She’Baltimore
Written & Directed by Ira-Sharay Kip Produced by Nicol Moeller
CAST Listed Alphabetically
Taisha Cameron Darnell Davis Nicole McManus Sherry Richardson Heather Smith Sarah Ellen Stephens
Linay Coach Russel Gabi Narrator Nurse Philips Ebone
PRESENTED BY The Load of Fun Theater (LOF/t Theater), The Pancake Gallery, Driver’s Seat Entertainment & Sybarite Productions PRODUCTION STAFF Terita Russell Cye Wong Loi Sing Andrew Peters
Assistant Director Graphics Designer Program Designer
The Producers would like to give special thanks to: Sherwin Michael Mark and the Load of Fun Theater for their collaboration and support, Jet Blue Airlines, House of Ruth Maryland, Sherri Barber, Dinna Alexanyan, Ken Rochon and The Umbrella Syndicate, Andrew Peters and Glass Mind Theatre, Mariaelena Jorge, Andrew Peters, Delegate Mary Washington, Councilman William Pete Welch and Jovan, Jodi KelberKaye, Carita Ellis-Espola, as well as Amy Sherald!!! Carlos Brown, Aaron Greene, Christina Madry, Catrell Thomas, Letta Moore, Fiona Buggs, Roxie Johnson, Sean Armstrong, Curtis Taylor, Bobby Kozak, Fleesie Hubbard, Cathy Byrd, Lynnee Denise, April Eckfeld, Jason Tottenham, Eden Maryshow, John Gould Rubin, Arthur Kibbelaar, Renwick Heronimo, Mr. Boris Dittrich, Peter Moeller, Paul Harris, Ca’Vette Buford, Jeremy Givens, Daniel Gallant, Andre Robinson, Querin Brown, Dana LaRocca, Andrea Appleton, Mary Moise, Kristine Olaes, Lisa Morgan, Maggie Beetz, Gary Wolnitzek, Janet Davis-Leak, Kate Frawley, Wendy&Twani, Kate Bishop, Joyce Scott, Lamont Bryant, Kalima Young, Niels van Doorn, Elizabeth Fransico, Renata Parkinson, Danny Castro, Gail Williams-Glasser, Cheryl Caldwell, HHTF, Lemon Andersen, Darlene Nipper, Bakari Jones, SGI. Kevin Pemberton Special thanks to: Mama, Papa, Tiffany, Ayra & Michael, Tamara Bahia, Farida Simpson, Cye Wong Loi Sing, Maikal X, Matthew & Mariah Phillips, Oom Toon, and Megan Ketterman. Oh yea… and Baltimore! In loving memory of Christie Ortiz and Kibibi Dillon
Director’s Note Instead of writing my bio, I actually want to use this opportunity to thank every single person that has supported this project. From the Facebookers, to the Kickstarters, to the random emails from all over the world with people expressing their personal stories on domestic violence. Every single person I met in Baltimore that has inspired the writing, I am humbled by all of you. Nicol Moeller, you are strong! And the passion you have shown for this project will never be forgotten, thank you! To my cast & Russell!!! You guys are amazing. I have enjoined working with each one of you. Thank you for your patients, your time and thank you for sharing your talents. I appreciate every single one of you. Sherwin, thank you for taking this on. I will never forget. My Amsterdam family, my Aruba family, my New York family, my London family and my Surinam family, thank you. When I left Amsterdam 6 years ago, I left a theater program that only had 4 women of color. I was one of them. The other 3, Aisa Winter, Fifame Awunou and Samora Bergtop. I promised myself that whenever I do a show I make sure to mention these 3 women because part of what I do, I do for them and with them. They have inspired me in ways they probably don’t even know, but without them there wouldn’t be me striving to get our work out there, especially on an international level. So ladies thank you! Amy Sherald I love you! Lynnee Denise, we’ve come full circle..that shit cray! Mariah and Matthew you I will love you forever. My Baltimore family, you guys are the loves of my life. For a young girl from Amsterdam that left her country with 2 suitcases and a plan, you have giving me the most important thing in life which is family. Thank you for the convo’s, the stay-overs, the travels together, the concerts, the cook-outs, the disagreements, the agreements, the music, the dancing and the love. I will never forget. To all the lovers, ex-lovers, potential lovers, I love you all. Uncle Michael you are with me always. Without Ayra there is no Ira and without mama and papa there would not be Tiffany and Michael. Thank you to my family. All that I do is for you. The pancake gallery is in full affect son!!! Love and light,
Ira-Sharay Kip
Bios Nicol Moeller
Producer
Nicol Moeller is an award winning actress, performer, and producer who grew up on New Jersey musical theater stages, until later moving to NYC. She studied acting at the William Esper Studio under the tutelage of William Esper, in the Professional Meisner Program. Nicol has appeared on David Letterman, as well as many other televised specials including, ESPN’s New Year’s Special with Little Steven of The Sopranos. She has performed and toured with Cyndi Lauper, Nancy Sinatra, The Troggs, The NY Dolls, The Romantics and Iggy Pop, among others. In film, Ms. Moeller has produced award-winning films such as Torn and HOT DAMN! and is now in preparation for production on an upcoming film later this year. Though she is best known for her role as Tytania in The Donkey Show on the NYC offBroadway circuit, she has also performed with The Labyrinth Theater Company where she met Ira Kip in February of 2011. Nicol is dedicated to art in all its forms and uses her experience to produce meaningful work, which examines and celebrates the human experience. She is especially dedicated to projects inspired by people without a voice, and seeks truth through her contemporaries and the lives they lead. As a result of her experience, Nicol founded Driver’s Seat Entertainment in 2010, to creatively assist underground artists in becoming the catalyst of their own careers and thereby creating opportunities to share in their art’s fruition. She’Baltimore is a story Nicol is passionate about seeing touch the lives of people around the globe. She dedicates her involvement to Christie Ortiz who is loved and missed every day. She wishes to thank Ira Kip for the opportunity, for inspiring people with her words and actions and for never taking “NO” for an answer!
Darnell L. Davis (Coach Russel) Darnell began his career on the stage of his elementary school, in plays like Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas, in the lead role as Elvis Presley! Darnell found his passion. But as soon as Darnell discovered that passion, a family tragedy changed his direction. Darnell’s mother suffered in a 10-year abusive relationship with Darnell’s father. That relationship ended when Darnell’s father killed his mother when Darnell was just ten years old. After years of healing, Darnell’s family turned their attention to the prevention of violence and Darnell’s Aunt founded Peace and Love; an organization with the mission of building social awareness around the consequences of violent choices. Years later, Darnell relocated from New York to Los Angeles and performed in venues such as The Laugh Factory, The Comedy Store, Ha Ha Cafe and other comedy theaters around LA. He began writing his comedic tales into scripts and what started off as a hobby developed into a brewing passion. Darnell left the United States and began penning his memoir Dream Awake. He moved to Australia, then Holland and Turkey to reflect and pen his autobiography and now, he’s recently returned to the stage to reunite with second passion; ACTING. http://weneedpeaceandlove.org/ http://www.publishizer.com/dream-awake/2010/7/29/learning-how-to-dream.html
Heather Smith
(Nurse Philips)
Heather Smith, the middle of three children, was born and raised in Baltimore, after her parents, both native New Yorkers, moved to MD. She graduated from Western High School and went on to attend Culinary School where she received the training needed to run her successful Private Chef business. Heather lives in Bolton Hill and teaches a food and nutrition class at a Montessori elementary school in Baltimore. Heather has always enjoyed and supported the arts. This performance will hopefully be the first in a long list of credits to come.... Heather would like to thank her family and friends for their support and love.
Nicole McManus
(Gabi)
Nicole McManus is a native of the DMV area working as a journalist with NBC News for over 13 years. Nicole grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland attending John F. Kennedy High School and graduated from Howard University in Washington D.C. with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She worked her way up through the ranks at NBC starting as a Production Assistant with WRC-TV/NBC 4 in 1998, then moved up to the Assignment Editor Position and eventually Satellite Coordinator. Nicole is now a producer with NBC News Channel, the affiliate services division of NBC News based on Capitol Hill. She’s covered huge news stories such as the Sniper Trial, Hurricane Katrina, Iraqi Elections, and President Barack Obama’s Inauguration. Nicole loves working in News Production but the creative bug kept biting so she tried her hand with theater and loves it! She’Baltimore is Nicole’s 2nd play. Her first role was that of Dylan, one of the main characters in “The Airport Piece” by Rahima Marsh, performed last October in UDC’s 4.0 lounge. Nicole is looking forward to learning more of the acting craft and expanding her creative outlets!! Be kind, this is her stagedebut!! Nicole would like to thank everyone that came out to support today, especially if you’re not family. It means the world to her!
Sarah Ellen Stevens
(Ebone)
This is Sarah Ellen Stevens ‘LOF/t’ debut! She is both humbled and thrilled to be a part of this production. Sarah’s OFF BROADWAY credits include: The Rover (New York Classical Theatre), OFF OFF BROADWAY: Classic Kitchen Timer (dir. Adam Rapp, The Flea Theater), Girls in Trouble (The Flea), Ambrosia (The Reds Room), REGINAL: Doubt, A Parable (Human Race Theatre), TV/FILM: The Come Up (Pilot), Wifed Out (Laundry Service Media). She would like to thank her mother and grandmother for all their love and support. She wishes to thank the cast and crew of She’Baltimore as well as her family for their undying support.
Sherry Richardson
(Narrator)
Sherry Richardson is making her professional theatrical debut in She’Baltimore. Sherry is a long time resident of both Baltimore and DC. She has presented at several scientific conferences during her academic career but performing in She’Baltimore is the most exciting of those experiences, by far. Sherry has made a solid commitment to entertain and educate through her professional performances and wishes to make a difference through performing and following her passions in life. She wishes to thank the cast and crew of She’Baltimore as well as her family for their undying support.
Taisha Cameron (Linay) Taisha Cameron, a NY native moved to Severna Park, MD with her family in high school. After graduation she went on to study Theatre and Dance at the University of Maryland College Park. She was fortunate to be cast in the Kennedy Center National Tour of Alice. In May 2011, she completed her Masterof Fine Arts degree in Acting from The New School for Drama. A fewmonths after completing her degree she completed the Labyrinth Theater Company Ensemble Workshop. She’s extremely excited to be back, performing in Maryland! An exciting side note, this summer she’ll return toBaltimore to be married and begin the next part of her journey in life. Her credits include: NY Theatre: The Cradle Will Rock (Moll), Theatre 80; Empire of the Trees (Asoka Spirit), June Havoc Theater. The New School for Drama: Medea(Messenger/Chorus Leader); Caucasian Chalk Circle (Girl Tractorist); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ensemble). Regional Theatre: Lost & Foundling (Pryce), Imagination Stage (MD); Alice (Alice), Kennedy Center National Tour; Macbeth (Third Witch), Rude Mechanicals (MD); Friendship Betrayed (Lucia), Warehouse Theater (DC). Film: Women’s Studies (Amy), Ningen Manga Productions.
KICKSTARTER SUPPORTERS INCLUDE: Lemon Andersen, Peter Moeller, Lolan Sevilla, Kofi, Janine Bell, Darnell Davis, Dyana Williams, Wim Selles, April Eckfeld, Aizzah Fatima, Taisha Cameron, Izzy Andrea Anthony, Lammert de Jong, Barbara Schneider, Ari Myrtaj , Mekeva McNeil, Sarah Ellen Stephens, Angela Carter, Ian Barnes, Sunshowah, Deepthi Welaratna, Eric Vosmeier, Thembi Duncan, Sean Armstrong, Paulo Gregory Harris, Michal, Roxie Johnson, Siomara, Michelina Jornov, rosa clemente, Zdravko Cimbaljevic, Keltoum Mazid, Barbara Hurt, Patricia Spalding, Amy Jackson, Laverne Richardson, Emily Simoness, Kersti, Danny Castro, Roy Brown, Millie Vasquez, lenne koning, Andrew van den Houten, Aaron Greene , Joshua Steele, Alison Vodnoy Wolf, Richard Hess, Walla Elsheikh, Ayra Kip, Sheila Blakney, Pat Moeller, Alaric Campbell, Terri Girvin. Boyuan Gao, zanillya, Ang Hadwin, LaShonda M. Allen, Carita Ellis-Espola, Roy Anthony Kip, Alexander Wolff, Michelle Ketterman, Fifame Awunou, Jesse Graham, Jenny White, Fiona Buggs, Jessica Bennett, Michael Miller, Jimmy Brigman & Daniel Pieper, AraBella, Jennifer Kelley, Danielle Giordano, Valeska Populoh, Melissa Moore, Chantal Wong Chung, daniela lewy, Mimi Gonzalez, Carlos Brown, Amy Sherald, Dena D’Andrea, Rebecca, Polly Heninger, Nicole McManus, Rachida, Doreen West, Matthew Cretaro, Tammy Ruggeri. Lori Guenther, Catrell Thomas, Steven Schera, Nikki Carrera, Carla Silva, Patricia Bush-McManus, Roy James & Lydia Kip, Keisha McToy, Shaquena Green Thank you to all of the people who supported us on Facebook including: Najmah Fauntleroy, Carmen Malone, Carrie Kholi, Zuri Pryor-Graves, Jendayi Lynn, Sina Folawiyo, Jay Jamorr Morrow, Carita Colding, Wendy Fox, Tajir Hawkins, Kaye Love, Noreen Smith, Kyra Andre, Paul Chinnery, Rachael Epstein, Marshelle Lee, Terra Hiltner, Cooper Joseph, Lakendra Somervillem L.E Carter, Tyane Washington, Lashawn Jackson, Li Monet, She Productions, Firefly Productions, ONYX Entertainment, Shanna Marshall, Elements Org