Alan McKnight Dori Miller Hala Moddelmog Phil Moïse Maureen Morrison Shareka Nelson Allison O’Kelly Victoria Palefsky Paul Pendergrass Jamal Powell Asif Ramji Danielle Reardon Patty Reid Margaret Reiser Matthew Richburg Robyn Roberts Maurice Rosenbaum Kerri Sauer Steve Selig Mital Shah Bill Sleeper H. Bronson Smith E. Kendrick Smith Chandra Stephens-Albright Charlita Stephens-Walker Rosemarie Thurston Dana Weeks Ugwonali Benny Varzi Rebekah Wasserman Glenn Weiss Cynthia Widner Wall Todd Zeldin

ADVISORY BOARD Advisory Board Co-Chair Laura Hardman Advisory Board Co-Chair Phil H. Moïse Chris Ahrenkiel Kim Ajy Rene Alegria Charmaine Alexander Joe Alterman Jonathan Arogeti Carrie Ashbee Farideh Azadi Kelli Bennett Kamau Bobb Jericho Brown Merry Hunter Caudle Farah Clerveau Elizabeth Cooper Gail Crowder Tallia Deljou Anjali Enjeti Jason Feldman Rev. Everett Flanigan Nathan Flint Mary Beth Flournoy Jennifer Foster Karen Foster Lula Gilliam Shauna Grovell Laura Hardman Wendy Heckelman Jason Hoch Elizabeth Hollister Zenith Houston Jim Issa Debby Kelly Robin Kendric Triplett Helen Kim Ho Quinn Leoni Joyce Gist Lewis Andra London Indira Londono Theo Lowe Monica McClary Jaime McQuilkin Jenna Measroch Nishant Mehta

| 27

Phil H. Moïse Victoria Necessary Andisheh Nouraee Ade Oguntoye Aixa Pascual Shirley Powell Will Power Nancy C. Prager Shannon Price Alexis Rainey Kristin Ray Kat Reynolds Kirk Rich Ryan Roemerman Fred Roselli Kyle Rossilli Amanda Shailendra Pastor Beverly Brown Shaw Dan Moss Silverboard Christie Sithiphone Charles Stephens Brian Stoltz Maria Storts Yvette Thomas-Henry Velma C. Tilley Kathy Gillespie Tomajko Ronald J. Tomajko Hilda Tompkins Roxanne Varzi Stuart Wilkinson VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP PRESIDENT, STARS Andjela Kessler Chairman, Theater Advocates Judy Feldstein Susan Stiefel Chairman, Theater Educators Myra Medlin Faye Windham Chairman, Theater Ushers Edwina Sellan Chairman, Hospitality Susan Stiefel

28 | sponsors Alliance Sponsors are businesses, corporations, and institutions that have supported the work of the Alliance Theatre. We thank them for their generosity and support.

$1 Million +

$50,000+

The Coca-Cola Company

Chick-fil-A Foundation Rhonda and Dan Cathy R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation Edgerton Foundation Fulton County Board of Commissioners Georgia Power Foundation, Inc. King & Spalding Northside Hospital WestRock

$500,000+ Lettie Pate Evans Foundation

$250,000+ Anonymous The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation AT&T Foundation The Goizueta Foundation Helen Gurley Brown Foundation The Home Depot Foundation

$100,000+ The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation The Molly Blank Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Foundation Charles Loridans Foundation Delta Air Lines, Inc. Georgia Natural Gas Invesco QQQ The Kendeda Fund PNC Shubert Foundation The Harold & Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust The David, Helen, and Marian Woodward Fund The Rich Foundation The Zeist Foundation

$25,000+ Alston & Bird Camp-Younts Foundation City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Georgia-Pacific The Imlay Foundation National Endowment for the Arts Northern Trust The Princess Grace Foundation, USA Rotary Education Foundation of Atlanta United Distributors William Randolph Hearst Foundations

$10,000+

Thalia & Michael C. Carlos Foundation Cartoon Network CNP Disney Publishing Eversheds Sutherland George M. Brown Trust of Atlanta Georgia Council for the Arts Jones Day Kile’s Beautiful Mind Foundation The Johnny Mercer Foundation Macy’s Osiason Educational Foundation Worldpay US, Inc.

$5,000+ Anonymous Augustine Foundation Do a Good Day Foundation Frances Wood Wilson Foundation John and Mary Franklin Foundation Lexus Mary Wilmer Covey Charitable Trust South Arts Theatre Forward

AEC Trust Anonymous Aon Cancer Treatment Centers of America

By attending our theater, you have made a powerful statement about how important the arts are to you. Make another statement of support louder than any standing ovation. Visit alliancetheatre.org and click on Donate.

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

encoreatlanta.com

| 29 Official Hotel

Official Research Partner

government

Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

Major support is provided by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.

30 | annualfund Individual, foundation, and corporate donors contribute more than $8 million to the Alliance Theatre so that we are able to present exceptional theater and educational programming to our community. We are deeply grateful for your support. To find out more about the benefits of giving or to make your gift, visit us at alliancetheatre.org/ donate or call 404-733-4710. Listed below are pledges and gifts to the Alliance Theatre Annual Fund from June 1, 2020-July 31, 2021.

PREMIERE SUPPORT Spotlight $500,000+ Sarah & Jim Kennedy Spotlight $100,000+

Sally G. Tomlinson* & Kate & Elwyn Tomlinson Foundation, Inc. Chairman’s Circle $25,000+

Antinori Foundation Kathy* & Ken Bernhardt Nancy & Kenny Blank Dean DuBose & Bronson Smith The Frances & Beverly DuBose Foundation, Inc Doug & Lila Hertz Starr Moore & James Starr Moore Memorial Foundation Naserian Foundation

Anonymous The Balloun Family Roxanne & Jeffrey Cashdan Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Catalfano Ann & Jeff Cramer Katie & Reade Fahs David & Carolyn Gould Jocelyn J. Hunter David & Mary Jane Kirkpatrick Mr. & Mrs. Asif Ramji Rosemarie & David Thurston Carol & Ramon Tomé Family Fund

Artistic Director’s Circle $35,000+

Leadership Circle $15,000+

Barbara & Steve Chaddick Mr. Fredric M. Ehlers & Mr. David Lile Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Ivester Anne & Mark Kaiser Jane & J. Hicks Lanier Bob & Margaret Reiser Mr. & Mrs. E. Kendrick Smith

Ms. Kristin Adams Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Asher Farideh & Al Azadi Susan Booth & Max Leventhal Ms. Alison Danaceau & Mr. Tim McKinley Ellen & Howard Feinsand Doris & Matthew Geller Marsha & Richard Goerss Seth & Lisa Greenberg

Farideh & Al Azadi Foundation Spotlight $50,000+

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

Mr. Patrick J. Gunning Mr. Wayne S. Hyatt Boland & Andrea Lea Jones Jane & J. Hicks Lanier Jean Ann & Barry McCarthy Anne Meisner Victoria & Howard Palefsky Patty & Doug Reid Patricia & Maurice Rosenbaum Linda & Steve Selig Ms. Mital Shah Dr. & Mrs. Dennis Lee Spangler Lynne & Steve Steindel Nossi Taheri & Hope Vaziri Tim & Maria Tassopoulos Benny & Roxanne Varzi Kathleen & Art Waldrop Amy & Todd Zeldin Director’s Circle $10,000+ James Anderson Deborah L. Bannworth & Joy Lynn Fields Alba C. Baylin Natalie & Matthew Bernstein Terri Bonoff & Matthew Knopf Judge JoAnn Bowens Martha & Toby Brooks Miles and Nicole Cook LeighAnn & Chad Costley Marcia & John Donnell

encoreatlanta.com

Bill & Angel Freitag Kim & Ted Greene John C. Keller Mr. & Mrs. David E. Kiefer Jim & Lori Kilberg Brian & Carrie Kurlander Evelyn Ashley & Alan B. McKeon Melanie & S. Alan McKnight, Jr. Ms. Brittany Boals Moeller & Mr. David Moeller Phil & Caroline Moïse Mr. & Mrs. Angus Morrison Allison & Shane O’Kelly Paul Pendergrass & Margaret Baldwin Jamal & Tiffany Powell Mr. & Mrs. Sean Reardon Matt Richburg Robyn Roberts & Kevin Greiner Mark & Linda Silberman William & Margarita Sleeper Karen & John Spiegel Waffle House Mark & Rebekah Wasserman Ramona & Ben White Suzy Wilner The Zaban Foundation BENEFACTORS $5,000+ Anonymous Lisa & Joe Bankoff Mr. & Mrs. Roland L. Bates Beryl Bergquist Ron & Lisa Brill Charitable Trust Frank & Jenn Buonanotte Mr. & Mrs. W. Kent Canipe Franklin & Dorothy Chandler Ann & Jim Curry Linda & Gene Davidson Diane Durgin Eve Joy Eckardt Dr. Cynthia J. Fordyce & Sharon Hulette

| 31

John & Mary Franklin Foundation Heidi & David Geller Dr. & Mrs. Marvin Goldstein Mr. Terrence S. Hahn & Ms. Joan Stanescu Dr. & Mrs. John B. Hardman Ariana L. Hargrave Henry & Etta Raye Hirsch Heritage Foundation Tad & Janin Hutcheson Erika James In honor of Carol Jones Dr. and Mrs. John Lee Mr. Charles R. Kowal Lubo Fund Raymond & Penelope McPhee Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Metzger June M. Morrison Richard S. & Winifred B. Myrick Debbie & Lon Neese Joan Netzel & John Gronwall John & Helen Parker Steve & Tonya Paro Sam & Barbara Pettway Daniel Marks & Keri Powell Helen Smith Price Mr. & Mrs. Norman J. Radow Mr. George Russell, Jr. & Mrs. Faye SampsonRussell Dr. & Mrs. R. K. Sehgal Charlita Stephens-Walker & Delores Stephens Maria-Ruth Storts Chuck Taylor & Lisa Cannon-Taylor

Mr. & Mrs. Erik Curns Dr. Karen A. Foster Andrea & Jerry Freeman Karen & Andrew Ghertner Mr. David F. Golden Mr. & Mrs. J. Michael Hostinsky Linda & Richard Hubert Jason & Laurie Jeffay Mr. James Kieffer Allegra J. Lawrence-Hardy and Valerie Haughton Kristie L. Madara Jennifer Manning Anna & Hays Mershon Wade Rakes & Nicholas Miller Don & Rosalinda Ratajczak Dr. Denise Raynor Peter & Alice Rogers Mr. Ronald B. Russell and Mr. Tommy Sweat Jane & Rein Saral Sharon & David Schachter Alan & Cyndy* Schreihofer Sam Schwartz & Lynn Goldowski Mr. & Mrs.* Charles B. Shelton III Brian Shively & Jim Jinhong Henry N. & Margaret P. Staats Susan & Alan* Stiefel Mark Swinton Judith & Mark Taylor Stan & Velma Tilley Kathy & Ron Tomajko Lynne Winship William & Nancy Yang John & Kathy Zamer

$2,500+

$1,500+

Anonymous Elaine & Miles Alexander Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Allen Ellen Arnovitz Dr. Deborah Baumgarten Ginny & Charles Brewer Candace Carson Rita & Ralph Connell Joe Crowley and Phil Mack

Judge Gregory A. Adams & Wanda C. Adams Mr. & Mrs. George Ajy Diane & Kent Alexander Mr. & Mrs. Robert Arogeti Juanita Baranco Candace & Jeff Bell Mark & Pam Bell

32 | annualfund Dr. Aubrey Bush & Dr. Carol Bush Andrew Childers Melodie H. Clayton Susan & Ed Croft Brad & Sally Currey $1,500+ (continued) Ralph & Ree Edwards The Elster Foundation Kathy & Jason Evans Tina & Tim Eyerly Michael & Jody Feldman Mr. & Mrs. David Felfoldi Andrew & Wendie Fisher Debbie Frank & Sandy McDonald Kristin Garbarino Azita & Oscar Garrett Mr. & Mrs. Bill Garrigan Mr. & Mrs. Frank S. Goodman Warren M. Gump Mrs. Elaine L. Hentschel Melissa Hudlow Debraleigh & Jonathan Jowers Jason Kahn Dr. William A. Kiser David L. Kuniansky Robert & Michelle Leven Dori & Jack Miller Dedi & Julian Mohr Clair & Thomas Muller Dennis & Debra Murphy Lynn & Galen Oelkers Timothy Overmyer Pete Patel Mr. & Mrs. Armond R. Perkins Ms. Margaret Petersen Peg Petersen Bill & Tonya Powers Julia & Zack Prescott Helen M. Regenstein Dr. & Mrs. Fredric Rosenberg Mr. & Mrs. Mark Rosenberg Jane Shivers & Bill Sharp Mr. Jim Schroder and Ms. Morli Desai James Shevlin

Nancy & Gerald Silverboard Matt Sitler Chandra Stephens-Albright & Warren Albright Jim & Janie Stratigos Dr. and Mrs. Harry Strothers Tom & Raeann Tighe David Turner Ms. Avril Vignos Ms. Kathy Waller & Mr. Kenny Goggins Kelly Walls Ms. Cathy Weil Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Weiss Kim Boldthen & Carolyn Wheeler Mr. & Mrs. Charles L. Young $1,000+ Dawn & Michael Adamson John & Lynn Ayers Dr. Evelyn R. Babey George T. Baker Foundation, Inc Rob & Suzanne Boas Sara & Alex Brown Mr. W. Imara Canady Chubb Charitable Foundation Mr. Kevin Clift & Mr. Michael Yochelson David Cofrin & Christine Tryba-Cofrin Gail Crowder Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Giornelli Ms. Joy Hambrick Jabian Consulting Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Kelly Suzanne & Thad King Thomas & Constance Kinnear Sheri & Steve Labovitz Sarah Latif Ms. Lauren Linder & Mr. Jonathan Grunberg Paul & Marcia Meis Hala & Steve Moddelmog Amsi Morales-Owens Vicki & Steve Morris

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

Scott, Dallas, & Mia Pioli Ms. Kristin L. Ray Mr. & Mrs. Chris Rozell Mr. & Mrs. David W. Scheible Ms. Janet F. Smith Jennifer Smith Tony Spurlin Ann Starr & Kent Nelson Karen & Alex Stickney Jenny Streeter Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth G. Taylor Eric C. Tiegel Ms. Kathy Waller Kiki Wilson

Scan the QR code below to make a one-time or monthly contribution.

encoreatlanta.com

| 33

ALLIANCE THEATRE MONTHLY SUSTAINER SOCIETY We would like to thank our donors who have committed to giving us a recurring monthly donation to the Alliance Theatre Annual Fund. Join today: www.alliancetheatre.org/sustainer Dr. & Mrs. Marshall Abes Morgan Allen Thomas Anders Mr. E. Scott Arnold Gaytra D. Arnold Dr. Evelyn R. Babey Mr. & Mrs. John Bauer Ms. Aparna Bhattacharyya & Mr. Paul Nilsson Jeff Burnham Mr. Brandon Bush Henry Cabaniss Mrs. Carol Calhoun Mr. W. Imara Canady Karen & Harold Carney Mr. William Carroll David Cashman Ms. Jacquel Chambers Ms. Sarah K. Chester Ms. Mishelle Cirillo & Ms. Bryan Suttles Mr. Kevin Clift & Mr. Michael Yochelson Ouida Collins Mr. & Mrs. Joe Colonna Ms. Janeen Cook Elizabeth Corrie Mr. Lawrence R. Cowart Mr. & Mr. Christopher Cox Marge & Gray Crouse Derrick Doose Mr. Desmond W. Drummer & Ms. Jayna Hoffacker Christina Dunn Mr. & Mrs. Philip D. Dunphy Angel Edwards Whitney Fahner Martha Fineman Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Fineman Eric Fisher Brenda Fleming Mr. Ken H. Foskett Ms. & Ms. Katie S. Goodman Mr. Bryant D. Gresham & Mr. Alexander Bossert Shauna Grovell Lauren & Jonathan Grunberg

Mrs. Jo Ann Haden-Miller & Mr. William Miller Ms. Joy Hambrick Ms. Wynette Hammons Penn Hansa Ms. Lindsey E. Hardegree Ms. Linda L. Hare & Mr. Gerald A. Barth Nancy A. Hatfield Dr. & Mrs. David M. Hill Ms. Becca Hogue Luke Howard Jim Johnson Karen Jones Kelley J. Jordan-Monne Mr. & Mrs. Stephen J. Kalista Mr. Barnabas Kane Ms. Ruth Kanfer Amy & Jeremy King Ms. Lynne Kuhn Tamara Kullback Sarah Latif Ms. Martha LaTour & Mrs. Barbara J. McArdle Mr. Darryl E. Lesure & Mrs. Candice Simon-Lesure Ms. Joyce R. Lewis Ms. Karen Lightfoot Ms. Barbara Lincoln & Mr. Gary Rosenshein Christian & JoJasmin Lopez Ms. Jo Ann Regan Ms. Alison Main Susan McDaniel Ms. Megan McKnight Ms. Jaime McQuilkin Mr. and Mrs. James Michael Ms. Jeanette M. Morgan Christine Oresky Ms. Ronita Pace Mr. Steve M. Peck Chris J. Peterson Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan K. Peterson Ms. Kendrick Phillips Mr. & Mrs. Marc B. Pickard Sharon Porter

Jacqueline Powe Ms. Shannon L. Price Mrs. Brenda Pruitt Alexis Rainey M. Corwin Robison Mrs. Peggy Rogers Garey C. Rozier Mr. and Mrs. Peter S. Savitz Barbara Schreiber Ms. Donna Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. E. Alan Simmons Mr. Tom Slovak & Mr. Jeffery Jones Ms. Carol Smith Chaundra Smith Ms. Janet F. Smith Jennifer Smith Ms. Lesa Smith Ms. Lynn Stallings Laura Stordy Mrs. Jill Strickland Charles Thompson Ms. Andrea Volk Ben Warshaw Ms. Caitlin Way Mr. & Mrs. David D. Whitley Mr. & Mrs. Napoleon A. Williams Ms. Janice A. Wolf & Mr. M. Barry Etra Chandra C. Wright Michelle Zinney

34 | legacysociety&matchinggifts MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES Many companies offer a matching gifts program for employees and retirees. You can double, or even triple, your gift at no additional cost to you simply by asking your employer! Think of how much further your donation can go. We would like to thank the following companies who have matched contributions to the Alliance Theatre Annual Fund. To find out more about matching gifts, contact Caitlin Way (caitlin.way@alliancetheatre.org). AIG Corporation American Express Aon Risk Solutions The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation AT&T Bank of America/Merrill Bryan Cave-Powell Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Chubb Charitable Foundation The Coca-Cola Company Deloitte Equifax Inc. Foundation GE Energy

Georgia Power Goldstein Home Depot Foundation Honda Motor Co. IBM JPMorgan Chase Kimberly-Clark Lynch Macy’s Foundation McDonald’s Corporation McMaster-Carr Supply Microsoft Corporation Norfolk Southern Corporation Prudential Financial

Publix Super Markets Salesforce.com, Inc. Sprint SunTrust Foundation Thrivent Financial for Lutherns Verizon Corporation Wells Fargo Yahoo!

Looking for a different approach to diversity and inclusion training?

Alliance@work’s Allyship Training uses theater-based learning strategies to help challenge assumptions, acknowledge biases, and establish a culture of genuine equity, inclusion, and justice.

alliancetheatre.org/work

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

Sat, Nov 6, 2021 // 8 PM

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE Grammy-Nominated Horn Blower, Singer, Songwriter

Master of New SupaFunkRock

FREE

PARKING for the Rialto Series Shows in the 100 Peachtree Parking Garage on Fairlie Street

Subscriptions and Tickets // Rialto.GSU.edu // 404.413.9TIX (9849)

36 | staff ARTISTIC Jennings Hertz Artistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan V. Booth Producer & Casting Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jody Feldman Director of Diversity, Equity, & Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daviorr Snipes Distinguished Artist in Residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pearl Cleage BOLD Artistic Director Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tinashe Kajese-Bolden Associate Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amanda Watkins Spelman Leadership Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raiyon Hunter, Alexis Woodard Spelman Interns . . . . . . . . . . .Christina James, A’Shia N Rachel, Karen Douyon Kenny Leon Intern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vincent Pendarvis II Resident Artist & Allyship Program Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maya Lawrence Reiser Lab Artists Round 6 . . . . . . . . . . Jake Krakovsky, Jane Foley, Ibi Owolabi, Hannah Church, Julia Appleton, Sarah Newby Halicks, Jaclyn Hoffman, Lee Osorio, Angela Farr Schiller, Rachel Parish Round 7 . . . . . .Skye Passmore, Michelle Pokopac, Amee Vyas, Denise Arribas, Michael Haverty, Jeffrey Zwartjes Production Management Director of Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lawrence Bennett Associate Production Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Baranski, Courtney O’Neill COVID Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Haylee Scott Costumes Director of Costume Shop and Wardrobe . . . . . . . . . . . . Spencer Henderson Assistant Costume Shop Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Laury Conley Design Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kayli Warner Drapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tonja Petersen, Cindy Lou Who Craftsmaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diana L. Thomas 1st Hands/Stitchers . . . . . . . . Lyudmila Fesenko, Brett Parker, Mary Cruz Torres Wardrobe . . . . . . . . . . . Hauzia Conyers, Yvonner Stephens, Zachary Morrison Wig Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsey Ewing Electrics Director of Lighting and Projection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernesto Gomez Staff Electricians . . . . . . . . Steve Jordan, Gabrielle Drum, Benjamin Strickland Properties Props Department Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzanne Cooper Morris Props Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruce Butkovich Props Artisan / Buyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kimberly Townsend Props Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kathryn Andries Scenery Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth Richardson Assistant Technical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Gottlieb Shop Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick Conley Buyer/Lead Welder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rigel Powell Auto Lead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Seifert Carpenters . . . Amy Jackson, Marlon Wilson, Hailey Rose Thomas, Charles Bedell Charge Scenic Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kat Conley Scenic Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brianna Bass Sound Resident Sound Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clay Benning Production Sound Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michelle Jarvis Sound Engineers . . . . . . Emma Mouledoux, Holly O’Reagan, Graham Schwartz Stage Management Resident Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Campbell Stage Managers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jayson T. Waddell, Rodney Williams Stage Management Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shaina Pierce Stage Management Production Assistants . . . . . . Ashley Dickey, Amanda Perez Stage Operations Stage Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Bowne Assistant Stage Operations Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kate Lucibella Flyman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Willie Palmer Parks Automation Stagehand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Victor Mouledoux Jr.

EDUCATION Dan Reardon Director of Education & Associate Artistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Moses Naserian Foundation Head of Early Childhood Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hallie Angelella Head of Youth & Family Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Olivia Aston Bosworth Administration & Education Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elecia Crowley Head of Secondary Curriculum & Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Liz Davis Education Administration & Finance Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dacey Geary Administrative & Adult Program Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Hindsman Head of Strategic Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aierelle Jacob

alliancetheatre.org | @alliancetheatre

Alliance@Work Creative Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J. Noble Head of Elementary School Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rebecca Pogue Artist in Residence & Teen Programs Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Provenzano Education Marketing Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kristen Silton Youth Programs Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jasmine Thomas Teaching Artists Jae Ahn, Jimez Alexander, Will Amato, Chase Anderson, Jasmine Anthony, Ricardo Aponte, Imani Banks, Kim Bowers-Rheay Baran, Olivia Aston Bosworth, Jared Brodie, Chelsea Brown, Lon Bumgarner, Sara Burris, Dan Caffrey, April Andrew Carswell, Katie Causey, Lina Chambers, Hannah Lake Chatham, Hannah Church, Megan Cramer, Kelly Criss, Nakeisha Daniel, Peyton McDaniel Davis, Theresa Davis, Shelli Delgado, Sarah Donnell, John Doyle, Laurin Dunleavy, Suehyla El-Attar, Amitria Fanae, Shelby Folks, Sharon Foote, Spencer Ford, Daryl Funn, Allison Gardner, Neeley Gossett, Ilasiea Gray, Meg Grey, Amber Hamilton, Meg Harkins, Robert Hindsman, Julissa Sabino Hobbs, Deja Holmes, Renita James, Meg Johns, Kendra Johnson, Carole Kaboya, Ashe Kazanjian, Chris Lane, Maya Lawrence, Antonia LeChe, Anja Lee, Kathleen Link, Amy Lucas, Ansley Lynn, Christian Magby, Barry Stewart Mann, Cara Mantella, Gloria Martin, Mari Martinez, Dalyla McGee, Candy McLellan, Karin Mervis, Erika Miranda, Mary Moccia, Courtney Moors-Hornick, Amanda Wansa Morgan, Jenna Jackson Morris, Kevin Moxley, Audrey Myers, JD Myers, Patrick Myers, Amor Owens, Mary Michael Patterson, Tafee Patterson, Sydney Patton, Zuri Petteway, Rebecca Pogue, Michelle Pokopac, Samantha Provenzano, V Reibel, Morgan Rysdon, Daniela Santiago, Riley Schatz, Erin Schaut, Avery Sharpe, Caitlin Slotnick, Alexandria Joy Smith, Lucy Smith, Taryn Spires, Destiny Stancil, Autumn Stephens, LeeAnna Lambert Sweatt, Megan Tabaque, Jasmine Thomas, Callie Timme, Sariel Toribio, Ebony Tucker, Julia VanderVeen, Jeremy Varner, José Miguel Vasquez, Rachel Wansker, Megan Wartell, Andrea Washington, Davia Weatherill, Ayana Williams, Jay Williams, Vallea Woodbury, Melissa Word Teen Ensemble Members Zariyah Allen, Ugo Anyanwutaku, Nathan Bell, Caroline Brown, Isabella Cavienss, Da’Quan Cooney, Nicole Cortes, Xavier Doyle, Nick Fargar, Emma Kate Farlow, Khala Flemister, Zariya Hargett, Jude Harris, Kai Hornbeck, Samyukta Iyer, Varun Kashyap, LaNiyah Kelly, Abigail Kirk, Chloe Lomax, Alexander Lopez, Naia Morgan, Cady Wells

MANAGEMENT Managing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Schleifer Company Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Thruston Administration & Finance Director of Finance & Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Shively Accounting Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie Hall Accounts Payable Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenterill Boden Senior Data Analyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christina Dresser Management Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Charlton Development Director of Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trent Anderson Associate Director of Development, Individual Giving . . . . . . . . . . Caitlin Way Associate Director, Strategic Institutional Advancement . . . . . Collins Desselle Manager of Annual Fund & Donor Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lindsay Ridgeway-Baierl Development Coordinator, Individual Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jo Lopez Development Coordinator for Board Relations & Special Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kailan Daugherty Sales Director of Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Hicks Membership Services Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Corey L. Smith Box Office Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donny Codden Season Ticket Concierge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken McNeil Season Tickets Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ethan Padgett Group Sales Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jocelyn Rick Marketing Director of Marketing & Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathleen Covington Creative Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Talia Bromstad Marketing Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ashley Elliott Front of House & Patron Experience Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Flores Associate Front of House Manager & Assistant Company Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas D. Powell Community Engagement & Audience Development Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rita Kompelmakher Digital Communications Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ansley Usery Social Media Manager & Content Producer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aniska Tonge House Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robyn E. Sutton-Fernandez

Hands Up

Articles inside

About the Alliance Theatre

Annual Fund

Program Notes

Synopsis

Onstage & Off

Program Highlight

It’s About the Conversations After

Between Us