Alliance Theatre, The Preacher's Wife, May 2024

ALLIANCE THEATRE

MAY 15–JUN 16, 2024 PRESENTED

To explore matters of faith and love, we tend to turn to the poets or the preachers. We seek their guidance when wrestling with life’s biggest questions. What is our purpose, and how do we overcome setbacks? Do we love deeply enough? Will that bring us happiness? Can both destiny and free will exist simultaneously?

But musical theater has a glorious advantage when facing such existential questions — the very structure is predicated on revealing the inner conscience of a character who at the peak of their longing breaks into song, releasing that which cannot be expressed with mortal words alone. There is something miraculous about a musical!

Inspired originally by the 1927 novella and then the 1947 movie starring Cary Grant, The Bishop’s Wife told the story of a struggling Bishop who is working to build a new cathedral and gets the surprise of his life when he receives a visitation by an angel. Almost 50 years later, it was adapted into The Preacher’s Wife, made famous by Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. This updated film transported the classic story to 1990’s Harlem, evoking the grittiness of city living when a humble pastor and his community face financial strife and must save their church from closing. And now, nearly 25 years later, composer Tituss Burgess and writer Azie Dungey have managed to finally address the one critical flaw in the title itself — this is THE WIFE’s story, and it is finally time for her to step out of the shadow of her husband. Through a lush musical score that exquisitely seduces both head and heart, seasoned by their crisp ear for comedy, Tituss and Azie’s new musical of the same name joyfully elevates and makes real the complications of faith and love.

We are so excited to share this magical story with you, told by some of the greatest legends in our field and a cast that will make anyone a believer — that even when we experience a poverty of faith, love is a powerful stabilizing force that can became an engine for transformation!

Sit back, join the poets and the preachers, and let the miracle of theater take over!

Tinashe Kajese-Bolden Jennings Hertz Artistic Director & Christopher Moses

Jennings

Hertz Artistic Director

“TO BE A WOMAN ON YOUR OWN TERMS”

Creators of The Preacher’s Wife Pour Themselves into the Musical

STORY BY Ashley Elliott & Mashaun D. Simon

The moment actor, writer, and producer Tituss Burgess saw the movie version of The Preacher’s Wife as a teenager, he knew it would make a great musical. “No joke,” he says, “I leaned over and told my mom, ‘Oh, this is so good; someone should make this into a musical.’”

The Athens, GA native had gone to see the film when it opened in movie theaters. Seeing the 1996 film was the first time he’d seen such healthy depictions of Black families and how they dealt with issues. It struck him “on so many levels.”

“I just remember getting goosebumps,” says Burgess. “There was something magical about the movie outside of the movie’s magic — outside the magic that’s in the movie. It stayed with me for a very, very long time.”

Azie Dungey — an actress, writer, and producer — has worked on Netflix hits such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Girls5eva. Dungey, who wrote the book for the musical production, describes the original film as charming.

“It’s so gorgeous, it’s so loving, it’s so fun,” she says. “It’s funny and timeless and a breath of fresh air.” Dungey has also read the book that inspired the movie, The Bishop’s Wife.

Dungey was attracted to the production by Burgess, who has garnered acclaim for his acting in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Burgess is also known for his work on Broadway, which includes The Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, and, more recently, his turn onstage as Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge!

Burgess has been working on the music for the musical for years, which means that by the time Dungey joined the project, a lot of the music was already finished. That also meant, Dungey said, that she had the unique challenge of meeting the depth of the music when she began writing the book.

“Music is transcendent,” she says. “Music in general, what it has meant to Black people, how we have expressed love, lack of love, complications with love through music... There is depth in the music. There is depth in the experiences of the characters, and that depth is being pulled out in these songs.”

Like the blockbuster film, the musical version of The Preacher’s Wife introduces us to Henry and his wife Julia. Henry serves as pastor of a church in Harlem and faces the challenges of ministry in addition to the gentrification of the neighborhood. He asks God for help, and, as a result, the couple receives a visit from an angel named Dudley. Little do they know, Dudley is there to help with much more than the church.

In adapting the story for the stage, Dungey and Burgess came to a realization about the story and Julia’s involvement in it.

“As a woman, it occurred to me that even though [the movies and book are] called The...Wife, none of them really centered on the woman in a way that, I thought, was kind of indicative of the title The Preacher’s Wife,” she says. “The title is about her relationship, but it’s not about her as a person.”

The revelation made Dungey consider how her own identity works with and against the titles placed upon her and others, like her own mother who, after marrying Dungey’s stepfather, became a preacher’s wife.

“I watched my mom kind of fade away into the title,” Dungey remembers. “So that was a part of my thought process. I think we’re deconstructing a lot of that stuff around what it is to be a woman and to be a woman on your own terms. It was a lot of digging. Digging into myself, digging into the women — the Black women — I know, especially my mother.”

Dungey’s first lines of poetry were printed in the bulletin of her church when she was a kid. She also recited her first poem — a poem her grandmother wrote — in her childhood family church. Returning to those roots after so many years is personal. She credits many of the lessons she learned to the church, such as “how to command and be confident,” but she acknowledges that there’s a bigger story at play.

At its best, says Burgess, the movie also misrepresents the women he knows.

“The women that I work with are strong — they have agency, and they don’t need men to do anything,” he says. “The hardest hurdle to get over was quite literally the title. The preacher’s wife is possessive, and the movie acts like it’s just about Henry.”

Centering Julia just makes the most sense. So, that’s what they have done.

In unearthing Julia’s story, they have exposed parts of themselves as well.

“The Preacher’s Wife is probably the fullest artistic expression I have ever had — ever — as a human being,” Burgess says. “In a world where people

Book Writer Azie Dungey

of color in general are often not seen, it doesn’t get lost on me that I have an opportunity to be on full display in a way that reveals every part of me.”

Being on stage as an actor, he emphasizes, doesn’t create the opportunity that this production has given to him.

“It doesn’t get more honest than writing,” he adds. “I can hide behind a character but, y’know, you’re in my head when you hear this. You are literally… you are privy to being inside my psyche. That’s exciting and scary and liberating. I’m excited.”

And even though the original story was set in a church and this production is connected to the church, their hope is that audiences will see the universality of the story.

“[Tituss] always reminds me that it’s not just for Black people. It’s not just for the people who are connected to the Black church at all,” says Dungey. “The bigger story, for me, is as a woman — the lessons we have been taught that restrict our identity, restrict our taking up space, restrict even how we see ourselves and how you can be your biggest self and still be loved and to show up as all of yourself.”

This story, says Burgess, is about pulling yourself up by the bootstraps and taking responsibility for how you perceive the world. It’s not about looking at the world as though it’s happening to you, but rather that “you are in it and are a participant.”

“Any human that is breathing and hoping and doubting and trying to work through the intersection of faith versus the reality that is in front of them will find a way in this play and, I think, find healing,” says Burgess. “If you look back on your life at some of your moments of uncertainty, [you will remember that] you were able to triumph on some level, and there should never be any doubt that you can do it again. If we’ve done our jobs right, you realize that you can do anything. You can really overcome any set of circumstances and you walk away with a sense of community [and] feeling lighter and with a bit more joy.”

Watching Julia change her circumstances even though the circumstances haven’t changed yet is “pretty powerful,” he says.

“I admire her, and I’ve learned a lot from her. She allowed me to be human and sort of let me know that it’s okay to not be okay — but you can’t stay there.”

Composer and Lyricist Tituss Burgess

THE ROLE OF BLACK WOMEN & FIRST LADIES IN THE CHURCH

WRITTEN BY

Morgan Yhap, Alliance

The role of a pastor’s wife, also known as a First Lady, has been an ever-evolving position in Black Churches around the country. When established Black Churches were on the rise, the First Lady would typically be seen in the first pew, wearing a big, bold church hat. These hats are culturally and spiritually very significant in history and are often revered as a Black woman’s crown. They became popular after slavery to signify “triumph over tragedy,” and Black women wore these hats to church to put their best foot forward in their worship. The wearing of these hats is deeply rooted in African tradition, and they were seen as a way to honor God. We see many women wear these hats during the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, carrying the same message of triumph over tragedy.

While many First Ladies don’t wear these hats anymore, their role in the Church is more significant than ever. Not only are they a driving force in spirituality for their communities, they are, oftentimes, co-pastors alongside their husbands. The term “co-pastor” is relatively new, showing up in the last decade or so, but First Ladies have always had major leadership positions in the Church. Many Black women and First Ladies did an abundance of advocacy work during Women’s Suffrage and the Civil Rights Movement. Mahalia Jackson and Nannie Helen Burroughs were huge pioneers for these movements. In the early 1900s, Burroughs often organized forms of protest and social work, saying that women have come to the rescue, but they needed freedom to carry forth the mission of the Church, which was one of her overarching messages during Burrough’s advocacy. Mahalia Jackson was a gospel singer in the Church and was often called upon to sing during times of desperation. Martin Luther King Jr. heavily relied on Mahalia’s voice during the Civil Rights movement. Not only was her voice a huge contribution to the movement, but she was one of the biggest donors, financially, due to her full music career. She would also hold fundraising concerts to contribute to the funds of the movement.

Burroughs and Jackson were called to use their gifts and saw the Church as a sounding board to create social change, justice, and liberation for the Black community in America. These women liberated many others, and they used their faith to do so. These efforts of social change and justice are still seen today.

Theatre Kenny Leon Intern

Courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ds.13272/

For example, many First Ladies around the country spent a lot of time creating and maintaining ministry during COVID. The pandemic disproportionately affected Black and brown peoples, and their communities were suffering through grief and loss at quite a large rate. These women gave Black people the space to allow their faith to guide them during these times of hardship. Post COVID, many First Ladies still take on the challenge of taking care of the people in their communities, typically taking on the role of counseling those in their congregation by planning retreats, creating outreach programs, and outsourcing resources for their community. Many of these resources are allocated for the women that attend their church to create a sense of togetherness among them.

First Ladies are the backbone of community, outreach, and spirituality in their communities. Not only do many First Ladies take on these roles, but those that are co-pastors can also take the role of preaching in their Church. Black women and First Ladies have always been a significant force within the Church and have paved a pathway to Black liberation through faith and community throughout the country.

EVOLUTION OF THE SUNDAY BEST

WRITTEN BY Rachael Morris, Oglethorpe Intern

In 2015, Vogue photographer Carolyn Drake took photos of the parishioners of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, the home church of Martin Luther King Jr., and the meeting place of the ATL branch of the NAACP during the Civil Rights Movement. Men and women pose in their Easter outfits, sporting bright colors and the classic Sunday Best silhouette. Some women wear carefully tailored and pressed jackets and skirts, a pair of tights, heels, and a church hat. Some wear a business casual dress with high heels. There is a distinct, generational gap between these two styles. What caused it?

As time has gone on, the mission and initiatives of the church have moved with the needs of the people. Trends, ideologies, and sociopolitical climate change constantly, and the Black church, as a figure of the community, must walk alongside it. This is where we see a shift in fashion.

In The Preacher’s Wife, we witness this distinct difference between the styles of Margueritte and Julia. Margueritte dresses in our classic Sunday Best, equipped with the ever iconic church hat. Julia dons our modern style, reflecting the satin fabrics, flowing or snug dresses, and high heels we see on young women today.

According to a 2021 study by the Pew Research Center, “Black Millennials… and Generation Z are… less religious and less engaged in Black churches than older generations”, a problem church leaders are looking to amend by making changes to the culture, teachings, and offerings of the church — while also maintaining their current, older population.

Various pastors reached out to their youth groups and found that “young adults… prefer dressing casually to wearing their Sunday best to services” and “shorter services”. In response, they implemented alternative services with a casual dress code and shorter run time to attract young worshippers, but maintained their longer, Sunday-best-expected services for their older congregants.

A scroll through various “Get Ready With Me For Church” videos on Instagram and TikTok shows the current trends worn by young black women in the church. Many of them don a satin slip dress, a turtleneck knit sweater on top, and a pair of boots. Some wear fashionable and versatile bodycon dresses with high heels. Others wear matching pantsuits, flowing skirts or dresses, and even jeans. You might even see a graphic t-shirt. There is no set uniform, formula, or silhouette among young women’s dress. This is simply a result of time. Trends cycle through as each decade passes, but the intention remains the same. Each of these women have put time and effort into their look as an expression of faith, a dedication to look their best for God. What is considered your Sunday Best has evolved to allow the needs of a specific time and person. Younger generations are able to express their individual styles while attending church.

Humans are not static creatures. Therefore, our communities cannot be either. In having grace and space for future generations, we guarantee the continuation of support, stewardship, and society. As we exist in our spaces, we must consider what is necessary to make us grow.

HTTPS://WWW.VOGUE.COM/SLIDESHOW/EASTER-SUNDAY-EBENEZER-BAPTIST-CHURCH HTTPS://WWW.PEWRESEARCH.ORG/RELIGION/2021/02/16/FAITH-AMONG-BLACK-AMERICANS

ALLIANCE THEATRE

TINASHE KAJESE-BOLDEN

Jennings Hertz Artistic Director

MIKE

SCHLEIFER Managing Director

CHRISTOPHER MOSES

Jennings Hertz Artistic Director present

BOOK

BY AZIE DUNGEY

TITUSS BURGESS

Based upon the motion pictures “The Bishop’s Wife” produced by Samuel Goldwyn; “The Preacher’s Wife” produced by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. and the novel ‘The Bishop’s Wife’ Written by Robert Nathan

By special arrangement with Hunter Arnold and Kayla Greenspan

WILLIAMS

JAMES SAMPLINER

CHOREOGRAPHY MATTHEW JOHNSON HARRIS

MICHAEL ARDEN & TINASHE KAJESE-BOLDEN

SPONSORED BY &

*WESLEY J. BARNES

BRIANNA BELLAMY

CAST

(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Ensemble

Ensemble

*ANGELA BIRCHETT Delphine/Ensemble

LAILA BOLLAR Ensemble

*MELESSIE CLARK Ensemble

*REBECCA E. COVINGTON Beverly

*LORETTA DEVINE Marguerite Coleman

CEDRICK EKRA Partial Swing/Ensemble

CYNIAH ELISE Partial Swing/Ensemble

*ALAN H. GREEN Joe Hamilton

*DARIUS HARPER

TONEISHA HARRIS

SHAQ HESTER.

BRIANNA JAVIS

*JAHI KEARSE

Ensemble

Ilona/Ensemble

Partial Swing/Ensemble

Partial Swing/Ensemble

Deacon Lewis

*DAVIS MATTHEWS Hakeem/Ensemble

CAMERON MCCRAE Jeremiah

*HARPER MILES Monique/Ensemble

*AMMA OSEI Ensemble

*WAYNE W. PRETLOW Ol’ Mac/Ensemble

*BRAD RAYMOND Deacon Johnson

*AMBER RILEY Julia Biggs

*KALA ROSS Ensemble

*DREW SHADE

*MICHAEL STIGGERS

*ALICIA THOMAS

*DAMANI VAN RENSALIER

*AKRON LANIER WATSON

*DONALD WEBBER, JR

Ensemble

Ensemble

Ensemble

Ensemble

Henry Biggs

Dudley

*HELEN MARLA WHITE Ensemble

UNDERSTUDIES

BRIANNA BELLAMY Jeremiah/Hakeem

*ANGELA BIRCHETT Marguerite Coleman

LAILA BOLLAR Jeremiah/Hakeem

*MELESSIE CLARK Monique

*DARIUS HARPER Dudley/Joe

TONEISHA HARRIS

SHAQ HESTER.

*ASHLEY JENKINS

*JAHI KEARSE

*DAVIS MATTHEWS

Marguerite Coleman

Ol’ Mac

Julia Biggs/Ilona/Delphine

Henry Biggs

Jeremiah

*AMMA OSEI Beverly

*WAYNE PRETLOW Deacon Johnson/Deacon Lewis

*KALA ROSS Ilona/Delphine

*DREW SHADE Joe/Deacon Johnson/Deacon Lewis

*MICHAEL STIGGERS Dudley/Henry

*ALICIA THOMAS Beverly

*DAMANI VAN RENSALIER Monique

*HELEN MARLA WHITE Julia Biggs

JAMES SAMPLINER

MUSIC TEAM

Conductor/Keyboards

JOHN GENTRY TENNYSON Associate Music Director

JARRED LEE Music Assistant

MARY BURNDRETT Violin/Viola/Contractor

KEVIN CHANEY Violin

BARNEY CULVER Cello

JAKUBU GRIFFIN Percussion

ERIC HAWKINS Horn

DERRICK JACKSON Trombone

MARC MILLER

JUSTIN POWELL

SEAN THROWER

JACK WALKER

LUKE WEATHINGTON

MATT WELSH

Bass

Trumpet/Flugel

Guitar

Reed 1

Reed 2

Rehearsal Pianist/Keyboard Sub

STAGE MANAGERS

*JULIE DEVORE Production Stage Manager

*ADRIANA GUERRERO Assistant Stage Manager

*ASHANI SMITH Assistant Stage Manager

*MESA Assistant Stage Manager

*AMY CASTRO Assistant Stage Manager

SAMANTHA HONEYCUTT Stage Management Production Assistant

LAMARR WHITE, JR

ARYIANNA BREWER

EMILIO RAMOS

.Stage Management Production Assistant

.Stage Management Production Assistant

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN ASSISTANCE

. Associate Director

JAYLA DYAS Directing Assistant

JŌVAN DANSBERRY Associate Choreographer

WESLEY J. BARNES Choreography Assistant

JOSH OBERLANDER Associate Scenic Designer

*DAMANI VAN RENSALIER Dance Captain

BRIAN WEBB Scenic Drafter

RYAN HALES Production Carpenter

AZALEA FAIRLEY Associate Costume Designer

AARON TACY

SULAIMAN RAHMAN AS-SALAAM

BEN FICHTHORN

JUSTIN PETITO

MEGAN CULLEY

EMILY GRISHMAN

Associate Lighting Designer

Assistant Lighting Designer

Lighting Programmer

.Production Electrician

Associate Sound Designer

Music Copying

TIMOTHY HANSON Music Preparation

RANDY COHEN Keyboard Programmer

HARLEY HABERMAN Associate Wig Designer

DANIEL WEISSGLASS Associate Magic & Illusions Design

BARBARA GANTT O’HALEY Script Production Assistant

RAHSAAN PARHAM Young Performer Supervisor

KAREN AGUIRRE Young Performer Supervisor Backup

BENJAMIN CAWOOD Young Performer Tutor

ON LOCATION EDUCATION

Young Performer Education Consultant

JASON O’NEAL

EMMA MOULEDOUX

FOR THIS PRODUCTION

Sound Engineer

. Deck Sound

TAMIR EPLAN-FRANKEL Deck Sound

NEIL ANDERSON Board Op

JOY DIAZ

ROCHELLE RILEY

HEATHER SCHROEDER

Spotlight Operator 1

Spotlight Operator 2

Props Department Director Assistant

ALANA SPACH Hair and Makeup Crew Lead

DIMONICA CARTER, MYCHAEL MICHELLE Hair and Makeup Crew

HAUZIA CONYERS Wardrobe Supervisor

KAITLYN FLORY, MICHELLE LEE, BRISA MENDEZ, JENN ROGERS, LAURA SANDERS

JULIE KENNEDY, PAT MCMAHON, SARAH JOERGER

VICTOR MOULEDOUX

NIC STEPHENSON, MARY ALEXANDER

Wardrobe Crew

Additional Costume Construction

Automation Stagehand

Properties Stagehand

WILLIE PARKS, JOHN UNDERWOOD Fly Person/Stagehand

GABBY DRUM, NATHAN PETERS, BEN HOLMES, DANIEL SILVA, CHRISTINE CURRAN Stagehands

SPECIAL THANKS

Jodi Green & On Location Education

Ana Rose Greene Juniper Street Productions

D2 Flying Effects

Dr. Angela Farris Watkins

Dr. Bernice King

The family of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The King Center

Erica Hague, Collections Manager, Atlanta History Center

La’Neice Littleton, Director of Community Collaborations, Atlanta History Center

Connie F. Smith-Lindsey

Please visit the King Family Hat Display in the Azadi Galleria of the Woodruff Arts Center

*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.

Photos may be taken in the theater before the performance, 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.

This production is approximately two and a half hours long including one fifteen-minute intermission.

WESLEY J. BARNES (Ensemble; Choreography Assistant) is thrilled to be making his Alliance Theatre debut. LA native-CUI Alum. Favorite credits include, Broadway National tour of Mean Girls, the 50th Anniversary National Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, Kinky Boots, Choir Boy, The Tap Dance Kid, Newsies, Godspell, The Scottsboro Boys, and Hairspray, Sophisticated Ladies, In the Heights, etc. When not performing, his passion is put to work as an arts educator, inspiring performers to continue to reach their full potential. To aid this mission Wesley has just founded an organization called The MPACT (Mentoring Performing Artists and Curating Talent) Group. Jer 29:11. www.wesleyjbarnes.com

BRIANNA BELLAMY (Ensemble, u/s

Jeremiah, Hakeem) aka Brianna Raquel is excited to be a part of the cast of The Preacher’s Wife. Her credits are: The Color Purple the musical as Celie, Aida the musical as Aida, Seussical the Musical as Gertrude, and Once on This Island as Erzulie, just to name a few. She holds the Lead Thespian title, the most likely to be on Broadway Award, Artist of the Year and The Peer Choice Award, all in the years of 2022-2023 at Rainbow Park Elementary Magnet School, in Miami, Florida. Under the study of Yensina Ozuna, who is now the theater teacher at Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts in Atlanta, Georgia. Brianna is currently enrolled at Utopian Academy Of The Arts, under the mentorship of Ms. Fredena Williams, who is the theater teacher at the school and also a talented opera singer. Brianna would like to thank her friends and family for always supporting her and shines a big light on her parents for believing in her and supporting her dreams.

ANGELA BIRCHETT

(Delphine/Ensemble, u/s Marguerite Coleman) [she/her] is over the moon to be a part of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance! She was last seen on the

Paper Mill Playhouse stage (Recipient of the 2016 Regional Theater Tony Award) in After Midnight and ACT’s (San Francisco) world premiere of Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. Birchett made her Broadway debut with the 2015 Revival of The Color Purple. Other credits include: Hairspray, Dreamgirls, Once on This Island, Rent, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Grease. Television and film highlights include Lifetime’s The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel, Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas, and Kevin Can Wait (CBS). @angelabirchett (IG) for more!

LAILA BOLLAR

(Ensemble, u/s Jeremiah, Hakeem) is thrilled to be making her professional theater debut at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta playing Understudy and On Stage Ensemble in the world premiere production of The Preacher’s Wife. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Laila has loved acting, singing, and theater since she was four years old! She trains at Studio 27 Talent and attended the Mike Beaty Model and Talent Expo in 2023, where she was named Entertainer of the Year! She is thankful to her agent, Susan Wright of Ann Wright Representatives (NY), to Cheryl Harris of Studio 27 (ATL) and for her previous work at The Legacy Theatre, where she performed in The Little Mermaid and Encanto. In her spare time, Laila enjoys time with her younger brother, family and friends. Laila would like to express her gratitude to her parents for their encouragement and support as she continues to pursue her acting career. Visit her at @lailabee2023 on social media.

MELESSIE CLARK

(Ensemble, u/s Monique) is thrilled to join the cast of The Preacher’s Wife at Alliance Theatre! Hailing from Pittsburgh with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from Point Park University, Melessie recently made her Off-Broadway debut in A Sign of the Times at New World Stages. Her other credits include PCLO’s Once on This Island (Mama Euralie), Into the Woods (Lucinda), The Wizard of Oz (Glinda) Pittsburgh Public Theatre’s Two Trains Running (Risa), Little Shop of Horrors

(Ronnette), School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play (Eloise) and Goddess (Grio Trio) at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Melessie would love to thank her friends and family for their continuous love and support. “To God be the glory for the things He has done!” Instagram: @melessieclark

REBECCA E. COVINGTON

(Beverly) is thrilled to be making her Alliance Theatre debut! Favorite credits include: Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds in Hamilton (National Tour), Janelle Woods in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Broadway & National Tour), Grace Farrell in Annie (Alabama Shakespeare Theatre), Charlayne in Ain’t Misbehavin’ (International Tour), Ali in Mamma Mia! (National Tour), and ensemble in the Original Broadway Cast of Motown: the Musical! She holds a BM from Belmont University. Thank you to The Preacher’s Wife team and Stewart Talent. To Donald Webber Jr — I love you. For D3 & LZ — our beautiful children. Thank you to my beyond supportive family — mommy is back to work! Isaiah 40:31. Instagram: @RoRoWebb

LORETTA DEVINE

(Marguerite Coleman)

Originated on Broadway the role of Lorrell in Michael Bennett’s Dreamgirls, followed up by Bob Fosse’s Big Deal, George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum, and Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill. Known in television for her Emmy-winning role of Adele in “Grey’s Anatomy” as well as starring in the series “Boston Public,” “Eli Stone,” “The Carmichael Show,” “Family Reunion,” and recurring roles in “P-Valley,” “Kingdom Business,” and “Being Mary Jane.” In movies she is well-loved from Waiting to Exhale and The Preacher’s Wife, Urban Legend, Jumping the Broom, Madea’s Big Happy Family, For Colored Girls, and the Academy Award-winning Crash. She has won ten NAACP Image Awards for film and television. Loretta voices many animated series including the Award-winning Disney series “Doc McStuffins” as well as “The Loud House,” “Young Love,” and “Eureka.”

CEDRICK EKRA (Partial Swing/Ensemble) is positively pumped to join the cast of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre! Off-Broadway: Kyle in Here I Am (AMT Theater), Man 1 in Powerline Road (Theatre Now), and Son House in Call Me From The Grave (Jerry Orbach Theater). Regional: Harpo in The Color Purple (Ivoryton Playhouse), Drifter in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Ogunquit Playhouse, and Tuacahn Hafen Theatre), Clarence in The Scottsboro Boys (Playhouse on Park), and Magaldi in Evita (Jean’s Playhouse). Cruise: Icons and Lights, Camera, Music (Norwegian Cruise Line) Film: Male Singer in Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Cedrick would love to thank Renee and Joe, and all his amazing friends for their constant support. Emerson MT ’22. Bisou mama et emanuella. @cedrickekra

CYNIAH ELISE (Partial Swing/Ensemble) In 2020, Cyniah walked onto the national stage of American Idol, where she captured the hearts of not only the judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan but also the hearts of America. She made it all the way to the top 20 and was brought back the following season as a fan favorite in the top 10. Since then, she’s appeared in The Wiz, A Chorus Line, Hairspray, and Dreamgirls. Cyniah has gone viral numerous times, most recently for singing “And I Am Telling You,” which has reached over 2 million views, and she was given the stamp of approval by Jennifer Hudson herself! Follow @cyniah.elise and stay tuned to her upcoming music release later this year.

ALAN H. GREEN (Joe Hamilton) Broadway: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, School of Rock, Sister Act, Play On!. Original Cast Albums include Broadway shows and: The Jerusalem Syndrome, 17 Again, Broadway Bounty Hunter, Freaky Friday, and Carols for a Cure. First National Tours: 25th Annual... Spelling Bee, Swing!, Smokey Joe’s Cafe.

International: Miss Saigon (sung in German). Pre-Broadway: The Karate Kid at Stages St Louis, The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation at Seattle 5th Avenue, AD 16 at Olney Theatre. TV: “Almost Family,” “Unforgettable,” “Murphy Brown,” “30 Rock,” “Peter Pan Live!,” “Law & Order SVU,” “The Guiding Light.” Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical (Berkie), Best Performer in a Streamed Musical (BroadwayWorld). Board Member Barrington Stage; BA in Vocal Performance Rice University; Deacon at Metro Baptist Church NYC. IG: @alanhgreen

DAIRUS HARPER (Ensemble, u/s Dudley, Joe) [he/they] is thrilled to bring this production to the iconic Alliance Theatre. Credits include The Book of Mormon [1st National Tour], Kinky Boots (Lola) [1st Natl Tour, PCLO, Riverside Theatre], Once On This Island (Papa Ge) [PCLO], Grease (Teen Angel) [Fulton Theatre]. Darius originated the vocalist in Cirque Du Soleil’s VOLTA, streaming on AppleTV and Spotify. Huge thanks to Tara Rubin casting, Tituss Burgess, and my Hudson Artists Family! @dariusharius

TONEISHA HARRIS (Ilona/Ensemble, u/s Marguerite Coleman) [she/her] is thrilled to join the cast of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre!

Favorite credits include Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray (Broadway National Tour), Shug Avery in The Color Purple (CFRT Fayetteville), and Pharaoh in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Riverside Theatre). She is the Runner Up from season 18 of NBC’s “The Voice” and performed with Nick Jonas on “Saturday Night Live.” Toneisha is grateful for her family and friends for their support! Find her on social media: @iamtoneishaharris

SHAQ HESTER (Partial Swing/Ensemble, u/s Ol’ Mac) [he/him] is proud to join the cast of the much-anticipated new musical, The Preacher’s Wife, premiering at the Alliance Theatre! His

favorite roles include Harpo in The Color Purple (Short North Stage, dir. by Vasthy Mompoint), Wes in The View Upstairs (The Progressive Theatre), Little Moe in Five Guys Named Moe (Workshop Theatre of SC). His Off-Broadway features include Antigone in Ferguson (Theater of War) with Chris Noth and Lewberger & the Wizard of Friendship (Theatre Row), directed by The Try Guys’ Keith Habersberger. He performed as a Vocalist-Musician in Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company’s Bessie Award-Winning Deep Blue Sea (Park Avenue Armory, 2021) and Vocal Arranger in the 2021 Pyer Moss Couture Runway Show (Villa Lewaro). He holds music degrees from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the University of South Carolina. As a Paterson, New Jersey churchboy who religiously watched reruns of The Preacher’s Wife (1996), Shaq shouts out his beloved village, family, and the Divine. God be God’ing. Learn more at shaqhester.com & stream his single, “Soft.” | Instagram: @shaq.hester

BRIANNA JAVIS (Partial Swing/Ensemble) is blessed with the opportunity to join the cast of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre! Past credits include: The international tour of Dreamgirls (Effie, alt), National Tour The Magic TreeHouse: Showtime with Shakespeare (Morgan LeFaye). Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal), The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Disaster! (LeVora Verona), The Rochester Opera House. Grease (Jan), Axelrod Performing Arts Center. Smokey Joe’s Cafe (BJ), Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center. Other credits include: Pippin (The Leading Player), and Hairspray (Dynamite/Shayna). With training from various programs in the New York/New Jersey area, she is thrilled to be a part of something that stirs up so many good memories! A special thank you to ALL her friends, family, and Hell’s Kitchen Agency for all the support! Find her on instagram: @brijavis

ASHLEY JENKINS (u/s Julia Biggs, Ilona, Delphine) [she/her] is thrilled to join the cast of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre!

Favorite credits include Zulena in “Passing” (Netflix), Celie in The Color Purple (Nat’l Tour), and Sarabi in The Lion King (Broadway). She holds a B.S. in Sociology from Shenandoah University and was formally trained at Stella Adler Acting Conservatory. Ashley is beyond grateful for the undying support of her husband, Anthony, her mom, Tari, and her sweet babies, August & Alex. Find her on IG: @ashleywjenki

JAHI KEARSE (Deacon Lewis, u/s Henry Biggs) [he/him] is overjoyed to return home to The Alliance Theatre as part of this vibrant musical. He was last seen in productions of 5 Guys Named Moe, A Christmas Carol, Seussical, Debbie Allen’s Souls Possessed, Woody Guthrie’s American Song, and The Hobbit (The Alliance Theatre); Broadway credits include: Ain’t Too Proud (The Imperial Theater); Holla If Ya Hear Me (The Palace Theater); Baby It’s You (The Broadhurst Theater). Off Broadway and Regional Theater Credits include: The Total Bent; Fortress of Solitude (The Public Theater); Maurice Hines’, Yo Alice (Radio City Music Hall); Anais Mitchell’s Hadestown (NSF); The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical (A.C.T); Passing Strange; Motherf**ker with the Hat; Topdog/Underdog. (Studio Theater); Satchmo at the Waldorf (B St Theatre). Fun Fact: As a founding member of The Youth Ensemble of Atlanta and an alumnus of Tri-Cities Highschool VPA, Jahi began his lifelong theatrical career in 1987, as a child performer in the Alliance Theatre’s production of The Gospel at Colonus, starring Morgan Freeman. Follow my journey online at IG/FB: @jahikearse To my Family & Friends…. 143.

DAVIS MATTHEWS (Hakeem/Ensemble, u/s Jeremiah) Born in Chicago and raised in New York, Davis is thrilled to join the world premiere of this extraordinary production! Davis started performing when he was six and feels incredibly blessed to share his talents. His previous credits include Broadway: The Lion King (Minskoff Theater), and Off-Broadway: A Soulful

Christmas (Marjorie S. Dean Theater). Davis hopes to inspire other kids to pursue their dreams and just be themselves! He extends his deepest gratitude to God for this wonderful opportunity and to his loving family, supportive friends, and Gill Talent Group. Let’s Gooo! I Cor 10:31. IG: @iamdavismatthews

CAMERON MCCRAE

(Jeremiah) [he/him] is making his professional stage debut in the opening of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre! Cameron has been part of ensemble groups performing at the private learning institution, The Ron Clark Academy (Atlanta, GA), where he is currently a fifth grader. You may have caught his viral video on social media as he sang alongside Keyshia Cole! Performing on stage is only one of his many talents. Cameron also plays the keyboard, is mastering his drumming skills and enjoys flexing his vocals. Outside of the performance arena, Cameron excels in sports, playing quarterback for the City of Atlanta Parks and Recreation where he’s achieved all-star status in both football and basketball.

HARPER MILES

(Monique/Ensemble) feels extremely blessed being a part of A Preacher’s Wife. She was last seen originating the role of La Chocolat in the 1st National tour of Moulin Rouge!. She was also Radio 3 in the hit Broadway revival Caroline, or Change at Roundabout Theatre Company. Her other credits include; Zahara in Bat Out of Hell at New York City Center, Lucille/Shirelles in the National tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and LA PRIDE 2021 with Christina Aguilera. Harper wants to continue to tell black stories and be representation for young people who look like her. Grateful to God, family and her LG management team for the constant support. IG @harpermiles

AMMA OSEI (Ensemble, u/s Beverly) [she/her] is excited to be making her Alliance Theatre debut! Amma most

recently completed her second season at Broadway at Music Circus, playing Joanne Jefferson in Rent and Sarah’s Friend in Ragtime. Broadway: Rock of Ages (Justice). National and International Tours: Pretty Woman: The Musical (Violetta), Rock of Ages (Justice), Dreamgirls (Effie), Fame (Ms. Sherman). Regional: The Color Purple (Sofia), Saturday Night Fever (Candy), Gypsy (Mazeppa), Seussical (Sour Kangaroo), Big River (Alice), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Armelia), All Shook Up (Sylvia), Little Shop of Horrors (Ronette), The Who’s Tommy (Acid Queen), A Night with Janis Joplin (Joplinaire). Thanks to Whole Artist Management, Daniel Hoff Agency, and to my friends and family for your guidance, support and belief in me.

@AmmaOseiNYC

WAYNE W. PRETLOW (Ol’ Mac/Ensemble, u/s Deacon Johnson, Deacon Lewis) is pleased to join the Alliance family and work with such an amazing cast and crew. He has worked with some of Broadway’s most respected directors from Charles Randolph-Wright to the late Hal Prince. Broadway, Off-Broadway, international theater: 1999 Tony Nominated for The Civil War (original cast member), 2017 World premiere of Roman Holiday, European tour: Ain’t Misbehavin’. Many New York City Centers Encores! Concerts: critics mention New York Times for New York Encores! Off-Center production of Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope directed and choreographed by Savion Glover. Television: guest and co-starring roles: Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, Hulu: Monsterland, HBO: Love Life, Blue Bloods, Madam Secretary, The Good Wife, Person of Interest, Madam Secretary, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Luke Cage, and House of Cards. Films: Like Sunday, Like Rain, Cannes Festival winner Next Stop Wonderland, The Accident, and Yardbird Houston in the short film In Retrospect. He has appeared on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “The David Letterman Show,” “The Chris Rock Show,” and “The Dave Chappelle Show,” and has done over 100 regional and national commercials. Awards/ Nominations: Winner Boston’s 2013 * I.R.N.E. Nominated 2000 *Helen Hayes Award. TGBTG

BRAD RAYMOND (Deacon Johnson) is so excited to be a part of this amazing world premiere!! Brad has performed as an actor, singer, or conductor at some of the art world’s most esteemed institutions including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Light Opera Works of Chicago, the Ravinia Festival, Arena Stage, The Broad Stage, The Alliance Theatre, The Denver Center, Atlanta Opera, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre, Theater Emory, Horizon Theatre, and Spivey Hall. Some of Brad’s favorite roles include: Homer in Lilies of the Field; Fetch in Fetch Clay, Make Man; Narrator in Passing Strange; Ronald in Born For This; and the Suzi Bass Award-winning performance as Blue in Chasin’ Dem Blues. You may have recently seen Brad as Big Slim in the Warner Bros. movie version of The Color Purple musical!

AMBER RILEY (Julia Biggs) is a multi-faceted entertainer who has accumulated various titles over the years including Grammynominated singer, SAG Award-winning actress and acclaimed theater performer. The Compton native rose to success for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on FOX’s critically-acclaimed series, Glee, where she shined as the show’s powerhouse vocalist. Riley went on to star in live TV adaptations of “The Wiz Live!” and “The Little Mermaid Live!” She is also notably known for her stunning performance as Effie White in the West End debut of Dreamgirls in the fall of 2016 for which she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2017. In 2020, Amber released her debut EP, titled after her new moniker, RILEY, which received praise from outlets like “Good Morning America,” ESSENCE, Interview, ELLE, UPROXX, VIBE and Rated R&B. Riley made history in 2022, becoming the first celebrity ever to win both “The Masked Singer” and “Dancing With The Stars.” Most recently, she starred in the Lifetime original film, Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge, which is the sequel to the 2022 film that brought in over 8 million total

viewers and was the network’s No. 1 original non-holiday movie of 2022.

KALA ROSS (Ensemble, u/s Ilona, Delphine) returns to the Alliance Theatre for the world premiere of The Preacher’s Wife! Her recent credits include For Colored Girls (Broadway), Show Way the Musical (Kennedy Center Tour), The Gospel Woman (Off-Broadway), and Hands Up (Alliance Theatre). Kala is also the creator of the independent web series, “Welcome to NY.” A Georgia native, Kala earned an M.F.A. from the University of Louisville and a bachelor’s in theatre from Tennessee State University. She was a True Colors Theatre August Wilson Monologue Competition finalist and an Irene Ryan Award Winner. Kala is also a former theatre teacher at Luella High School! Kala thanks Hudson Artists Agency, family, friends, her cast mates, and the production team. With hard work and faith, any dream is possible. Connect with Kala on Instagram @KalaRoss or visit www.kalaross.com.

DREW SHADE

(Ensemble, u/s Joe, Deacon Johnson, Deacon Lewis) [he/him] is elated to be making his Alliance Theatre debut with The Preacher’s Wife musical. He is the founder of Broadway Black, a renowned platform dedicated to uplifting Black theatre artists. He is also the creator of Off Book: The Black theatre podcast, known for his insightful commentary and thoughtful analysis of stage productions and theatre news. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of theatre’s cultural impact, he built The Awards formerly known as The Antonyos created to celebrate riveting work within the community each season. His expertise extends across a wide range of disciplines. Favorite acting credits include Curtis in Dreamgirls, Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Miss Roj in The Colored Museum, and Tyree Fisher in The First Deep Breath. He also made his Carnegie Hall debut in Tituss Burgess’ Sondheim Tribute, Take Me To The World. Drew would like to thank his family & friends

for all their love and support. You can follow his work on all platforms: @drewshade & @broadwayblack

MICHAEL STIGGERS

(Ensemble, u/s Dudley, Henry) [he/him] is thrilled to be back at the Alliance Theatre! Broadway: Beautiful The Carole King Musical, Disney’s The Lion King. ATL/Regional: Born For This (Alliance Theatre, Arena Stage), White Christmas (City Springs Theatre), and Les Misérables (Aurora Theatre). Film/ TV: My Killer Reunion (Lifetime), “Theatre School Dropouts” (Amazon). Love to Maggie and Josie, the loves of my life and to Mom, whose favorite movie of all-time is The Preacher’s Wife. IG: @yungstiggy

ALICIA THOMAS

(Ensemble, u/s Beverly) feels extremely blessed to make her Alliance Theatre debut with The Preacher’s Wife. Alicia is a proud Detroit native. Some credits include Motherless, written by Cherise Kimoy, Lorrell in Dreamgirls, The Colored Museum and The Producers at American Stage, Alais in The Lion in Winter and Ernestine in Crumbs From the Table of Joy at freeFall Theatre, Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun, and Raisin at Astoria Performing Arts Center. She’s had the pleasure of being a BGV for Laurént Grant Williams’ concerts. Alicia gives all the glory to God and many thanks to her family and friends for their love and support. Matthew 5:16. itsmealicia.com IG: @itsme_alicia_

DAMANI VAN

RENSALIER (Ensemble, u/s Monique; Dance Captain) is humbled to be joining the company of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre! This Paterson native holds her BFA in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Recent theater credits include: vacation swing in Hadestown (Broadway), featured ensemble member in Hamilton (national tour and Broadway). Damani gives all glory to God and thanks her Mom,

Dad, Brother, family, friends and CESD for their love and support! Proverbs 3:5-6. {IG: @damanivr}

AKRON LANIER

WATSON (Henry Biggs)

Most recently seen as “Cody” in the OffBroadway new musical, A Sign Of The Times. His credits include: Broadway: the Tony, Emmy, and Grammy award-winning The Color Purple Revival (Bobby), Tony winning The Play That Goes Wrong (Trevor), Broadway Chicago’s Hamilton: An American Musical (Aaron Burr). Off-Broadway: The Public Theater’s Fortress of Solitude (Subtle Distinction), The New Group’s Black No More (Ensemble). Regional: The Kennedy Center’s Guys & Dolls (Rusty), Papermill Playhouse’s Sister Act (Curtis), Ogunquit Playhouse’s Mr. Holland’s Opus the Musical (Glenn Holland). Film: Spilt Milk (2010, Rodney), Seasons of Gray (2013, Chris), Miss Juneteenth (2020, Bacon) Older Man, Younger Woman (2023, Anthony). TV: FOX’s “Empire” (Eric Houston), NBC’s “Chicago Med” (Trevor).

Voice-over: Anime — One Piece: Heart of Gold the movie (Psycho P). Video Games — Borderlands Pre-sequel (Dunks Watson), “The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct: (Chris Brian).

“American Idol” Season 7.

DONALD WEBBER, JR (Dudley) is excited to make his Alliance Theatre debut!

BROADWAY: Purlie Victorious, Hamilton, Motown: the Musical (OBC), Holler If Ya Hear Me (OBC). TV/Film: “Severance” (AppleTV+), “The Punisher” (Netflix), “The WIZ: Live!” (NBC), Da Bronx U.S.A. (Music in Media nomination & Oscar short list), Killing Me Softly With His Song (Music in Media nomination). OFF-BROADWAY/TOUR: Children of Eden (Lincoln Center; Manhattan Concert Productions), Hamilton (Aaron Burr), Jersey Boys, Born For This, Renascence, Whorl Inside A Loop, Bella: An American Tall Tale. University of Southern California, BFA Acting. “RC, for you always. We love you so much, D3 & LZ!” Thank you to Michael, Tinashe, James, Azie,

and Tituss for this blessing. To God be the glory! @donaldwebber

HELEN MARLA WHITE (Ensemble, u/s Julia Biggs) [she/her] I am truly excited to be a part of the cast of The Preacher’s Wife and thrilled to make my debut at the Alliance Theatre! Favorite credits include: Women/Singer in Bayard Rustin in Ashland at People’s Light Theatre, Sangoma in Dreaming Zenzile at Arts Emerson, Roberta/Gloria in Sistas the Musical at St. Luke Theatre, Armelia in Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Theatre by the Sea and Surflight Theatre, Mrs. Phelps in Matilda at Surflight Theatre, Ms. Orna Mint in Light It Up at Cleveland Playhouse, Ensemble in The First Noel at the Apollo Theatre. Helen was a Music Performance major at The University of Kentucky. Helen would love to thank her friends, family, teachers, and coaches for all their love and support. Most importantly, she thanks God and her mother in heaven for loving her and being her best teacher (my Shero). Tituss, so happy to see your vision come to fruition. Psalm 23 and Prov. 3:5-6.

AZIE DUNGEY (Book) is a WGA-nominated writer and actress who was most recently a CoExecutive Producer on “Night Court” for NBC. Previously, she was Co-EP on Tina Fey’s “Girls5eva” and consulting-producer on “Rutherford Falls,” both on NBC/ Peacock. Prior to that, she also wrote on “Harlem” (Amazon), the Emmynominated show “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix), and on the drama “Sweetbitter” for PlanB (Starz). She is best known as writer and star of her critically-acclaimed Youtube series Ask a Slave, a satirical critique of race and gender in these here United States with over 2.5 million views, and for which she was featured on NPR, BBC World, MSNBC, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, among others. A graduate of Tisch School of the Arts at NYU in drama, vocal performance, and anthropology, she has been a visiting scholar to Yale, Brown University, Columbia, and was a

Fellow-in-Residence at the Center for the Study of Democracy, St. Mary’s College. Azie is African American, and Pamunkey/Mattaponi (Powhatan Confederacy of Virginia) and she is committed to confronting issues of race, history, and social injustice with grace, compassion, and humor.

TITUSS BURGESS (Music & Lyrics) A veteran of the stage, Tituss Burgess was most recently seen on Broadway in Moulin Rouge! in the role of Harold Zidler. Tituss made his Broadway debut as Eddie in Good Vibrations and has played Hal Miller in the original Broadway cast of Jersey Boys, Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the 2009 revival of Guys and Dolls, and Sebastian in the original Broadway cast of The Little Mermaid. For four seasons he starred as Titus Andromedon in the hit Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, receiving nominations for four consecutive Emmy Awards, a SAG Award, and two Critics’ Choice TV Awards. He reprised his role in the Netflix interactive special Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting actor. Tituss was also recently seen in the second season of the Apple TV+ musical comedy Schmigadoon! Previously, he starred in the Netflix films Set It Up and Dolemite Is My Name, as well as MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic, Respect. An accomplished voice actor, Tituss starred in the animated musical comedy series Central Park for Apple TV+, for which he was nominated for his sixth Emmy Award. Tituss is thrilled to be debuting his music and lyrics in the world premiere of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre.

MICHAEL ARDEN (Co-Director) won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Direction for Parade, which will play a national tour in 2024. Michael was also Tony nominated for Once on This Island and Spring Awakening. Michael wrote and directed Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which played the Nederlander

Theatre in the 2022 holiday season and starred Jefferson Mays. Michael will soon helm the new Stephen Schwartz and Lindsey Ferrentino musical The Queen of Versailles, starring Kristin Chenoweth, and a new musical adaptation of the cult film The Lost Boys. Other directing credits include: Maybe Happy Ending at the Alliance Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, and site specific works: American Dream Study and ALIEN/NATION with his company The Forest of Arden. Arden has been named on Variety’s Impact List and is the winner of an NAACP Award for best direction of his revival of Merrily We Roll Along. In addition to directing theater in America and around the globe, Michael regularly directs “The Connors” on ABC, and has appeared in numerous features and TV shows, most notably: “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Bride Wars,” “Anger Management,” “Source Code,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” On stage, Arden has appeared on Broadway in Big River; The Times, They Are A-Changin’, and King Lear. Arden is a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and alumni of the Interlochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School.

TINASHE KAJESEBOLDEN (Co-Director) is the Jennings Hertz Artistic Director at the Alliance Theatre. Originally from Zimbabwe, KajeseBolden combines her commitment to great art, deep education and community empowerment with an agile enthusiasm and unflappable, calm energy to inspire new possibilities. Kajese-Bolden honed her directing and producing skills as a freelance director working in regional houses across the country and on set. As a director and actor, she fosters deep ongoing collaborations with playwrights and has mounted innovative and critically acclaimed productions that merge elegant, theatrical designs with complicated human stories. A Princess Grace Award 2019 Winner for Directing, and Map Fund Award recipient as a director and actor, she has worked on and Off Broadway as well as recurring roles in the Marvel universe Guardians

of the Galaxy: Xmas Special, Suicide Squad, Hawkeye, and CW’s “Valor,” “Dynasty,” HBO’s “Henrietta Lacks,” Ava Duverney’s “Cherish the Day,” among others. Up next, she is developing a new Opera, Forsythe is Flooding: The Joy of Lake Lanier, and proudly serves on the ARTS-ATL Artist Advisory Council. “My mission is the pursuit of what connects our different communities and how we create art that liberates us to imagine a more inclusive future.” Huge thanks to Michael Arden for embracing this collaboration with such love, to Tituss and Azie for bringing such an iconic story to our city, the incredible Alliance staff for going above and beyond, my family who taught me the meaning of faith, and my Angel on earth, Keith.

EMILIO RAMOS (Associate Director) Honored to work amongst this incredible cast and creative team. www.emilioramosonline.com @lilporkbunz

MATTHEW JOHNSON HARRIS (Choreography) [he/him] is excited to be making his Alliance debut! His favorite credits include choreographing Take Me To The World: A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim at Carnegie Hall and serving on the directing teams for the Tony Nominated Play Hangmen, Tony Winning Musical Revival of Parade, and The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. He is a core instructor at the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Extension. In 2016, Matthew founded The Mosaic Project in collaboration with Middle Church, which raises money for different nonprofits that support marginalized groups and promotes interfaith through concerts and productions starring Broadway performers. Under his direction there have been 13 productions, featuring 100+ Broadway performers, and over $100,000 raised. He aspires to tell stories that celebrate individual identity while simultaneously creating more intersectionality. He would like to thank Tituss Burgess for consistently supporting him in his career and Jovan Dansberry for helping him articulate his vision with precision. Special shout to Mark and Louie. He is a proud alum of The BTC Apprenticeship Program, The William

Esper Studio, and Collin College. Instagram: @MatthewJohnsonHarris

JŌVAN DANSBERRY (Associate Choreographer) is a St. Louis native who received his Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Now based in New York City, Jōvan is a performer and choreographer in both the theatre and commercial sectors, as well as a professor of dance at Rider University. Broadway/Tours: Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, Wicked, King Kong. Theater: The Metropolitan Opera, Roundabout Theater Company, New York City Center. TV/Live Performance: “SNL!”, “The Tonight Show”, The Tony Awards, “POSE,” “Up Here.” Outer Critics Circle Special Achievement in Theater. Jōvan is excited to begin this new creative journey as an Associate Choreographer with the Alliance Theatre and The Preacher’s Wife family; an abundance of gratitude to Matthew Johnson Harris for bringing him on board.

DANE LAFFREY (Scenic Design) is a designer and creative based in New York City. At the Alliance, Dane previously designed the set for Maybe Happy Ending With Michael Arden on Broadway: set for Parade (Jacobs); set and costumes for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Nederlander), which he coconceived with Arden and for which he was nominated for Hewes and Tony Awards; the 2018 Tony-winning revival of Once On This Island (Circle in the Square) for which he received Henry Hewes, Drama Desk, and Tony Award nominations; set and costumes for the acclaimed Deaf West revival of Spring Awakening (Brooks Atkinson). Elsewhere he and Arden have collaborated on Guys and Dolls (Toho, Imperial Theatre Tokyo), Merrily We Roll Along (Wallis Annenberg), Annie (The Hollywood Bowl) and many forthcoming projects, including Queen of Versailles Laffrey and Arden are partners in At Rise Creative, which won a 2023 Tony For Best Revival of a Musical for Parade. He has designed for most major off-Broadway theaters including Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club (also Fool for Love on Broadway), Lincoln Center Theatre, Second Stage, The Public, Playwrights

Horizons, and others. Laffrey also designed Disney’s Hercules, currently running in Hamburg, Germany.

TERESA L. WILLIAMS (Scenic Design) is a theatre and film designer originally from New Orleans, LA and currently based in New York. Recent NY: Triple Threat (T32 Theatrical), The Cotillion (New Georges/The Movement Theatre Company), Til Death (Abingdon Theatre Company), Queens Girl in the World (Abingdon Theatre Company). Regional: Ragtime (American Stage Theater), Slave Play (Short North Stage), Into the Woods (Short North Stage), The Dutchman (American Stage Theater). Education: MFA in scenic design (NYU Tisch School of the Arts). tlwilliamsdesign.com @T_Louise_

SARAFINA BUSH (Costume Design)

Broadway: The Who’s Tommy, The Outsiders, How to Dance in Ohio, For Colored Girls… (Tony Award Nominee), Pass Over. Off-Broadway: Oliver! (City Center Encores), Evanston Salt Costs Climbing (The New Group), Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Playwrights Horizons), Broadway Bounty Hunter (Greenwich House), Plot Points, Pass Over (LCT3). Regional: Peter Pan (National Tour), The Who’s Tommy (Goodman Theatre), The Outsiders (La Jolla Playhouse), Life After (Goodman Theatre), Afterwords (5th Avenue). Education: BA, Adelphi University.

JEN SCHRIEVER (Lighting Design)

Broadway: Mother Play, A Strange Loop (Tony nomination), Death of a Salesman (Tony nomination), 1776, Birthday Candles, Lackawanna Blues, Grand Horizons, What the Constitution Means to Me, The Lifespan of a Fact, Eclipsed, John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown. Selected Off-Broadway: Spain, White Girl In Danger, To My Girls, SuperHero (Second Stage); Which Way to The Stage, Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties, School Girls or the African Mean Girls Play (MCC); The Moors (Playwrights Realm); Shhhh (Atlantic); A Bright New Boise, My Broken Language, Thom Pain, Night is a Room (Signature); Strange Interlude (Transport Group). Regional: The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical (ACT), A Transparent Musical

(Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles). OPERA: A Thousand Splendid Suns (World Premiere, Seattle Opera), Die Fledermaus, Pearl Fishers (Metropolitan); Faust, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, La Traviata (Mariinsky, Russia); and The Pearl Fishers (ENO). Obie Award for sustained excellence in design. Teaching: Adjunct Professor, Purchase College. Mom: Henry. www.jenschriever.com.

JOSHUA D. REID (Sound Design) [he/him] is a sound and systems designer based in New York City and has worked extensively on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Regional, and International Productions, National Tours, and Sound System Installations. Recent design selections include: Rent (Stratford Festival), A Christmas Carol (Broadway: w/Jefferson Mays, Tony Nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award), Ragtime (Calgary Philharmonic), Million Dollar Quartet (Theatre Calgary), A Little Night Music (Arizona Opera), Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (National Tours), The Color Purple (National Tour), Girlfriend (TheatreWorks Hartford, CT Critics Circle Award), Jerry Springer: The Opera (Signature Theatre), A Time Like This (Carnegie Hall). Full credentials listed at ReidSoundDesign.com

COOKIE JORDAN (Wig Design) Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along, Camelot, The Piano Lesson, Into the Woods, Trouble in Mind, Clyde’s, POTUS, Slave Play, Choir Boy, The Cher Show, Once on This Island, Sunday in the Park with George, In Transit, Eclipsed, Side Show, After Midnight, Fela!, A View from the Bridge. Off-Broadway: Familiar, Hir, Cloud Nine, Skeleton Crew, Eclipsed, Gloria, Liquid Plain, Hurt Village, An Octoroon. Regional: Side Show (La Jolla Playhouse, Kennedy Center). Tours: Fela! (national tour), Fela! (European tour), Dirty Dancing, Flashdance (national tour). Television: Makeup designer, NBC’s “The Wiz Live!”

SKYLAR FOX (Magic & Illusions Design) is an Obie Award-winning director, writer, and designer based in Brooklyn, NY. He is the co-artistic director of Nightdrive, where he has directed, designed, and co-written

The Grown-Ups (Time Out New York’s Top 10 NYC Theatre Productions of the Year), Alien Nation, Providence, RI, Thank You Sorry, and Apathy Boy. Other directing includes the world premiere of Pussy Sludge (Here Arts Center) and the Boston premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play (IRNE Award Nomination). In his other life, he designs and stages magic for theatre. Broadway: Fat Ham; associate designer for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Back to the Future, and A Beautiful Noise. OffBroadway/International: Once Upon A Mattress (City Center Encores!), Boop! (Broadway in Chicago), The Comeuppance (Signature Theatre, Almeida), You Will Get Sick (Roundabout Theatre Company), Wicked, Matilda (Atelier de Cultura, São Paulo), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (London Grand, Ontario), and Damn Yankees (Shaw Festival). skylarfox.com & nightdrive.org

D2 FLYING EFFECTS (Flying Effects) was founded in 2009 by Delbert Hall and Sam Fisher. Based in Maryland, D2 Flying Effects is a part of PointWight Entertainment Specialists. Between them, Delbert and Sam have over 65 years of combined performer flying experience with both manual and automated performer flying.

JAMES SAMPLINER (Music Supervision/Music Direction/ Orchestrations/Arrangements/ Conductor/Keyboards) is a highly regarded veteran music director, keyboardist, record producer, arranger, and orchestrator in the NYC theatrical community and beyond. NYC theater credits include: (Encores!) The Life. (Broadway) Prince of Broadway, Honeymoon in Vegas, Legally Blonde, The Wedding Singer, BKLYN, Never Gonna Dance. (Off-Bway) Songs For A New World, Himself & Nora, The Mistress Cycle, Ghetto Superstar, Radiant Baby. Regionally, Mr. Sampliner has been involved in countless productions as MD and/or orchestrator for new musicals in development. Mr. Sampliner is also an MD for countless Broadway artists for concerts worldwide. Artists include Billy Porter (20 years as writing partner/MD), Tituss Burgess, Mandy Gonzalez, Patina Miller, Norm Lewis,

Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Rob McClure, Bobby Conte, Amanda Green, Javier Muñoz, and countless others. TV work includes music for FX’s “Pose” (S2, Ep 6), “American Horror Story” (S11, Ep 6), and Fox’s “Accused” (S1, Ep 5). TV appearances include two specials for PBS’ “American Songbook” series (Patina Miller & Billy Porter, respectively). Recordings include seven original cast recordings, as well as with Billy Porter (At The Corner of Broadway & Soul, Billy’s Back On Broadway, The Soul of Richard Rodgers), Bobby Conte (Along The Way), and Tituss Burgess (Saint Tituss). Many thanks to this fantastic team for continuing to bring him along for the ride and he is happy to be back in the ATL after many years. IG: @samps42

JODY FELDMAN (Casting) began her theater career as an actress in Atlanta before moving into administration as the Assistant General Manager at Frank Wittow’s Academy Theatre. It was at the Academy that Jody realized the importance of theatre to a city’s cultural values and identity. 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 250 productions at the Alliance, encompassing a range of world premieres that include The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry, Blues for An Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, The Geller Girls by Janece Shaffer, In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell Alvin McCraney, more than 20 years of Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competitionwinning plays, such world and regional premiere musicals as Aida; The Color Purple; Sister Act; Bring It On The Musical; Tuck Everlasting; Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; Harmony, A New Musical; The Prom; Trading Places, Water for Elephants, and finally exciting new plays developed specifically for children and families, which is integral to the expansion of audience and mission for the Alliance. Jody is most proud of the thriving Alliance community engagement and partnerships that recognize theatrical work as a catalyst for civic conversation and connection.

TARA RUBIN CASTING (Casting) Alliance Theatre: Water for Elephants. Selected Broadway/Tours: The Wiz, The Heart of Rock & Roll, The Who’s Tommy, The Outsiders, Water for Elephants, Back To The Future, Here Lies Love, Bad Cinderella, Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, KPOP, Mr. Saturday Night, Six, Ain’t Too Proud, The Band’s Visit, Miss Saigon, Dear Evan Hansen, Cats, School of Rock, Aladdin, Billy Elliot, The Producers, Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. Selected Off-Broadway: Dead Outlaw, Buena Vista Social Club, Gardens of Anuncia, Sing Street, Trevor, Between the Lines. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, George Street Playhouse, Asolo Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe. Film: Here Today.

JULIE DEVORE (Production Stage Manager) @jcdevore: Stage Management Broadway credits include: A Beautiful Noise, Sweeney Todd, Bad Cinderella, Into The Woods, American Utopia, King Kong, School of Rock, On The Town, Wicked, Nice Work If You Can Get It, and The Motherf**ker With the Hat. National Tours: Once, Wicked, The Addams Family, and Billy Elliot. She is very grateful to all her mentors, friends, and family that have been encouraging her to follow her dreams. Julie is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina, Greensboro where she now teaches. Her work on this show is dedicated to her guardian angel Iris, a woman who lived her life dedicated to improving her community.

ADRIANA GUERRERO (Assistant Stage Manager) Broadway: The Book Of Mormon, Bad Cinderella, Some Like It Hot, and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. National Tour: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Selected Off-Broadway: Here We Are, The Wrong Man, Seared, Moscow X6, & Hatef**k. BFA Montclair State University. Agradecida por siempre.

ASHANI SMITH (Assistant Stage Manager) [she/her] So thrilled to be making her Alliance debut! National Tours: Company, Jagged Little Pill, and Pretty Woman. Regional: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, A Chorus Line, A Midsummer Night’s

Dream, Henry IV, Part II (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), Jelly’s Last Jam (NC Black Rep). Proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc! All the love goes to mom, dad, Zi, and her amazing friends who continue to uplift her. IG: @ashanihadiyah

MESA (Assistant Stage Manager) [they/them] is the National Vision BIPOC Stage Management Fellow for the Alliance Theatre’s 2023/24 season. The Preacher’s Wife is the last show of their fellowship. Mesa’s Alliance Theatre credits from this season include Furlough’s Paradise (Stage Manager), A Christmas Carol (Assistant Stage Manager), and English (ASM). Other stage management credits include After Juliet (South Coast Repertory), Appropriate (SCR), A Small Man (SCR), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Chance Theater), The SpongeBob Musical (CSU Fullerton), and Beauty and the Beast (CSUF), among others. Member of Actor’s Equity Association.

AMY CASTRO (Assistant Stage Manager) Broadway: Here Lies Love, A Doll’s House, A Beautiful Noise, Mr. Saturday Night, Mrs. Doubtfire, Anastasia. Other favorites include Bright Star, The Play that Goes Wrong, and Always...Patsy Cline (Hale Centre Theatre), along with Third Rail Projects’ long running immersive show Then She Fell. Survivor Wannabe & Chocolate Chip Cookie Enthusiast. @amyecastro

SAMANTHA HONEYCUTT (Stage Management Production Assistant) studied Stage Management at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro before beginning her career working across the country. Her credits include: Year of the Rooster, When January Feels like Summer, and Five Times in One Night (Ensemble Studio Theater). Legally Blonde, Hello, Dolly!, My Fair Lady, and Music Man (Cape Playhouse). Frankenstein, Hairspray, Penny Candy, American Mariachi, Supreme Leader (Dallas Theater Center). Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous (Hartford Stage), and Trading Places the Musical, Everybody, A Gift of Love with Adam L. McKnight, Hot Wing

King, The Boy Who Kissed The Sky, Water For Elephants, Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit Tale, and Furlough’s Paradise (Alliance Theatre).

LAMARR WHITE, JR (Stage Management Production Assistant) [he/him] graduated from Jackson State University with a BA in Speech and Theatre. He started in theatre in high school as an actor and musician but found a love for Stage Management while in college. His first production at Alliance was A Christmas Carol (2023), with a new work, A Tale of Two Cities (2024), following. He is excited to be working on his first musical production at the Alliance Theatre as a SM PA. With his background in music, dance, and growing up in the church, he feels very connected to this production. LaMarr would like to thank his friends and family for all of their love and support. He would also like to thank his mentor for encouraging him to continue growing in his passion.

ARYIANNA BREWER (Stage Management Production Assistant) is thrilled to join the cast of The Preacher’s Wife at the Alliance Theatre! Favorite credits include Stage Manager in Bunmi and Babajide presented by Atlanta City Theatre, Stage Manager in Everybody presented by Atlanta City Theatre, and Stage Manager in Circadian: When Will We Wake presented by Atlanta City Theater. She is perusing a Film and Media degree from Georgia State and also likes doing photography on the side. Aryianna would love to thank her family and friends for always supporting her. Find her on social media: @aryib_04

CHRISTOPHER MOSES

(Jennings

Hertz Artistic Director) has been working in professional theatre for twenty years and in 2022 was awarded the Governor’s Award for Arts in Humanities for his body of work. 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. Since taking over

this position, Chris has expanded the reach and impact by making the Alliance Theatre Education department a vital resource for advancing the civic agenda of Atlanta. This work is accomplished through deep and sustained partnerships with social service organizations throughout the city. Under his leadership, the Alliance launched its Kathy & Ken Bernhardt Theatre for the Very Young program, which provides fully interactive professional theater experiences for children of all abilities from ages newborn through five years old; the Alliance Teen Ensemble, which performs world premiere plays commissioned for and about teens; the Palefsky Collision Project, where teens produce a new work after colliding with a classic text; expanded the Alliance’s summer camp program to include over 3,000 children in multiple locations across Atlanta; 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. During his tenure in this position, the Alliance has produced over a dozen world premiere plays for young audiences, including Pancakes, Pancakes by Ken Lin, The Dancing Granny by Jireh Breon Holder, Max Makes a Million by Liz Diamond, and The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Madhuri Shekar. Currently, the Alliance serves over 100,000 students pre-k – 12 each season, as well as over 4,000 adults through its extensive education offerings. In 2023, he was named Artistic Director of the Alliance Theatre.

MIKE SCHLEIFER (Managing Director) joined the Alliance Theatre in 2014 as the General Manager and in 2016, assumed the role of Managing Director. During his time at the Alliance, Mike has led the administrative and producing team on over 100 productions including bringing Tuck Everlasting and The Prom to Broadway. He was one of the architects of the “On the Road” season while a multi-million dollar

renovation of the Coca-Cola Stage was underway. Mike is excited to have started the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee at the Alliance and to serve on the board of the League of Resident Theatres and True Colors Theatre Company. Prior to Atlanta, he spent 13 years at Baltimore’s Center Stage working in several roles including Associate Producer, Production Manager and Resident Stage Manager. While in Baltimore, Mike was an adjunct faculty member at Towson University and has guest-lectured all over the country. Mike began as a Stage Manager and has dozens of stage management credits between his time in New York and working regionally. Mike is married to theater director and educator Laura Hackman and the proud father of two boys, Jack and Ben.

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION

(AEA) Founded in 1913, AEA is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org

THE IMAGINE CAMPAIGN

Coming soon to Peachtree Street: THE GOIZUETA STAGE FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES

IMAGINE a state-of-the-art performance space built specifically to deliver the best professional theatre for young audiences this country has to offer.

IMAGINE year-round access to transformative arts experiences empirically proven to improve mental health, literacy, and hope for their own future.

IMAGINE theatre as a birthright for children of all ages and economic backgrounds in our city, across the state, and around the world.

AND JOIN US IN MAKING IT A REALITY. Over the next two years, the Woodruff Arts Center will transform the existing Rich Theatre into Atlanta’s year-round venue for youth and family programming. As a crucial component of this project, the Alliance Theatre is proud to launch The Imagine Endowment, a special $10 million fund providing access subsidies for audiences of all backgrounds and vital resources to equip and maintain Atlanta’s new home for youth, educators, and caregivers in perpetuity. With your help, geography and ticket prices will never be attendance barriers for the bright, empathetic, and creative audiences of tomorrow.

ENDOWMENT CONTRIBUTORS

Special thanks to our early champions of the Imagine Campaign for their vision and generosity. Kenny Blank // Campaign Chair

Anonymous

Kristin Adams

James Anderson

Elizabeth Armstrong

Ken Bernhardt & Cynthia Currence

Cindy & Bobby Candler

Around the Table Foundation

Joel Babbit & Virginia Shackelford

Terri Bonoff & Matthew Knopf

Jennifer & Brian Boutte

Ann & Jeff Cramer

Jeffrey & Roxanne Cashdan

Joe Crowley & Phil Mack

Linda & Eugene Davidson

Reade & Katie Fahs

Howard & Ellen Feinsand

Richard & Marsha Goerss

John & Laura Hardman

Mr. & Mrs. Quill Healey II & Family

The Hertz Family Foundation

Jocelyn J. Hunter

Malvika Jhangiani & Dipankar Bandyopadhyay

John Keller

James & Lori Kilberg

Phyllis Kozarsky & Eliot Arnovitz

Timothy Hardy & Allegra Lawrence-Hardy

Alan McKeon & Evelyn Ashley

Hays & Anna Mershon

Hala & Steve Moddelmog

Phil & Caroline Moise

Starr Moore & the James Starr Moore Memorial Foundation

Victoria & Howard Palefsky

Papa John’s Foundation

Jamal & Tiffany Powell

Patty & Doug Reid

For more information about Alliance Theatre’s Imagine Campaign or to make an endowment contribution, please contact Trent Anderson, Director of Development, at trent.anderson@ alliancetheatre.org or (404) 733-4710.

For information about the capital renovation and the Woodruff Arts Center’s Experience Atlanta, Experience Woodruff Campaign, please contact Kristin Hathaway-Hansen at kristin.hathaway-hansen@woodruffcenter.org.

a correction.

Robert & Margaret Reiser

Ronald E. Ridgeway

Maurice & Tricia Rosenbaum

Mark & Ruth Rosenberg

Mike Schleifer & Laura Hackman

The Selig Foundation // Linda & Steve Selig, Cathy & Steve Kuranoff

Kristen and Jordan Silton

William & Margie Sleeper

E. Kendrick & Caryl Smith

Chandra Stephens-Albright & Warren Albright

Benny & Roxanne Varzi

Rebekah & Mark Wasserman

The Preacher’s Wife weaves a tale of faith, love, and divine intervention. In the heart of Harlem stands a 1920s African American Baptist church, a testament to generations of faith and community. But this sacred space faces an uncertain future — a threat that resonates with our mission at The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. Reverend Henry Biggs, pastor of this struggling church, grapples with dwindling membership, financial woes, and the relentless pressure from real estate developer Joe Hamilton. Hamilton’s vision? Luxury condominiums on the church’s hallowed grounds. The stakes are high, and the congregation’s heritage hangs in the balance.

Our organization, committed to safeguarding Georgia’s historic treasures, recognizes that historic preservation is more than bricks and mortar — it’s about saving the intrinsic value of a place and community. The Georgia Trust works to achieve this by preserving and revitalizing Georgia’s diverse historic resources and advocating for their appreciation, protection, and use.

When it comes to historic Black churches, our national counterpart, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, puts it perfectly: “As the oldest institutions created and controlled by African Americans, Black churches are a living testament to the achievements and resiliency of generations in the face of a racialized and inequitable society.” Recognizing this significance, the National Trust has developed an excellent grant program to aid these historic churches. In Georgia, we work to meet the needs of these and other resources of underrepresented history via targeted programs like our African American Preservation Program and the West Atlanta Preservation Initiative. Through educational and hands-on assistance, we provide historic African American resources with successful tools for preservation. We also work with the National Trust and partners around the state and the country to aid historic resources, whatever their specific needs may be.

We are honored to partner with the Alliance Theatre to shine a light on the challenges and opportunities for historic preservation in Georgia. Like Dudley, the witty angel in The Preacher’s Wife, we believe in the transformative power of collective action. Together, let’s write a new chapter — one where historic churches thrive and where legacies are preserved. Discover more about The Georgia Trust and how you can get involved at www.georgiatrust.org.

W. Wright Mitchell President & CEO

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

SYNOPSIS

In their fast-gentrifying Harlem neighborhood, Preacher Henry and his wife Julia struggle to keep their congregation going in the face of development. When all seems lost, Henry asks God for help and receives it in the form of an angel. But will this mysterious newcomer really help or make matters worse? Through it all, Julia must find her voice and the strength to lead their congregation through the crisis, reminding them that a church is not a building, but the people who inhabit it and the love they share.

GET SOCIAL

Connect with us and other audience members on your Alliance experience. Share your comments and photos on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter, and TikTok with hashtags #PreachersWifeMusical and #AllianceTheatre Plus, search your social media platforms with those hashtags for fun, behind-the-scenes content from our cast, crew, and creative team.

www.alliancetheatre.org

Commit to 20 hours of ushering at the Alliance and receive:

• Alliance Theatre swag!

• 15% off current ticket prices for all Alliance Theatre productions

• 20% off Alliance Theatre Acting Classes

• ONE complimentary ticket for ANY production in the current season Ever wanted to be a part of the Alliance team? Here’s your chance! Join our volunteer ushers! Visit alliancetheatre.org/usher for details.

By AUTUMN NESS

Directed by SARAH AGNEW

leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By KATORI HALL Direction by TINASHE KAJESE-BOLDEN

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. The Alliance is led by Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses, and Managing Director Mike Schleifer. The Alliance is a recipient of 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 135 productions including ten 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.

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.

| boardofdirectors

OFFICERS

Chair

Jocelyn J. Hunter

Immediate Past Chair

Lila Hertz

Secretary

E. Kendrick Smith

Treasurer

Glenn Weiss

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

Bob Reiser

Jane Shivers

H. Bronson Smith

Ben White

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kristin Adams

Norman Adkins

Kimberly Ajy

James Anderson

Farideh Azadi

Marc Balizer

Deisha Barnett

Alba Baylin

Bridget Blake

Maggie Blake Bailey

Kenny Blank

Terri Bonoff

Jennifer Boutté

Jeff Cashdan

Steve Chaddick

Madeline Chadwick

Miles Cook

LeighAnn Costley

Joe Crowley

Katie Fahs

Reade Fahs

Howard Feinsand

Rick Gestring

Richard Goerss

Claire Gotham

Lila Hertz

Jocelyn Hunter

Malvika Jhangiani

Alexander Johnson

Jane Jordan Casavant

Anne Kaiser

John Keller

Matthew Kent

Andjela Kessler

Jim Kilberg

Jesse Killings

Carrie Kurlander

Allegra Lawrence-Hardy

Robert Masucci

Jean Ann McCarthy

Alan McKeon

Dori Miller

Jeffrey Miller

Hala Moddelmog

Phil Moïse

Allison O’Kelly

Victoria Palefsky

Jackie Parker

Paul Pendergrass

Jamal Powell

Ali Rahimi

Anne Rambaud Herren

Stephanie Ray

Patty Reid

Margaret Reiser

Matthew Richburg

Robyn Roberts

Maurice Rosenbaum

Kerri Sauer

Steve Selig

Kim Sewell

Mital Shah

Bill Sleeper

E. Kendrick Smith

Chandra Stephens-Albright

Charlita Stephens

Mark Swinton

Julie Teer

Benny Varzi

Roxanne Varzi

Rebekah Wasserman

Glenn Weiss

Wai Wong

Todd Zeldin

ADVISORY BOARD

Advisory Board Co-Chair

Laura Hardman

Advisory Board Co-Chair

Phil H. Moïse

Joe Alterman

Luis Andino

Johanna Brookner

Merry Hunter Caudle

Elizabeth Cooper

Mamie Dayan-Vogel

Candice Dixon

Malaika Dowdell

Everett Flanigan

Brandon Fleming

Mary Beth Flournoy

Les Flynn

Natalia Garzón Martínez

Lydia Glaize

Emmanuel Glaze

Meghan Gordon

Tevin Goss

Jeff Graham

Dr. Eve Graves, Ph.D.

Erica Greenblatt

Shauna Grovell

Della Guidry

Campbell Hastings

Elizabeth Hollister

Zenith Houston

Mallika Kallingal

Jodi Kalson

Jennifer Lee

JoJasmin Lopez

Theo Lowe

Carlton Mackey

Nelly Mauta

Tre’Von McKay

Monica McLary

Juan Meija

Caroline Moore

Zach Nikonovich Kahn

Amy Norton King

Susan Sim Oh

Kathy Palumbo

Aixa Pascual

Kisan Patel

Marion Phillips

Alexis Rainey

Daniel Regenstein

Michelle Robinson

Wendy Schmitt

Dr. Shenara Sexton

Beverly Brown Shaw

Brian Stoltz

Maria Storts

Alicia Thompson

Ana Urrego

Emily Washburn

Melinda Weekes-Laidlaw

Angie Weiss

Stuart Wilkinson

Joni Williams

VOLUNTEER

LEADERSHIP

President, STARS

Andjela Kessler

Chairman, Theater Advocates

Patricia Walsh

Chairman, Theater Ushers

Edwina Sellan

Chairman, Hospitality

Susan Stiefel

ALLIANCE 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.

$500,000+

Chick-fil-A Foundation | Rhonda & Dan Cathy

Delta Air Lines, Inc.

Lettie Pate Evans Foundation

Robert W. Woodruff Foundation

$250,000+

Anonymous

AT&T Foundation

The Coca-Cola Company

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning WestRock

$100,000+ Accenture

Helen Gurley Brown Foundation

Georgia Power

The Home Depot Foundation

Invesco QQQ

John H. and Wilhelmina D. Harland Charitable Fund

King & Spalding

Norfolk Southern PNC

The Rich’s Foundation

Shubert Foundation

Warner Bros. Discovery

Zeist Foundation

$50,000+

Cadence Bank

City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

Georgia Council for the Arts

Georgia Natural Gas

Google

Jones Day

Kaiser Permanente Kendeda Fund

Liz Blake Giving Fund

Molly Blank Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

National Endowment for the Arts

National Vision

Wellstar Foundation

$25,000+

Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition, powered by AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Comcast

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

Graphic Packaging

The Imlay Foundation, Inc.

Johnny Mercer Foundation

Newell Brands

Northside Hospital

Peach State Health Plan

Southwire

$10,000+

AEC Trust

Alexander Babbage

Alston & Bird

Do a Good Day Foundation

Edgerton Foundation

Eversheds Sutherland

George M. Brown Trust of Atlanta

Georgia-Pacific

John & Mary Franklin Foundation

Northern Trust

SCANA Energy

South Arts

The Zalik Foundation

$5,000+

Anonymous

Camp Younts Foundation

Frances Wood Wilson Foundation

Osiason Educational Foundation

Perkins&Will

Publix Super Market Charities

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.

Presenting Sponsor

Alliance

Series Sponsor

Production Sponsors

Individual, foundation, and corporate donors contribute more than $10 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/waystogive or call 404-733-5157.

Listed below are pledges and gifts to the Alliance Theatre Annual Fund from December 1, 2022 — April 12, 2024.

PREMIERE SUPPORT

Spotlight $100,000+

Dan & Garnet Reardon

The SKK Foundation

Spotlight $50,000+

Ms. Stephanie Blank

Starr Moore & the James Starr Moore Memorial Foundation

Chairman’s Circle

$25,000+

The Antinori Foundation Around the Table Foundation

Ann & Jeff Cramer

Katie & Reade Fahs

Heidi & David Geller

David & Carolyn Gould

Jocelyn J. Hunter

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Ivester

Jesse Killings

Daniel Marks & Keri Powell

Rosemarie & David Thurston

Leadership Circle

$15,000+

Ali & Farideh Azadi

Maggie Blake Bailey & Andrew Bailey

Brian & Jennifer Boutté

Jane Jordan Casavant

Roxanne & Jeffrey Cashdan

Barbara & Steve Chaddick

Ellen & Howard Feinsand

Doris & Matthew Geller

Anne & Scott Herren

Doug & Lila Hertz

Jane & J. Hicks Lanier

Kristie L. Madara

Mr. & Mrs. Barry McCarthy

Phil & Caroline Moïse

Allison & Shane O’Kelly

Victoria & Howard Palefsky

Wade Rakes & Nicholas Miller

Patty & Doug Reid

Bob & Margaret Reiser

Patricia & Maurice Rosenbaum

Linda & Steve Selig

Mr. & Mrs. David B. Sewell

Ms. Mital Shah

William & Margarita Sleeper

Dr. & Mrs. Dennis Lee Spangler

Mark Swinton

Tim & Maria Tassopoulos

Benny & Roxanne Varzi

Mr. & Mrs. Art Waldrop

Amy & Todd Zeldin

Director’s Circle $10,000+

Ms. Kristin Adams

Mr. & Mrs. Norman Adkins

James Anderson

Deborah L. Bannworth & Joy Lynn Fields

Alba C. Baylin

Deisha Barnett

Terri Bonoff & Matthew Knopf

Judge JoAnn Bowens

Martha & Toby Brooks

Madeline Chadwick

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas C. Chubb III

Ezra Cohen Charitable Fund

Miles & Nicole Cook

LeighAnn & Chad Costley

Joe Crowley & Phil Mack

Dean DuBose & Bronson Smith

Rick Gestring

Marsha & Richard Goerss

Claire Gotham

Malvika Jhangiani

Alexander Johnson & Susan Somersille Johnson

John C. Keller

Matthew Kent

Mr. James Kieffer

James & Lori Kilberg

Brian & Carrie Kurlander

Timothy Hardy & Allegra Lawrence-Hardy

Ms. Evelyn Ashley & Mr. Alan B. McKeon

Dori & Jack Miller

Jeffrey Miller

Paul Pendergrass & Margaret Baldwin

Diane & Mark Perlberg

Jamal & Tiffany Powell

Matt Richburg

Robyn Roberts & Kevin Greiner

Mr. & Mrs. E. Kendrick Smith

Lynne & Steve Steindel

Carol & Ramon Tomé Family Fund

Waffle House

Ms. Kathy Waller & Mr. Kenny Goggins

Mark & Rebekah Wasserman

Ramona & Ben White

Suzy Wilner

R. Wai Wong

BENEFACTORS

$5,000+

Anonymous

Liz Armstrong

Lisa & Joe Bankoff

Mr. & Mrs. Roland L. Bates

Natalie & Matthew Bernstein

Ken Bernhardt & Cynthia Currence

Franklin & Dorothy Chandler

Ann & Jim Curry

Linda & Gene Davidson

Diane Durgin

Kathy & Jason Evans

Dr. Cynthia J. Fordyce & Sharon Hulette

Dr. & Mrs. Marvin Goldstein

Tad & Janin Hutcheson

Jason & Laurie Jeffay

In honor of Carol Jones*

Dr. & Mrs. John Lee

Burrelle Meeks

Mr. & Mrs. Norman J. Radow

Paula Rosput Reynolds & Stephen Reynolds

Mr. George Russell, Jr. & Mrs. Faye Sampson-Russell

Alan & Cyndy* Schreihofer

Brian Shively & Jim Jinhong

Susan & Alan* Stiefel

Charlita Stephens & Delores

Stephens

Maria-Ruth Storts

Chuck Taylor & Lisa CannonTaylor

Ms. Cathy Weil

Marjan & Navid Yavari

$2,500+

Anonymous

Dr. & Mrs. Raymond Allen

Ellen Arnovitz

Ron & Lisa Brill Charitable Trust

Mr. & Mrs. W. Kent Canipe

Candace Carson

Rita & Ralph Connell

Marcia & John Donnell

Mr. Fredric M. Ehlers & Mr. David Lile

Mrs. Anuja Gagoomal & Dr. John Stites

The Robert S. Elster Foundation

Karen & Andrew Ghertner

Mr. David F. Golden

Dr. & Mrs. John B. Hardman

Ariana Hargrave

David Heinsch

Henry & Etta Raye Hirsch Heritage Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. J. Michael Hostinsky

Linda & Richard Hubert

Mr. & Mrs. Wyatt T. Johnson

Leonard Lee

Judith Lyon & Ron Bloom

Lloyd & Mary* McCreary

Hala & Steve Moddelmog

Clair & Thomas Muller

Joan Netzel & John Gronwall

Mr. & Mrs. Travis Newberry

Peg Petersen

Sam & Barbara Pettway

Ali & Layla Rahimi, ALYKA Health

Don & Rosalinda Ratajczak

Ms. Kristin L. Ray

Dana Rice

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Rosenberg

Jane & Rein Saral

Kashi Sehgal

Mallie Sharafat

Mr. & Mrs. S. Albert Sherrod

Mr. David C. Shih

Henry N. & Margaret P. Staats

Chandra Stephens-Albright & Warren Albright

Judith & Mark Taylor

Julie Teer

Kathy Gillespie Tomajko

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Weiss

Kim Boldthen & Carolyn Wheeler

Bryan & Carrie Williams

The Zaban Foundation

$1,500+

Anonymous (3)

Trent Anderson & Leandro Zaneti

Mr. E Scott Arnold

Mr. & Mrs. Hugh S. Asher

Marie & Brad Foster

Dr. Aubrey Bush & Dr. Carol Bush

Melodie H. Clayton

Susan & Ed Croft

Gail Crowder & Claude Wegscheider

Tim & Tina Eyerly

Mr. & Mrs. Paul A. Flexner

Dr. Marla Franks & Rev.

Susan Zoller

Sandeep Goyal & Taylor

England

Della & Theo Guidry

Warren M. Gump

Louise S. Gunn

Mrs. Elaine L. Hentschel

Ashley & Elton James

Boland & Andrea Lea Jones

Randy & Connie Jones

Mark Keiser

Andjela & Michael Kessler

David Long & Starane

Shepherd

Greg & Gillian Matteson

Fabienne Moorey

Dennis & Debra Murph

Denis Ng & Mary Jane

Panzeri

John & Helen Parker

Mr. & Mrs. Armond Perkins

Dr. Denise Raynor

Dr. & Mrs. Fredric Rosenberg

Ms. Amy Speas

Dr. & Mrs. Harry Strothers

Valerie & Anthony Thomas

Stan & Velma Tilley

Ms. Avril Vignos

Pat & Jack Walsh

Penn & Sally Wells

Adrienne Whitehead

William & Nancy Yang

PATRONS

$1,000+

Reza Abree

Mr. George T. Baker

Jay Bernath

Michelle Burdick

David Cofrin & Christine

Tryba-Cofri

Richard & Grecia Cox

Celeste Davis-Lane

Eve Joy Eckardt

Drs. Bryan & Norma

Edwards

Howard & Ellen Eisenberg

Dr. Azy Esfandiari, City Springs Dental Studio

Richard Goodjoin & Kelvin

Davis

Mr. & Mrs. Phillip S. Hodges

Drs. Cathie & Hugh Hudson

Ms. Floria Izadi

Veronica Kessenich

Amy & Jeremy King

Mr. & Mrs. Asghar

Memarzadeh

Anna & Hays Mershon

Mr. Kasra Naderi & Mrs. Arezoo Akhavan

Debbie & Lon Neese

Mr. Mark A. Pallansch

Deborah W. Royer

Ms. Kerri Sauer

Jane E. Shivers

Andrea Strickland & N. Jerold Cohen

Nossi Taheri & Hope Vaziri

Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth G. Taylor

Lynne Winship

$500+

Anonymous

Alfred G. & Sarah H. Adams

Dawn & Michael Adamson

William Baas

Dr. Evelyn R. Babey

Mr. & Mrs. Barry N. Berlin

Rob & Suzanne Boas

Karen & Harold Carney

Dr. & Mrs. S. Wright Caughman

B.J. Erb, M.D. & Bruce I. Crabtree III

Louise B. Franklin

Steve & Peggy Freedman

Homer S. French

Shelley & Bruce Gaynes

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Gerakitis

Richard & Debbie Griffiths

Mr. Alan H. Halpern

Ms. Jo Ann Haden-Miller & Mr. William Miller

Sarah Hawbecker & William Fuller

Betty Jeter

Mr. Christopher Jones

Jason Kahn

Bill & Jennifer Kahnweiler

Elizabeth Kosbab

Ms. Lauren Linder & Mr. Jonathan Grunberg

Kira Lorsch

Al Lurey

Jenny & Kevin Lyman

Susan Martin

Mr. Brett McAdams & Ms.

Nikki Phillips

Raymond & Penelope McPhee

Ms. Jaime McQuilkin

Robbie Medwed

Stacia Minton

Gayle & Peyton Morgan

Mr. William Morgan

Drs. Sharon Neulinger & Richard Kaplan

Sarah & Neal Patton

Marc & Jean Pickard

Rebecca Pogue

Lois & Don Reitzes

Mr. & Mrs. James Robson

Gloria J. Rodgers

Michelle & Gary Simon

Mr. Fred B. Smith

Karen & Alex Stickney

Lisa & David Switzer

Celia Till

John & Bunny Underwood

Wayne & Lee Vason

Simmie Walker

Brooke & Winston

Weinmann

THE WOODRUFF CIRCLE

Woodruff Circle members have contributed more than $250,000 annually to support the arts and education work of the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and High Museum of Art. We are deeply grateful to these partners who lead our efforts to help create opportunities for enhanced access to the work.

THE BENEFACTOR CIRCLE

Benefactor Circle members have contributed more than $100,000 annually to support the arts and education work of the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and High Museum of Art. We are deeply grateful to these partners who lead our efforts to help create opportunities for enhanced access to the work.

$100,000+

1180 Peachtree

A Friend of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

ACT Foundation

Alston & Bird

Anonymous*

Atlantic Station

The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation

Cadence Bank

City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Cousins Foundation

Ann & Jeff Cramer*

Sheila Lee Davies & Jon Davies

Reade & Katie Fahs*

Barney M. Franklin & Hugh W. Burke

Charitable Fund

Fulton County Board of Commissioners

Georgia Council for the Arts

Georgia-Pacific

Estate of Burton M. Gold

Google

Graphic Packaging International, Inc.

John H. & Wilhelmina D. Harland

Charitable Foundation

Mr. & Mrs. Hilton H. Howell, Jr.

Jocelyn J. Hunter*

Jones Day Foundation & Employees

Kaiser Permanente

Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation

King & Spalding, Partners & Employees

The Sartain Lanier Family Foundation*

Charles Loridans Foundation, Inc.

Lululemon

The Marcus Foundation, Inc.

The Sara Giles Moore Foundation

National Endowment for the Arts

Amy W. Norman Charitable Foundation

Northside Hospital

Bob & Margaret Reiser*

Southern Company Gas

Carol & Ramon Tomé Family Fund

Warner Bros. Discovery

Kelly & Rod Westmoreland

Ann Marie & John B. White, Jr.

wish Foundation

*A portion or entirety designated to Capital and/or Endowment commitments

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

Mr. Faraz Ahmed

Mr. E. Scott Arnold

Dr. Evelyn R. Babey

Dr. Deloris Bryant-Booker

Mr. Lee Burson & Mr.

Dean Jordan

Mr. Brandon Bush

Karen & Harold Carney

David Cashman

Elizabeth Corrie

Mr. Lawrence R. Cowart*

Mr. Christopher Cox & Mr. Draco Bohannon

Gray & Marge Crouse

Mamie Dayan-Vogel & Steven Vogel

Nash Ditmetaroj

Malaika Dowdell

Mr. & Mrs. David Felfoldi

Eric & Leah Fisher

Brenda Fleming

Les Flynn

Christine & Andrew Fry

Emmanuel Glaze

Caroline Gold

Katie Goodman

Bryant Gresham & Alexander Bossert

Shauna Grovell

Ms. Jo Ann Haden-Miller & Mr. William Miller

Penn Hansa

Lindsey E. Hardegree

Ms. Linda L. Hare & Mr. Gerald Barth

Campbell & Leila Hastings

Dr. & Mrs. David M. Hill

Becca Hogue

Karen Jones

Kelley J. Jordan-Monné

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Kalista

Amy & Jeremy King

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Kraft

Andrea W. Lawrence

Ms. Lauren Linder & Mr. Jonathan Grunberg

Christian & JoJasmin Lopez

Ms. Alison Main

Ms. Jaime McQuilkin

Heather & Jim Michael

Lori & Jonathan Peterson

Ms. Kendrick Phillips

Marion Phillips

Marc & Jean Pickard

Dana & Jacqueline Powe

Brenda Pruitt

Barbara Schreiber

Tom Slovak & Jeffery Jones

Charles Thompson

Ms. Stephanie Van Parys & Mr. Robert A. Cleveland

Ben Warshaw

Caitlin Way

David & Amy Whitley

Mr. & Mrs. Napoleon A. Williams

JOIN US IN LIFTING SPIRITS!

Since 1968, our community of donors has been committed to empowering Atlanta through support of the arts. Gifts of every size help us fulfill our joyful mission of service.

scan to give today!

| matchinggifts&legacysociety 50

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 Emma Seif at emma.seif@alliancetheatre.org.

AIG Corporation

American Express

Aon Risk Solutions

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

AT&T

Bank of America/Merrill

BlackRock

Bryan Cave-Powell

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Chubb Charitable Foundation

The Coca-Cola Company

Deloitte

Equifax Inc. Foundation

John and Mary Franklin Foundation

GE Energy

LEGACY SOCIETY

Georgia Power

Goldman Sachs Matching Gift

Goldstein

Google

Hearst Foundations

Home Depot Foundation

Honda Motor Co.

IAC, Inc

IBM

JPMorgan Chase

Kimberly-Clark

Lynch

Macy’s Foundation

McDonald’s Corporation

McMaster-Carr Supply

Microsoft Corporation

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Principal Financial Group Foundation

Prudential Financial

Publix Super Markets

Salesforce.com, Inc.

Sprint

SunTrust Foundation

Thrivent Financial for Lutherns

Veritiv Corporation

Verizon Corporation

The Walt Disney Company

Wells Fargo Yahoo!

Celebrating our supporters who have made a legacy gift to the Alliance Theatre.

The Legacy Society celebrates individuals who have made a planned gift to the Alliance Theatre. Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for the Alliance Theatre and its mission, while accommodating your financial, estate planning and philanthropic goals. With smart planning, you may increase the size of your estate and/or reduce the tax burden on your heirs. Just as important, you will know that you have made a meaningful and lasting contribution to the Alliance Theatre.

To learn more about the Legacy Society, please contact Lindsay Ridgeway-Baierl at lindsay.ridgeway-baierl@alliancetheatre.org.

Anonymous

Rita M. Anderson

Roland & Linda Bates

Kathy* & Ken Bernhardt

Anne & Jim Breedlove

Ezra Cohen

Ann & Jeff Cramer

Susan & Edward Croft

Sallie Adams Daniel

Linda & Gene Davidson

Terry & Stacy Dietzler

Diane Durgin

Elizabeth Etoll

Ellen & Howard Feinsand

James Edward Gay*

Laura & John Hardman

Nancy & Glen Hesler

P.J. Younglove Hovey

David A. Howell*

Lauren & David Kiefer

David Kuniansky

Virginia Vann* & Ken Large

Edith Love*

Lauren & John McColskey

Anna & Hays Mershon

Caroline & Phil Moïse

Winifred & Richard Myrick

Victoria & Howard Palefsky

Armond & Sharon Perkins

Jam Pomerantz

Helen M. Regenstein*

Margaret & Robert Reiser

Betty Blondeau-Russell*

Tricia & Neal Schachtel

Debbie* & Charles Shelton III

Jane E. Shivers

Roger Smith & Christopher Jones*

Ron* & Kathy Tomajko

Lee Harper & Wayne Vason

Terri & Rick Western

Ramona & Ben White

* deceased

ARTISTIC

Jennings Hertz Artistic Directors Tinashe Kajese-Bolden, Christopher Moses

Producer & Casting Director

Casting Associate

Distinguished Artist in Residence

Associate Producer

BOLD Producing Associate

Spelman Leadership Fellows

Jody Feldman

Brant Adams

Pearl Cleage

Amanda Watkins

Kay Nilest

Assata Amankeechi, Jayla Dyas

Spelman Leadership Interns Shaelyn Mullins, Kerrington Griffin, Asili Johnson

Kenny Leon Intern

Cristo Rey Intern

Oglethorpe Intern

Reiser Lab Artists

Round 9

Director of Production

Morgan Yhap

Diana Morales Joaquin

Rachael Morris

Justen Ross aka Domino Juicy Balenciaga. N’yomi Stewart aka Omi Juicy Balenciaga, Jade Maia Lambert, Ipek Eginli, Sara Ghazi Asadollahi, Juana Farfán, Anterior Leverett, Damian Lockhart, Jasmine Waters

Production Management

Associate Directors of Production

Costume and Wardrobe Director

Costumes

Associate Costume Shop & Wardrobe Director

Design Assistant

Lawrence Bennett

Courtney O’Neill, Haylee Scott

Laury Conley

Melanie Green

Summer Barnes

Drapers Tonja Petersen, Cindy Lou Who

Crafts Master Diana L. Thomas

1st Hands/Stitchers

Wardrobe Supervisor

Wardrobe

Lyudmila Fesenko, Brett Parker, Margaret Tennant

Hauzia Conyers

Monica Speaker

Wig Master Lindsey Ewing

Director of Lighting & Projections

Electrics

Associate Director of Lighting & Projection

Rachael N. Blackwell

Steve Jordan

Staff Electricians Joy Diaz, Rochelle Riley, Neil Anderson

Props Department Director

Props Artisans

Props Artisan/Buyer

Technical Director

Associate Technical Directors

Shop Supervisor

Lead Welder

Carpenters

Charge Scenic Artist

Scenic Artist

Sound Director

Assistant Sound Director

Properties

Scenery

Suzanne Cooper Morris

Kathryn Andries, Bruce Butkovich

Kimberly Townsend

Kyle Longwell

Rigel Powell, Luke Robinson

Patrick Conley

Chris Seifert

Kevin Dyson, Parker Ossmann, Marlon Wilson

Kat Conley

Amanda Nerby

Sound

Clay Benning

Aaron Vockley

Sound Engineers Tamir Eplan-Frankel, Emma Mouledoux, Graham Schwartz

Stage Managers

Stage Management

Liz Campbell, Rodney Williams, Barbara Gantt O’Haley

National Vision Stage Management Fellow Mesa

Stage Management Production Assistants

Stage Operations

Stage Operations Manager

Assistant Stage Operations Manager

Flyman

Automation Stagehand

Samantha Honeycutt, LaMarr White, Jr

Scott Bowne

Kate Lucibella

Willie Palmer Parks

John Victor Mouledoux Jr.

EDUCATION

Dan Reardon Director of Education

Naserian Foundation Head of Early Childhood Programs

Head of Youth & Family Programs

Head of Secondary Curriculum & Partnerships

Education Accounting Assistant

Administrative & Adult Program Manager

Camp Administrative Manager

Head of Strategic Initiatives

Alliance@Work Creative Director

Alliance@work Sales Associate

Head of Elementary School Programs

Out of School Program Manager

Artist in Residence & Teen Program Manager

Resident Artist & Allyship Program Director

Head of Education Advancement

Education Production Coordinator Jay Williams

Teaching Artist Liaison Blake Fountain

BIPOC TVY Stage Management Fellow Autumn Stephens

Teaching Artists

Abigail Bowers, Abigail Kincheloe, Addison Peacock, Alexandria Walker, Allison Gardner, Andi Stanesic, Andrea Washington, Angel Fabian Rivera, Ann Marie Meeker, Anna McCarthy, Anna Oakley, April

Andrew Carswell, Aria Armstead, Audrey Myers, Autumn Stephens, Avery Sharpe, Barry Mann, Brad Raymond, Brandon L. Smith, Brantley Waller, Brie Wolfe, Brittani Minnieweather, Brittany Loffert, Caitlin Slotnick, Caleb Vaughn, Calyria Jyvonne Reynolds, Cara Mantella, Caroline Donica, Casey Navarro, Chanel Davis, Chase Anderson, Chelcy Cutwright, Chelsea Brown, Cece Campbell, Chloe Lomax, Christopher Nastasi, Clayton Landey, Coriana Raynor, Courtney Moors-Hornick, Da’Quan Cooney, Cody Benfield, Dan Triandiflou, Daniel Caffrey, Daniela Santiago, Danielle Montgomery, Davia Weatherill, David DeVries, David Kote, Deja Holmes, Dru Sky Berrian, E Haeberlin, Ebony Golden, Ebony Tucker, Elaina Walton, Ethan Davis, Eugene Russell, Gloria Martin, Hananya Allen, Hannah Chatham, Hannah Church, Harriet Bass, Hayden Weiss, Hollie Rivers, Imani Quinones, Isaac Breiding, Issa Solis, Ja’Siah Young, Jada Gorgor, James Patrick, James Williams, Javaron Conyers, Jeremiah Hobbs, Jessenia Ingram, Jetta Whitehurst, Jimez Alexander, John Doyle, Joseph Quintana, Josh Price, Julia Walters, Julie Woods Robinson, Julissa Sabino, Karen Aguirre, Kate Varner, Katherine Taylor, Katie Causey, Katie Wickline, Kierra Edwards, Kim Baran, Kira Rockwell, Kristian Martinez, Lamar Hardy, Lauren Alexandra, Laurin Dunleavy, Lee Osorio, Lilly Heidari, Lon Bumgarner, Lydia Rice, Maddy Roberts, Madeleine Noe, Madison Junod, Madison VandenOever, Marc Collins, Marcia Faith Harper, Marcia Harvey, Marielle Martinez, Marissa Kovach, Marquelle Young, Mary Claire Page, Mary Michael Patterson, Matt Baum, Matthew Caleb Brown, Maxwell H. Breaux, Maya Lawrence, Megan Cramer, Megan Wartell, Melissa “Mel” Ottaviano, Monteze Sutton, Morayo Otujo, Morgan Rysdon-Moulitsas, Myah Harper, Natalie Brown, Nicole Price, Nicolette Emanuelle, Patricia de la Garza, Patrick McColery, Phillia Prior, Rachel Da Silva, Razaria Denae Copeland, Riley Schatz, Rimothy Miracle Bennett, Robyn Sutton-Fernandez, Rodney Williams, Ryan Dinning, Sarah Mack Price, Sarah Oguntomilade, Sarah Wallis, Sariel Toribio, Shane Simmons, Shaniya Horton, Sharon Foote, Sierra Christensen, Stephen Ruffin, Tafee Patterson, Terence Lee, Theresa Davis, Tiffany Hobbs, Tramaine Jones, Tylia De’Armond, Vallea Woodbury, William Amato, Wynne Kelly, Zuri Petteway

Teen Ensemble Members

Lily Erera, Jordyn Nelson, Malachi S Chaney, Ella Grace Pavlovsky, Simon Link, Helena Skylark Denton, Haley Smith, Sam Yates, Cordelia O’Bradovich, Minnah Dunlap, Abigail May Watson, Ella Dameron, August Marks, Caleb Vaughn, Kennedy O’Neil, Anna Schwartz, Julianna Grace Pillsbury, Caroline Chu, Tomi Fawehinmi, Sophia Sánchez, Adler Horstemeyer, Ronnie McCoy, Morgan Stamper, Bailey Rodgers, Aria Armstead, Sage Mae

MANAGEMENT

Managing Director

Company Manager

Mike Schleifer

Laura Thruston

Assistant Company Manager Sara Cook

Administration & Finance

Director of Finance

IDEA Director

Controller & Head of Administration

Valerie Thomas

TeKeyia Amaru Rice

Elecia Crowley

Staff Accountant Jasmine Burton

Accounting Coordinator Julie Hall

Accounts Payable Lead

Associate Director, Data Operations & Strategy

Sharette Driver

Christina Dresser

Management Assistant Joseph Quintana

Development

Director of Development

Trent Anderson

Associate Director, Corporate Partnerships Natalie Adams

Manager, Board Relations & Special Events Kailan Daugherty

Associate Director, Strategic Institutional Advancement Collins Desselle

Coordinator, Development Operations & Institutional Giving

Tanesha Ferguson

Director of Individual Giving Edward McCreary

Manager, Individual Giving

Lindsay Ridgeway-Baierl

Manager of Annual Fund & Donor Relations Emma Seif

Marketing & Patron Services

Director of Marketing & Communications Kathleen Covington

Manager of Web & Digital Communications Anna Birtles

Marketing & Promotions Coordinator Ashley Elliott

Graphic Designer Felicity Massa

Marketing & Public Relations Manager Mashaun D. Simon

Christopher Moses

Hallie Angelella

Olivia Aston Bosworth

Liz Davis

Isabella Aguilar Irias

Robert Hindsman

Jayson T. Waddell

Aierelle Jacob

J. Noble

Sarah Prewitt

Rebecca Pogue

Robyn A. Rogers

Sam Provenzano

Maya Lawrence

Kristen Silton

Social Media Manager & Content Producer Aniska Tonge

Associate Director of Data & Ticketing

Danielle Hicks

Patron Services Manager Genesis Gates

Patron Services Coordinators Andi Stanesic, Maiya Moran

Patron Services Associates James McCune, Sydney Michelle, Zuri Petteway, Natalie Brown

Box Office Associate David Posada

Season Ticket Concierge Ken McNeil

Education Sales Coordinator Quintara Johnson

Group Sales & Student Matinee Manager Jocelyn Rick

Group Sales & Student Matinee Coordinator Chelsea Street

Lead Front of House Managers Lauren Alexandra, Robyn Sutton-Fernandez

House Managers

Barbara O’Haley, Brittany Mangham, Phillia Prior, Leah Thomas