Conceived & Directed by Adam D. Ercolani

Presented in partnership with Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center and City Center Allentown

Touchstone Theatre proudly presents An Imagined America

Conceived & Directed by MFA Candidate Adam Ercolani

Created & Performed by Majestee Crowne Le’Vixenn & Rogue-Star Givenchy

Technical Director Chris Egging

Stage Manager Kat Anderegg

Technical Crew Jessica Boothe Abbie Jean Litman Matt Prideaux

Special Thanks to Our Kickstarter Donors

Emma Ackerman Sergey Kochergan Christina Schutz Keana Albert Michael Koury Chelsey Scott Daniella Amendola Kourtney Kukowski Nick Sebastian Zachary Banaszek Justin Lansberry Ian Sheddan Scott Bargisen Alexis Leon Nick Shuleski Sam Beedle Justin Mackey Dara Silverman Kristen Capitano Em Masi Hilary Slivinski Jan Cohen-Cruz Danielle McDade Georgia B. Smith Everal Eaton Melissa Milbut Marikate Sullivan Bekah Eichelberger Riley Miller Eric Sweeney Julia, Sara, and Gene Julie Millhouse Scottie Tocci Ercolani Matthew Moore Daniel Vincent Melissa Ercolani Grace Morrison Samantha Vernoski Caroline Hayduk Della Morte Emily Wargo Patrick Hamilton Sarah Muchler Rick Webster Stephanie Helsel Jonathan Muniz Anne Wolfe Gabby Hochfeld Chris Ostapchuk Mary and Ben Wright Lindsey Jancay Mike Pacovsky Samantha Yackanicz Adam Johnson Alessia Poe Michael Yanchuck Lisa and Jp Jordan Renee Revak Scott Zimmerman Tina Klinges Nate Sauers

Director’s note:

I’ve come to the realization that the most powerful people in the world are Black queer people, Indigenous queer people, and queer people of color. I thought it was time to let others know, too. Let yourself be uncomfortable, let yourself listen and try to understand, and never stop finding ways to use your power and privilege to make your community more equitable.

I’d like to thank Emma Ackerman, Sam Beedle, Sean Cassidy, Jan Cohen-Cruz, Chris Egging, Bill George, Lisa Jordan, Jp Jordan, Christopher Shorr, and Mary Wright for pushing me to become a better artist and person over the past two years, and for letting me put drag queens in plexiglass boxes in exchange for a Master’s degree.

I’d like to thank my parents and sister Julia for providing the best support system a human being could possibly ask for, and for encouraging me to follow this path (even if they’re not entirely sure what ‘Performance Creation’ means).

I’d like to thank my sweet Rollo-Puppy for snoozing next to me or staring at me adoringly, waiting patiently for my attention while I worked from early morning to late night eight days a week.

I’d like to dedicate my work to my Bebe, who I miss much too much.

“Until women can get equal pay for equal work / This is not my America / Until same- gender loving people can be who they are / This is not my America / Until Black people can come home from a police stop / Without being shot in the head / This is not my America / Until poor whites can get a shot at being successful / This is not my America / Until Latinos and Latinas don’t have to run from walls / This is not my America / But I tell you today that the devil is a liar / Because it’s gon’ be my America before it’s all over.” - Janelle Monae

BIOS

Adam Ercolani is a Lehigh Valley-based queer theatre artist, Apprentice at Touchstone Theatre, and MFA Candidate at Moravian College. His work draws attention to the individual's relationship to the self as a result of the environment they find themselves in, and stations this work clearly in the context of the community in which it's presented. He employs a multi- disciplinary approach to artistic creation, which spans across genres and mediums, and focuses on the empowerment of marginalized communities through creative exploration. His previous work with Touchstone Theatre includes Festival UnBound’s Kitchen Chronicles, Beyond Utopia, Tales of Hope and Resistance, and ALOUD; Christmas City Follies XX & XXI, POTHOLE, and ISO/NATION Presents.

Majestee Crowne Le'Vixenn is Reading, Pennsylvania's Melanated Bratz Doll; she started her drag journey in September, 2018. She is a full-throttle dancing Queen - once you see her perform, you'll be left wanting more! Recently, she has founded the Haus of Crowne and has two beautiful up-and-coming drag daughters.

Rogue-Star Givenchy is a wild and adventurous drag princess. She’s fun, energetic, and witty as can be. When she’s not dancing the night away, she’s in her room writing songs. Rogue has been performed all over the northeast and has been fortunate enough to land herself on the RuPaul's Dragcon NY mainstage for the lip sync battle (that she won) while filming for Todrick Hall's music video ‘WIG.’ Where there’s a stage, there’s a spotlight - but there is no star that shines brighter than Rogue Star.

PROJECT PARTNERS

The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center creates a vibrant community in the Lehigh Valley for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community through the production, world-class, life-enriching LGBTQ+ arts & culture programs, developing leading- edge LGBTQ+ health programs, offering LGBTQ+ youth programs every day after school, ensuring that the critical supportive services of our community are met, advocating for our community, organizing our region's annual Pride festival, and making the Lehigh Valley more equitable through their Training Institute.

City Center Allentown is a major mixed-use development that is helping transform downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, into one of America’s most vibrant urban communities and a regional center of excellence for business, culture and city living. With Allentown’s new arena, PPL Center, at its core, City Center includes 3 million square feet among five Class A office towers, the Renaissance Allentown Hotel, eight residential communities, upscale retail and restaurant space and a coworking space called Velocity. City Center’s total investment in downtown Allentown is nearly $800 million, with another $138 million in the planning stages. In 2017, the Downtown Allentown Revitalization District was honored with a Global Award of Excellence by the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Touchstone Board of Trustees Neal Koplin, President Cindy Glick, Vice President Bekah Eichelberger, Secretary Joe Connell, Treasurer Diane Elliott, Esq. John Fallock James P. Jordan Lisa M. Jordan Alexis Leon Alison O’Connell Michele Pappalardo Ernie Thomas Stiegler

Honorary Council Linny* & Beall Fowler Ellen Baker-Ghelardi Ruth Marcon Mary Meilinger* Mrs. Katherine Merle-Smith Thomas* Joan Moran Barbara Pearson* Denise Stangl Sharon Yoshida *In Memoriam

Company Members Jp Jordan, Artistic Director/Ensemble Member Lisa Jordan, Managing Director/Ensemble Member Bill George, Co-Founder/Ensemble Member Emma Ackerman, Ensemble Member Christopher Shorr, Ensemble Member Mary Wright, Ensemble Member Chris Egging, Ensemble Associate

Apprentices/MFA Students Kat Anderegg Sara M. Group Jessica Boothe Abbie Jean Litman Sean Patrick Cassidy Matt Prideaux Adam D. Ercolani

Ensemble Affiliates Alyssa Lou Ann Allen Michael Duck Steven Barnett Jason Hedrington Samantha Beedle Ashley Tait Weller Erick Black Silagh White Shawn Cavanaugh

Interns Jolianna Lanning Kyra Zimmerman

COMING UP NEXT AT TOUCHSTONE:

Latinx Block Party Celebrating our neighbors and neighborhood April 24, 2021

Young Playwrights’ Festival Written by Lehigh Valley young playwrights May 22, 2021

Fresh Voices Created by Kat Anderegg, Jessica Boothe, Sara Group, Abbie Jean Litman, and Matt Prideaux June 4 & 5, 2021

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