WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST AND CREW

ALEX LEROUX is a junior at Vanderbilt University majoring in Psychology and Medicine, Health, and Society with a minor in theatre. This is his first show in VUT. He’s very excited and blessed to be a part of such an amazing process and to work with such an incredible cast. Alex has been involved with Vanderbilt Off Broadway productions over the past two years, including Dogfight, Spelling Bee, Carrie, and 9 to 5. He would like to thank his friends, family, the cast and crew, Mr. Chuck Smith and Ms. Fentress for supporting him throughout this process!

ASANTE BATES is a sophomore from Los Angeles, CA, at Fisk University majoring in Political Science. Prior to coming to Fisk, Asante has been acting both on stage and behind the camera for many years. This will be her second time stage managing for Fisk Stagecrafters and first time with another school. She has acted in Fisk’s productions of Pipeline, God’s Trombones, and Dreams and Nightmares. She directed Stagecrafters student led production of This is Real. Asante is beyond honored to work with the renowned Chuck Smith and her manager in crime Esther Osunlana on this collaboration project.

CARRIE FORD is a freshman at Fisk University. She was born in Clarksville, Indiana, but grew up moving around quite a lot. Nashville has been her longest stay though as she has lived here for almost seven years now. This will be her first production in college and is very excited because of her love for creative arts. After college, Carrie plans to pursue her dream of having a creative arts business. In this, Carrie wants to share stories that have yet to be heard, especially in the Black community, in creative writing, create and direct film, and much more.

CAMRYN SYMONE JOHNSON is a senior elected studies major from Marietta, GA. She plans to obtain a Master of Fine Arts degree with aspirations of becoming an established actress and director

CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ

ROSALES is a junior studying Neuroscience and Data Science. He is originally from Washington D.C. and is overjoyed to participate in such a production. It is an honor to be a part of such an amazing team and to be able to have grown into this family you see in front of you. He has participated in previous productions such as Blues for an Alabama Sky and Unfinished Women. He sincerely hopes you enjoy tonight’s production. He would also like to acknowledge the genius and attention to detail of the director and any and all people involved in such an amazing production. This would not be possible without everyone’s involvement. Thank you!

ESTHER OSUNLANA was born in Nigeria, but was raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. She is majoring in Cinema and Media Arts with a minor in Theatre. She is incredibly honored to be stage managing SWEAT alongside Asante Bates.

This is her first official stage-managing gig, and hopefully not her last! Her acting credits include Lovelaces as Olivia, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot as Pontius Pilate, Unfinished Women Cry in No

Man’s Land While a Bird Dies in A Gilded Cage as Consuelo. She has had the opportunity to serve as assistant stage manager for Blues for An Alabama Sky and Antigone. Esther would like to thank her family for supporting her life in the theatre, her professors for their tutelage, and theatergoers for keeping our space warm.

JEFFREY CASEY is a proud native of Nashville, TN. He is a recent graduate of Fisk University, and a former member of the Grammy award-winning Fisk Jubilee Singers. Jeffrey has recently been seen in God’s Trombones (Fisk) and Twelfth Night (Nashville Shakespeare Festival).

LILY GUSSIS (TRACEY) is a senior from Chicago, IL, double majoring in special education and theatre. She has been seen on stage previously in Vanderbilt University Theatre’s productions of Bowling for Beginners (Holly DeStefano) and Antigone (Battle Warrior), Vanderbilt Off-Broadway’s productions of 9 to 5: The Musical (Roz), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive), Dogfight (Librarian/Mama/Suzette), and Firebringer (Emberly) and Iceberg Theatre’s production of Walking Each Other Home (Brenda). Off stage, Lily served as the stage manager for Vanderbilt Off-Broadway’s production of Carrie: The Musical and has been a part of production crew for several Vanderbilt University Theatre productions. Lily is currently serving as the president of Vanderbilt University Theatre. Lily would like to thank the entire cast, crew, and creative team behind Sweat for allowing her the opportunity to be a part of this incredible production. She could not think of any better way to close out her college theatre career. Enjoy the show!

PAIGE GIVENS is a freshman at Vanderbilt double majoring in Human and Organizational Development and Mathematics. She is from Appleton, Wisconsin and is thrilled to be involved in theatre. She has previously been involved with productions at Vanderbilt including Antigone (Ismene), Unfinished Women Cry in No Man’s Land While a Bird Dies in a Gilded Cage (Assistant Stage Manager), and No Further (Jamie). She would like to thank her mom for supporting her and running lines with her over the phone.

SEAN WEBB is a senior at Fisk University. Sean has participated in theatre for most of his life. Though he is majoring in business administration, he plans on using the skills he has learned in college to manage his own creative career. Sean has participated in shows such as: The Colored Museum, A Raisin in the Sun, The Wiz, West Side Story, and more.

WILL HENKE (JASON) is a senior studying Theatre and HOD from Franklin, TN. He is honored to be a part of this theatrical love child of Vanderbilt and Fisk. His past roles include Franklin Hart (9 to 5), The Proprietor (Assassins), Tommy, (Carrie), Leaf (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Boland (Dogfight), Judge Littlefield (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), and Rapunzel’s Prince (Into the Woods). He also wrote Wingman Telegram, to the chagrin of the Vanderbilt Theatre department and surrounding Nashville community. He would like to thank his parents for their love and support, his brother Sam for putting his acting career on hold for college football and letting Will shine, and his high school director, Ms. T, for giving him his big break as Horse #3 in Cinderella.

Nantambu-Akil Fentress is an author and graduate of Meharry Medical College. He played football for the University of Miami, Florida, from 2011-2014, and graduated from the University of Miami in 2015 with a degree in Biology, with minors in Chemistry and Spanish.

CHUCK SMITH (Director), a member of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees and Goodman Theatre’s Resident Director, is also a Resident Director at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) in Sarasota, Florida.

A strong supporter of the Fisk Stage Crafters, co-directing The Meeting and The Interview, Mr. Smith was production assistant on Knock Me A Kiss and donated the current lighting system in the Little Theater. Other credits include Jitney and Gem of the Ocean for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival and The Meeting for the Kennie Playhouse Theatre.

His Goodman Theatre credits include the world premieres of By the Music of the Spheres, The Gift Horse, and Objects in the Mirror; the Chicago premieres of Pullman Porter Blues, Race, Having Our Say, The Good Negro, Proof, The Story, and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark. Mr. Smith directed James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner, which transferred to

Boston’s Huntington Theatre Company, where it won the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Award for Best Direction; A Raisin in the Sun, Blues for an Alabama Sky; August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean, Two Trains Running and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Ain’t Misbehavin, the 1993–1995 productions of A Christmas Carol, Crumbs From the Table of Joy, Vivisections from a Blown Mind, and The Meeting

Mr. Smith served as dramaturg for the Goodman’s 2003 world-premiere production of August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. His WBTT credits include Knock Me A Kiss, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Piano Lesson, The Mountaintop, The Amen Corner, and Flyin’ West. In Chicago, he is an associate member of the American Blues Theater Company, and he directed the New York premiere of Knock Me a Kiss, receiving ADELCO awards for production and direction, and The Hooch for the New Federal Theatre.