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Home , Atlantic Theater Company, Chris Bauer, Clark Gregg, Mary Beth Peil, Mary Steenburgen, Robert Bella

Neil Pepe Artistic Director Jeffory Lawson Managing Director Mary McCann School Executive Director presents

Ruby Bridges/Bailey Auberth Bercy SHE PERSISTED, Sonia Sotomayor/ Juno Jianzi Colón-Soto THE MUSICAL Dr. Virginia Apgar/ Script & Lyrics by Adam Tobin Amanda Corday Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma Naomi Amber Jaunai Adapted from the Book Written / by & Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger Cynthia Nesbit Ms. Chan/Time Published by Philomel Books Heather Sawyer

Music Supervision by Macy Schmidt production design & illustrations Directed & Choreographed Edward T. Morris by MK Lawson costume designer Rose Bisogno sound designer & mixing Cameron Hoffman video editing Janna Emig video & effects consultation Liminal Entertainment Technologies production stage manager Louis Markowitz This play was commissioned and first produced by Bay Area Children’s atlantic for kids Theatre during the 2018/2019 Season. artistic director She Persisted, The Musical is presented through special arrangement with Alison Beatty Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com She Persisted, The Musical will run for approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. BIOGRAPHIES AUBERTH BERCY (/Bailey) is a which won the Off Broadway Alliance Award for graduate from New World School of the Arts Best Family Show! She also played Pippa in College in Miami, FL. She is an actress who the premiere production of Twinkle Tames a has been seen Off-Broadway at The 24 Hour Dragon and Emma in Please Bring Balloons. Theatre Festival and The Broadway Bound Cynthia hails from Cincinnati, OH and moved Theatre Festival. Auberth is also a current to after receiving her B.F.A. in member of The Flea Theater’s Resident Acting Musical Theater from Ball State University. Company The Bats. Also a stand up comedian Instagram: @CynthiaNesbit in New York, you may have seen her at YAAAS Comedy Festival and will take part in the 2020 HEATHER SAWYER (Ms. Chan/Time) is a Black Women in Comedy Festival, but more Swasian from , Texas and a graduate of than anything she’s very excited to be a part the Molloy College CAP21 BFA Program for of bringing She Persisted, The Musical to life! . Heather has appeared as James in James and the Giant Peach, Scottie JIANZI COLÓN-SOTO (Sonia Sotomayor/Juno) in The Big One Oh! and Tatted Man in Last is a graduate of the Molloy College CAP21 Stop on Market Street, all with Atlantic for BFA Program. Recent credits: She Persisted Kids. She appeared Off-Broadway as Angel in (Atlantic Theatre Co.), The Giant Hoax (Theatre Revelation the Musical. In 2018, Heather was Row), The Waitress and the Robber (Seoul, S. in the New York Musical Festival song cycle, Korea) Lady Capulet (Barefoot Shakespeare Breaking Ground. Her favorite roles include: Co.), West Side Story (The Madison Theatre), MJ Clarke in Camp Eaglewood (dir. Marshall Troilus and Cressida (Under St. Marks Pailet), Tweedle Dee in Lost in Wonderland (dir. Theatre), The Wrong Box (Theatre for the Baayork Lee), and the Wolf in Into New City), Lysistrata Jones (Ophelia Theatre (dir. Travis Greisler). Not only is she an avid lover Group). www.jianzicolonsoto.com | @jiancoso of stories, Heather also loves thunderstorms, snow globes, overalls, and pupper-ronis. BLM. AMANDA CORDAY (Dr. Virginia Apgar/Sally Ride) Insist. Resist. Persist. @heathersawyer14 is thrilled to be a part of She Persisted, The theadventuresofheathersawyer.com Musical! She previously appeared as Aunt Sponge in the Atlantic for Kids production ADAM TOBIN (Script & Lyrics) is the writer and of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, lyricist of She Persisted, The Musical, adapted as well as on Maude Night at the Upright from Chelsea Clinton’s children’s book for Bay Citizens Brigade Theater (UCB) with her Area Children’s Theatre. A Senior Lecturer sketch comedy team House Of Birds. You can teaching screenwriting and television at find her original characters and impressions , Tobin created the television on YouTube, or see her in the Amazon TV mini- series “About a Girl” and “Best Friend’s Date” for series “Ladies of the Lake.” Amanda enjoys Viacom’s The-N network (now TeenNick), won fostering kittens in her spare time! Instagram: an Emmy for writing on Discovery Channel’s @amandacorday. “Cash Cab,” and worked in script development for Jim Henson Pictures and The National AMBER JAUNAI (Naomi) is a NY-based , Basketball Association. He has taught story deviser, and combatant. Credits include: seminars to DreamWorks Animation, Aardman Just Like Viola (New York Theater Workshop); Animation, and Blue Sky Studios. Tobin also Really Really Gorgeous (The Tank); Sincerity performed with Theatresports and Forever, Not My Monster!, and How Color the comedy group The But Franklies, and was a Brave…? (The Flea); Lava (Exponential founding member of the Stanford Improvisors. Festival); Kaspar (International Festival- He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Stanford Sibiu); Polaroid Stories, An Octoroon, Hair, in English and an MFA from USC School of and Middletown (Pace University). TV: “New Cinematic Arts in Screenwriting. Amsterdam,” “Bull,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “In Pursuit.” Film: Coward, Also With You, The Girl DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA (Music). A composer, in the Camera, Fuse and Match. She has also music director and orchestrator, Deborah Wicks developed work with Page 73 and Playhouse La Puma is one of the most produced Theater Creatures. BFA Acting, Pace University ’17. for Young Audiences artists working today. @amberjaunai With bestselling children’s author Mo Willems she has created Elephant and Piggie’s: We Are CYNTHIA NESBIT (Harriet Tubman/Florence in a Play (The Kennedy Center), and Naked Griffith Joyner) is immensely proud to be Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience a part of the cast of She Persisted, The (Seattle Children’s Theatre). Her many and Musical and to take the stage in her first diverse works with playwright Karen Zacarías production with ! include Ella Enchanted (based on the book by She was last seen touring China as Zuma/ Gail Carson Levine), Olivério: A Brazilian Twist Mayor Goodway in Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol (The Kennedy Center), Frida Libre (La Jolla Live! Race to the Rescue. Other Off-Broadway Playhouse), Looking for Roberto Clemente credits include: Interstellar Cinderella (Fairy (Imagination Stage) and Einstein Is a Dummy God Bot); A Band of Angels (Ella), a production (The Alliance Theatre). With playwright Doug Cooney, La Puma created Nobody’s Perfect (based Warner Brothers and DreamWorks. After working in on the book by Marlee Matlin), a bilingual musical in animation, Alexandra decided to pursue a lifelong English and American Sign Language, commissioned dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator. She by Very Special Arts and the Kennedy Center. Recent has illustrated many picture books, including She 2019 premieres include She Persisted, The Musical Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the (based on the book by Chelsea Clinton) with Adam World. Max and Marla was her debut as both author Tobin at Bay Area Children’s Theatre, and Don’t and illustrator. Alexandra now lives in Northern Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: The Musical with Mo with her husband and daughter. Willems at the Kennedy Center. Her adult works include the lyric Dakota Sky and the Mexican MK LAWSON (Director, Choreographer) is always folk musical Perdita (based on Shakespeare’s The grateful to be back working for Atlantic, having Winter’s Tale) with Kathleen Cahill; and Cornerstone directed the world premiere of The Big One-Oh! Theater Company’s Making Paradise: The West earlier this season. MK has choreographed 5 other Hollywood Musical. She received her MFA from projects for Atlantic for Kids, and directed last ’s Tisch School of the Arts, her season’s Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach. Bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, and As choreographer: award-winning productions she studied folk music with ethnomusicologist for Florida Rep, White Plains Performing Arts Alfredo López Mondragón. Her honors include the Center, Ocean State Theatre Company, and Sharon Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, an NEA New Playhouse; numerous productions and events for American Works Grant, two Parents’ Choice Awards, NYU. As director/choreographer: Brigadoon and The and a Award for Outstanding Musical Secret Garden (NYU); upcoming immersive revival of Adaptation. A proud Mexican-American and “Navy The Drowsy Chaperone (Out of the Box Theatrics); new brat” who grew up in Brazil, Portugal and California, La musicals for the Fringe Festival, NY Children’s Theater Puma is a member of TYA USA/ASSITEJ, ASCAP and Festival, and Musical Theatre Factory. As Associate The Dramatists Guild. Mother to three daughters and Director/Choreographer: Rock of Ages (New World Mimi the Cat, La Puma lives in Southern California Stages), world premieres of Romy and Michele’s High with her PR agent and loving husband, Chris. School Reunion (5th Avenue), The Gentle Whisper of Trees (Westport Country Playhouse), Atlantis: a new CHELSEA CLINTON (Author). As vice chair of the Clinton musical (Virginia Rep), the new Duncan Sheik musical Foundation, Chelsea Clinton works alongside the Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. If you want to know more, Foundation’s leadership and partners to help create check out mklawson.com! economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service across the United MACY SCHMIDT (Music Supervisor) is an NYC-based States and around the world. In particular, Chelsea Music Director, Orchestrator, and Copyist. Most focuses on promoting early brain and language recently, she worked on the Broadway production of development through the Too Small to Fail initiative, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical. She spends much of and uplifting/empowering female entrepreneurs and her time on projects collaborating with contemporary women-led businesses around the world through musical theater artists on musicals in development. initiatives like the Caribbean-focused Women Macy has taken her work across the globe as well, in Renewable Energy (WIRE) Network. She also and recently returned from Asia, where she Music serves on the boards of the Clinton Health Access Directed for Shanghai , an international musical Initiative and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. theater camp in Shanghai, China, and India, where In addition to her Foundation work, Chelsea also she worked on the music team for the London- teaches at Columbia University’s Mailman School of bound stage adaptation of Monsoon Wedding. Macy Public Health and has written several books for young also serves as a faculty pianist at the readers, including bestsellers School of Music and Cap 21 Conservatory, and She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed teaches Music Theory at Pace University. She the World and She Persisted Around the World, as well is a passionate advocate for women in music. as Start Now! You Can Make a Difference; Don’t Let macyschmidtmusic.com Them Disappear; and It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going. She is also the co-author of EDWARD T. MORRIS (Production Design & Illustrations) The Book of Gutsy Women and Grandma’s Gardens is a NYC-based set and projections designer. She with her mom and of Governing Persisted is Edward’s fifth production with Atlantic Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why? with for Kids. Edward has designed for Roundabout Devi Sridhar. Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Arts from Underground, The Barrow Group, Cherry Lane Stanford, a Master of Public Health from Columbia’s Theater, Goodspeed Opera House, LaMama Mailman School of Public Health, and both a Master of ETC, The Magic Theatre, Dance Philosophy and a Doctorate in international relations Company, San Francisco Playhouse, Shanghai from Oxford University. She lives with her husband Dramatic Arts Center, Weston Playhouse, Westport Marc, their children Charlotte, Aidan and Jasper, and Country Playhouse, , and dog Soren in New York City. the comedian Colin Quinn. BFA, University of Michigan; MFA, Yale School of Drama. Lecturer: New ALEXANDRA BOIGER (Illustrator) grew up in Munich, School for Drama. Member: United Scenic Artists Germany as the youngest of seven children. She Local #829 and Wingspace Theatrical Design. studied Graphic Design at the Fachhochschule Co-Author: www.sustainableproductiontoolkit.com Augsburg before working in Feature Animation at Portfolio: www.edwardtmorris.com. ROSE BISOGNO (Costume Designer). Previous Atlantic for Kids design credits include: Roald Dahl’s James ATLANTIC THEATER COMPANY and the Giant Peach and The Big One-Oh!. Other & ATLANTIC ACTING SCHOOL credits include: Brigadoon (NYU), The Secret Garden (Artistic Director Neil Pepe; Managing Director (NYU), Big Bend in the Red Dirt Desert (Williamstown Jeffory Lawson; School Executive Director, Mary Theatre Festival), Pins and Needles (NYU) and The McCann). Formed in 1985 by and Meanest Birthday Girl (Musical Theatre Factory). William H. Macy, Atlantic Theater Company is an Congratulations to the entire She Persisted team! award-winning Off-Broadway theater dedicated to rosebisogno.com producing great plays simply and truthfully while utilizing an artistic ensemble. At Atlantic, we believe CAMERON HOFFMAN (Sound Design & Mixing) is a that the story of a play and the intent of its playwright NYC based Sound Designer/Engineer and Video are at the core of the creative process. Each season, Programmer. He is a constant collaborator with we aim to produce plays and musicals that are vital and Five Ohm Productions and a California State thought-provoking – from premieres by emerging and University Graduate. Recent credits include: Sound established writers to classics that speak to modern Programmer: The Lehman Trilogy, Broadway; Video audiences. Since its inception, Atlantic has produced Programmer: Untitled Dance Party Show Thing, more than 200 plays and garnered numerous awards Virgin Voyages; Sound Designer: The Big One-Oh!, including 22 , 25 Obie Awards, 21 Lucille Atlantic For Kids, and Audio Head: Octet, Signature Lortel Awards, 11 Drama Desk Awards, 8 Outer Theatre Company. Critics Circle Awards, 5 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 4 Theater World Awards, 4 Drama LOUIS MARKOWITZ (Production Stage Manager) is League Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama overjoyed to be returning to Atlantic for Kids and to She Persisted, The Musical in this new format. Other Atlantic for Kids (Artistic Director, Alison Beatty) has Alantic for Kids: The Big One-Oh! Other NYC credits presented fun, quality children’s theater for over 20 include Tin Woman (Reading), Ellen West (Prototype years and presents two productions each season. Festival), The Dead 1904 (Irish Rep), Consent (NYU These acclaimed shows are noted for their ability to Grad Acting, US premiere), amongst others. Louis has touch on serious themes while entertaining kids with also worked at the Glimmerglass Festival as an ASM. a blend of music, humor and spectacle. In addition Much love to his Atlantic Theater family, his parents, to its weekend performances for families, Atlantic and the incredible She Persisted, The Musical team. for Kids has welcomed thousands of NYC public school children to see weekday performances. These JANNA EMIG (Video Editing) is an Atlantic alum and performances include talkbacks with cast members editor based in Brooklyn, NY. and discussions about the themes of the play. Previous productions have included, among others, The Big LIMINAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES (Video & One-Oh!, Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, Effects Consultation). Bringing together a team with Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical, Wonderland: experience in film, theater, and broadcast, Liminal Alice’s Rock & Roll Adventure, 1001 Nights: A Love Entertainment Technologies develops innovative Story About Loving Stories, Ivy +Bean: The Musical software and systems for numerous entertainment and Camp Kappawanna. industries. Rising to meet the needs created by the current pandemic, Liminal created the acclaimed Alongside being an award-winning producing utility, ZoomOSC, and has established itself as organization, we’ve also been teaching theater since a premiere name in virtual theater. Currently our inception. Today, the Atlantic Acting School specializing in decentralized performance, virtual has grown into one of the most respected training events, and live streaming, Liminal prepares to institutions in New York City — offering a diverse release its StreamWeaver software ecosystem, range of programming including an accredited which will open up new horizons for both virtual and conservatory program, a BFA program through in-person events and performance. The Liminal Team NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and after-school is grounded in the motto “Adapt to the Present, Build and summer programs for kids and teens. We also for the Future” as it strives to pioneer the future of bring theater into the classroom through robust arts entertainment. education initiatives that serve a record 4,000 public school students each year. SPECIAL THANKS TO Chelsea Clinton, Alexandra Boiger, Nina Meehan, Khalia Davis, John Prignano, Bari Lurie, Joy Secuban.

United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE is the union representing scenic, costume, lighting, sound and projection designers in Live Performance. Manager of Teaching Assistant Steven Hawley SHOW STAFF Institutional Giving Naomi Livingstone Hilary Hinckle Santiago Martinez Music Supervisor Teaching Artists Macy Schmidt Special Events Manager HannaH Allen, Samantha Kristen Johnston Weston Ganz Blain, Kelley Dugan, Melissa Production Design & Maggie Kiley Mahoney, Karsten Otto, Illustrations Development Assistant Karen Kohlhaas Viguens Louis Sarah Román Zygmont Edward T. Morris Jordan Lage Grants Coordinator Costume Designer William H. Macy Rose Bisogno Molly Marinik BOARD OF Peter Maloney Director of Marketing Sound Designer & Mixing David Mamet Cameron Hoffman Claire Graves DIRECTORS Camryn Manheim Marketing & Olaf Olafsson Video Editor Mary McCann Janna Emig Membership Manager Chair Emily Turner Matt McGrath Video & Effects Carol Auerbach Rod McLachlan Consultation Interim Marketing Vice Chair Associate Liminal Entertainment Deborah Magid Nakiri Gallagher-Cave Technologies Secretary Neil Pepe Community Rebecca Pidgeon Script Supervisor & Kevin R. Lyle Outreach Coordinator Production Assistant Treasurer David Pittu Nelson Diaz-Marcano Kellie Taylor Chris Boneau Production Stage Community Matt Silver Outreach Ambassador Joy Bunson Manager Louis Markowitz Andres Nicolas Chaves Caroline Dean Mary Steenburgen Community Audience Press Representative Ray Anthony Thomas Boneau/Bryan-Brown: Partnership Gaye Slater Gross Ambassaador Todd Weeks Chris Boneau, Susanne Wolf Hengst Tighe, Imani Punch, Adenike Thomas Howard Werner Hilary Hinckle Angela Yamarone Director of Education Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Blair Husain & Recruitment Alysa Wishingrad Roger E. Kass Heather Baird Patricia Wolff Jane King ATLANTIC STAFF Director of Conservatory William Wrubel Artistic Director Training & Academic Scott Korf Scott Zigler Neil Pepe Affairs Katie Leede Managing Director Lorielle Mallue Monique Long Jeffory Lawson Director of Student Mary McCann School Executive Director & Faculty Affairs Justin Mohatt Grant Emerson Harvey Mary McCann Hilary Edson Polk Artistic Director Associate Artistic Ilona Nemeth Quasha of Student Productions Director Betsy Pitts Annie MacRae Reggie D. White Nancy Sambuco Associate Producer Director of Admissions Mahlet Seyoum Abigail Katz Chris Booth Michael Slosberg General Manager Admissions Mary Turner Minard Pamela Adams Representative Christina Bottley Claudia Wagner Production Manager, Linda Gross Theater Atlantic for Kids Manny Weintraub S.M. Payson Artistic Director Joanne R. Wenig Alison Beatty Associate General Susi Wunsch Manager Artistic Director of Ben Zinkin Camron Parker Alumni Productions Tom Costello Company Manager Nzinga Williams Acting School & Stage 2 ENSEMBLE Production Manager Chris Bauer Box Office Manager Ian Paul Guzzone Molly Clancy Laura Bauer Education Manager: Operations Manager Youth Programs & Marnie Ann Joyce School Partnerships Kate Blumberg Facilities Associate Tyler Easter Melissa Bruder Jason Simmons School Coordinator Larry Bryggman Finance Manager Kyle McRuer Ronnie Butler Kirk A. Curtis School Line Producer Kathryn Erbe Finance & Human Conor Perkins Giancarlo Esposito Resources Associate Policy & Document Siobhan Fallon Andrew Slater Associate Steven Goldstein Director of Development Arden Walentowski Clark Gregg Nick Luckenbaugh Support for Atlantic’s Arts Education Programs is generously provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, the Abrahamson Family Foundation, the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the Theodore H. Barth Foundation, the Daniel L. Nir & Jill E. Braufman Family Foundation, the CME Group Community Foundation, the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation, the Colgate-Palmolive Urban Education Fund, ConEd, the Noël Coward Foundation, the Endeavor Foundation, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, The Heckscher Foundation for Children, Investors Foundation, the Linden Arts Fund for Children, The Malkin Fund, the Metzger-Price Fund, Off Broadway Angels, the Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher Foundation, the Still Point Fund, the Michael Tuch Foundation, the Tiger Baron Foundation, and the West Harlem Development Corporation.

Atlantic would also like to thank the following individuals whose generous gifts in part help to fund our Arts Education Programs: Al Berger & Carol B. Auerbach, Ethan Coen, Richard & Jane Filosa, Sheila Heimbinder, Chuck & Carrie McCall, & Brooke Adams, Eric & Melanie Silverman, and Dean Vanech.