The Wallis and Black Rebirth Collective’s Co-Production.of

A THEATRICAL CELEBRATION OF BLACK WOMEN’S LIBERATION

A JUNETEENTH WORLD PREMIERE Available for on-demand streaming from Saturday, June 19 through Sunday, July 4, 2021

Filmed inside The Wallis’ Lovelace Studio Theater Artwork.by.Jacqui.Smith.. The Wallis and Black Rebirth Collective’s Co-Production.of

A THEATRICAL CELEBRATION OF BLACK WOMEN’S LIBERATION

A.VIRTUAL.PERFORMANCE.FEATURING.ONE-ACT.PLAYS: White-N-Luscious by.Jocelyn.Bioh Madness by.Stacy.Osei-Kuffour Jezelle the Gazelle by.Dominique.Morisseau G.O.A.T. by.Ngozi.Anyanwu

STARRING Kelly.M..Jenrette,.Makha.Mthembu,.Candace.Thomas,.Jonah.Wharton FEATURING.MUSICIAN.Katherine.Washington

VIDEO PRODUCTION DIRECTOR OF LIGHTING DESIGN PXT.STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY Pablo.Santiago-Brandwein Jason.H..Thompson

MUSIC COMPOSITION David.Coe.Lamoureux

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Shawna.Voragen*

CO-DIRECTED BY Kimberly.Hébert.and.Camille.Jenkins

A JUNETEENTH WORLD PREMIERE AVAILABLE FOR ON-DEMAND STREAMING FROM SATURDAY, JUNE 19 THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 4, 2021 Filmed.inside.the.Lovelace.Studio.Theater Running Time: Approximately 55 minutes with no intermission. ABOUT THE PROGRAM

DIRECTOR’S NOTE CAST OF CHARACTERS

JUNETEENTH IS THE G.O.A.T. OLDEST KNOWN Bonita...... Kelly M. Jenrette* CELEBRATION Row...... Candace Thomas* COMMEMORATING THE Jay...... Makha Mthembu* ENDING OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.. Madness On June 19, 1865, two and Girl...... Kelly M. Jenrette a half years after President Mister...... Jonah Wharton* Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Union soldiers Jezelle the Gazelle led by Major General Gordon Jezelle...... Candace Thomas Granger, rode into Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War had ended and White-N-Luscious slaves in Texas were free. Isha...... Kelly M. Jenrette Richard...... Jonah Wharton “With new interest and Tiwa...... Makha Mthembu vigor, the country has been engaging in conversations MUSICIAN and celebrations about this nationally forgotten moment Violinist and Vocalist...... Katherine Washington° in our collective history. The Wallis and Black Rebirth Collective have joined together MUSICIAN CREDIT to introduce to some and celebrate with many the “Unmasked Theme”...... David Coe Lamoureux triumphant spirit of this day

through these plays by four *The noted actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers extraordinary Black female in the United States. playwrights. Dominique Morisseau, Jocelyn Bioh, °TThe musician in this production is represented by the American Federation Ngozi Anyanwu, and Stacy of Musicians. Osei-Kuffour reclaim the Black female perspective in American Theatre, and we celebrate the liberation of their voices.”. . - Unmasked Co-directors Kimberly Hébert &. Camille Jenkins

P3 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

KIMBERLY HÉBERT Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Her Good Grief won the Inaugural CTG/Humanitas (co-director) is a combination of television writing credits include “She’s Gotta Award, had its world premiere at the CTG/Kirk undeniable humor, clarity, Have It,” “Russian Doll,” “AMERICANAH,” and the Douglas Theatre in the 2016/17 season, was listed intelligence and strength, upcoming fi lm adaptation of Once on This Island in the 2016 annual Kilroy’s List, and was a semi- known best from her roles in for Disney. fi nalist for the Princess a Grace. Her work, NIKE, HBO’s “Vice Principals,” ABC’s was recently presented as part of the National “Kevin Probably Saves the DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU Black Theatre’s Keep Soul Alive Monday Reading World,” “Better Call Saul,” “Two and Half Men,” and (playwright) is the author of Series The NewBlack Fest in conjunction with The “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” She starred in two shows at The Detroit Project (a three-play Lark Playwrighting Development Center. An The Geffen Playhouse, Barbecue and By the Way cycle) which includes the excerpt of her work, The Homecoming Queen, was Meet Vera Stark, earning her an NAACP award for following plays: Skeleton Crew presented as part of The Fire This Time’s Inaugural’s the former. Hébert has a host of New York theatre (Atlantic Theater Company), Writers group. and most recently had a plays with Drama Desk and Lucille Lortell Paradise Blue (Signature workshopped reading that was presented at Yale nominations to her credit. She holds two degrees, a Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical with Page 73 for its summer residency. The BA in Psychology from Mount Holyoke College and Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays Homecoming Queen had its world premiere at The a Masters in Clinical Social Work from The include: Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theatre), Sunset Atlantic Theatre in the 2017/18 season and was a University of Chicago. She is an advocate for Baby (LAByrinth Theatre); Blood at the Root Leah Ryan Finalist. Anyanwu is also a recipient of families and special needs children, and a voice for (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me To Nellie’s the Djerassi Artist Residency, The New York Stage mental health services in underserved (Premiere Stages). She is also the Tony Award- and Film founders Award as well as Space on Ryder communities, as well as an actor, a thinker, an nominated book writer on the new Broadway Farm and the LCT playwrights residency. advocate, a mother, and a friend. musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Imperial Theatre). Morisseau is an STACY OSEI-KUFFOUR CAMILLE JENKINS alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writer’s (playwright), born and raised in (co-director) is a producer, Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Chicago, Illinois, is a BFA director, writer, and teaching Playwrights Workshop and has developed work graduate from NYU, where she artist whose work lives at the at Sundance Lab, Williamstown Theatre Festival, studied acting, and an MFA crossroads of multi-medium and Eugene O’Neil Playwrights Conference. She graduate from Hunter College, exploration, historical most recently served as co-producer on the where she studied playwriting. introspection, environmental Showtime series “Shameless” (three seasons). She is a writer and actress. Previous writing work connection, and personal refl ection. Select credits Additional awards include Spirit of Detroit Award, includes: “PEN15” (Hulu), “WATCHMEN” (HBO), include Unmasked: A Theatrical Celebration of Black PoNY Fellowship, Sky-Cooper Prize, TEER “The Power” (Amazon), “SOLOS” (Amazon) and “The Women’s Liberation (The Wallis and Black Rebirth Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Morning Show” (Apple TV+). Stacy’s newest play, Collective) co-director and producer; The Goddesses Audelco Awards, NBFT August Wilson Playwriting ANIMALS, recorded through Williamstown Theater Guide: Adura for the Women of African Diaspora Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, OBIE Festival (due to COVID) is currently available on (Hollywood Fringe Festival) writer, director, Award (2), Ford Foundation Art of Change Audible. Her goal as an artist is to bring untold producer; Spoken Perceptions: Interactive Poetry Fellowship, Variety’s Women of Impact for 2017- stories to the stage and screen, stories that Showcase (Non-Fiction Gallery) producer and 18, and a recent MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow. challenge our political, societal, and stereotypical director; and Mama Metal (IAMA Theatre Company) views of the Black experience. associate producer. Jenkins earned a BFA in NGOZI ANYANWU Performing Arts and a MA in Arts Administration at (playwright) is an overall KELLY M. JENRETTE Savannah College of Art and Design. Currently she Renaissance woman. She was (Bonita, Isha, and Girl) a native is the Programming Manager at the Wallis trained at University of of Atlanta, now resides in Los Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in California San Diego’s MFA Angeles with her husband, Beverly Hills. acting program, Point Park Melvin Jackson Jr., and is proud University (B.A, Acting) The to be one of the founding JOCELYN BIOH (playwright) Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Barrington Stage, members of and Playwright in is a Ghanaian-American writer Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and The Mark Taper Residence for Black Rebirth Collective. In 2018, she and performer from New York Forum. Among her TV credits are “Limitless,” and her husband became the fi rst African American City. Bioh’s plays include the “Deadbeat,” “The Affair,” “Law and Order SVU,” married couple to be nominated for Emmys® in the multi-award-winning School “Mysteries of Laura,” and the HBO show “The same year. Jenrette’s Emmy® nomination was for Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Deuce.” She served as a National Black Theatre her portrayal of Annie in Season 2, Episode 4 of Play which debuted Off Producing Fellow and Associate Artistic Producer of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” She recently wrapped Broadway at MCC Theater in 2017 and has gone Now Africa’s Playwrights Festival. She is also on production on a spinoff show for The CW’s hit show on to have over 20 productions throughout the the literary committee of the Rattlestick “All American.” Her two latest fi lms can be found on country; Nollywood Dreams (postponed due to Playwrights Theatre. Among her director credits is Netfl ix: Uncorked and All Day and A Night. In the Covid-19) and the new musical GODDESS (Coming She Gon Learn by Lisa Strum for the Emerging Arts latter, she stars alongside Jeffrey Wright and Ashton to Berkeley Rep Theater in 2022). Bioh’s acting Festival, United Solo Festival, and National Black Sanders. She is also in the second season of the hit credits include TV (shows like “Russian Doll,” “The Theater. Her playwrighting credits include Nike anthology show “Manhunt: Deadly Games” Detour” and “Crashing”) and fi lm (Ben Is Back) as and The Homecoming Queen and Good Grief, (Lionsgate/Spectrum) currently available on Netfl ix. well as extensive career both Off and on Broadway which was presented as part of the Rising Circle She can be seen as Winona on the Facebook Watch including the Tony Award-winning play The Collective’s 6th annual Ink Tank. Most recently Original “LIMETOWN.” Jenrette has also been a

P4 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

series regular on the Fox comedy, “Grandfathered,” stage is giving honor to the lives and brilliance of have to love The Wallis.” Its programming has been starring John Stamos, and she has had recurring Black women.” nominated for 79 Ovation Awards and nine L.A. Drama guest star roles on “Mixed•ish” (ABC), “Here and Critic’s Circle Awards. The campus itself, a breathtaking Now” (HBO), “Pitch” (FOX) and “Graves” (EPIX). She JONAH WHARTON (Mister 70,000-square-foot facility, celebrating the classic and may also be remembered from her twelve Kmart and Richard), born and raised in the modern, has garnered six architectural awards. commercials as Kmart Kelly! She was a part of the the San Francisco Bay Area, has Designed by acclaimed architect Zoltan E. Pali 13 time Ovation Nominated Musical, The Color acted in numerous films and (SPF:architects), the restored building features the Purple at Celebration Theatre, where her portrayal television shows including original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National of Nettie earned her an individual Ovation “NCIS”, “NCIS: Los Angeles,” Register of Historic Places), which serves as the Nomination for best featured actress. Other TV “Southland,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” theater’s dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and includes credits include “Fuller House” (Netflix), “Weird “Bones,” “Castle,” “Californication,” and more. the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Loners” (FOX), “The Haunted Hathaways” Goldsmith Theater; the 150-seat Lovelace Studio (Nickelodeon), “Happy Endings” (ABC), “Frisky KATHERINE Theater; an inviting open-air plaza for family, Dingo,” “VO”(Cartoon Network) WEB SERIES: WASHINGTON (Composer community and other performances; and GRoW @ The “Mommy Uncensored Episode 2” (YouTube), “Much and Violinist) is a Los Angeles- Wallis: A Space for Arts Education, where learning Ado About Mr. GQ” (YouTube/FunnyorDie) and based performer, diversity opportunities for all ages and backgrounds abound. “Study Buddy” (YouTube). consultant, and facilitator. In Together, these elements embrace the city’s history and 2019, she had the honor of its future, creating a performing arts destination for MAKHA MTHEMBU (Jay playing Reza in the musical L.A.-area visitors and residents alike. The Wallis and Tiwa) is a South African ONCE at 3-D Theatricals, becoming the first Black Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is led by born artist with an woman cast in the history of the show. An Ovation Chairman of the Board Michael Nemeroff, Executive undergraduate degree in and NAACP Theatre award winner, she was most Director & Chief Executive Officer Rachel Fine and Theatre from Drake University, recently onstage in the critically acclaimed Artistic Director Paul Crewes. and a Master’s degree in adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with Classical Acting from the Old Four Larks at the Wallis Annenberg Center for BLACK REBIRTH COLLECTIVE (BRC) Globe/University of San Diego. A lover of both Performing Arts. As co-founder of The Hope (Co-producer) had its genesis when the Founder Contemporary and Classical works, her previous Collective, she utilizes the power of narrative and and Artistic Director, Kimberly Hébert, after personal credits include Isabella in Measure for Measure intentional community building to connect success on television, set out to create a space that (Globe for All), Paulina Sarpong in School Girls: Or, activists to the tangible resources they need to fosters artistic curiosity, integrity and freedom for the African Mean Girls Play (TheatreSquared), and create lasting change. artists of color, namely women from the African Moth in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Lake Tahoe IG: @daughterofassata & @letsmakehope. diaspora. Inspired by the inimitable Beah Richards, Shakespeare Festival). Mthembu’s proudest work to Twitter: @Kwashin3 & @letsmakehope20 Kimberly sought out a creative community where date is her self-made and self-produced web series, she could reconnect with her childlike, joy, abandon “Sip & Tell; The Highlights from Shakespeare,” SHAWNA VORAGEN (Production Stage and artistic freedom. Six women joined her on the where she playfully conflates some of Shakespeare’s Manager), is a Los Angeles based stage manager journey and Black Rebirth Collective was birthed. plays, “without all the boring bits of course,” she and proud member of Actors’ Equity. She is excited BRC in three years has produced multiple reading says, adding, “and shows that not only are the to return to The Wallis after being on the stage and performances, co-produced with local Black arts Classics about all of us, they should include and be management team for the award-winning Witness organizations and is the proud recipient of The Black told by all of us.” She currently lives and works out Uganda. Her favorite stage management credits Seed, the first national strategic plan to provide of Los Angeles, CA. www.makhamthembu.com include In The Red And Brown Water, Avenue Q, 33 financial support for Black theaters across the Variations, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Next to Normal, country, backed by the Andrew W. Mellon CANDACE THOMAS (Row and the acclaimed remount of Citizen: An American Foundation. We are living out our mission to and Jezelle) was last seen Lyric as part of CTG’s inaugural Block Party. connect nurture and support actors as they enter the under the lights at Milwaukee creative process, whether through training, readings Repertory Theater’s production THE WALLIS (Co-producer) The Wallis or productions, while remaining rooted in the of Nunsense at the beginning Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is a dynamic cultural expression that is found throughout the of 2020. Midwest credits cultural hub and community resource where local, African diaspora and in the principle of Ujima: include another important work national and international artists share their artistry Collective work and responsibility. by Dominique Morriseau, Skeleton Crew (Forward with ever-expanding audiences. The campus, located www.blackrebirthcollective.org Theater), The Wiz (First Stage), Man of La Mancha, in the heart of Beverly Hills, CA, is committed to robust and A Christmas Carol (Milwaukee Rep). Additional and distinctive presentations and education programs PXT STUDIO (Video Production) Jason H. Thompson theatre credits include The Tempest, The Threepenny curated with both creativity and social impact in mind. and Kaitlyn Pietras are husband and wife projection Opera, Tongue of a Bird (Theatre South Carolina); Distinguished by its eclectic programming that mirrors designers living in Los Angeles, CA. Together they share over 20 years of experience covering a wide variety of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Plays and Players the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its location in industries with their craft including: theatre, opera, Little Shop of Horrors Theatre, Philadelphia), and the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis has dance, museums, theme parks, corporate, and immersive (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Philadelphia - 2014 produced and presented more than 300 dance, environments. Over the past year, their company PXT Barrymore Award Nominee for Best Supporting theater, opera, classical music, cinema and family STUDIO has been live streaming, filming and editing Actress in a Musical). TV credits include “Chicago programs since its doors opened in October 2013. content for theaters and virtual events for a variety of Fire” and “Easy.” Thomas has an MFA in Acting from Hailed as “au courant” (LaLa Magazine), The Wallis was clients including the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts, Stanford Health Care, CX Formula, the University of South Carolina. She says she is lauded by Culture Vulture, which proclaims, “If you love Boston Court, The Pasadena Symphony and POPS, The “beyond thrilled that her homecoming back to the expecting the unexpected in the performing arts, you Civilians, Detroit Michigan Opera Theatre, and several more. Instagram: @pxtstudio. Website: pxtstudio.com P5