Alone we can do so little; Alone wetogether can do so little; we can do so much. together we can do so much. – Helen Keller
– Helen Keller
The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation proudly supports the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati The Otto M. Budig Family as it explores of Foundation proudlythemes supports kindnessTheatre and reconciliation. the Ensemble Cincinnati as it explores themes of kindness and reconciliation.
D. Lynn Meyers, Producing Artistic Director
I SHALL NOT BE MOVED by ISAIAH REAVES Directed by TORIE WIGGINS*
April 19 – May 2, 2021 Director of Photography BECCA SCHALL
Stage Manager BRANDON T. HOLMES*
Production Manager MATTHEW HOLLSTEGGE
THE VIDEOTAPING OR MAKING OF ELECTRONIC OR OTHER AUDIO AND/OR VISUAL RECORDINGS OF THIS PRODUCTION IS A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT LAW AND AN ACTIONABLE FEDERAL OFFENSE.
I SHALL NOT BE MOVED has been commissioned by the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and was made possible with support from Jane and Chip Gerhardt. All rights are retained by Isaiah-Mikel Reaves and Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati.
*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. This theatre operates under an agreement between Actors’ Equity Association, Professional Actors, and Stage Managers in the United States. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.
SERIES SPONSOR
COMMISSION SPONSORS JANE & CHIP GERHARDT
| 3
2020–2021 SPONSORS
Photo by Ryan Kurtz
SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR
SEASON FUNDER
OPERATING SUPPORT
FAIRY GODMOTHER SPONSORS
SEASON SUPPORT Susan Friedlander Mitchell S. and Jacqueline P. Meyers Foundation The Shubert Foundation
IN-KIND SUPPORT Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, Interpreter Training Program College Hill Coffee Co. & Casual Gourmet LPK OMS Photography Suder’s Art Store
4 | 2020–2021 sponsors
SEASON TICKET SPONSOR
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SPONSOR
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION SUPPORT Anonymous (2) William P. Anderson Foundation The Charles H. Dater Foundation Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation In Honor of Marilyn F. Hill Betty Huck Mr. & Mrs. David E. Moccia The Daniel & Susan Pfau Foundation Nellie Leaman Taft Foundation The Dennis B. & Patricia L. Worthen Fund
the arts are the highest form of expression. PNC is proud to be a part of Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Because we believe in and support everything the arts can accomplish.
sponsors | 5 ©2018 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank,2020–2021 National Association. Member FDIC
CAST LIST CAST Betty......................................................................................................................SAMANTHA RUSSELL*
*Member belongs to Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers. Understudies never substitute for listed players unless a specific announcement is made at the time of the performance.
Full Service Curb Appeal
Custom Built Boxes · Seasonal Plantings · Self-Watering Irrigation
www.wowwindowboxes.com 513-402-2137
6 | cast list
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ABOUT US OUR MISSION Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) is a professional theatre dedicated to producing world and regional premieres of works that often explore compelling social issues. We fulfill our mission through our stage productions and educational outreach programs that enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire our audiences. OUR HISTORY From its founding in 1986, ETC has focused on providing an artistic home for local theatre professionals, including serving as a training ground for young artists. Each season, ETC produces a lineup devoted to the newest in contemporary theatre that attracts a diverse audience of 30,000 to more than 220 performances. Our work also includes education and engagement programs centered on introducing the performing arts to students from under-resourced schools and children with disabilities. Combined, our productions and educational programs strive to fulfill ETC’s vision of creating an urban arts district that is accessible to all.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BOARD OFFICERS Charles H. Gerhardt, III, Chair Kathy DeLaura, President Jeffrey Schloemer, Vice President Mary Stagaman, Vice President Dennis Geiger, Treasurer Darryl A. Peal, Secretary DIRECTORS Holly Brians Ragusa Otto M. Budig, Jr. Kathy Burklow Tom Carothers Sue Friedlander Stephen M. King Shekhar Mitra Nilesh Patel Richard L. Postler Leah Quortrup Jackie Reau Mike Schueler Paul G. Sittenfeld Meggan Thompson DIRECTORS EMERITI Skip Hickenlooper Edward G. Marks FOUNDERS' CIRCLE Ruth D. & John Sawyer Ken & Mary "Murph" Mahler Dr. Charles O. Carothers Mitchell S. Meyers
This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
(513) 421–3555 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 www.ensemblecincinnati.org
Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau.
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre.
@ENSEMBLECINCY
Photo by Ross Van Pelt
ABOUT ETC
OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
D. Lynn Meyers, The Ruth Dennis Sawyer/Mary Taft Mahler Producing Artistic Director
Jocelyn Meyer, Director of Marketing & Communications Amy J. Barbian, Marketing Manager Kay E. Moore, Content Marketing Coordinator Becca Schall, Videographer
FINANCE Michael R. Zimmer, CPA CGMA, Director of Fiscal Operations
ARTISTIC Brian c. Mehring, Resident Set & Lighting Designer Shannon Rae Lutz, Properties Master, Design Assistant, & Director of Apprentice Programming
DEVELOPMENT Josh Neumeyer, Finance & Grants Manager
OPERATIONS Jared D. Doren, Programming & Events Manager Nick Ligon, Head of Security
PATRON SERVICES Amy Weinstock, Box Office Manager
PRODUCTION Matthew Hollstegge, Production Manager Jack Murphy, Technical Director Chris Holloway, Assistant Technical Director
EDUCATION, ENGAGEMENT, & INCLUSION
Stormie Brennan, Costume Supervisor
Lauren Carr, Director of Education, Engagement, & Inclusion
Rae Kuhn, Scenic Charge Artist & Production Assistant
Victoria Hawley, Education Associate & Resident Teaching Artist Becca Howell, Education Associate
DIRECTOR'S NOTES One of the questions I always find myself asking when embarking on a theatrical endeavor is, “Who gets to tell whose stories?” There is plenty of documentation on the Civil Rights Movement—filmed footage, interviews, and well-crafted documentaries and movies. But Mrs. Betty Daniels Rosemond’s story was deeply personal. Every piece of Isaiah's beautifully woven story made me not only feel like I was there, but that it could have been me. It can be me today. In our current climate, we are not as far removed from fighting for our rights as I imagined we would be in 2021. This story gives me hope…it is encouraging. It is uplifting. But it is also empowering. I hope that you enjoy Samantha’s beautiful portrayal of Mrs. Rosemond, but it is also my hope that it leaves you encouraged. Hopeful. And most importantly, empowered to be as courageous as she was. Let her story inspire to you ground yourself in the movement…so that we, indeed, shall not be moved.
-Torie Wiggins
10 | director's notes
BIOS SAMANTHA RUSSELL (Betty) is excited to return to Ensemble Theatre, where she was last seen in The Dancing Princesses as Gidela. Samantha was a member of the 2016-2017 Professional Acting Apprenticeship Program at ETC, where she was seen in Cinderella: After Ever After as Socrates and ANTIGONE (born against.) as Antigone. Some of her other favorite theatre credits include Coretta Scott King and the Fight for Freedom, Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati; The Color Purple, Cincinnati Black Theatre Company; and Marian: Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Samantha holds a Master’s in Acting from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, where she currently resides. She is also a proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati where she received a Bachelor’s in Sociology, Bachelor’s in Marketing, and Associate’s degree in Business. Samantha is the Co-founder of Last Looks Beauty, an organization that addresses the need to hire hair stylists that are skilled in correct hair care practices for Black/Ethnic talent on film and television production sets. Last Looks is multinational, operating in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the United States. Samantha is thankful to those who fought so diligently in the civil rights movement. It is because of them, we can. www.samanthaerussell.com
ISAIAH REAVES (Playwright) is an emerging young playwright whose work explores a spectrum of Black and Queer experiences. A native of Cincinnati, he graduated cum laude from Northern Kentucky University in 2020. His plays have been staged and read by The Classical Theatre of Harlem at Lincoln Center, Vintage Soul Productions of Connecticut, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, and many others. Isaiah is a semi-finalist for the Ucross and The Blank Theatre Future of Playwriting Prize, a 2020 finalist of the Jackie Demaline Regional Collegiate Playwriting Competition, an Iowa Arts Fellow, and a recipient of Cincinnati CityBeat Critic’s Pick. He is currently in pursuit of an MFA at the historic University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop.
Bios | 11
ENSEMBLECINCINNATI.ORG | 513.421.3555
Junior Summer Camp
July 12-24, 2021 | Ages 7–15
Technical Theatre Intensive July 12-16, 2021 | Ages 13–18
High School Intensive
July 26-30, 2021 | Ages 13–18
ETC SUMMEr camps 2021
BIOS TORIE WIGGINS (Director) is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music with a BFA in Dramatic Performance, and has been performing professionally for over 15 years. She has co-adapted and performed a one woman show, Your Negro Tour Guide, at various venues across the country. Her film work includes A Christmas Melody, starring and directed by Mariah Carey; The Old Man and the Gun with Robert Redford and Danny Glover, and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile starring Zac Efron. Some of her Cincinnati credits include Collapse, Afghan Women Writer’s Project, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Pluto, and Harry and the Thief, Know Theatre of Cincinnati; The Mountaintop, Cinderella, Violet, and His Eye is on the Sparrow, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati; Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith, Diogenes Theatre Company; Mame, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and Crowns, Human Race Theatre Company; and Oliver Twist, A Raisin in the Sun, and Fences, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. She appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird with both Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Her directing credits include We Are Proud to Present… and Good Kids at Miami University Department of Theatre, Dreamgirls and Proof at The Carnegie, and Blues for an Alabama Sky at Falcon Theatre.
BRANDON T. HOLMES (Stage Manager) is excited to work with Ensemble Theatre again after serving as Production Stage Manager for eight seasons and stage managing over 40 productions, where some of his favorite credits include Fun Home, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Tribes, Grounded, Violet, and Hands on a Hardbody. Past credits Newsies, Legally Blonde and West Side Story, Lexington Theatre Company; Hello, Dolly!, The Drowsy Chaperone and Side by Side by Sondheim, LOOK Musical Theatre; and more than 20 productions with Music Theatre Wichita including Sunset Boulevard, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Miss Saigon, and Les Misérables, as well as productions with Playhouse in the Park including Thunder Knocking on the Door, Merrily We Roll Along, and A Christmas Carol. He has also managed workshops with Cleveland Play House and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Brandon lives in Cincinnati with his fiancé, AJ, and two dogs, Toby and Ollie. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Bios | 13
Impacting our community through art.
The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation is committed to making our community a better place to live. Through our dedication to the advancement of art programs and organizations we seek to enrich the quality of life for everyone in our community. That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s productions.of “Pipeline.” The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation was created to enhance the quality of life in Greater Cincinnati concentrating our efforts in support of community development, arts and culture, education, and human services. Our work is designed to have the largest possible impact as we help lead the way to sustaining a vibrant community.
hailefoundation.org haileusb.org
@OHIOARTSCOUNCIL | #ARTSOHIO | OAC.OHIO.GOV
State and federal dollars through the Ohio Arts Council supported your arts experience today.
WHERE WILL THE ARTS TAKE YOU NEXT ? VISIT ARTSINOHIO.COM
WAYS TO GIVE From playwrights to apprentices, and every role in between, your tax-deductible gift to ETC enables us to enlighten, enliven, enrich, and inspire audiences as well as create a thriving urban arts community accessible to all through our world and regional premiere productions and award-winning Education, Engagement, and Inclusion programs. Become a member of our Ensemble today!
DONATE ONLINE
To make your gift online, visit www.ensemblecincinnati.org/ support/donations.
DONATE WITH STOCK
For instructions on stock transfers, email development@ensemblecincinnati.org.
DONATE BY PHONE
DONATE BY MAIL
Send a check made out to Ensemble Theatre with "donation" in the memo line to: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Attn: Development 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Please call (513) 421–3555 and select option 4 to speak with Josh.
BECOME AN ENSEMBLE SUSTAINING DONOR Join an essential group of donors who contribute on a recurring basis throughout the year, providing a steady and predictable stream of income to support programming and operations. Most choose monthly amounts charged to a credit card, but options can be customized to meet your giving goals and needs. Email development@ensemblecincinnati.org to become a Sustaining Donor today.
GIVE WHILE YOU SHOP As you prepare for the summer (and all year round!), designate ETC as your nonprofit beneficiary through the Kroger Community Rewards and AmazonSmile programs. It's easy: you shop, Kroger and Amazon donate a portion of your purchase amount directly to ETC, that's it!
Register your Kroger Plus Card at www.kroger.com and select ETC–organization BM374.
Visit smile.amazon.com/ch/31-1220252 and use your normal Amazon login each time you shop.
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