Michael J. Bobbitt MOSESIAN CENTER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE THE ARTS 80 Elm Street Artistic Director 321 Arsenal Street Watertown, MA 02472 Watertown, MA 02472 617-923-7060 BUSINESS 617-923-8487 BOX OFFICE 617-923-7625 FACSIMILE newrep.org MULTICULTURAL MOSAIC: AN ANNUAL BIPOC ARTIST FUNDRAISER PROGRAM SPONSOR 2020-2021 season 1 Program Coco Yang, Erhu - ‘Blue and White Porcelain’, ‘Fireworks Cool Easily’, ‘Lake Baikal’, and ‘Big Fish’ Michael Ofori, African Drums - ‘Passage’ Introduction by Emcee Aja Jackson and Welcome by Michael J. Bobbitt Aaron Patterson, “Be a Lion” from The Wiz Mix and Sip with Bartender Lauren Cameron First Round of Theatre Trivia - Hosted by Harvey Young, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at BU Checking In with Artist Sumeya Ali Salsa Lesson with Gastrell “G” Rossignol Proclamation for the City of Watertown by City Councilmember Vincent Picarelli Second Round of Theatre Trivia - Hosted by Harvey Young, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at BU Cooking Demonstration with Cheryl Straughter of Soleil Restaurant Checking In with Artist Sumeya Ali The Johnny Lee Davenport Artistic Achievement Award Presented to Benny Sato Ambush by Kelly Cook Lydia Harell, “Don’t Nobody Bring Me Bad News” from The Wiz Third Round of Theatre Trivia - Hosted by Harvey Young, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at BU Checking In with Artist Sumeya Ali Davron Monroe, “This is the Moment” from Jekyll & Hyde New Traditions Fund Video Fund-a-Need Broadway’s Isaiah Johnson, “Dis Flower” from Carmen Jones Checking In with Artist Sumeya Ali History Has Its Ears on You - performed by Sheree Dunwell, Cloteal Horne, Dwayne Mitchell, Anthony Pires, Jr. Arranged and edited by David Coleman Thank You/Final Comments 2 new repertory theatre Acknowledgments Multicultural Mosaic Committee Members: • Pam Taylor • Chris Shearer • Shari Malyn • Lisa Breit • Shannon Fairley-Pittman Individual Sponsors: • Pam Taylor • Shari Malyn • Lisa Breit • Shannon Fairley-Pittman • Harris Miller • Marcy Crary Auction Items: • Lisa Breit - “Down The Sewer” Homemade Protest Quilt • Stephen Schwartz - Collection of Signed Playbills • Pam Taylor - Martha’s Vineyard Labor Day Weekend Getaway • Barry Braunstein - 3 hour Photo Session for professional/ theatre head shots & portraits • Andrew Brilliant - set of 16X20 photos • Michael Bobbitt - One-on-one dinner with Michael 2020-2021 season 3 meet the artists SUMEYA ALI (Live Artist) My Charitable Trust/TCG Director in Residence – Florida name is Sumeya. To some, I am Stage (LOA); Associate Artistic Director – Anna Deavere Sumi, or Su, or Sushi, or any Smith’s Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue at Harvard other nickname you adorn me University; Producing Artistic Director – TheatreVirginia with. I am a self-taught painter, (LORT C). Formerly at New Rep: The Whipping Man; artist, and creator. I have Thurgood; Cardboard Piano. Benny holds numerous been painting since 2015 with a range of mediums directing credits at professional regional theatres and from acrylic paint, to water color, to oil paint, and universities throughout the U.S. and the Boston region. collage. Through my original artwork, I aim to share He has served on numerous regional and national personal experiences – the lessons I have learned boards, including Theatre Communications Group and growing pains I feel. In my art, I explore the (TCG). He adjudicates nationally and internationally for language of colors. I create environments where you the American Association of Community Theatre, is a can both find and lose yourself, over and over again. Steering Committee member of the National Alliance Colors like peach and pink, which I use consistently of Acting Teachers, a member of The National Theatre in my art, urge you to reach out and feel the warmth. Conference, a panelist for the National Alliance for Cool tones like blue and purple generate a sense Musical Theatre, and is a Fellow – College of Fellows of of space, but also detachment. I regard my art as a the American Theatre. MFA – University of California, sacred practice that is accessible not only to me but San Diego; BA – Brown University. to anyone who crosses paths with it. For example, symbols in my work parallel symbols in life that MICHAEL J. BOBBITT joined present themselves from conversations with close New Repertory Theatre as an arts friends. This communal act is an essential part of leader, director, choreographer, my practice. Ultimately, I am a student of the visual and playwright in 2019. Michael J. language of art, I am on the path to becoming Bobbitt served as Artistic Director fluent. My mission is to take others along this path for Adventure Theatre-MTC in with me – to guide their creative self-expression. Maryland since 2007, where he led the organization to be a respected theatre/training BENNY SATO AMBUSH is a company in the DC region, as well as a nationally professional SDC freelance influential professional Theatre for Young Audiences. director, teacher of stage acting He led a merger with Musical Theater Center, increased and directing (BA, BFA, MFA the organizational budget and audience, commissioned levels), consultant, former new works by noted playwrights, transferred two National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) panelist/ shows to Off-Broadway, built an academy, and earned site evaluator, and a published commentator. He dozens of Helen Hayes Award Nominations including served nine years as Senior Distinguished Producing eight wins. Bobbitt has directed/choreographed at Director-In-Residence of Emerson Stage, the Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre producing wing of the Department of Performing Company, Olney Theatre Center, Studio Theatre, Arts (PA) at Emerson College, where he also Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Center Stage, Roundhouse taught on PA’s acting and directing faculty. Prior Theatre, The Kennedy Center, and the Washington artistic leadership (select): Acting Artistic Director National Opera. His national and international credits – Rites and Reason Theatre Company (Academic), include the NY Musical Theatre Festival, Mel Tillis 2001, Providence, RI; Producing Artistic Director – Oakland La Jolla Playhouse, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, (CA) Ensemble Theatre (SPT); Associate Artistic Jefferson Performing Arts Center, and the Olympics. As Director – San Francisco’s American Conservatory a writer, his work was chosen for the NYC International Theater (LORT B); Co-Artistic Director – San Fringe Festival and The New York and Musical Theatre Francisco Bay Area Playwrights Festival; PEW Festival. He has two plays published by Rogers 4 new repertory theatre and Hammerstein Theatricals. He trained at Harvard rehearsal pianist for the Gershwins’ Porgy and Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Bess, Crossing, We Live in Cairo, (A.R.T.). David has Management, The National Arts Strategies Chief worked with Audra McDonald, Bobby McFerrin, Executive Program, and other top leadership Mariah Carey, Patti LaBelle, Ryan Gosling and Phish. programs. He earned the Excel Leadership Award He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Vatican, and (Center for Nonprofit Advancement) the Emerging the White House. He is a recipient of New England Leader Award (County Executive’s Excellence in the Urban Music Awards and Thomas Dorsey Award Arts and Humanities), and Person of the Year Award from New England Conservatory. David earned a (Maryland Theatre Guide), among others. M.A. in Composition from Tufts University and a B.M. in Piano & Composition from Boston University. LAUREN CAMERON (Snatched David is Director of Choral Music at Dana Hall School Entertainment) Snatched in Wellesley, MA, and Lecturer of Music & Director Entertainment is a premier of Gospel Choir at Tufts University. Originally from Boston based Event Planning Memphis, TN, he currently resides in Norfolk, MA. company ran by Lauren Cameron. Lauren is a Jamaican SHEREE DUNWELL (Singer) is native but has since lived and an award-winning vocalist from successfully completed her undergraduate degree at Boston, MA. After earning a the Suffolk University Sawyer Business School and has BFA in vocal performance from been producing events since 2008 with a full working Carnegie Mellon University knowledge and background in the entertainment and in 2007, she returned to New hospitality industry. Lauren has taken over the Boston England where she has been performing ever since. Nightlife Industry by storm, an industry completely In 2017, she played a featured singing role in the dominated by the men. Lauren listens closely to the film The Comedian, starring Robert De Niro, Danny needs of her clients and community creating events DeVito and Patti LuPone. In 2015, she was named based on their wants/needs. She has experience in the grand champion of WCVB’s Community Auditions, planning and execution of nightclub/bars, lounges, hosted by Billy Costa with anchor judge, Candy corporate parties, fundraisers, product launches, O’Terry. Other credits include Crystal in Little Shop birthday parties and other various event types. Her of Horrors, Mrs. Anderssen in A Little Night Music, main priority in planning is to make sure that the client and The Dynamites in Hairspray. More recently, she experience is stress-free while she successfully secures is honored to have participated with others artists the best rates by skillfully negotiating with suppliers of color in a concert performance of Songs for a and vendors to maximize the client’s profit. New World with the Front Porch Arts Collective, as well as a virtual