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Home , Clybourne Park, Fences (play), Wit (play)

FLORIDA REPERTORY THEATRE GREG LONGENHAGEN, Artistic Director • JOHN MARTIN, Managing Director 2018-2019 SEASON HISTORIC ARCADE THEATRE • FORT MYERS RIVER DISTRICT

PRESENTS

SPONSORED BY WGCU PUBLIC MEDIA MEDIA SPONSOR LEE PITTS LIVE ON FOX 4 STARRING MUJAHID ABDUL-RASHID* • JOHN ARCHIE* • BRIAN D. COATS* MARC ALEXANDER PIERRE* • GAYLE SAMUELS* DANIEL MORGAN SHELLEY* • JOHNIEANN SMITH

DIRECTED BY BENNY SATO AMBUSH**

SET DESIGNER COSTUME DESIGNER LIGHTING DESIGNER RICHARD CROWELL DANIELLE PRESTON*** TODD O. WREN*** ensemble member

SOUND DESIGNER FIGHT PRODUCTION STAGE ASST. STAGE MANAGER KATIE LOWE CHOREOGRAPHER MANAGER KATELYNN FOSTER KODY C JONES LISA LAMONT*

August Wilson’s is presented by special agreement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

2018-19 GRAND SEASON SPONSORS

IN THE KNOW. IN THE NOW.

This entire season sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Florida Repertory Theatre is a fully professional non-profit LOA/LORT Theatre company on contract with the Actors’ Equity Association that proudly employs members of the national theatrical labor unions. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association. **Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. ***Member of United Scenic Artists. ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT (April 27, 1945- October 2, 2005) authored , Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, , , Fences, Two CAST Trains Running, , King Hedley II, and Radio (in order of appearance) Golf. These works, called The American Century Troy Maxson...... Mujahid Abdul-Rashid* Cycle, explore the heritage and experience of Jim Bono...... John Archie* African-Americans, decade-by-decade, over the course of the twentieth century. His plays Rose...... Gayle Samuels* have been produced at regional theaters across Lyons...... Daniel Morgan Shelley* the country and all over the world, as well as Gabriel...... Brian D. Coats* on Broadway. In 2003, Mr. Wilson made his Cory...... Marc Alexander Pierre* professional stage debut in his one-man show, Raynell...... Johnieann Smith* How I Learned What I Learned. Mr. Wilson’s works garnered many awards including Pulitzer TIME/PLACE: Prizes for Fences (1987); and for The Piano 1957, 1958, & 1965 . Lesson (1990); a Tony Award for Fences; Great The Maxson household backyard Britain’s Olivier Award for Jitney; as well as eight New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Wardrobe Supervisor: Allie Dykeman Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Trains Lighting and Sound Board Op: Jason Sanchez Running, Seven Guitars, Jitney, and . Assistant Costume Designer: Anna Barge Additionally, the cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Understudy: JoLe Peynado (Raynell) Black Bottom received a 1985 Grammy Award, and Mr. Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Mr. Wilson’s early works August Wilson’s FENCES will be performed included the one-act plays The Janitor, Recycle, with one 15-minute intermission. The Coldest Day of the Year, Malcolm X, and the musical satire Black Bart Originally Produced on Broadway by and the Sacred Hills. , in association with . World Premiere at Yale Repertory Mr. Wilson received many fellowships and Theatre (, Artistic Director; Benjamin awards, including Rockefeller and Guggenheim Mordecai, Managing Director) Fellowships in Playwriting, the Whiting Writers Second Production at the (Robert Falls, Artistic Director; Award, 2003 Heinz Award, was awarded a 1999 Roche Schulfer, Managing Director) National Humanities Medal by the President Initially given a staged reading at the Eugene O’Neill of the United States, and received numerous Theater Center’s National Playwright’s Conference honorary degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He The video and/or audio recording of this performance by any means whatsoever is strictly prohibited. was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a 1995 inductee into the American Academy †Member of Florida Repertory Theatre’s of Arts and Letters, and on October 16, 2005, Ensemble of Theatre Artists. Broadway renamed the theater located at 245 See page 25 for the entire ensemble. West 52nd Street - The August Wilson Theatre. * The Actors & Stage Manager employed in this Additionally, Mr. Wilson was posthumously production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2007. the United States. Mr. Wilson was born and raised in the Hill ** District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and lived in Seattle, Washington at the time of his death. He is immediately survived by his two daughters, *** Sakina Ansari and Azula Carmen Wilson, and his wife, costume designer Constanza Romero. A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR erhaps Langston Hughes (1902-1967), the great Harlem Renaissance people’s Ppoet who fashioned such uncommon beauty from the common clay of ordinary black folk, said it best in his signature poem: What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up Like a in the sun? Or fester like a sore – And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over – Like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags Like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

AUGUST WILSON The Director’s Thoughts on August Wilson (1945-2005) One of America’s greatest dramatists, August Wilson (born Frederick August Kittel Jr. in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, PA) celebrated the intelligent poetic genius and rich cultural lives of ordinary black folk. He showcased their authentic, hypnotizing, oral brilliance with its distinctive cadences, rhythms, musicality, and muscularity. His canon investigates their triumphs, hopes, dreams, frustrations, expectations of justice, disappointments, truncations of opportunities promised them in the U.S. Constitution, rage, complexities, cultural responses, resilience, and complex human dimensions.

August loved his people. His characters have depth, size, mother , and are in search of their song. As a griot of black emotional life, he was a keeper of the communal memories and spiritual legacy of Africans in the New World, determined to protect his people, culture, and to nurture the young.

He once wrote, “The largest idea can be contained by black life.” By valuing its specific uniqueness, he demonstrated its universality and cemented its legitimacy alongside the songs of all people.

—Benny Sato Ambush, Director December 20, 2018 PITTSBURGH’S HILL DISTRICT ABOUT THE CAST MUJAHID ABDUL- BRIAN D. COATS* RASHID* (Troy (Gabriel) Broadway: Maxson) is happy to be Jitney. Off-Broadway: at Florida Repertory Travisville (Ensemble Theatre for the first Studio Theatre), The time. This is his third First Noel (Classical time climbing into the Theatre of Harlem /The skin of Troy Maxson, a role he loves. Other Apollo), On the Levee (Lincoln Center), The August Wilson roles he has performed Merry Wives of Windsor, Two Gentlemen are Becker in Jitney at The American of Verona (Public/NYSF). Regional: The Stage Co, FL; Hedley in Seven Guitars at Royale (Cleveland Play House), The Nest The Artist Rep, in Portland, OR; Bynum in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at The (Denver Center Theatre), Ralph Ellison’s American Stage Co, Memphis; Lee in Two Invisible Man (Huntington Theater, Trains Running at Theater Works in Palo Studio Theatre DC), King Hedley II, Seven Alto, CA; Doaker in The Piano Lesson at Guitars, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Two The Portland Playhouse Portland, OR; River Theater), Fences, Caesar Wilkes in Gem of the Ocean at (Geva Theater), Distant Fires (People’s The Cygnet Theater in San Diego, CA; Light and Theater), Doub in Jitney at The Portland Playhouse (Caldwell Theatre), The Wedding Gift, in Portland, OR; and Canewell in Seven pen/man/ship (Contemporary American Guitars at The Theater Theatre Fest), Count (PlayMakers Rep) in San Francisco, CA. He most recently and The Amen Corner (MU- Columbia). appeared as the Pakistani character Imam TV: Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, JAG, Saleem in Ayad Akhtar’s The Invisible Blue Bloods, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Hand at The Ensemble Theater in Santa Empire, Luke Cage, and The Blacklist. Barbara, CA and at The English Theater in Shared Helen Hayes and Barrymore Frankfurt, Germany. Theatre Awards.

JOHN ARCHIE* (Jim MARC ALEXANDER Bono) was last seen PIERRE* (Cory) is at Florida Rep in To absolutely thrilled to Kill a Mockingbird and make his Florida Rep Dividing the Estate. He is delighted that Florida debut. Most recent Rep is embarking upon credits include Gloria August Wilson’s remarkable journey and (Gamm Theatre), going places the Rep has not ventured Brawler (Kitchen Theatre Company); before. John’s stage credits include Airness (Actors Theatre of Louisville); Harlem Duet (M Ensemble), Sunset When January Feels Like Summer Baby (Primal Stages), The Whipping (Central Square Theatre); Peter and the Man, A Few Good Men, Lobby Hero Starcatcher (Lyric Stage Company); (Caldwell Theatre), Split Second, Buffalo Milk Like Sugar (Huntington Theatre Soldier (Hollywood Blvd.), The Meeting, Company); (Gloucester Stage); A Lesson Before Dying (Gable Stage), Romeo and Juliet (Commonwealth , Oedipus, Out of Gas (Coconut Shakespeare Company). He has also Grove Playhouse), Permanent Collection appeared on Hulu’s Castle Rock. Marc (Florida Stage). Other credits include bits received his BFA at Emerson College. of film, TV, commercials, and voice ads. He is a recipient of the Isabel Sanford He thanks God, his family, and friends Scholarship and Emerson College’s for their support. John is a recipient of Acting Area Award. the Carbonell, Curtain Up, and Silver Palm Awards. DRAMATURGICAL NOTES THE NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE Founded in a Kansas City, Missouri, YMCA in 1920, the Negro National League was where African-American baseball players thrived during America’s Jim Crow segregation era. Kept out of the segregated all-white Major Leagues, some of the best athletes of their generation, regardless of race, competed on Negro National League teams like the Kansas City Monarchs, the Newark Eagles, the Homestead Greys, and the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Among the legendary stars of SATCHEL PAIGE the Negro League were Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Cool Papa Bell, Judy Johnson, and Satchel Paige. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum resides in Kansas City, MO.

AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES AND THE AMERICAN CENTURY CYCLE August Wilson’s The American Century Cycle captures 100 years of African American life during each decade of the 20th century. The American Century Cycle begins in the early 1900s, when wounds from slavery and the Civil War were still fresh, and closes in the 1990s, when even a large and increasingly influential black middle class would not escape persistent racial tensions.

• 10 plays • Three Backyard Plays: Fences (1985), Seven Guitars (1995), King Hedley II (1999) • Four Work Place Plays: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1984), Jitney (1992), (1990), Radio Golf (2005) • Three Parlor Plays: The Piano Lesson (1987), Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (1986), Gem of the Ocean (2003) • 77 characters IN AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES ON August Wilson’s Fences is his play for the 1950s. BROADWAY, 2010

1900s: GEM OF THE OCEAN 1950s: FENCES Premiered: Goodman Theatre, 2003 Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre¸1985

1910s: JOE TURNER’S COME 1960s: TWO TRAINS RUNNING AND GONE Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre, 1982 Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre, 1986 1970s: JITNEY 1920s: MA RAINEY’S BLACK Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre, 1990 BOTTOM Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre, 1984 1980s: KING HEDLEY II Premiered: Pittsburgh Public Theatre, 1930s: THE PIANO LESSON 1999 Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre, 1987 1990s: RADIO GOLF 1940s: SEVEN GUITARS Premiered: Yale Repertory Theatre, 2005 Premiered: Goodman Theatre, 1995 ABOUT THE CAST GAYLE SAMUELS* Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival; (Rose) earned a Best Safe House at Repertory Theatre of Actress nomination St. Louis; and Clybourne Park at Geva from the Connecticut & Cleveland Playhouse. Mr. Shelley Critics Circle for her originated roles in the world premieres portrayal of Billie of The Insurgents at Contemporary Holiday in Lady Day American Theatre Festival, Find & Sign At Emerson’s Bar & Grill and received at Pioneer Theatre Company, and The rave reviews for her portrayal of Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller at Louise in Seven Guitars, Nurse O’Neill the ArcLight. TV: Madame Secretary, in The Sunshine Boys and Tina Turner Mr. Robot, Bull, Person of Interest, in Beehive. Her Broadway credits Law & Order, Blue Bloods, and Law & include the recent revival of Children Order: SVU. FILM: Sidney Hall. Training: of a Lesser God, Sunset Boulevard, Juilliard. DanielMorganShelley.com “No Grind and Dancin’. Off-Broadway she Day But Today!” played Gloria in Sistas, Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors, Josephine Baker JOHNIEANN SMITH in The Dark Star from Harlem, and she (Raynell) is overjoyed recently made her Metropolitan Opera to be back onstage debut in Lady Macbeth of Mtsnesk. at Florida Rep! Her She toured nationally in Little House theatre credits include on the Prairie (starring Melissa Gilbert), Wizard of Oz and To internationally as a featured vocalist Kill a Mockingbird, with Harry Belafonte and starred in but her favorite role has been Molly in Russia in Sophisticated Ladies. Her Annie. She is a second grade Honor Roll television and film credits include Bull, student at Bayshore Elementary where Madam Secretary, The Americans, The she is part of the Bayshore Cloggers. In Class, Twenty Good Years, Cupid, Black her spare time she enjoys roller skating, Nativity, Equity, Honeybee and The swimming, traveling, singing at Oxford Tides That Bind. School of Music, and is a member of the Lee County 4H Trail Blazers. She DANIEL MORGAN wishes to thank all of her friends, family, SHELLEY* (Lyons) is and the Florida Rep for their continued thrilled to be on the love and support. mainstage at Florida Rep after being a JoLe PEYNADO part of the PlayLab (Raynell u/s) is excited for the past two to make her theatrical seasons in Berta, Berta and Damascus. debut at the Florida He was also seen in Classical Theatre Repertory Theatre. of Harlem’s production of Romeo & JoLe received her Juliet which played here at Florida Rep. training at the Other favorite credits include August Alliance of the Arts and the Florida Wilson’s The Piano Lesson at Hartford Repertory Theatre. JoLe attends Fort Stage; Possessing Harriet at Syracuse Myers Christian School, and her favorite Stage; at Folger subject is —she won the 2017 and Theatre; Skeleton Crew at Chester 2018 Golden Halo Art contests. JoLe Theatre Company; Othello and Pimm’s is free spirited and enjoys swimming, Mission with Oberon Theatre Ensemble; singing and choreographing her own at Classic Stage Company; dance moves. JoLe is supported by Romeo & Juliet, King Lear, The Three her family, friends and the staff at the Musketeers, and Love’s Labor’s Lost at Florida Repertory Theatre. ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM BENNY SATO AMBUSH** (Director) KODY C JONES (Fight Choreographer) is a veteran SDC stage director, holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in institutional theatre leader, educator, acting from Western Illinois University published commentator and consultant. and Secondary Education and Acting Formerly: Producing Artistic Director degrees from University of Michigan-Flint. – TheatreVirginia; Producing Director He has acted and directed professionally – Oakland Ensemble Theatre; all over Chicago and the Midwest for the Associate Artistic Director – American past 10 years and served as the Artistic Conservatory Theater; Acting Artistic Director for Shawnee Summer Theatre Director – Rites and Reason Theatre in Indiana and The Stage at Island Park Company; PEW Charitable Trust/TCG in Fargo, North Dakota. Kody is the Director-In-Residence – Florida Stage; Education Director here at Florida Rep Associate Artistic Director – Anna and has directed the world premiere Deavere Smith’s Institute on the Arts & TYA touring production of Refugee Civic Dialogue at Harvard University; adapted by Eric Coble and is directing Senior Distinguished Producing Director- the upcoming Florida Rep Education In-Residence - Emerson Stage, Emerson Conservatory productions of Newsies College, Boston; Director – Institute and Spring Awakening. Kody has fight for Teledramatic Arts and Technology, choreographed all over the country but California State University, Monterey Bay. most recently served as Fight Director Extensive professional directing credits for Florida Rep’s productions of Cabaret throughout the nation’s professional and How the Other Half Loves, Noises regional theatres. He teaches acting Off at the Herb Strauss Theatre, and and directing at the MFA, BFA and the upcoming production of Marian at BA levels nationally. Emeritus Board Theatre Conspiracy. Member – Theatre Communications Group (TCG), Member – The National LISA LAMONT* (Production Stage Theatre Conference, founding Steering Manager) is thrilled to be a part of this Committee Member – National Alliance of production of August Wilson’s Fences. Acting Teachers, National/International A member of AEA since 1989, Lisa has Adjudicator – American Association of worked extensively in theatre and film. Community Theatre, panelist – National She started out as a crew person with Alliance for Musical Theatre. BA, Brown the Ruth Foreman Theatre in South University; MFA, University of California, Florida and worked her way up as San Diego. costume crew, props misters, and finally, as the resident Stage Manager. Since RICHARD CROWELL (Set Designer) has then, Lisa has been the stage manager been designing scenery and lighting for for over 150 productions with venues the stage in various parts of the country across the country including the national for over thirty years. He is delighted to tour of Aida, Zoetic Stage, Caldwell be considered a long-time member Theatre, Hollywood Playhouse, Gable of Florida Rep’s “Ensemble of Theatre Stage, Blowing Rock Stage Company, Artists,” designing in the Arcade since and Florida Repertory Theatre. She the inaugural season. Becky’s New Car, was also a primary member of the Split in Three, Vanya and Sonia and creative staff for the development of Masha and Spike, Arsenic and Old Lace, Charles Nelson Reilly’s one man play, Tally’s Folly, , The Rainmaker, and Save it for the Stage. Lisa’s “day job” is The Last Romance are among the over Managing Director of Ensemble Stage, 25 designs that have been produced at a professional theatre located in Banner Florida Rep. Richard received his MFA Elk, NC. Love to Gary & Charles. from the stage design training program at Meadows School of the Arts, Southern KATIE LOWE (Sound Designer) is Methodist University, and his BFA from thrilled to be a part of this production! Memphis State University. She served as an electrics intern last season at Florida Repertory Theatre. ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM Previously, she has been an electrics Avant Bard), A Bid To Save The World apprentice at Endstation Theatre (Rorschach Theatre), Br’er Cotton and Company after graduating from the (Catholic University of America). University of Kentucky. Previous credits Awards/ Fellowships: William R. Kenan Jr. include Tenderly, A Christmas Carol: The Fellowship at the John F. Kennedy Center, Tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, Becoming Washington D.C. in Costume Design & Dr. Ruth, Steel Magnolias, Damascus A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute Fellowship (Florida Rep, Sound Designer), Cabaret in Costume Design. Education: MFA in (Florida Rep, A2), Million Dollar Quartet Costume Design from The University (Endstation Theatre Company, A2), of North Carolina School of the Arts. Once On This Island (University of Bachelor of Arts from Meredith College in Kentucky, Stage Manager), Sense and Theater Production. Sensibility (University of Kentucky, Sound Designer), She Kills Monsters TODD O. WREN***† (Lighting Designer) (University of Kentucky, Stage Manager), is delighted to participate in Florida In The Red and Brown Water (University Rep’s continued growth as an ensemble of Kentucky, Assistant Stage Manager), member. A special thanks goes to you, and The 25th Annual Putnam County the audience, for your support. Todd’s Spelling Bee (University of Kentucky, theatrical credits include: Good Speed Assistant Stage Manager). Musicals, Cleveland Playhouse, People’s Light and Opera Company, The Royal DANIELLE PRESTON*** (Costume Manitoba Theatre Center, Merrimack Designer) is a costume designer based Repertory, Barter Theatre, Tennessee in the DC metro area. Recent design Repertory, John F. Kennedy Center, credits include Other Desert Cites (Triad Coconut Grove Playhouse, Charlotte Stage), The Christians, The How & The Repertory, North Carolina Shakespeare Why (Theater J), Darius & Twig Where Festival, Town and Gown Theatre, Casa The Words Once Were, Manana, and Flat Rock Playhouse. Todd LIVE! (The Kennedy Center), Holiday is a member of United Scenic Artists, Memories, Gospel at Colonus. (WSC New York Local #829.

SPECIAL THANKS Patricia Idlette Ron Wesorick

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA) was FLORIDA PROFESSIONAL founded in 1913 as the first of the American THEATRES ASSOCIATION (FPTA) Actor unions. Equity’s mission is to advance, is a statewide organization of promote and foster the art of theatre as an professional theatre companies essential component of our society. Today, and theatre professionals interested in the Equity represents more than 40,000 actors, development and promotion of professional singers, dancers and stage managers working in theatre throughout Florida. Florida Repertory hundreds of theatres across the United States. Theatre is a proud FPTA member theatre. Equity members are dedicated to working in the theatre as a profession, upholding the highest artistic standards. Equity negotiates wages and Florida Repertory Theatre working conditions and provides a wide range of is a member of THEATRE benefits including health and pension plans for COMMUNICATIONS GROUP its members. Through its agreement with Equity, (TCG), the national organization TICKETSthis theatre has committed to the fair treatment for the American Theatre. of the actors and stage managers employed in this production. AEA is a member of the AFL- CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international Florida Repertory Theatre organization of performing arts unions. For more is a proud Associate Member information, visit www.actorsequity.org. of the NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK.