’S ILLINOIS THEATRE Chuck Smith, director Thursday-Saturday, October 17-19, 2019, at 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday, October 24-26, 2019, at 7:30pm Sunday, October 27, 2019, at 3pm Colwell Playhouse WELCOME TO THE or a new piece never seen before, the same is 2019-2020 ILLINOIS true. The material is ever renewed and always THEATRE SEASON! embedded in a history of work on the stage. It is a true pleasure to share our work with The season also reflects our commitment to a you. Students, faculty, diverse, inclusive, accessible theatre. Whether and guests have come on stage or behind the scenes, we strive to together to produce make work that reflects and makes space for a year of exploration, our whole community. From the planning and of reflection, and of design to the work you experience on stage, illumination. We are we believe theatre has the capacity to engage proud to be in our second half-century as a the world as it is in all its complex challenges and theatre department, offering drama at the to envision and enact the world as it might be. highest level. Illinois Theatre is a leading We are so pleased you have chosen to share program with more than 200 students and this with us. We hope you enjoy it and look nearly 40 faculty members. Housed in forward to seeing you again. Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, we are fortunate to have the resources of a Gabriel Solis world-class environment for dramatic art and Professor and Head, Department of Theatre the commitment of hours beyond measure from a truly remarkable staff. HELLO AGAIN, ANEW! Theatre is a call to your senses and your spirit. As the “newly minted” As a call, it welcomes your response. Our work Producer for Illinois is meant to touch you deeply, to surprise, Theatre, I echo the at times to unsettle, and always to offer sentiments of Professor you an opportunity for thought and further Gabriel Solis in warmly engagement. welcoming you to the 2019-20 Illinois Theatre This year’s season reflects our commitment as season. This year will a department and as individual artists, scholars, see many new, exciting and makers to wrestle with the enduring changes at Illinois mysteries of the human condition and with Theatre as we continue to strive to bring you the critical questions of our times. Whether quality theatrical experiences even as we you are seeing a work from classical antiquity, continue to grow as artists and creators performed thousands upon thousands of times, ourselves.

2 Illinois Theatre has long been recognized as a wonderfully fertile space where students, faculty, staff, guest artists—and sometimes even unsuspecting audience members— have come together to communicate with each other through the medium of theatre, often times creating ephemeral yet enduring encounters that affect hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. Is that a bit “dramatic?” Ah, well, forgive my hyperbole, but the desire for connection that infuses our work colors all that we do. From the classroom to the scene shop to the stage, we at Illinois Theatre seek to connect—with each other and with you.

Pursuant to that, we are indeed continuing to focus our efforts on not just committing to but actually creating physical, aural, and visual spaces that are welcoming to human beings of all varieties. This is an ongoing journey, and to succeed, we need your support and your voice.

What you will see on our stages tonight is the product of every department head, faculty and staff member, and students past and present who have passionately worked to bring us all to this moment. If we have made you think, feel, ponder, or wonder, it is our honor to do so.

Welcome, and enjoy.

Lisa Gaye Dixon Producer, Department of Theatre

3 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Tonight’s performance of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean is sponsored in part by the following generous donors:

SUSAN & MICHAEL HANEY THE ACT OF GIVING OF ACT THE

4 PROGRAM AUGUST WILSON’S GEM OF THE OCEAN ILLINOIS THEATRE Chuck Smith, director Kemal Nance and Endalyn Taylor, choreographers

Thursday-Saturday, October 17-19, 2019, at 7:30pm Thursday-Saturday, October 24-26, 2019, at 7:30pm Sunday, October 27, 2019, at 3pm Colwell Playhouse

TIME: 1904

PLACE: The Hill District, , Pennsylvania, in the parlor of Eli, Aunt Ester, and Black Mary’s home at 1839 Wylie Avenue

ACT I

20-minute intermission ACT II

This production includes the smoking of tobacco products, smog effects, and adult language and is intended for mature audiences only.

August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. Originally produced on Broadway by , Jujamcyn Theaters. Originally presented at National Playwright’s Conference of The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

This production of August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean is made possible with support from The Anda New Works Theatre Production Endowment Fund.

5 DIRECTOR’S NOTE When being interviewed, Black directors are In 1997, I directed my first August Wilson play, usually asked, “What is your favorite August Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, at my artistic home, Wilson play?” My stock answer to the question the in Chicago. The Goodman is, “The one you are working on.” Most directors enjoys the luxury of a 10-show preview period I know who have worked on Mr. Wilson’s plays covering two weekends. August Wilson came in don’t think it is a fair question any more than the first weekend of previews and stayed through asking a parent which of your children do you like the opening to help me polish the show. The the most. I’ve discovered that, with me, those production set a Goodman box office record and things I consider my favorites are connected to was seen by the Vice President, Chicago’s mayor, pleasant memories attached to the event itself. and a host of celebrities, including basketball Two favorite films I cannot pass over are an old great Michael Jordan and a state representative John Wayne western called Red River—and while named Barack Obama. It was a good show, but it is a good movie, what makes it special to me is what makes it special to me is that for a whole that it is the only film I can remember enjoying in week I had August Wilson all to myself. the company of both my parents—and Godfather II, first seen with the sweetheart who got away. —Chuck Smith, director

6 AUGUST WILSON'S GEM OF THE OCEAN PLAYWRIGHT LIGHTING DESIGNER August Wilson Robert Perry+

DIRECTOR SOUND DESIGNER Chuck Smith^ Hayat Dominguez

CO-CHOREOGRAPHER VOCAL COACH Kemal Nance Allison Moody

CO-CHOREOGRAPHER FIGHT COORDINATOR Endalyn Taylor Vincent Carlson

COMPOSER MUSIC COORDINATOR William Kilgore Gabriel Solis

SCENIC DESIGNER STAGE MANAGER Linda Buchanan+ Shea Hittman

COSTUME DESIGNER Natalie Loveland+

^The director is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union. +Appears as a member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE, the union representing professional scenic, costume, lighting, sound, and projection designers.

7 CAST AUNT ESTER CAESAR WILKS Lisa Gaye Dixon* Brandon Burditt

ELI RUTHERFORD SELIG Latrel Crawford Danny Yoerges*

SOLLY TWO KINGS CITY OF BONES DANCERS Nathan Ramsey Angel Anderson Faith Brown BLACK MARY Kennedy Cowan Charence Higgins Alexandria Kinard Mya McClellan CITIZEN BARLOW Ibrahim Sabbi J’Laney Jenkins Jeremy Taylor

*Appears courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union for professional actors and stage managers.

8 PROFILES Brandon Burditt (Caesar Lisa Gaye Dixon (Aunt Ester) Wilks) is pursuing an MFA has worked professionally in acting at the University across the country and around of Illinois. Originally from the globe. She began her Redmond, Washington, professional career with the Burditt attended Morehouse Steppenwolf Theatre College, one of the highest- Company of Chicago in a ranked historically Black revival of For Colored Girls colleges in the country. This Who Have Considered Suicide is his second production with Illinois Theatre. When The Rainbow is Enuf. She has performed on Past credits include (Canewell), the stages of the Royal Shakespeare Company The Colored Museum (The Soldier), Hoodoo Love and the New Globe Theatre in London and (Jib), and Hit the Wall (Carson). Lastly, he wants to regionally in the United States at the Goodman extend his sincerest thanks to his mother, father, Theatre (Chicago), The Attic Theatre (Detroit), and sister for their unending support. Lost Nation Theatre (Montpelier, Vermont), Kitchen Theatre and Geva Theatre Center (New Latrel Crawford (Eli) is York), and others. Dixon has written and currently a junior pursuing a premiered a one-person piece entitled My Case Is BFA in acting at the University Altered: Tales of a 21st Century Roaring Girl. of Illinois. His Illinois Theatre Professional directing credits include King Lear at credits include Marat/Sade by Optimist Theatre (Milwaukee), Detroit ’67 for Peter Weiss and Hit the Wall Clarence Brown Theatre (University of Tennessee), by Ike Holter. Gem of The and Ladyish at Illinois Wesleyan. Film credits Ocean marks his third include The Trouble with Men and Women BBC/ production with Illinois IFC), Leading Ladies, and USING. Theatre, and he is excited to bring August Wilson’s character Eli to life after being a finalist in Chicago’s 2017 August Wilson Monologue Competition. Past productions and projects include Orfeo Ed Euridice (Armory Free Theatre), Impulse 24/7 (Armory Free Theatre), Director’s Workshop (Armory Free Theatre), among others. Other theatre credits include Jeff Award- nominated truth and reconciliation (Sideshow Theatre Company); The Project(s), This Beautiful City (American Theatre Company); and Zora Neale Hurston’s one-acts (Illinois High School Theatre Festival).

9 Charence Higgins (Black Nathan M. Ramsey (Solly Two Mary) is a Mississippi native Kings) is a second-year MFA with degrees in psychology acting student at the and theatre from Jackson University of Illinois. A Bronx State University and is native and United States Air continuing her education at Force veteran, Nathan the University of Illinois in her received his BS in exercise second year of the MFA acting science from Lehman College program. A few previous roles and trained at the American include Judy in The Curious Incident of the Dog in Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Past the Night-Time at Illinois Theatre, Shelby in Steel productions include King Henry IV, Part I and The Magnolias at Madison Center Players, Lorraine in Merry Wives of Windsor (Montana Shakespeare in Hairspray at New Stage Theatre, Miss Evers in the Parks), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Miss Evers’ Boys at Jackson State University, Night-Time (Illinois Theatre), Tame That along with an exciting stint in several historic roles B!#@H (Illinois Theatre), Rent (The Duplex at the Smithsonian Institute’s American History Cabaret, New York City), Waiting for Museum and African American History and Lefty (Lehman College), The Passion of Antígona Culture Museum in Washington, DC. With this Pérez (Lehman College), Waif & Stray (New York being only the second production of an August University), and numerous independent films. He Wilson play at Illinois Theatre, Higgins is is thrilled to return to the KCPA stage. www. completely overjoyed to be seen in her first play nathanmramsey.com Instagram/Twitter: @ by this incredible American playwright. nathanmramsey

J’Laney Jenkins (Citizen Danny Yoerges (Rutherford Barlow) is a second-year MFA Selig) is a second-year MFA acting student from North student. He comes to Urbana Carolina. He received his from New York where he often undergraduate degree from collaborated on performance North Carolina A&T State projects with his wife, Rachel, University as a theatre and who is pursuing her MFA in journalism student. He dance at the University of performed in multiple shows Illinois. His credits include Hit at A&T including In the Red and Brown Water, the Wall, Illinois Theatre; War Horse (Joey/ Topdog/Underdog, Black Nativity, and The Topthorn), Broadway National Tour; Illusionarium, Colored Museum. He was also a national award Norwegian Cruise Line; Farragut North (Stephen winner at the Kennedy Center American College Bellamy) and The Sound of Music (Rolf), Olney Theatre Festival in Washington, DC. This is Theatre Center; All’s Well That Ends Well (Young Jenkins’ second performance with Illinois Theatre; Dumaine), Shakespeare Theatre Company; he was last seen in Hit the Wall as Mika. Saturday Night and I Capture the Castle

10 (readings), Signature Theatre; Henry V (Henry) and Kennedy Cowan (City of Never in my Lifetime, New York City. Yoerges Bones Dancer) hails from received a BFA from the University of North Vallejo, California, where she Carolina School of the Arts. studied dance at the Oakland www.dannyyoerges.com School for the Arts under the direction of Reginald Ray- Angel Anderson (City of Savage and Alison Hurley. Bones Dancer) is a fourth-year Through the Oakland School student at the University of and subsequent summer Illinois at Urbana-Champaign intensives at Joffrey in New York City, Cowan has pursuing a dual degree in worked with several notable artists including psychology and dance. Some Endalyn Taylor (Dance Theatre of Harlem), Corrine of her recent performance Nagata (LINES, The Ailey School), and Jalen credits include Endalyn Taylor Preston (commercial dancer with Janet Jackson, and Raheim White’s Ariana Grande, and Jason Derulo). Currently, she “Kueendom of the Shade,” Ell Emadian’s “Back is a sophomore in the BFA dance program at the Quarter Time Turn,” and Rennie Harris’ “LIFTED,” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where which premiered at the Museum of Contemporary she received the Talent Student Scholarship. Art in Chicago, Illinois. Cowan plans to pursue a career in the arts, dance, Faith Brown (City of Bones and fashion full-time after graduation. Dancer), a graduate of the Alexandria Kinard (City of Youth Performing Arts School Bones Dancer), a native of in Louisville, Kentucky, is Louisville, Kentucky, is a pursuing a BFA in dance with a sophomore at the University minor in business from the of Illinois at Urbana- University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign where she is Champaign. Some of her pursuing a BFA in Dance. She professional experiences is the Department of Dance’s include interning at the Gibney Center and the first recipient of the Aaron R. José Limón Dance Foundation in New York City. White Scholarship. Before attending the Brown currently interns in the Department of university, Kinard attended the Governor’s School Dance and serves as the junior class for the Arts in Kentucky, The Alvin Ailey Summer representative for the Student Board. At the U of Dance Intensive, and the Mark Morris Summer I, she has choreographed several works for the Dance Intensive. Her Illinois performance credits 2018 and 2019 Studiodance II productions. include November Dance (Linda Lehovec), February Dance (Endalyn Taylor and Raheim White), Senior Thesis concert (LaTosha Pointer), and the Project 500 Gala (Endalyn Taylor).

11 Mya McClellan (City of Bones professional debut in Rennie Harris’ “LIFTED” at Dancer) is a performing artist the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, studying dance at the Illinois. Taylor is a member of the Black male University of Illinois at Urbana- dance initiative, A Nance Dance Collective (www. Champaign. Originally from blackmendance.com) and will perform with the Joliet, Illinois, McClellan has company in his first international venue at the trained in several dance styles, Little Theatre in Kingston, Jamaica, for the Stella but especially enjoys ballet Maris Dance Ensemble’s 26th Season of Dance and modern dance. While at immediately following August Wilson’s Gem of the U of I, she has performed in works the Ocean. choreographed by Endalyn Taylor, Sara Hook, and Renata Sheppard. Chuck Smith (Director) is a member of Goodman Theatre’s Board of Trustees and is Ibrahim Sabbi (City of Bones one of Goodman Theatre’s resident directors. Dancer) is a working He is also a resident director at the Westcoast choreographer, dancer, and Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota, Florida and a visual artist. A native of member of the American Blues Theatre Company Chicago, he is a BFA student in Chicago. At Krannert Center, he has directed in the Department of Dance at Barbecue and a staged reading of Inheritance. the University of Illinois at Goodman’s credits include the Chicago premieres Urbana-Champaign. Sabbi has of Pullman Porter Blues, By the Way, Meet Vera performed leading roles in Stark, Race, The Good Negro, , and The works choreographed by Melanie Bales, C. Kemal Story; the world premieres of By the Music of Nance, Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, and Endalyn Taylor. the Spheres and The Gift Horse; James Baldwin’s Ibrahim Sabbi has had experience in hip hop The Amen Corner, which transferred to Boston’s choreography and the battle scene in Chicago, Huntington Theatre Company where it won the Los Angeles, and Champaign-Urbana. Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Award for Best Direction; A Raisin in the Sun; Jeremy Taylor (City of Bones Blues for an Alabama Sky; August Wilson’s Two Dancer), a native of Chicago, is Trains Running; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Ain’t a graduating senior in the Misbehavin’; the 1993 to 1995 productions of A Department of Dance at the Christmas Carol; Crumbs From the Table of Joy; University of Illinois at Urbana- Vivisections from a Blown Mind; Having Our Say; Champaign. Throughout his and The Meeting. Smith served as dramaturg for time at the U of I, he has the Goodman’s world-premiere production of performed in choreographies August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. He directed by Melanie Bales, Rebecca the New York premieres of Knock Me a Kiss and Nettl-Fiol, Kemal Nance, Endalyn Taylor, Danzel The Hooch for the New Federal Theatre and the Thompson-Stout, and Israeli artist Omri world premiere of Knock Me a Kiss at Chicago’s Drumlevich. In May of 2018, Taylor won the Lisa Victory Gardens Theater, where his other directing Carducci Award for overall excellence in credits include Master Harold . . . and the Boys, choreography and performance in the BFA dance Home, Dame Lorraine and Eden, for which he program and later in August, he made his 12 received a Jeff Award nomination. Regionally, Linda Buchanan (Scenic Designer) has designed Smith directed Death and the King’s Horseman at theatres throughout the country and abroad. (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Birdie Blue Her work has been seen in Chicago at the (Seattle Repertory Theatre), The Story (Milwaukee Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Court Theatre, Repertory Theater), Blues for an Alabama Sky the Paramount, and regionally at , (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), and The Last the Alley Theatre, Indiana Rep, Cleveland Season (Robey Theatre Company). At Columbia Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Kansas College, he was facilitator of the Theodore Ward City Repertory Theatre, Idaho Shakespeare Prize playwriting contest for 20 years and editor Festival, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Seattle of the contest anthologies Seven Black Plays Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Best Black Plays. He won a Chicago Emmy Syracuse Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre, Resident Award as associate producer/theatrical director Ensemble Theatre, and many others. Buchanan’s for the NBC teleplay Crime of Innocence and work has been published in American Theatre, was theatrical director for the Emmy-winning Stage Directions, Entertainment Design (now Live Fast Break to Glory and the Emmy-nominated Design), TCI (now Live Design), Interior Design, The Martin Luther King Suite. He was a founding and Contract. Buchanan was included in in two member of the Chicago Theatre Company where USITT design exhibits (Women in Design, 1997, he served as artistic director for four seasons and Evolution of a Designer, 2010). Recent work and directed the Jeff-nominated Suspenders includes Having Our Say (Goodman Theatre, and the Jeff-winning musical Po’. His directing Chicago), Inherit the Wind (Resident Ensemble credits include productions at Fisk University, Players, Delaware), Pride and Prejudice (Idaho Roosevelt University, Eclipse Theatre, ETA, Black Shakespeare Festival/Great Lakes Theatre), Ensemble Theater, Northlight Theatre, MPAACT, You Can’t Take It With You (Indiana Repertory Congo Square Theatre Company, The New Regal Theatre), and the premiere of Quack (Alley Theater, Kuumba Theatre Company, Fleetwood- Theatre, Houston.) Notable past projects Jourdain Theatre, Pegasus Players, the Timber include the premiere production of Marvin’s Lake Playhouse in Mt. Carroll, Illinois, and the Room (10 regional productions and commercial University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is a productions in New York and London), the 2003 inductee into the Chicago State University musical Wings (Goodman Theatre and The Public Gwendolyn Brooks Center’s Literary Hall of Theatre, New York), and the American premiere Fame and a 2001 Chicago Tribune Chicagoan of of House and Garden (Goodman Theatre). the Year. He is the proud recipient of the 1982 Buchanan has received the Merritt Award for Paul Robeson Award and the 1997 Award of Design and Collaboration, Jefferson Awards Merit presented by the Black Theater Alliance of for House (Goodman Theatre), Black Snow Chicago. Smith recently received an Honorary (Goodman Theatre), and I Hate Hamlet (Royal PhD from his alma mater Governors State George Theatre, Chicago), and a Helen Hayes University. Award for Dancing At Lughnasa (Arena Stage, Washington, DC). Buchanan is the former Head of Scene Design at The Theatre School at DePaul University.

13 Hayat Dominguez (Sound Designer) is a third- Mark Kennedy (Properties Master) is a second- year MFA sound design student, and this is their year MFA student at the University of Illinois. fifth design while being here. They’ve had the He received a BA in theatre (performance and pleasure of working on [title of show], February technical design) and psychology from Edgewood Dance 2018, and The Rape of Lucretia as well as College in Madison, Wisconsin. Prior to attending designing for Marat/Sade. Dominguez was also a the U of I, he was the Assistant Technical Director part of the Jessica Lang Dance Residency in early and Props Master for First Act Children’s Theatre August of last year. Previous to their time here, in Madison, Wisconsin, for five years. Most they obtained their BFA in theatre technology recently, he was the Props Master for Heritage from the University of South Dakota and have Theatre Festival’s 45th Anniversary season in worked for companies such as the Santa Fe Opera Charlottesville, Virginia. and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Natalie Loveland (Costume Designer) is an Shea Hittman (Stage Manager) is a third-year MFA graduate of the University of Illinois, now MFA student in stage management at the based in New York. She is pleased to return as a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. guest artist to design this production of August Most recently, Hittman worked at Utah Festival Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. Last year, she had Opera & Musical Theatre where she worked as the pleasure of returning to design Barbecue. In the production stage manager on productions New York, her designs have been seen at Classic of Bravo, Caruso!, and Master Class. Her Stage Company, Lincoln Center Education, Park University of Illinois credits include stage Avenue Armory, Theatre Row, New York Theatre manager for productions of The Curious Incident Workshop’s Fourth Street Theatre, and The Flea of the Dog in the Night-Time (Illinois Theatre) Theatre, among others. Outside the city, Natalie and La Bohème (Lyric Theatre @ Illinois); production has designed at The Shakespeare Theatre of New stage manager for Studiodance I (2018, Dance at Jersey, Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken, Arkansas Illinois); and calling stage manager for February Shakespeare Theatre, and has served as a guest Dance (2018, Dance at Illinois). Hittman is an artist at several universities. Most recently, she ensemble member at Theatre B in Moorhead, designed for Broadway Backwards 2019 at the Minnesota, where she stage-managed New Amsterdam Theatre, Phillip Howze’s Self productions of Equivocation, 33 Variations, Portraits at BRIC-Arts Media, and Pipeline at and Gruesome Playground Injuries. Mile Square Theatre. As an assistant, Natalie has worked on the National Tours of NETworks’ Dirty Dancing and Elf The Musical, Irish Repertory Theatre, and regionally at American Players Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and The Ohio Light Opera. Natalie is a proud member of USA Local 829. To view her work, please visit: www.nataliemarieloveland.com

14 C. Kemal Nance, “Kibon” (Co-Choreographer) a Jamaica and will be featured in his forthcoming native of Chester, Pennsylvania, is a performer, dance filmDeez Nuts!: Black Bodies Dancing choreographer, and scholar of African Diasporan Defiance. To stay abreast of Nance’s evolving Dance. He is an assistant professor in the creative and scholarly work, log on to www. departments of Dance at Illinois and African blackmendance.com. American Studies at the University of Illinois. Attendees at the Colloquium of Black Arts in Robert Perry (Lighting Designer) marks his Bahia, Salvador, knighted him with the nickname fifth collaboration with the Illinois Department “Kibon”—the name of a Brazilian ice cream to of Theatre with August Wilson’s Gem of the reflect the “delicious time“ they experienced Ocean, having previously designed Lost Lake and in his movement class. He is a master teacher Long Lost directed by Daniel Sullivan, Assassins of the Umfundalai technique of contemporary directed by JW Morrissette, and Much Ado African dance and has danced principle roles in About Nothing directed by Kathleen Conlin. the Umfundalai-based, professional company Off-Broadway designs include the New York Kariamu & Company: Traditions (Philadelphia). premieres of ’s Boston Marriage Throughout his career, Nance has had a recurring (The Public Theatre) and Reefer Madness performing presence with the late Chuck Davis’ (Variety Arts Theatre), Lost Lake (Manhattan African American Dance Ensemble (Durham, Theatre Club), Iphigeneia at Aulis (Pearl Theatre North Carolina). His writings about Chuck Company), and Kingdom of Earth (The Drama Davis will appear in two book chapters in the Dept.). Perry has also had a long-standing forthcoming anthology of essays, African Dance relationship with David Mamet and William in America: Perpetual Motion and Hot Feet, H. Macy’s Atlantic Theater Company in New this fall. Nance has danced with several neo- York City, having designed 18 shows for them traditional and contemporary African dance including Sexual Perversity in Chicago (starring companies including Ibeji, The Children of Clark Gregg), Harold Pinter’s The Hothouse, Shango, Dunya, and the Seventh Principle of and David Mamet’s The Water Engine for which he was a founding member. He, with dance which he received a Drama Desk Nomination. partner and long-time friend, Stafford C. Berry, Regionally, Perry has designed for numerous Jr., has choreographed for and performed with theatres including the Goodman Theatre, the African American male dance initiative, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Arena Stage, Berry & Nance Dance Project, and produced La Jolla Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, choreographies about Black manhood at national Hartford Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and international venues. Nance holds a BA in Shakespeare Theatre Company, Intiman Theatre, sociology/anthropology with the concentration Triad Stage, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and in Black studies from Swarthmore College and Yale Repertory Theatre. He holds an MFA from the MEd and PhD degrees in dance from Temple Yale School of Drama and a BFA from the North University. Dancers from his newly formed Carolina School of the Arts. Perry is a member of Nance Dance Collective will perform his latest United Scenic Artists local #829 and is currently work, Red, with Stella Maris Dance Ensemble in the Chair of the Lighting Design and Technology Kingston, Jamaica, right after August Wilson’s program and Co-Director of Level 21 at the Gem of the Ocean closes. They will also perform University of Illinois. He is represented by APA— in the Kingston-based television show Smile Agency for the Performing Arts, New York City.

15 Endalyn Taylor (Co-choreographer ) joined Naomie Winch (Technical Director) is in her third Dance Theatre of Harlem’s company in 1984, year as an MFA candidate in scenic technology becoming a principal in 1993. Broadway credits at the University of Illinois by way of Southern include original casts of Carousel, The Lion California. She is thrilled to be a part of Austin King, and Aida. Taylor participated in the Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean. Winch’s most recent recording of the Grammy-nominated cast albums credit was as the assistant technical director for and performed for the 1993 and 1997 Tony the New Harmony Theatre’s 2019 summer season. Awards. Taylor ran a performing arts institute in She holds another MFA in lighting design and Cambridge, Massachusetts. She served as the technology and actively tries to integrate the Director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem School imperceptible world of lighting design with the and brought students to the White House to tangible world of scenic design and intermix both participate in an arts initiative of the Obamas and into global construction and renovation projects. to perform for the First Lady and the spouses of the Heads of State’s Luncheon. Choreographic commissions include productions for The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Judas International Dance Company, and Collage Dance Collective. Taylor performed the co-choreographed “Chalk Lines” at the American Dance Festival in New York and most recently premiered a collaborative work entitled The Counterpoint Project in New York. Taylor serves as a national spokesman for Black ballerinas and has presented lectures and panels at Coventry University in England, Collegium for African Diasporic Dance, and National Association Schools of Dance and served as Keynote Speaker at the Black Women Rock, Empower Me Award Ceremony, Champaign Illinois. Film credits include Center Stage and Spike Lee's Malcolm X. Taylor is the subject of the recently Mid-America Emmy-nominated, Big Ten Network-featured segment Illinois Artist—Endalyn Taylor.

16 PRODUCTION STAFF ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER Monique Arabie Stephen Moderhock Tina Hermosillo* ASSISTANT SOUND DESIGNER PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Daniel Massey Jaira Stanley ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jordan Ratliff Naomie Winch SCENIC ARTIST PROPERTIES MASTER Christina Rainwater Mark Kennedy STAGE CARPENTER HAIR/MAKEUP SUPERVISOR Eric Swabey-Keith Courtney Horry MASTER ELECTRICIAN HAIR/MAKEUP COORDINATOR Konrad Ciolkosz Melissa Hall AUDIO ENGINEER ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Zia Fox Patrick Storey WARDROBE HEAD/COSTUME TECHNICIAN ASSISTANT SCENIC DESIGNER A’lura Celeste-Stewart Yvonne Tessman

ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER Samantha Padillo

*Appears as a member of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA), the union for professional actors and stage managers.

17