Oct. 15th – Nov. 11th 2017
A song-poem by Jon Tracy, adapted from George Orwell’s Animal Farm
Directed by Michael Torres and Elena Wright
Arrangements by Carlos Aguirre and Stephanie Prentice
The classic cautionary tale of animal uprising that resonates now more than ever. Originally commissioned at Shotgun Players, TheatreFIRST redevelops this song-poem to address our own experiences of oppression and maybe most importantly, the oppressor inside us all.
CAST
Tierra Allen / Napoleon
Anthony Frederick Aranda / Old Major
Dameion Brown / Boxer
Laura Espino / Mollie
Anna Joham / Clover
Dean Koya / Benjamin
Celeste Martore / Sheep
Molly O’ Brien / Snowball
Stephanie Prentice* / Clover
Marlon Richardson / Squealer
Dezi Solèy / Moses
Danie Citlali Valdivieso / Sheep
Jesse Vaughn / Dog
DESIGN
Randy Wong Westbrooke / Scenic Designer
Stephanie Anne Johnson / Lighting Designer
Kristoffer Barrera / Sound Designer
Ting Na Wang / Properties Designer
Miyuki Bierlein/ Costume Designer
PRODUCTION
Kristoffer Barrera / Production Stage Manager
Liz Johnson / Rehearsal Stage Manager
Caymus Smith Pierce / Sound Board Operator
Dec. 3rd – 23rd 2017
A discussion in twelve parts:
GODFORSAKEN
By Linda McLean
Directed by John Patrick Moore
SHOW OF HANDS
By Anthony Clarvoe
Directed by Erin Gilley
SHAKE IT
By Rohina Malik
Directed by Bridgette Loriaux
LIVING PROOF
By Skyler Cooper
Directed by Mary Guzmán
37
By Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko
Directed by Ashley Smiley
FOREST
By Christopher Chen
Directed by May Liang
TAKE THE TICKET
By Star Finch
Directed by Brit Frazier
A SURE CURE LURE STORY
By Aaron Loeb
Directed by Elizabeth Carter
A HOLE IN THE SHAPE OF A PLAY
By Geetha Reddy
Directed by Jessa Brie Moreno
EVE AND STEVEN
By Carl Lumbly
Directed by Josh Costello
SCENES FROM MY TERRIFIC DEATH
By Dipika Guha
Directed by Susannah Martin
BREAKAWAY
By Octavio Solis
Directed by Ellen Sebastian Chang
Participants delves into how we individually and communally act in times of social and political unrest. Built around new work by internationally renowned playwrights, Participants is structured as a community discussion that will challenge the audience to ask: where have we been, what are we doing, and where do we go now? Special guest speakers and nightly surprises makes Participants a play like none other.
ENSEMBLE
Ed Berkeley
Skyler Cooper
Jordan Don
Cheri Miller
Aaron Murphy
Michelle Navarette
Akash Patel
Rebecca Pingree
Marjan Safa
Dezi Solèy
DESIGN
Kristoffer Barrera / Sound Designer
Miyuki Bierlein/ Costume Designer
Teddy Hulsker / Video Design
Stephanie Anne Johnson / Lighting Designer
Ting Na Wang / Properties Designer
Randy Wong – Westbrooke / Scenic Designer
PRODUCTION
Kristoffer Barrera / Production Stage Manager
Jake Fong / Rehearsal Stage Manager
Celeste Martore / Rehearsal Stage Manager
Jesse Vaughn / Rehearsal Stage Manager
Brendan West / Video Programmer
Feb. 18th – Mar. 10th 2018
TheatreFirst gives you Between Us, stories of the struggle: eight solo plays split into two presentations in repertory:
PROGRAM A
LAVEAU: A conjuring of Marie Laveau
By Brit Frazier
Directed by Margo Hall
With Dezi Soley
SEVEN FINGERS: The story of Larry Itliong
Written and Directed by Jeffrey Lo
With Mike Sagun
PUSSY HAT: The story of one woman’s march
By Katie May
Directed by Phoebe Moyer
With Jennie Brick
JUST ONE DAY: A story of Martin Luther King’s legacy
By Cleavon Smith
Directed by Elizabeth Carter
With Sam Jackson
PROGRAM B
TURNING THE PAGE: The story of Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga
By Jeanne Sakata
Directed by Jeffrey Lo
With Heidi Kobara
LA PROFESSORA: The story of Nibia Sabalsagaray
By Written and directed by Noelle Viñas
With Virginia Blanco
THE RACKET: The story of Smedley Butler
By James Tracy and Jon Tracy
Directed by Robert Parsons
With Aaron Murphy
DESIGN
Nikki Anderson Joy/ Costume Designer
Kristoffer Barrera / Sound Designer
Ben Euphrat / Video Designer
Stephanie Anne Johnson / Lighting Designer
Randy Wong – Westbrooke / Property and Scenic Designer
PRODUCTION
Jake Fong / Stage Manager
May 6 – June 10 2018
By Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko
Directed by Lisa Evans
1992 Kenya. The tiny, rural village Luoland, some 250 kilometers northwest of Nairobi. Two women fall in love: Bobby, an American development worker and Awino from the Luo tribe. When famine strikes, the villagers blame the women’s love. To regain equilibrium and make everything “normal” once again, Awino be “circumcised” — by force — so s/he can act like a “real” woman rather than “a woman who wants to be a man,” and Bobby must leave. Will Awino and Bobby agree to separate for the good of their community? Or will the village itself change?
CAST
Troy Rockett / Awino
Anastasia Barron / Bobby
Dameion Brown / Chief
Awele / Mama Mugabe
Jeunée Simon / Mama Otieno
Jasmine Williams / Mama Opio
DESIGN
Regina Evans / Costume Designer
Stephanie Anne Johnson / Lighting Designer
Celeste Martore / Co-Property and Scenic Designer
Randy Wong – Westbrooke / Co-Property and Scenic Designer
Kristoffer Barrera / Sound and Video Designer
PRODUCTION
Kristoffer Barrera / Stage Manager
Ayumi Namba / Deck Manager
Tierra Allen / Assistant Director
Elena Wright / Fight Director
Vanessa Rochelle Lewis / Intimacy Facilitator
Edris Cooper / Dialect Coach