in Association with PRESENTS YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE! YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN written by Trevor Rhone directed by Clinton Turner Davis FEBRUARY 27 – APRIL 5 2020 CASTILLO THEATRE 543 WEST 42ND ST CELEBRATING CELEBRATING NEW YORK NEW YORK 10036 Celebrating Years of Excellence in Theatre! Woodie King, Jr. Patricia White Thoughts on TWO CAN PLAY Producing Director Executive Director by Michael Manley in Association with Dan Friedman Diane Stiles The theme of domination is woven through all history and Artistic Director Managing Director/Director of Production across all continents. Always, it is the use of force that establishes the peculiar relationship - the subjugation of PRESENTS people and peoples by other, more powerful groups. And always, whether it be soon or late, the dominated rise up to claim their freedom. In Two Can Play, Trevor Rhone presents this universal theme of domination and struggle in a decidedly human form. Jim, the husband, expects to be served hand and foot by his wife. Meanwhile, he is ignorant of her needs and expectations - he cannot bring Gloria to orgasm, because no one thought to tell him how (or even that he needed to know). As such, Jim written by Trevor Rhone represents a prototype: His counterparts may be found in Birmingham, Alabama and in London, England no less than directed by Clinton Turner Davis in Kingston, Jamaica. starring Yet it is a credit to Trevor Rhone’s talent that, in his hands, Michael Rogers* Joyce Sylvester* Gloria and Jim remain absolutely Jamaican - absolutely down- stage manager Bayo* assistant stage manager Rosita Timm* town Kingston - while their problem achieves its universality. set design by Chris Cumberbatch costume design by Kathy Roberson The play measures the dialectical interaction between them, technical direction by Anthony Davidson/Crystal Horizon, llc lighting design by Antoinette Tynes sound design by Bill Toles a process necessarily triggered by the woman’s journey of *The Actors and Stage Managers are members of Actors’ Equity Association self-discovery. Trevor Rhone’s triumph lies in the fact that he makes credible FEBRUARY 27 – APRIL 5 2020 an ending filled with the promise of a new possibility - a THURS - SAT 7:30pm SUN 2:30pm possibility that transcends the limitations of their house, the CASTILLO THEATRE 543 W. 42ND ST NEW YORK, NY 10036 disappointments of America, the frustrations of Jamaica, www.NEWFEDERALTHEATRE.com [email protected] Tel 212.353.1176 and the failures of their own shared past. www.CASTILLO.org Tel 212.941.5800 BOX OFFICE: 212-941-1234 —Michael Manley FIND US ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA SITE Major funding for TWO CAN PLAY is provided in part by New York City Council Committee, James Van Bramer, Chairman; Ford Foundation; Louis & Anne Abrons Foundation;FIND ChadwickUS ON YOUR Boseman; FAVORITE SOCIALShubert MEDIA Foundation; SITE Normandie Foundation; The Estate of Robert Joel Schwartz; New York State Council on the Arts/A State Agency; and contributions from other corporations, foundations and individuals. CAST WHO’S WHO TREVOR DAVE RHONE (Playwright) CLINTON TURNER DAVIS (Director) was a Jamaican writer, playwright has directed productions Off-Broad- and film maker. He co-wrote, way, and at regional theatres, colleges with director Perry Henzell, the and universities. A noted interpret- internationally successful film “The er of August Wilson’s “20th Century Harder They Come” (1972). Trevor Cycle of Plays,” his productions have Rhone, was the last child of twenty- received multiple AUDELCO awards, three, grew up in a tiny town of regional commendations, and a spe- Bellas Gate in Jamaica. After seeing cial citation from the US Senate. A his first play at the age of nine he recipient of the Lloyd Richards Direct- Michael Rogers Joyce Sylvester fell in love with theatre. Educated ing Award from the National Black at Beckford & Smith High School Theatre Festival, he directed Divine Michael Rogers ....................................................................Jim now known as the St. Jago High Comedy, The Conjur Man Dies, Har- Joyce Sylvester .................................................................Gloria School, He began his theatre career riet’s Return, and Joe Turner’s Come as a teacher after a three-year stint and Gone for New Federal Theatre. at Rose Bruford College, an English He also directed One Night by Pulit- drama school, where he studied zer Prize winning playwright, Charles Time: 1970s in the early 1960s on scholarship. Fuller, for Cherry Lane Theatre, and [4] He was part of the renaissance of productions for Everyman Theatre, Place: Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican theatre in the early 1970s. Oregon and Alabama Shakespeare Rhone participated in a group called Festivals, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Theatre ‹77, which established The Arena Stage, Trinity Rep, Children’s Barn, a small theatre in Kingston, Theatre of Minneapolis, Cincinnati Jamaica, to stage local performances. Playhouse in the Park, Dallas Theatre The vision of the group that came Center, Theatreworks, and the Negro together in 1965 was that in 12 years, Ensemble Company, among many by 1977, there would be professional others. Collaborating with the Taiyuan theatre in Jamaica.[5] In addition to Puppet Theatre Company (Taiwan), Two Can Play, include the films The he created the award-winning pro- Harder They Come (1972), co- ductions, Pregrinação and Taipei by Actors’ Equity Association founded in 1913, is the labor union that represents author; Smile Orange (1974), based Night--which inaugurated his on-go- more than 45,000 Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component on his play of the same name; “Top ing collaboration with the company. of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions and provides a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans, for its members. Rankin”; “Milk and Honey”(1988), With extensive experience developing winner;”One Love”(2003), Cannes new work nationally and internation- Film Festival favorite. He was awarded ally, his future projects include Fault The Director is a member of Stage Directors and the Musgrave Gold Medal in 1988 for Lines, a Bunraku informed opera/mu- Choreographers union his work by the Institute of Jamaica. sic theatre production exploring the resonances of the African presence in 4 5 WHO’S WHO WHO’S WHO Asia; and Kieu, Davis’ adaptation of JOYCE SYLVESTER (Gloria) is a CA, Dramalogue Critics Award/CA, 4 CHRIS CUMBERBATCH (Set De- the 19th century Vietnamese national multi-award-winning actor, play- Audelco Awards including the distinc- signer) Mr. Cumberbatch is a grad- epic poem. For New Federal Theatre wright, and director from New York tion as the first recipient for the 2005 uate of Art and Design High School, he is collaborating as director/drama- City. She is an alumna of the pres- August Wilson Playwrights award for A and Parsons School of Design. He is turge with playwrights Allen Luther tigious Negro Ensemble Company Freeman’s Hope (originally produced an acclaimed artist who has cultivat- Wright on STAGED, a challenging during the reign of Douglas Turner at the Billie Holiday Theatre, Execu- ed his creative skills for over 30 years. work about black gay males during Ward, Robert Hooks, and Gerald S. tive Producer Marjorie Moon.) Her Mr. Cumberbatch is an active mem- the height of the AIDS epidemic; The Krone. In over 40 years to her credit N.Y. acclaimed play Women in The Pit ber of the Local 829 Scenic Artist Carelessness of Love, Michael Dinwid- she performed in film, television, re- is currently debuting at the Hattiloo Union. He is the founder and CEO die’s significant work about Harlem gional theater and on and off Broad- Theatre in Memphis, TN/ 2019-2020 of Above the Surface Inc., a decora- Renaissance poet/playwright, Ange- way. Theater credits include: Inacent season. Very special thanks to Mr. tive paint company. 2012 Upcoming lina Weld Grimke’s struggle to navi- Black by A. Marcus Hemphill (Broad- Woodie King Jr and the New Federal exhibit “Lets Grow Together” a virtu- gate the familial and cultural realities way & Billie Holiday Theatre starring Theatre for yet another opportunity. al walk thru, feature a combination of forbidden love; and Jube Charles’ Melba Moore, Samuel L. Jackson), Pe- It is an honor to work with director of Chris’ art, scenic design, video SAPEUR, a play with music and dance cong by Steve Carter, (National Black Clinton Turner Davis. Praise God and still photography. In November that considers the expressive social Theatre, NY), For Colored Girls Who from Whom All Blessings Flow. Email: 2011, Chris participated with the De- movement, “La Sap” (Dandies) in the Have Considered Suicide When The [email protected]. signers Show Case Millionaires Man- Congo and its diasporic implications. Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange sion, where he converted a four car (National Tour),and The Trial Of One BAYO (Stage Manager)…Been garage into the “Living Forest.” Addi- MICHAEL ROGERS (Jim) Mr. Rog- Short Sited Black Woman Vs. Mam- around the block… tionally, Chris has created unique in- ers has worked at theatres across the my Louise and Safreeta Mae (Tour). Much Love, Peace, LLL& Blessings to teriors using innovated shape, form United States and internationally in This mark’s Ms. Sylvester’s fifth Pro- all involved with this production.” and color for the 2006 Showcase roles varying from Titania, Othel- duction at Woodie King Jr’s New Fed- GotchaBack Productions L.L.C. Millionaires Designers Mansion and lo, Dracula, “Robert Mugabe” (USA) eral Theatre the others include W.E. 917-202-3979 the West Harlem Group Assistance and “God” (ITALY). Most recently: B.Dubois: The Most Dangerous Man [email protected] Inc., Renaissance Home Designs. Generations, Marley, The Call, The In America by Amiri Baraka, The Stut- September of 2010 Chris’ art was Merchant of Venice, The Winter’s tering Preacher by Levy Lee Simon, ROSITA TIMM (Assistant Stage on exhibit at the New York Port Au- Tale.