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An English Touring Theatre and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production By Directed by Nancy Medina

#TwoTrainsRunning

Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 October 2019 We are delighted to welcome you to this performance of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running, our co-production with Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

One of the great 20th century American playwrights, August Wilson’s writing is monumental, beautiful and visionary. Set in 1969 , Two Trains Running showcases Wilson’s genius in portraying life in all its complexities. Its themes of gentrification, the poverty trap and police tensions with the black community all still resonate strongly today. But more than anything his writing is full of optimism and hope, full of rich voices and characters with whom it is a privilege to spend time with.

We thank Nancy Medina and the magnificent cast that she has assembled for breathing life into these characters, our partners at Royal & Derngate, Northampton and the Royal Theatrical Support Trust for helping to bring this story to the stage.

You can keep up to date with the production on tour @ETTtweet #TwoTrainsRunning or by signing up to our mailing list at ett.org.uk.

We hope you enjoy the show.

Richard & Lizzie

Richard Twyman Lizzie Vogler Artistic Director Executive Producer English Touring Theatre English Touring Theatre

Two Trains Running is an English Touring Theatre and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production. The production opens at Royal & Derngate, Northampton (31 Aug – 14 Sep) before touring to Nuffield Theatre, Southampton (17 – 21 Sep), Oxford Playhouse (24 – 28 Sep), Cast, Doncaster (1 – 5 Oct), New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (8 – 12 Oct), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (15 – 19 Oct) and Derby Theatre (22 – 26 Oct).

Nancy Medina, Director /English Touring Theatre @ETTtweet /englishtouringtheatre #TwoTrainsRunning 3 4 Anita-Joy Uwajeh (Risa) Michael Salami (Sterling Johnson) 5 The Lower Hill District and others like it were A series of protest groups was set up to halt early targets for these enterprising planners. the renewal programme, which seemed to be The first wrecking ball was swung in 1950 and annihilating much of Pittsburgh’s historical and soon after, when the city’s dignitaries decided cultural heritage in favour of ultra-Modernist they deserved a new civic arena, The Hill was design and urban planning. One group of Pittsburgh selected. It had certainly seen better days architects complained of “our city being defaced and was suffering from overcrowding and by thoughtless buildings and projects”, adding: widespread disease, but the regeneration “The inane things that have all but ruined this A Cautionary Tale programme was to prove as brutal as it was place have been unchallenged much too long.” comprehensive. Looking back now on the 1960s renewal, local Through a policy known as eminent domain reporter Beth Dunlop argues: “The problem was, “It seemed like a perfect plan. It just didn’t work – roughly equivalent to our own compulsory it didn’t work because really basic notions of purchase orders – more than 1,200 black families how human beings perceive and use space were the way we planned. I feel, in a measure, guilty.” were forced out of their homes with no relocation completely misapprehended.” Dave Craig, Pittsburgh city solicitor in the 1960s expenses and a chaotic implementation plan. The $22 million arena was completed in 1961 but only And then, on April 4, 1968, came the assassination one other building in the promised cultural centre of Martin Luther King. In cities across the United States, racial unrest came to a head. Pittsburgh The time and location for August Wilson’s lit during the day. Sewage was a major problem, was ever built. Ironically, the Civic Arena itself was endured a week of rioting, looting and violence play Two Trains Running are no accident. The often running freely into open rivers. Outside demolished in 2012. that damaged black areas economically and Lower Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1969 was observers were less than kind, with the Chicago heightened tensions with the police. Museum reeling from a double whammy of blows: the Tribune newspaper arguing that Pittsburgh wasn’t Pittsburgh had certainly seen curator Emily Ruby describes 1968 as “the year devastating legacy of two decades of so-called a major city, and the Wall Street Journal rating it a better days and was suffering that rocked Pittsburgh”, concluding: “The riots and urban renewal and the race riots that had “Class D” city. struggles of 1968 left the city more racially divided erupted across America the previous year. from overcrowding and However, under a succession of transformative widespread disease, but the than at the start, but also more aware of the It was not always thus: The Hill – or ‘Little civic leaders, starting with Mayor David L problems that it faced moving forward.” Harlem’ as it was known from the 1930s to the Lawrence in 1945, the city began a new era of regeneration programme was In the decades since, the city – and The Hill in 50s – was one of the most culturally vibrant urban development that would shape its history to prove as brutal as it was particular – have been the subject of countless African-American neighbourhoods in the for the rest of the century and beyond. Backed comprehensive. attempts to rectify the damage done by what was whole of the United States. It had a jazz scene and steered by local financier Richard K Mellon, known as the Renaissance I project. Unfortunately, frequented by the likes of John Coltrane and Pittsburgh set up the Urban Redevelopment Meanwhile, The Hill’s population crashed from even today, The Hill is regarded as a place to Dizzy Gillespie, the first black-owned and built Authority, a body still in existence today, whose 17,000 in 1950 to fewer than 2,500 in 1990. be avoided by many Pittsburghers. Fresh plans baseball park, and one of the country’s leading aims were to change the city for the better What had been one of the most integrated are floated from time to time but, as one local clubs in the shape of The Crawford Grill. through the new principles of urban planning communities in America was destroyed, its commentator remarked: “One can’t blame its and community involvement. residents dispersed to other, more racially But Pittsburgh, like many other cities across long-suffering residents for being sceptical of segregated areas for the sake of a project America’s manufacturing ‘Rust Belt’, was As the URA’s website describes its own history: such things.” that would be one of the most controversial struggling in the aftermath of the Second World “It is a story of people. It is a story of partnership development schemes in the country. Michael Davies War. Its industrial heritage, although bringing in and leadership. Most of all, it is a story of building © John Good plenty of money, also created a smog that was a better Pittsburgh.” sometimes so bad that the streetlamps were

6 7 8 Leon Herbert (Holloway) Ray Emmet Brown (Wolf) 9 A note from Constanza Romero 2 August 2019, Seattle Washington

I just returned from Pittsburgh where Netflix is make a difference in a world that does not offer I am equally grateful to director Nancy Medina adapting and filming my late husband, August many options to a young black man. By 1969 the for choosing this play after winning the 2018 RTST Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. For wind of change is felt as The Civil Rights era of the Sir Peter Hall Director Award. She and I had a this film I am serving as one of the Executive ’50s and early ’60s makes way to The wonderful conversation on the phone and I know Producers, while Denzel Washington is the lead movement. At this important moment in history, that she has passion for my husband’s work, as well Producer. Mr Washington also directed and August wholeheartedly embraced this movement’s as a solid grasp on the characters in the play. I am starred in August’s widely acclaimed film call for self-sufficiency, and the development of very much looking forward to seeing the result of in 2016. Because film and television have such political and cultural institutions that served the hers and her collaborator’s efforts. a vast audience, there is no doubt that August’s needs of African Americans. It is no wonder that the international presence is growing exponentially forward, to this play reads: To all the artists and theater staff at Royal & each year, especially as Netflix operates in about Derngate, Northampton, and the theaters that 190 countries! “If the train don’t hurry there’s gonna be some make up the tour, I send you my greetings and walking done.”** my heartfelt gratitude for your craft, for your But August was first and foremost an artist of exploration and investment in August Wilson’s Two the spoken word, more precisely the theater. His The theme of self-determination runs all through Trains Running. master storytelling style with its unique rhythm, the play, from Memphis’ war cry to the city of poetry and musicality is a proud homage to his Pittsburgh that they must “meet his price” for the Constanza Romero African American ancestors. As a theater designer, sale of his restaurant, to Hambone’s not allowing Executor August Wilson Estate and frequent collaborator with August on his plays the white butcher, Lutz to determine the worth of in The American Century Cycle*, I feel, as August his labor. Even Death is embodied by a black man, did, that there is no other more engaging, more West, with his own set of rules and relationship immediate way to have a conversation about the with the community. As tragic as it is, Risa’s scars are human condition than live theater. her own way of controlling how men see her. Wolf, the numbers man, also functions as the reporter For this reason, I am infinitely grateful to Royal of the neighborhood, delivering news about the & Derngate Northampton and English Touring community and gathering funds for those in need. Theatre for producing August’s play, Two Trains Running, which will be presented on August 31, The off-stage character, Aunt Ester, is the most and will continue to tour many cities in the UK. self-empowering force of all. She represents the This production will give an opportunity to many ancestors and helps those who seek to have their different audiences to experience this playwright’s “luck changed”, to have faith in themselves in what is work on stage, and for some, for the first time. right and wrong, just or unjust, to “go back and pick up the ball”. Two Trains Running is a work that is unique amongst the rest of the canon, not just because of its humor and very satisfying ending. August was

born in 1945, and would have been twenty four * The American Century Cycle is August Wilson’s ten play in 1969, the date this play is set. It is my opinion magnum opus depicting the African American experience, that the character Sterling embodies August’s one play for each decade of the 20th century. impetuous spirit and insistent search for how to ** Traditional

Top Image: Constanza Romera 10 Bottom Image: Constanza Romera and August Wilson 11 12 Geoff Aymer (West) Andrew French (Memphis) 13 PRODUCTION TEAM

Company Stage Manager (ETT) Chris Peterson Two Trains Company Manager Sara Crathorne (Royal & Derngate) Company Stage Manager Hannan Finnegan Running (Royal & Derngate) Deputy Stage Manager Nichola Reilly By August Wilson Assistant Stage Manager Raisa Daya Production Manager (ETT) Tom Lee Production Manager Martin Thompson (Royal & Derngate) CAST Wardrobe Manager Victoria McLeod Relighter Philip Burke West Geoff Aymer Tour Technician Liam Whittaker Wolf Ray Emmet Brown Production Carpenter Paul Cassidy Hambone Derek Ezenagu Scenic Artist Anna Cherry Lighting Equipment by Sparks Theatrical Hire Ltd Memphis Andrew French Sound Equipment Stage Sound Services Holloway Leon Herbert Haulage Paul Mathew Transport Ltd Sterling Michael Salami Marketing Consultants Luke Shires Marketing Risa Anita-Joy Uwajeh Marketing Associate Ben Ryan Press Representation Kate Morley PR CREATIVE TEAM Press Associate Ayo Adepoju Production Artwork Design Oliver Rosser / Feast Creative Director Nancy Medina Rehearsal and Production Photography Manuel Harlan Designer Frankie Bradshaw Lighting Designer Amy Mae Scenery, set painting, properties, costuming, wigs and make-up Movement Director Rachael Nanyonjo by Royal & Derngate workshops and facilitated in-house by stage management and technical teams. Upholstery by Revival Restoration. Sound Designer Ed Lewis Associate Sound Designer Andy Cox Dialect Joel Trill WITH THANKS TO: Casting Director Polly Jerrold Premier Kitchen and Bathrooms, Birmingham Rep, Constanza Romero, Assistant Director Sara Aniqah Malik Susan Weaving, Betty Marini, Helen Clifford and Yarit Dor.

Thank you to all the staff, technical and production team members at our co-producers, Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

Two Trains Running takes place in Memphis Lee’s café, in Pittsburgh, in 1969. Running time: approximately 2 hours 55 minutes (including interval)

14 15 GEOFF AYMER RAY EMMET BROWN DEREK EZENAGU WEST WOLF HAMBONE

Theatre includes: The Color Purple Ray trained at the Guildhall School of Theatre includes: Generations (Minerva (Leicester Curve Theatre and Music and Drama. Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre); Birmingham Hippodrome); Robin Hood Theatre includes: Sweet Bird of Youth Perseverance Drive (); And The Arrow Of Destiny (Theatre (Chichester Festival Theatre), Moon on Death and The Kings Horseman Peckham); The Plague (); a Rainbow Shawl (National Theatre/ (National Theatre); Othello (Keble Reilly Driving Miss Daisy (Frinton Summer UK Tour), A Raisin in the Sun (Royal Theatre, Oxford); A Village Without Theatre and ); The Exchange Theatre), A Midsummer‘s Lights (Crescent Theatre); Ayo and Ades Importance Of Being Earnest (Original Night’s Dream (Library Theatre), Les Big Safari (Theatre Fadozi); Theatre/ UK Tour); A Midsummer Night’s Negres ( Studio), The Wicked Lion and the Jewel (Collective Artistes); Dream (Young Vic); The Albatross, 3rd Old Man (Leeds Playhouse). Generations Mother Courage and Her Children and Main (Emporium, Brighton); To Kill of the Dead in the Abyss of Coney Island (Nottingham Playhouse /UK Tour); The A Mockingbird (Regents Park Open Air Madness (Contact Theatre, Manchester Challenge (Garnett Foundation); Musical Theatre, UK Tour, Barbican); Cheese – Manchester Evening News Award Youth (Birmingham Rep); Women on and Crackwhores (); Winner). the Verge of HRT-Getaway! (UK Tour); The Lightning Child and , Much Ado About Nothing Film and Television includes: Looking for Eric (RSC); Bouncers (Salisbury Playhouse); (Shakespeare’s Globe); Neighbors (Sixteen Films and Film4 Productions), (Nuffield Southampton Theatre); That The Beatification of Area Boy (Leeds/ Blowdry (IMF Internacionale Medien International Tour); Billie Blue (Arthrob Old Feeling (The Mill At Sonning); Angel und Film Gmbh); The Stranger (Netflix); House (Eclipse Theatre, UK Tour); Anansi Productions); Edmond (APT); Punch Doctors, Mum, The Dumping Ground, Junkies (Counterpoint Theatre). Trades Places (Talawa Theatre); Brixton Casualty, The Body Farm, Paradox, New Stories (Lyric Hammersmith); What’s In Street Law, New Street Law, Life on Film and Television includes: Dying of the The Cat (); The Big Mars, Holby City, Outlaws, Judge John Light (Red Granite Pictures Grindstone Life (). Deed and Born to Run (BBC); The Job Entertainment Group); Omer Fast Film and Televison includes: Sket (Gunslinger Lot, Prey, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Film;The Fifth Element (Columbia Productions); Rag Tag (Mucka Flicks); Mr Law and Order: UK, Family, The Second Pictures), Streetwise (Angelika Films); Winner, Eastenders, The A-Force, The Coming, Always and Everyone, Butterfly Three Steps to Heaven; The Royals (E!); Real McCoy (BBC Television); Guerilla Collectors, The Bill, Prime Suspect, A Strike, Eastenders, Merlin, Casualty, (Sky Atlantic and Showtime); Club Class Touch of Frost (ITV); Hollyoaks and GBH Messiah, Doctors, The Worst Week of My (Channel 5) (Channel 4). Life, Waking The Dead (BBC Television); Victoria, The Bill (ITV) The IT Crowd, Live-sketch shows includes: HMS Comedy’s Second Generation (Channel 4); Artificial Revolution (C Venues, Edinburgh); Light,Taps. Newsrevue (Canal Café Theatre); Lee Mack’s Gagging For It (Gilded Balloon II, Radio/Audio includes: Doctor Who; The Edinburgh). Avengers; Old Mutual; When Kings Talk; Creamie; The Darker Face of the Earth. Writing includes: Anansi and the Magic Mirror (Talawa Theatre); The Oddest Couple (Theatre Royal Stratford East); What A Wonderful World (); Chatsworth (Celador Productions, TV Pilot).

16 Derek Ezenagu (Hambone) 17 ANDREW FRENCH LEON HERBERT MICHAEL SALAMI ANITA-JOY UWAJEH MEMPHIS HOLLOWAY STERLING JOHNSON RISA For English Touring Theatre: The Taming Of Film and Television includes: Artificial Theatre includes: Gone With The Wind; Michael Salami studied at Stella Adler Anita-Joy trained at Drama Centre The Shrew (Nottingham Playhouse) Horizon (Artificial Horizon Limited); Mystery Plays (Coventry Belgrade Studio of Acting in NYC. London. Theatre includes: While We’re Here & I Like Breaking The Bank (Black Hangar Theatre); Medea (Theatre Clywd); Theatre includes: The Night Before Theatre includes: (Duke of York’s Mine With A Kiss (Bush Theatre); This Studios); Song For Marion (WH Films); Napoleon Noir (Young Vic); Robeson Christmas (); Theatre); Grotty (Bunker Theatre); Flesh Is Mine/When Nobody Returns Assassination Games (MPCA Films); (Young Vic/Oxford Stage Company); The Suffocation (Oval Theatre); Housed (Old (Shakespeare’s Globe); (Border Crossings); The Iphigenia Exorcist: The Beginning (Morgan Creek); Great White Hope (Tricycle Theatre). Vic); The Grandfathers (Soho Theatre); Girls (Hightide/Soho Theatre); Fury Quartet (); Bully Boy Exorcist: Dominion (Morgan Creek USA); Film and Television includes: Carnival Row Kettled Passions (Lyric Hammersmith); (Soho Theatre); We Wait in Joyful (Mercury Theatre, Colchester); Boi Boi Is The Merchant Of Venice (BBC Films); (Amazon); Alien III (20th Century Crosswords (). Hope (Theatre503); Othello (Edinburgh Dead & Refugee Boy (Leeds Playhouse); Doctor Sleep (Kismet Films); Tailor Of Fox); Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures); Festival); Titus Andronicus (Greenwich Panama (Columbia Pictures). A Very Film and Television includes: Magic Hour The Initiate/Our Teacher Is A Troll Outlander (Sony Pictures Television); (Warner Brothers); Just a Couple (BBC Theatre). (Roundabout Season, Paines Plough); English Scandal, Eastenders, Holby City, Silent Witness, Bonekickers, The Paradise Doctors, Casualty (BBC Television); Television); Hollyoaks, Catastrophe Film and Television include: Agent 47 (Fox); Julius Caesar, (Royal Club (BBC Television). (Channel 4); and (Sky 1). Lucky Man (Sky 1); Not Safe for Work Shakespeare Company); Measure For Marvin Can’t Fail (Hat Trick); Capital (Kudos For BBC 1); Soundproof, Blast! (Channel 4); Transporter (Atlantique Measure (); Monster Productions). (Royal Exchange Manchester); As You (Films/BBC 2 Television); Perfect Parents Like It (Wyndhams Theatre); Reference (ITV Television); Primeval (Impossible To Salvador Dali... (Arcola/Young Vic Pictures/ITV Television); Family Affairs London); The Tempest (Nottingham (Channel 5) The Bill, Burnside (Thames Playhouse); Merchant Of Venice, Troilus Television); Trust (Box TV); In Deep And Cressida (National Theatre); The (Valentine Productions); A Touch Of Merchant Of Venice,The Honest Whore Frost (Yorkshire Television); Tough Love (Shakespeare’s Globe); Things Fall Apart (Granada Television). (Leeds Playhouse/Royal Court Theatre); Radio: Doctor Who: Original Sin (Big The Tempest (Shared Experience). Finish Productions); The Mother Of... (BBC Radio 4); The Last Supper (BBC Radio 3).

18 19 NANCY MEDINA FRANKIE BRADSHAW AMY MAE DIRECTOR DESIGNER LIGHTING DESIGNER Nancy Medina is originally from Frankie was a Linbury Prize Finalist in Amy trained at RADA on the Brooklyn, New York, and currently 2015 and a Jerwood Young Designer postgraduate Stage Electrics and based in Bristol. Nancy is the 2018 in 2017. She was the winner of the Off Lighting Design course and has a RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award West End Award for Best Set Design degree in Stage Management and winner, after winning the Genesis 2016 for Adding Machine at Finborough Performing Arts from the University of Future Director Award at the Young Theatre. She has been nominated Winchester. Vic in 2017. She is an acting tutor at for Best West End Debut jointly with Lighting Design credits include: Noises Off the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School regular collaborator Lynette Linton (Lyric Hammersmith); [Un]Leashed: and Course Leader for a post 16 in the Stage Debut Awards 2019 for Sense of Time (Birmingham Royal B); Professional Acting Diploma at her work on Sweat, and her work The Memory of Water (Nottingham Boomsatsuma. on the JMK Award 2015 production Playhouse); The Trick (Bush Theatre, of Barbarians was Olivier Award- Credits include: Strange Fruit (Bush UK Tour); Wild East (Young Vic, Theatre); The Half God of Rainfall nominated. Genesis Directors Award); Hansel (Fuel / Birmingham Rep / ); Designs include: Sweat – Olivier Award and Gretel (Rose Theatre, Kingston); AUGUST WILSON Curried Goat and Fish Fingers (Bristol Nomination Best New Play (Gielgud The Fishermen (Edinburgh Fringe, WRITER Old Vic); Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Theatre, ); Kiss Arcola Theatre, UK tour); Three Sat August Wilson (April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) authored August Wilson received many fellowships and awards, Betties (Royal Welsh College of Music Me Kate, Robin Hood, Jerusalem, Under the Banyan Tree (Polka Theatre, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and including the Rockefeller and Guggenheim Fellowships in and Drama); When They Go Low (NT Nesting (Watermill Theatre, Newbury); Coventry Belgrade, UK Tour); About Gone, , Two Trains Running, , Playwriting, the Whiting Writers Award, the Heinz Award, Connections / Sherman Theatre); Napoli Brooklyn (Original Theatre Leo (Jermyn Street); Mountains: The , King Hedley II, , and . and he was awarded the 1999 National Humanities Medal Yellowman (Young Vic); Romeo and Company UK Tour/); Dreams of Lily Kwok (Royal Exchange, These works explore the heritage and experience of the by President Bill Clinton, and received numerous honorary Juliet, (GB Theatre); Skellig (Nottingham Playhouse); UK Tour); Exploding Circus (Pavilion descendants of Africans brought to North America, decade- degrees from colleges and universities, as well as the only Dogtag (Theatre West); Strawberry & Cookies (Theatre Royal, Haymarket); Theatre, Worthing, UK tour); Br’er by-decade over the course of the twentieth century, and high school diploma ever issued by the Carnegie Library Chocolate, Dutchman (Tobacco Factory On the Exhale (Traverse); Trying It On Cotton (Theatre 503); Sweeney Todd: together, they form a compilation entitled The American of Pittsburgh. He was an alumnus of New Dramatists, a Theatres); and Persistence of Memory (UK tour); This Is (Arts Educational The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Century Cycle. member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, (Rondo Theatre). School); Hansel (Salisbury Playhouse); (Harringtons Pie and Mash Shop, West a 1995 inductee into the American Academy of Arts and Acceptance (); End & New York); Othello, Jekyll and In December of 2016, a full feature film of August Wilson’s Letters, and on October 16, 2005, Broadway renamed Mercury Fur, Saved, Colder Than Here Hyde, The Host (NYT Rep Season 2017); Fences was released. won an Academy Award for the theater located at 245 West 52nd Street – The August (GSMD); Easter (RADA); Oxy and the Half Breed (Talawa – Soho Theatre & her performance as Rose and Wilson’s screenplay along with Wilson Theatre. Morons (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich); Assembly Rooms); Start Swimming Denzel Washington received Academy Award nominations. Private Lives (UK tour); Jess and Joe (Young Vic/Summerhall Edinburgh); Today, August Wilson is considered one of America’s Finest Forever, Di and Viv and Rose (Stephen The Ugly One (Park Theatre); Babette’s August Wilson’s plays have been produced on Broadway, Playwrights. New York Public Radio recorded all ten plays in Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); Assata Feast (The Print Room); The Lounge at regional theaters across the country and all over the The American Century Cycle at the Greene Space, casting Taught Me (Gate Theatre); Moth (Hope (Soho Theatre); Wordsworth (Theatre world. In 2003, August Wilson made his professional stage many of that worked on the original productions. Mill Theatre, Manchester); Trestle, By The Lake); Paradise of the Assassins debut in his one-man show, How I Learned What I Learned. PBS aired a documentary on August Wilson entitled, The Orca (Southwark Playhouse); Adding ( Theatre); Knife Edge (Pond His works garnered many awards including Pulitzer Prizes Ground On Which I Stand, as part of the American Masters Machine (); Loose Restaurant, Dalston); Minaturists 55 for Fences (1987); and for The Piano Lesson (1990); a Tony series. Recent Broadway productions of Fences and Jitney Lips (Big House Theatre Company); (Arcola Theatre); Prize Fights (Royal Award for Fences; Great Britain’s Olivier Award for Jitney, received Tony Awards for Best Revival. La Ronde (Bunker Theatre); Clickbait, Academy of Dramatic Art); Orphans and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, as well as seven New York A First World Problem (Theatre503); (Southwark Playhouse); Macbeth Drama Critics Circle Awards for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, August Wilson was born and raised in the Hill District of Barbarians – JMK Award 2015 and (Italia Conti); I’m Not Here Right Now Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, The Piano Lesson, Two Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and lived in Seattle, Washington at Olivier Award nominated, 5 Plays (Paines Plough’s Roundabout and Soho Trains Running, Seven Guitars, and Jitney. Additionally, the the time of his death in 2005. He is immediately survived by Project, Fresh Direction Project (Young Theatre); Liola (New Diorama Theatre); cast recording of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom received a 1985 his two daughters, Sakina Ansari Wilson and Azula Carmen Vic); Grav (Torch Theatre, Wales); and Children in Uniform, Punk Rock (Tristan Grammy Award, and August Wilson received a 1995 Emmy Wilson, and his wife, costume designer Constanza Romero Stories from the Sea (Unity Theatre, Bates Theatre); The Three Sisters Award nomination for his screenplay adaptation of The Wilson, who is the executor of his estate. Liverpool). (Cockpit Theatre); In Bed (London Piano Lesson. Theatre Workshop); Henry V (Royal Opera Design includes: Macbeth, Idomeneo and Elisabetta (English Academy of Dramatic Art); Pool, The Touring Opera). Gut Girls ( Jack Theatre); and The Legacy ().

20 21 RACHAEL NANYONJO ED LEWIS POLLY JERROLD CHRIS PETERSON RAISA DAYA VICTORIA MCLEOD MOVEMENT DIRECTOR SOUND DESIGNER AND COMPOSER CASTING DIRECTOR COMPANY STAGE MANAGER ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER WARDROBE MANAGER Rachael trained at Middlesex University Edward studied Music at Oxford Polly previously worked as Casting Chris trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre Raisa trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre Victoria trained in Costume with a Masters in Choreography and University and subsequently trained as Associate at the Royal Exchange School. School. Construction for Screen and Stage at has a degree in Dance Studies from a composer and sound designer at the Theatre where she cast amongst other As Company Stage Manager, work includes: Raisa is currently resident Stage & the University of South Wales. Roehampton University. Bournemouth Media School. productions: Punk Rock, Wonderful Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (Neil Technical Manager for Big Room Since graduating, she has worked on Choreography & Movement Direction credits Composer & Sound Design, recent credits Town, Sweet Charity, Wit, The Ghost Laidlaw, & Theatre Company, creators of Theatre numerous productions, including as include: American Dream 2.0 (Young include: Cash Cow, Everyday I Make Train (Told By An Idiot) and Little Shop Birmingham Rep – UK Tour and West in the Fields. Wardrobe Assistant on MAMMA MIA! of Horrors. Vic); Does My Bomb Look Big In This Greatness Happen, Alligators, Platinum, End), Billionaire Boy – The Musical As SM, works includes: both the U.K. and International Tours, (Soho Theatre & Tara Arts); The Jumper Ignorance, On the Rocks, Amongst For English Touring Theatre: Brideshead (Nuffield Southampton & UK Tour), Fup (Bristol Old Vic Studio). Head of Wardrobe on Bad Jews at the Factory (Young Vic); Macbeth (The Friends, Darker Shores (Hampstead Revisited (in a co-production with York (Kneehigh Theatre & UK Tour), Tremor, . Orange Tree); Babylon Beyond Borders Theatre); Killer Joe (Trafalgar Studios); Theatre Royal). , Wind In The Willows, The As DSM, works includes: Kiss Me ( Studio); The Dissociation More recently, she has worked at (The Bush Theatre); Misty (Trafalgar Table (New Vic Theatre); The War Other theatre includes: A View from the Cherry Orchard, The Borrowers, The Theatre Royal Bath with Vanessa Studios & Olivier Award Nominated); Has Not Yet Started (Theatre Royal Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, of Shirley Mason (Bristol Old Vic Bridge (York Theatre Royal/Royal & Studio). Redgrave on Vienna 1934 – Munich Sleeping Beauty (Theatre Royal Plymouth); The Best Man (West Derngate Northampton); Our Lady A Doll’s House (Sherman Theatre), 1938 a Family Album. Stratford East); After It Rains (National End); Box Of Delights (Wilton’s Music of Kibeho, Soul, Merlin, Peter and Killology (Royal Court & Sherman As ASM, works includes: Yank! (Charing Youth Theatre); Shebeen (Nottingham Hall); (Watford Palace); Theatre), The Weir (Tobacco Factory & Cross Theatre); Welcome to Thebes Victoria is delighted to be back working the Starcatcher (Royal & Derngate alongside the Royal & Derngate, Playhouse & Theatre Royal Stratford Remarkable Invisible, The Vertical Hour Northampton); The Lovely Bones (Royal Sherman Theatre), Bird (Royal Exchange (Tobacco Factory). East); Bernstein’s Mass (Royal Festival (Theatre By The Lake); The Resistible & Sherman Theatre) Northampton and English Touring & Derngate Northampton, Birmingham Theatre Hall, Southbank Centre); Twilight (Gate Rise of Arturo Ui (Donmar Warehouse); Rep & Northern Stage); The Caretaker Theatre); The Divide, Cover My Tracks Unfaithful, Bug, The Dazzle (Found 111); (Royal & Derngate Northampton/Bristol Further credits as Wardrobe Manager include: (Old Vic). Baddies the Musical, Breaking the Ice, Old Vic); Life of Pi, One Flew Over TOM LEE The Father (Theatre Royal, Bath, UK Hannah (); Chef (Soho Directing credits include: Bobsleigh (Old the Cuckoo’s Nest, Tribes (Sheffield NICHOLA REILLY PRODUCTION MANAGER Tour). Theatre); Abigail’s Party (Leicester Vic Monologues); Amazina (Film); An Theatres); Approaching Empty (Kiln, DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER (ENGLISH TOURING THEATRE) Further credits as Wardrobe Deputy include: Alternative Musical (National Theatre, Curve); The Cement Garden (VAULT Tamasha & Live Theatre); To Kill a Nichola trained in Stage Management Tom is a freelance production manager The Pope (Royal & Derngate, for NT Learning as co-director); Assata Festival); The Speed Twins, Slowly, Mockingbird, Running Wild (Regent’s at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music based in London. He has worked Northampton). – She Who Struggles (Young Vic, for Hurts Given and Received, Apple Pie Park Open Air Theatre, UK Tour); Peter and Drama. across a variety of venues and genres (); Eugenie Grandet Further credits as Wardrobe Assistant include: Young Vic fresh direction); 2:1 (Kanzaze Pan, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist Nichola is thrilled to be working on this of theatre and has a keen interest A Tale of Two Cities (Royal & Derngate, Dance Theatre at Rich Mix & Camden (Hartshorn-Hook Productions); (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); All’s in exploring new ideas and ways of Cuddles (Oval House Theatre); wonderful production of Two Trains Northampton); Cinderella, Peter Pan, Peoples Theatre). Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare’s Running and has adored being part of working. Aladdin (QDOS Pantomimes, New Molly Sweeney (The Print Room/ Globe); The Island Nation (Arcola); As an Associate Director: Moonlight / Night the English Touring Theatre and Royal & As Production Manager, recent work includes: Theatre, Cardiff). Lyric); Gravity (Birmingham Rep); A Our Country’s Good, Tommy, The School (Pinter Theatre as an associate Midsummer Night’s Dream (Almeida); Derngate team. The Hunting Gun (Snape Maltings); to Lyndsey Turner & Ed Stambollouian). Government Inspector (Ramps on the ANNA (National Theatre); When We Thom Pain (Print Room); Measure Moon); 101 Dalmatians, What Shadows, As Deputy Stage Manager, work includes: As Assistant Director: The Step Mother For Measure (Cardiff Sherman); Emo Teechers (York Theatre Royal and Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other Of Mice and Men, Anita and Me, (National Theatre); Chess (GradeLinnit/ (Chichester Festival Theatre, dir. (Bristol Old Vic/Young Vic); Once Upon Folk, Winnie And Wilbur, Back Down, Gala Theatre Durham); A Christmas Richard Eyre); Caroline Or Change A Time in Wigan, 65 Miles (Paines Carol, Frankie and Johnny, Alice in ENO); Simplicius Simplicissimus Feed the Beast and A Christmas Carol (Independent Opera); Sunset (Chichester, dir. Michael Longhurst); Plough/Hull Truck); Krapp’s Last Tape, (Birmingham Rep). Wonderland, Frankenstein, Hedda Underwater Love (Arcola / Clapham Spoonface Steinberg (Hull Truck); The Gabler, James and The Giant Boulevard (GradeLinnit/ENO). Omnibus, dir. Caroline Bryant); Kayla Shallow End (Southwark Playhouse); Peach, Get Carter, The Wizard of As Production Manager, future work includes: (Young Vic, dir. Justin Audibert). I Am Falling (Sadler’s Wells/The Gate, Oz (Northern Stage); The Tempest The Mask of Orpheus (ENO); Orpheus Notting Hill); Orpheus and , SARA ANIQAH MALIK (Improbable Theatre Company and & Eurydice (ENO); When The Crows Quartet (Old Vic Tunnels); The Beloved ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Oxford Playhouse and Northern Visit (Kiln Theatre). (Bush Theatre); The Stronger, The Stage); Cyrando De Bergerac (Royal Pariah, Boy With a Suitcase, Walking Sara Aniqah Malik trained as a Director & Derngate and Northern Stage); the Tightrope, Le Mariage, Meetings at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. My Right Left Foot the Musical (Birds (Arcola); Hedda, Breathing Irregular Sara is the recipient of the 2019 of Paradise and National Theatre (The Gate, Notting Hill); Madness Company Futures Scotland); Barflies, Decky Does a in Valencia (Trafalgar Studios); The Award. Bronco (Grid Iron Theatre Company). Madness Of George III, Kalagora, As Director credits include: Poison (The Macbeth (National tours); and Othello Wardrobe Theatre); Salaam (VAULT (Rose Theatre, Bankside). Festival 2019); The Manual of Little Wars (RichMix), Mary Stuart (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Studio). As Assistant Director, recent credits include: Wolfie (Theatre503); The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (Bristol Old Vic); Mrs Beeton Says (Redgrave Theatre). As Assistant Director, future credits include: Land Without Dreams (Gate Theatre)

22 23 ‘Warm and engaging, and shot through with humour’ Sunday Times

An English Touring Theatre and Sheffield Theatres co-production Based on the number one bestseller by Matt Haig Reasons to Stay Alive imagined for the stage and directed by Jonathan Watkins text written by April De Angelis

Sheffield Theatres Northern Stage York Theatre Royal 13 — 28 September 2019 15 — 19 October 2019 5 — 9 November 2019 Bristol Old Vic HOME, Manchester Leeds Playhouse 1 — 5 October 2019 29 October — 2 November 2019 12 — 16 November 2019 Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield

8 — 12 October 2019 MADE IN NORTHAMPTON 2019/20

ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON Chief Executive Jo Gordon Artistic Director James Dacre

Royal & Derngate Northampton is the main venue and Touching the Void. The venue also presents a for arts and entertainment in Northamptonshire, diverse range of visiting productions on both the with attendances for live events and fi lms numbering Derngate and Royal stages, featuring musicals, dance, 358,000 last year, and an additional 119,000 seeing comedy and music, including a residency from the its work on tour at over 100 venues. Named Regional Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This year the venue Theatre of the Year in The Stage Awards in 2011 (and hosts the UK Musical Theatre Conference, Devoted nominated again in 2016), the theatre won the UK & Disgruntled 13 and the International Teach First Theatre Awards for Best Presentation of Touring conference. Theatre in 2015 and Best Touring Production in 2016 Royal & Derngate’s award-winning, nationally for The Herbal Bed, and The Stage Ensemble Award recognised Get Involved programme engages with and a Fringe First for Education, Education, Education over 20,000 participants each year, including schools, in 2017. families and communities in Northamptonshire and Alongside touring nationally and internationally Royal beyond, and its two-screen cinema welcomed over & Derngate’s Made in Northampton productions 78,000 audience members to the best in world, have transferred to the West End and Broadway as independent, British and mainstream fi lm. Meanwhile, well as Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Theatre, the theatre’s Generate artistic development The Southbank Centre and the Lyric Hammersmith. programme supports hundreds of local and emerging Productions transferring to London this year artists and practitioners each year. include Education, Education, Education, The Worst Royal & Derngate also continues to work in Witch, Our Lady of Kibeho, The Singing Mermaid partnership to manage The Core at Corby Cube.

/royalandderngate @royalderngate Box O› ce 01604 624811 www.royalandderngate.co.uk Guildhall Road, Northampton, NN1 1DP

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