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Home , APM Music, Bill Condon, Charlie Robinson (actor), Eriq La Salle, Horton Foote, Marcia Gay Harden

SOME OLD BLACK MAN

A Play by James Anthony Tyler

Starring and Charlie Robinson

Directed by Joe Cacaci

UMS Digital Presentation Hosted on UMS.org

Executive Producer / UMS Producer / 59th Limited Liability Company

Friday Evening, January 15, 2021 at 7:00 (Digital Premiere) Streaming on demand through Monday, January 18

The Jam Handy , Michigan THANK YOU TO SUPPORTERS OF THIS UMS DIGITAL PRESENTATION

Lead Presenting Sponsors TIM AND SALLY PETERSEN MICHIGAN ENGINEERING

Presenting Sponsors DTE ENERGY FOUNDATION NEWMARKET LLC

Patron Sponsor JERRY AND DALE KOLINS ENDOWMENT FUND

Funded in part by COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN UMS SUSTAINING DIRECTORS

This digital presentation of Some Old Black Man is supported by Tim and Sally Petersen, Michigan Engineering, DTE Energy Foundation, Newmarket LLC, and the Jerry and Dale Kolins Endowment Fund. This digital presentation is also funded in part by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the UMS Sustaining Directors. CAST

Wendell Pierce / Calvin Jones, Ph.D. Charlie Robinson / Donald Jones

CREATIVE TEAM

Joe Cacaci / Director Justin Lang / Scenic and Lighting Design Suzanne Young / Costume Design Jim Lillie / Sound Design Tiffany Robinson / First Assistant Director Matt Hoffman / Director of Photography HMS Media / Editing and Post-Production

This production runs approximately one hour and 45 minutes in duration and is performed without intermission.

The world premiere of Some Old Black Man was produced by Berkshire Playwrights Lab and subsequently moved to 59E59 Theaters in .

3 SYNOPSIS

In Some Old Black Man, Calvin Jones (Wendell Pierce), a hip, coolly intellectual African American college professor, moves his 82-year-old ailing but doggedly independent father, Donald Jones (Charlie Robinson), from Greenwald, Mississippi into his Harlem penthouse. The play begins with an argument over what to eat for breakfast, then turns into a generational clash over race, opportunity, and a decision that Calvin made years ago. Donald’s grumpiness is peppered with disturbing outbursts, revealing bits of his past, informed by growing up Black and poor in the South. Donald is wary that he isn’t seen by his gifted, accomplished son as being good enough, and Calvin resents Donald as being a self-righteous, relentlessly tough parent. Father-son strife escalates when their generational conflict is lensed through civil rights.

4 ARTISTS

James Anthony Tyler (Playwright) is the In TV, he was show runner/executive recipient of the 3rd Annual producer of two prime-time series: Playwriting Award. He is an inaugural Showtime’s The Hoop Life, and CBS’s playwright to receive a commission from Education of Max Bickford (Richard Audible and currently has commission with Dreyfuss and Marcia Gay Harden, Peter Williamstown Theatre Festival. His plays O’Toole). He directed the pilot of PBS’s include Artney Jackson (world premiere Copshop at Williamstown Theatre Festival, 2018 Food for Thought (Berkshire International Edgerton Foundation New Play Award), Film Festival; & KCET TV), starring Minnie Some Old Black Man (Berkshire Playwrights Driver and Tony Shalhoub, the short trilogy, Lab at St. James Place and 59E59 Theaters), Public Speaking, by Richard Dresser, and Dolphins And Sharks (LAByrinth Theater starring Treat Williams, and the National Company and Finborough Theatre in Snatched, starring Andrew ). He recently was the staff writer for McCarthy and Ernest Borgnine. the new OWN Network show Cherish The Mr. Cacaci teaches TV Writing in the Day created by Ava DuVernay. His upcoming plays scheduled to be released in 2021 and TV/Screenwriting in the undergraduate include an online workshop presentation of Talkin’ to this Chick Sippin’ Magic Potion He co-founded and is co-artistic director (TheaterWorks Hartford), a short audio of Berkshire Playwrights Lab in Great drama All We Need is Us (Keen Company, Barrington, MA, developing new plays since NYC) and a full-length audio drama Hop tha A 2007. (Audible). BA: Central State University. MFA in Film: Howard University. MFA in Dramatic Wendell Pierce (Calvin Jones, Ph.D.) stars Writing: , and Graduate as James Greer in Amazon’s international of the Lila Acheson Wallace American hit series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan alongside Playwrights Program: The . John Krasinski. He recently appeared with an all-star cast in Between the World and Joe Cacaci (Director) has directed new Me, a new special event based on the #1 plays at , Coconut Grove New York Times bestseller from Ta-Nehisi Playhouse, New Jersey Rep, commercially Coates, which premiered in fall 2020 in New York (Baruch Performing Arts on HBO. Mr. Pierce starred as Clarence Center), (Coast Playhouse, Thomas in HBO’s multi-award-winning Court Theater), and most recently at New , opposite Kerry Washington. York’s 59E59 Theaters. That play, Some Old He is recognized as Robert Zane on USA’s Black Man, by James Anthony Tyler, starred Suits, starred on Anthony Hemingway’s Wendell Pierce and was scheduled to Unsolved miniseries, and recurs in a multi- re- open at The Sheen Center for the Arts season arc on P.D. for Dick Wolf with Mr. Pierce and Charlie Robinson this and Eriq La Salle. Universally hailed for past spring before COVID cancelations. Mr. his portrayal of Det. Bunk Moreland on Cacaci’s own plays have premiered at The HBO’s (Image Award nominee), Long Wharf, The Public, and commercially Mr. Pierce was additionally a three-time in LA. Image Award nominee for his starring role

5 Antoine Baptiste on ’s next his Broadway stage credits are The Piano HBO series, Tremé. Other credits include Lesson, Serious Money, The Boys of Winter, opposite , the and the New York premiere of the award- HBO’s Strapped (), and Life winning Broke-ology at . Support (Image Award winner; WIN Award Off-Broadway productions include the New winner) opposite Queen Latifah. York premiere of Some Old Black Man at Wendell Pierce won the “Best 59E59th, The Good Times are Killing Me, as Actor Award” at the 2019 Tribeca Film well as ‘Tis a Pity She’s A Whore, , Festival, is an Independent Spirit Award and Two Gentleman of Verona for the New and Gotham Award nominee for his York Shakespeare Festival. He received performance in Burning Cane, and stars rave reviews for at the alongside Alfre Woodard and Aldis Classical Theatre of Harlem (VIV Award Hodge in the 2019 Sundance Grand Jury nomination, best lead actor), followed Prize winner Clemency. Mr. Pierce was by , set on a rooftop an Independent Spirit Award nominee surrounded by water in post-Hurricane and won the prestigious Acting Award Katrina , and then starred from the LA Film Festival for the intense opposite and Angela drama Four. His other features include Bassett in ’s Fences at the Selma (Ava DuVernay; Black Reel Award . He next appeared winner), Horrible Bosses, Twilight: Breaking in the Oedipus Plays in the ancient Herod Dawn 2 (), Taylor Hackford’s Atticus Theatre at the Acropolis in Athens, Parker alongside Jennifer Lopez and in association with the Washington DC , Ray and , Wim Shakespeare Theatre. Wenders’ Angst & Alienation in America, A New Orleans native, Wendell Pierce is and Hole in One opposite Michelle known for his service to the city, focusing Williams (Tribeca Film Festival), Fighting on efforts to rebuild the neighborhood Temptations, ’s Get on the Bus and in which he was raised after Hurricane Malcom X, Sleepers, Waiting to , A Katrina. Ponchartrain Park Development Rage in Harlem, Bonfire of the Vanities, and Corp, a non-profit corporation he created Casualties of War. to build affordable and environmentally The Juilliard alumnus, Tony Award- friendly homes, committed to help longtime winning producer (for ), residents come back to their neighborhood. and 2010 winner has most His work was featured on CNN in the recently received rapturous personal documentary filmNew Orleans Rising reviews and was nominated for “Best with Soledad O’Brien, and he has been Actor in a Play” for a London Olivier Award a featured guest on CBS Morning News, for his portrayal of in the two NPR’s Talk of the Nation and Money Matters, acclaimed 2019 presentations of Death of as well as a host of other national outlets. a Salesman, first at the and then Mr. Pierce notably appeared in Spike Lee’s in its West End transfer to the Piccadilly documentary telling Theatre for director Marianne Elliott. Mr. his family’s story of loss during Hurricane Pierce earlier starred in world premieres Katrina. His memoir The Wind in the Reeds of the , Cost of was published to rave reviews in 2015. He Living at Williamstown and Queenie Pie is part of Equity Media, the new ownership at the Kennedy Center. Included among group of WBOK 1230 am, a 70-year-old

6 legacy Black talk radio station in New credits include many pilots, as well as Orleans, the oldest African American owned having been a regular on Buffalo Bill, Night radio station in . Court, Love & War, Ink, and Buddy Faro; in addition, recurring characters on Disney’s Charlie Robinson (Donald Jones), this past KC Undercover, Hart of Dixie, The Game, The summer, completed a limited episodic Quad, , and Home Improvement. for Freeform TV called Love in the Time of There were great roles performed in Corona. Pre-pandemic work included Last Grey’s Anatomy, McBride, Big Love, The Romance at The New Theatre, reuniting Riches, , Cold Case, House, him with Michael Learned, with whom he Bernie Mac, Still Standing, and countless had played opposite in Driving Miss Daisy. others. Twice a CAMIE Award winner, for Since then he starred in the first season his made-for-TV movie roles in Miss Lettie of The Guest Book for TBS, then guest and Me and Secret Santa. As for radio, one performances on CBS’s NCIS, NBC’s This of his favorite performances was the lead is Us, Better Things for FX, and now has a in Walter Mosley’s Black Betty, for LATW. recurring role on Disney’s Raven’s Home, Charlie Robinson was the 2006 Ovation and continues to recur on CBS’s Mom, Award Winner for “Best Actor in a Play” as and for theater, he performed at the Dallas Troy in August Wilson’s Fences, and part of Theater Center in The Trials of Sam Houston. the winning ensemble for the 2013 Mr. Robinson received the Fred Award by Theatre Image Award. He has performed the Pasadena Playhouse, for the role of for years as a guest artist for the Oregon Simon in Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Shakespeare Festival, and countless Man, and a role he reprised for LATW’s other national theaters. Married to Dolorita radio program, after successfully running Noonan-Robinson, children Luca, Christian, the play at South Coast Rep. and the Old Charlie, and Byron, as well as a grandfather, Globe, for which he won the Best Actor great-grandfather, and dog-dad to “Nala.” 2010 Image Theatre Award. A veteran actor from Houston, , Mr. Robinson studied Tiffany Robinson (First Assistant Director) at Studio 7 Workshop and at the University is thrilled to work with UMS and the Some of Houston along with the Alley Repertory Old Black Man Off-Broadway team (James, Theatre; he was acting VP of the Urban Joe, and Wendell), again. This proud native Theatre, before he moved to Los Angeles of Philadelphia holds a BFA in Theater Arts and became a member of the Actors Studio. Administration from Howard University. Mr. Robinson honed his craft at the Mark Ms. Robinson has had the pleasure of Taper Too, Inner City Cultural Center, the working as a professional stage manager Actors Studio with Lyle Kessler’s Unlisted, in Philadelphia and New York for the last also acclaimed Driving Miss Daisy with 15 years. Selected shows: MJ The Musical Diane Ladd and other LA roles, including (Broadway 2021), The Show (Chicago Willy Loman in at SCR. and Broadway), Motown the Musical His film credits include: Apocalypse Now, (Broadway and 1st National), Memphis (1st The River, Set it Off, Antwone Fisher, Even National), Three Sisters (Classical Theatre Money, Jackson, Steam, Natural Disasters, of Harlem), (National Tour), and Sweet Kandy, Hoovey, Maybe Someday, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Broadway — African Russell Madness, as well as Ellen Gerstein’s American cast). short, Come Away With Me. Television

7 UMS ARCHIVES

This digital presentation marks the UMS debuts of both Wendell Pierce and Charlie Robinson.

8 DIRECTED BY CAMERAS Joe Cacaci John Ford Joe Lukawski WRITTEN BY James Anthony Tyler JIB Cameron Frazier EXECUTIVE PRODUCER University Musical Society of the MASTER ELECTRICIAN University of Michigan Chris Simko

Mark Jacobson / Lead Producer and SOUND Senior Programming Manager Aerial Enterprises Cayenne Harris / Producer and Vice President, Al Hurschman / A1, Recordist Education & Community Engagement Mark Gougeon / A2 Matthew VanBesien / President Nathan Manuel Tim Petersen, Chair / Board of Directors Sara Billmann / Vice President, WARDROBE Marketing & Communications Tiffany Robinson Ryan Davis / Vice President, Chief Development Officer CREW Michael Kondziolka / Vice President, IATSE Local 395 Programming & Production Kyle Chapman Carmen Rodriguez / Vice President, Michael Dubyak Finance & Administration Devin Miller Dean Neeb PRODUCER Greg Schmidt 59th Limited Liability Company Travis Sheldon

CAST IATSE Local 38 Wendell Pierce / Calvin Jones, Ph.D. Danny Berro Charlie Robinson / Donald Jones April Campbell / COVID-19 Safety Officer John Dillon DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY/EDITOR Robert W. Floyd Matt Hoffman Kimberly Glenn HMS Media Fred Graham, Jr. Kristen Gribbin SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGNER Adam Groves Justin Lang Shawn Harrington Felicia Hatcher-Brown COSTUME DESIGNER Tyler Hively Suzanne Young Kyle Jeffery / COVID-19 Safety Officer Keith Jex SOUND DESIGNER Suzanne Johnston-Steward Jim Lillie James Kubiak Arthur Merriweather FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Timothy W. Poneleit Tiffany Robinson Ross Robinson Randal Roy PRODUCTION Randy Vanwormer / COVID-19 Safety Officer Jeffrey Beyersdorf / Production Director Alex Gay / Assistant Production Manager Anne Grove / Artist Services Manager Rochelle Clark / Assistant Stage Manager Bridget Kojima, Jacob Rogers, and Justine Sedky/ Couriers 9 MUSIC SPECIAL THANKS “I Was Standing on 75 Highway” 5th Avenue Furniture by Lightnin’ Hopkins Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center “Three Hours Past Midnight” Brooks Lumber by Johnny “Guitar” Watkins Kathy Byrne, SAG/AFTRA Used with permission by Cadillac True Value Hardware Universal Publishing Group Cowan, Debaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP/Josh Sessler APM Music Detroit Wallpaper Co. Keith Dickey, Michigan Medicine TELEVISION PRODUCTION Fantasee Lighting AND POST-PRODUCTION HMS Media Matt Hoffman/HMS Media Henry Ford Hospital/Robin Damschroder and Gerald C. Koenig, MD, Ph.D. CATERERS Simeon Heyer, The Jam Handy Canape Cart, Birmingham Jessica Hicks, Ochre Bakery, Detroit Ochre Bakery, Detroit John K. King Books LynxDx, Inc./Steven Riggs and Ani Shirvanian TITLE DESIGN Preeti Malani, MD, University of Michigan Phire Group Bridget McCormack and Steve Croley for their generous housing assistance MOTION GRAPHICS Kathleen O’Neill, Canape Cart, Birmingham Jenny Conway Quest Diagnostics/Margaret J. Collins and Nathan T. Doyle POST-AUDIO MIX Steinway Gallery of Detroit Andrew Twiss Holly Taylor Twiss Audio University of Michigan Health Service/ Lindsey Mortenson, MD and Jason Shellhaas, LEAD PRESENTING SPONSORS MD Tim and Sally Petersen University Productions, University of Michigan/ Michigan Engineering Doug Edwards, Paul Hunter, Rich Lindsay, and Beth Sandmaier PRESENTING SPONSOR Stacy and Jeffrey Weber DTE Energy Foundation Matt Wilson Newmarket LLC

PATRON SPONSOR Artists appear courtesy of the Screen Actors Jerry and Dale Kolins Endowment Fund Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists FUNDED IN PART BY Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan UMS Sustaining Directors

ADDITIONAL THANKS TO Special thanks to the Director’s Guild of America Ford Motor Company Fund and IATSE Local 38 and Local 395 LynxDx, Inc.* Michigan Medicine Quest Diagnostics

*The COVID-19 assay was developed at the University of Michigan and is being deployed in partnership with LynxDx, Inc.

Shot on location at The Jam Handy, Detroit, Michigan | © University Musical Society, 2021