Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower - Yuck Boys Live
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Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon / Creators Eric Ting and Signe V. Harriday / Co-Directors Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon / Music and Lyrics Friday Evening, March 25, 2022 at 8:00 Saturday Evening, March 26, 2022 at 8:00 Sunday Afternoon, March 27, 2022 at 4:00 Power Center Ann Arbor 17th, 18th, and 19th Performances of the 143rd Annual Season
This weekend’s performances are supported by UMS Board Co-Chair Lisa D. Cook, UMS Board Co-Chair Rachel Bendit and Mark Bernstein, and Michigan Engineering. Parable of the Sower is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Media partnership provided by WEMU 89.1 FM, Michigan Radio 91.7 FM, WDET 101.9 FM, and Ann Arbor’s 107one. Special thanks to Booksweet, Ypsilanti District Library, Ann Arbor District Library, University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities, Michigan Engineering, Now Studios, YpsiWrites, Literati, Paula Drummond, Sherlonya Turner, Dr. Toni Pressley-Sannon, Truly Render, Dr. Peggy McCracken, Dr. Naomi Andre, John Ganiard, Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center, Dr. Aliyah Khan, Jeremy Glover, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, Adrian King, Tananarive Due, John Jennings, Susana Morris, Petals Sandcastle aka Ricky Herbert, Sofia Deler, Hava Liebowitz, Tiara Partsch, Bubbles Sandcastle aka Samer Chahine, Abigail Haile, Lena von Moltke, Andrew Morton, Deidre D.S.SENSE Smith, Vicki Shaw, Renee Haas, Dr. Mayowa Lisa Reynolds, Stacie Edington, Mike Dailey, Lauren Taylor, Jorge Ramos, Joanna Millunchick, Holly Taylor, and the Detroit School of Arts for their participation in events surrounding this weekend’s performances. Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower appears by arrangement with ArKtype. In consideration of the artists and the audience, please refrain from the use of electronic devices during the performance. The photography, sound recording, or videotaping of this performance is prohibited.
C R E AT I V E T E A M
Creators / Toshi Reagon & Bernice Johnson Reagon
Co-Directors / Eric Ting & Signe V. Harriday
Music and Lyrics / Toshi Reagon & Bernice Johnson Reagon
with
Marie Tatti Aqeel, Alina Carson, Helga Davis, Kyle Garvin, Jared Wayne Gladly,
Toussaint Jeanlouis, Karma Mayet Johnson, Rebekah (Be) Steadwell, Alexandra
Koi, Josette Newsam, Shelley Nicole, Toshi Reagon, Noah Virgile, Evie Schuckman
Orchestra / Monique Brooks Roberts, Zach Brown, Fred Cash, Jr., Matt Graff,
Chogyi
Music Direction / Toshi Reagon
Choreographer / Millicent Johnnie
Scenic Designer / Arnulfo Maldonado
Costume Designer / Dede M. Ayite
Lighting Designer / Christopher Kuhl
Audio Systems Designer / John Kemp
Installation Artist / Abigail DeVille
Movement Director / Yasmine Lee
Production Manager / Anthony J. Cerrato
Production Stage Manager / Chris De Camillis
Assistant Stage Manager, Wardrobe / Caroline Pastore
Tour Producer / ArKtype / Thomas O. Kriegsmann
Company Manager/CovidCM Supervisor / Morgan Johnson
Tour Lighting Director / Devin Cameron
Audio Technician / Alex Dakoglou
Second Audio Technician / Laura Brauner
Associate Costume Designer / SueAnn Leung
Props Designer / Samantha Shoffner
Parable of the Sower is approximately two hours in duration and is performed
without intermission.
Following Friday evening’s performance, please feel free to remain in your
seats and join us for a post-performance Q&A with members of the company.
3SETTING Part 1: The walled community of Robledo, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA, in the near future. Part 2: Later, on the road north. 4
CAST
Talents
Helga Davis, Shelley Nicole, Toshi Reagon
Part 1
Lauren Olamina / Marie Tatti Aqeel
Rev. Olamina / Wayne Gladly
Cory Olamina / Karma Mayet Johnson
Keith Olamina / Kyle Garvin
Harry Balter / Noah Virgile
Mrs. Hsu / Evie Schuckman
Richard Moss / Toussaint Jeanlouis
Zahra Moss / Alina Carson
Joanne Garfield / Rebekah (Be) Steadwell
Tracy Dunn / Alexandra Koi
Mrs. Sims / Josette Newsam
Part 2
The Ancestors / Josette Newsam
Lauren Olamina / Marie Tatti Aqeel
Harry Balter / Noah Virgile
Zahra Moss / Alina Carson
Travis Douglas / Jared Wayne Gladly
Gloria Natividad Douglas / Karma Mayet Johnson
Jillian Gilchrist / Alexandra Koi
Allison Gilchrist / Rebekah (Be) Steadwell
Grayson Mora / Kyle Garvin
Emery Tanaka Solis / Evie Schuckman
Taylor Franklin Bankole / Toussaint Jeanlouis
Orchestra
Percussion / Matt Graff
Bass / Fred Cash, Jr.
Cello / Zach Brown
Violin / Monique Brooks Roberts
Guitar and Keyboards / Chogyi
5PROGRAM NOTE Tonight we are in exploration of family. All that you touch The one you are born into — the one you Change. you choose — the one you find — the All that you Change one that finds you. Changes you. Sometime in the future, we meet The only lasting truth Lauren Olamina, a 15-year-old girl is Change. living inside the remnants of a walled God community kept secure by a locked is Change. gate. This is a community being held together by her father’s will and vision. A community that did not choose to be together, but is forced to work together because of the massive deterioration of the world around them: a widening economic gap, privatization of what were once public resources, rampant corporate take- over, 21st-century sharecropping, drugs, violence, and an overwhelming disregard for life. All these things chip away at what little sense of security Lauren feels. She comes to know that she is not safe behind that wall. She comes to know that the God of her father is not her God. And so, even as she prepares to leave, she begins to create her own religion: Earthseed– The Books of the Living. When the wall comes down, Lauren loses her family. She leaves home with a few old maps, and starts out on an unknown journey north out of the suburbs of Los Angeles, passing as a man with two wounded friends at her side, gathering more along the way. Finding love, finding comrades. Teaching Earthseed. 6
C R E AT O R S
Toshi Reagon (librettist, composer, music and political activism. As a composer,
director) is a talented and versatile singer, she has created a narrative of her social
composer, musician, curator, and producer and political activism through her songs
with a profound ear for sonic Americana and larger compositions. She performed
— from folk to funk, from blues to rock. as a member of the SNCC Freedom
While her expansive career has landed her Singers during the sixties; she founded
at Carnegie Hall, the Paris Opera House, an all-women a cappella ensemble, The
and Madison Square Garden, you can just Harambee Singers, during the Black
as easily find Toshi turning out at a music Cultural Movement; and she founded and
festival, intimate venue, or local club. led the internationally acclaimed Sweet
She has collaborated with many artists Honey in the Rock for 30 years until
including Carl Hancock Rux, Ani DiFranco, retirement. Paralleling her work in music,
Lenny Kravitz, Elvis Costello, and Nona Reagon is one of the leading authorities
Hendryx. As a composer, she has worked in African American Cultural History. She
with Katori Hall, Urban Bush Women, is a recipient of the Heinz Award for Arts
and The Jane Comfort Dance Co. She is and Humanities, a MacArthur Fellowship,
currently touring Bessie Award-winning and the Presidential Medal and Charles
The Blues Project with tap dancer Michelle E. Frankel Prize for Contributions to the
Dorrance and Dorrance Dance. She founded Public Understanding of Humanities.
WORD*ROCK*&SWORD, a community
festival that takes place throughout New Octavia Estelle Butler (author) (June 22,
York City every September. Together with 1947–February 24, 2006) was a renowned
her mother, Bernice Johnson Reagon, African American author and recipient of
she has created two operas with director a MacArthur “Genius” Grant and a PEN
Robert Wilson, The Temptation of St. Lifetime Achievement Award for her body
Anthony and Zinnias: The Life of Clementine of work. Born in Pasadena in 1947, she
Hunter. Toshi co-composed music for two was raised by her mother (a housemaid)
Peabody Award-winning films and received and her grandmother. The author of
a NYFA Award for Music Composition, the many award-winning novels, including
2010 OutMusic Heritage Award, and The Parable of the Sower (1993), a New York
Black Lily Music and Film Festival Award for Times “Notable Book of the Year,” and
Outstanding Performance. She is a National Parable of the Talents (1995), winner of
Women’s History Month honoree and was the Nebula Award for the best science
named a 2015 Art of Change Fellow by the fiction novel published that year, she
Ford Foundation. was way ahead of her time: though the
MacArthur Grant made life easier in later
Bernice Johnson Reagon (librettist, years, she struggled for decades when
composer) is a scholar, singer/songleader, her dystopian novels exploring themes of
and activist. For over half a century she Black injustice, global warming, women’s
has been a profound contributor to African rights, and political disparity were, to say
American and American culture. Born the least, not in commercial demand.
in Southwest Georgia, her singing style During these years of obscurity Butler,
and traditional repertoire is grounded always an early riser, woke at 2 a.m. every
in her experiences in church, school, day to write, and then went to work as a
7telemarketer, potato chip inspector, and abolitionist, facilitator, and producer,
dishwasher, among other things. At the she uses theater as a catalyst to ask
time of her death in 2006, interest in her questions about who we are and who
books was beginning to rise, and in recent we are in relation to others. She is the
years, her work has become timely and artistic producing director of Pillsbury
hugely popular among all kinds of readers. House + Theatre, a center for creativity
Sales overall have increased worldwide, and community in Minneapolis. She
her work is taught in over 200 colleges is a founding member of Million Artist
and universities nationwide; and a graphic Movement, a network of artists and
novel adaptation of her book Kindred was activists committed to Black liberation
a #1 New York Times Bestseller in 2017. In and healing. She’s also a member of
media, her novel Dawn is being developed Rootsprings Cooperative cultivating
for television by Ava DuVernay (Selma; A healing space for BIPOC artists/activists/
Wrinkle In Time) and other works are also healers in MN. Recent directing credits
in production. include What to Send Up When it Goes
Down, bull-jean stories, and Dining with
Eric Ting (co-director) is an Obie Award- the Ancestors. She is a Drama League
winning director and artistic director Directing Fellow and earned her MFA
of California Shakespeare Theater. in Acting at the Institute for Advanced
Recent directing credits include Bina’s Theatre Training at the American
Six Apples by Lloyd Suh (world prem Repertory Theatre at Harvard and Moscow
CTC, Alliance); The 1491s’ Between Art Theatre. She’s also a gold medalist
Two Knees (world prem, OSF); Gloria by with her synchronized swimming team the
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (ACT); The Good Subversive Sirens. signeharriday.com
Person of Szechwan and The Winter’s
Tale (Cal Shakes). New York: Manhattan
Theatre Club, Public Theater Under
the Radar, BAM Next Wave, Soho Rep.
Regional: Long Wharf Theatre, Hartford
Stage, Williamstown Theatre Festival,
Philadelphia Theatre Co, Cincinnati
Playhouse, Goodman, Victory Gardens,
Denver Center, CTG, ACT, Berkeley Rep,
Seattle Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
International: Singapore, France, UAE,
Holland, Canada, Romania, Czech Republic,
Hungary, Bali. Upcoming: Between Two
Knees (Yale Rep); Lear translated by
Marcus Gardley (Cal Shakes).
Signe V. Harriday (co-director) is a
fierce visionary and powerful storyteller
who crafts theater that awakens our
individual and collective humanity. As a
director, multidisciplinary artist, activist/
8PERFORMERS
Marie Tattiana Aqeel is a performance Abeson, and Aneesa Folds of the Freestyle
artist, naturalist, and community organizer Love Supreme Training Academy.
from Washington, DC. Her performance
training comes from the Duke Ellington Helga Davis is a vocalist and performance
School of the Arts in DC and the Mason artist with feet planted on the most
Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers prestigious international stages and with
University, NJ. Performance credits include firm roots in her local community. Davis
appearing in concert at the Kennedy has made five BAM Next Wave Festival
Center’s Millennium Stage (2022); a appearances, and was most recently
grant-winning performance of her original principal actor in the 25th-anniversary
song Come Back Home for Emergent Seed international revival of Robert Wilson and
DC (2021); Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of Philip Glass’s seminal opera Einstein on
the Sower created by Toshi Reagon and the Beach. She is host of the eponymous
Bernice Johnson Reagon (2019-present); podcast HELGA on WQXR, winner of the
A Letter to My Ex the Musical by Be 2019 Greenfield Prize in composition, a
Steadwell (2019); Annie Salem by 2019 Alpert Award finalist, and the 2018-21
Rachel Chavkin and Heather Christian visiting curator for the performing arts at
(Powerhouse/NYSAF 2019), and two self- the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
published EP albums available at
tattiana.bandcamp.com. Kyle Garvin is so honored to join this
great company in the Parable of the Sower
Alina Carson is a musical theater trained opera. Hailing from Bridgeport, CT, Kyle
performance artist and actor from earned a BFA degree in musical theater
Baltimore, MD. She is based in New York, from the University of the Arts. Kyle has
and she is skilled in dance and stage toured both nationally and internationally
combat. She attended the Arena Players in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Go
in Baltimore from 2004–2014 before Diego Go Live!, and Thomas and Friends
relocating to New York in 2016 where she Live! He’s performed regionally in theaters
spent three years as a company member across the country; his favorite credits
of the Harlem Repertory Theatre that has include Twist: An American Musical, under
since been on hiatus due to COVID. Most the direction of Debbie Allen (Alliance
recently Alina has been working primarily Theater, Pasadena Playhouse), Hairspray
in film, and can be seen in Nikyatu Jusu’s (Courthouse Repertory Theater), Matilda
Nanny, which is featured in Sundance Film (Virginia Stage Company), The Wild Party
Festival 2022. Her commercial and print (Barrow Group Theater), and Oliver (Paper
listings include Sephora, Nike, Beyonce, Mill Playhouse).
JCPenney, Bed Bath and Beyond, Carvel,
Microsoft, Mejuri, Major Lazer, Jabhead Jared Wayne Gladly is a NYU alum
Electronics, and Beats by Dre. Her most originally from Houston, TX, and is a
notable stage productions include Harlem-based actor, singer, host, and
Midsummer Moon with the Virginia Stage voiceover artist. Over the course of his
Company and Raisin in The Sun with The career, he has collaborated with Bill T.
Harlem Repertory Theater. She has trained Jones, Rueben Santiago-Hudson, Kenny
with Lisa Carson, Robert Chew, Anthony Leon, Des McAnuff, Dominique Morisseau,
9Toshi Reagon, Susan Stroman, Maurice directed A Letter to My Ex, the musical. A
Hines, Joe Iconis, Patricia McGregor, and Letter to My Ex imagines a queer black
Eric Ting. New York/Broadway credits woman’s experience through the year of
include: Frozen, The Book of Mormon, a big breakup. In 2021, Be released her
Holler If Ya Hear Me, Encores!, Cabin in the latest album, Succulent.
Sky, Radio City Christmas Spectacular,
Dreamgirls, and The Scottsboro Boys. Film/ Josette Newsam is a New York native who
TV: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Black has performed solo and background on
Nativity, and Random Unrelated Projects. the Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly,
Currently, Jared can be heard as the voice and Live with Kelly and Michael. She has
of Cricket Wireless’ mascot Barry. Outside performed voice-overs for NBC Universal.
of theater, Jared partners with Harlem She has also performed lead, background
community organizations The Soapbox vocals, and recordings with amazing
Presents and the FCBC food pantry. artists such as Dr. Bernice Johnson
Reagon, Toshi Reagon, Melba Moore, Lou
Toussaint Jeanlouis is an actor Reed, Macy Gray, and Angelique Kidjo,
and teaching artist. Originally from Nona Hendricks, Billy Bragg, Taina Asili,
Houston, TX, he attended Arizona State Norm Lewis, and the incomparable Ben E.
University, earning a BA in theater with a King. She’s played in renowned musicals
concentration in acting and continued to such as Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Nell), Ragtime
California Institute of the Arts, earning a (Sarah), Gustave Flaubert’s The Temptation
MFA in acting. He currently lives in New of St. Anthony (Chorus), Zinnias (Mama)
York City, where his last performance was and Toshi Reagon’s musical adaptation of
in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Hot Wing King Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower (Mrs.
by Katori Hall at the Signature Theatre. Simms). She is currently a vocalist with
Toshi Reagon’s BIGLovely.
Rebekah (Be) Steadwell is a queer
pop composer and storyteller from Shelley Nicole is a transformational healer
Washington, DC. She utilizes looping, using the power of love and the energetic
vocal layering, and beat boxing to magic of music to shift the world. She is
compose her songs on stage. Be’s songwriter, vocalist, composer, actress,
original music features earnest lyricism and founder of Shelley Nicole’s blaKbüshe.
and affirming queer content. Be’s goal Through Red Butterfly Music, she released
as a musician is to make other black three albums: she who bleeds…, The Quick
girls, queers, introverts, and weirdos & Dirty EP, and I Am American. The latter,
feel seen and loved. Be earned a BA in produced by Vernon Reid, is forged from
Black studies from Oberlin College and rock, funk, and soul’s connective tissue,
an MFA in film from Howard University. empowering women to reclaim their
Her 2014 film Vow of Silence screened in cultural identity, and personal agency.
film festivals around the world, including Shelley has performed in cities from
Black Star, HBO’s OutFest, The Schomburg London to Los Angeles and graced the
Center and Inside Out Toronto. In 2019, stage at Lincoln Center, Hammerstein
Be composed the music for Alvin Ailey Ballroom, and The Apollo Theater. As
American Dance Theater’s production of a featured member of the Burnt Sugar
the gone. Later that year, Be wrote and Arkestra, Shelley has toured throughout
10Europe and the US. In February 2020
Shelley presented Punanny Politixxx:
Hindsight is 2020 at the Tribeca Performing
Arts Center and continues to play a key
performance role in Nia O. Witherspoon’s
Dark Girl Chronicles.
Noah Virgile is a performer and artist
originally from Boston, now living in New
York. Theater: Octavia E. Butler’s Parable
of the Sower (CAP UCLA); The Royal Family
of Broadway (Barrington Stage Company);
Alice (Wheelock Family Theatre); Rabbit
Hole (The Umbrella Stage Company); and
Follies (Astoria Performing Arts Center).
Readings: Concrete Jungle (Manhattan
Theatre Club/DDM Productions),
Heartbreakers in Hell (Open Jar Residency),
The Valley (A.R.T./New York), Demons
(Bentley Theatre/JAGFest 4.0), Fall Springs
(Barrington Stage Company), and The
Oldenburg Suite (NYMF). Honored to be
returning to this piece after our journey
was cut short in 2020.
noahvirgile.com / @noahvirgile
11ORCHESTRA
Monique Brooks Roberts (violin) is Matt Graff (percussion) is a freelance
a violinist hailing from Louisville, KY. drummer and audio engineer. A graduate
Monique has had a busy and fulfilling of Berklee College of Music, he is the
career, having performed and recorded owner of the Koop recording studios in
for many notable artists including Alicia Irvington, NY. As a drummer, Matt has
Keys, Common, Aretha Franklin, and Jill played tours across the US and Europe,
Scott. She has played at Carnegie Hall, as well as countless shows in and
Lincoln Center, the John F. Kennedy Center, around New York City. He has performed
The Kimmel Center, Mariinsky Theatre with a wide variety of artists, including
in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the world- Midge Ure, Paul Young, Emily Saliers (of
famous Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. She’s the Indigo Girls), Dorrance Dance, Toshi
appeared on many TV programs such as Reagon, The Life and Music of George
the MTV Music Awards, NPR’s Tiny Desk, Michael, An Endless Sporadic, and The
The David Letterman Show, The Stephen Brighton Beat. He also performs with
Colbert Show, and the BET Honors. his original projects Mr. Clifford and
Monique released her first solo album Calaspera. As a producer and engineer
titled Free on January 31, which debuted at Matt’s experiences range from producing
#12 on the iTunes R&B/Soul charts. an album with legendary songwriter Gary
Portnoy, to recording podcasts hosted
Zach Brown (cello) is a NYC-based cellist, by Guy Raz, and mixing theme songs for
born in Far Rockaway, Queens. Zach is both CBS Sports.
a classically and jazz-trained cellist. Using
the training and experience from both styles,
Zach focuses on pushing the boundaries
of progressive cello playing in his writing
and collaborations. He has been a guest
artist and instructor at The Savannah Music
Festival, New Directions Cello Festival,
Ithaca Summer Music Academy, and Owens
College. He has performed as a guest soloist
with his main group Westbound Situation
for the Marquette Symphony. Performing at
classical venues like Carnegie and Lincoln
Center, he has also performed at Nublu 151,
and Village Vanguard with the Turtle Island
String Quartet.
Fred Cash, Jr (bass) is a native of
Chicago, and has been touring with
Toshi Reagon’s BIGLovely since 1998. He
attended the American Conservatory of
Music in Chicago. He has worked with
such artists as Jean-Paul Bourelly, India
Arie, and Jerry Butler.
12C R E AT I V E T E A M
Dede M. Ayite (costume designer) is a Michel Rein, Brussels, BE (2017); and The
two-time Tony Award-nominated costume Intersectional Self, The Shelley & Donald
designer whose Broadway credits include Rubin Foundation, New York, NY (2017).
American Buffalo, A Soldier’s Play, Slave DeVille has designed sets for theatrical
Play, American Son, and Children of a productions — at venues such as the
Lesser God. Select Off-Broadway credits Stratford Festival (2014), directed by Peter
include Merry Wives (The Public Theater); Sellers, Harlem Stage (2016), La MaMa
Secret Life of Bees, Marie and Rosetta, (2015), JACK (2014-16), and Joe’s Pub
(Atlantic); By The Way, Meet Vera Stark, (2014) directed by Charlotte Brathwaite.
(Signature); BLKS, School Girls… (MCC); She has received honors including a 2014–
Bella: An American Tall Tale (Playwrights 15 fellowship at The Radcliffe Institute for
Horizons); The Royale (Lincoln Center); Advanced Study at Harvard, 2015 Creative
and Toni Stone (Roundabout). Regionally, Capital grantee and received a 2015 OBIE
Ayite’s work has appeared at Oregon Award for design. DeVille is the 2017-
Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf, 18 Chuck Close Henry W. and Marion T.
Arena Stage, and more. She has worked Mitchell Rome Prize Fellow.
in television with Netflix, Comedy Central,
and FOX Shortcoms. Ayite earned her Millicent Johnnie (choreographer)
MFA at the Yale School of Drama and has served as an associate artistic director
received an Obie, Lucille Lortel, Helen of Brooklyn-based dance company Urban
Hayes, Theatre Bay Area, and Jeff Awards, Bush Women and choreographed the
along with four Drama Desk Nominations. original Parable of the Sower workshop
(New York City Opera). Off-Broadway:
Abigail DeVille (installation artist) (b. 1981, Ameriville, Party People (The Public
New York, NY) received her MFA from Yale Theater). Other theater credits include
University in 2011 and her BFA from the Zinnias: The Life of Clementine Hunter
Fashion Institute of Technology in 2007. (Montclair Peak Performances), Symphony
DeVille has exhibited a constellation of for the Dance Floor (Brooklyn Academy of
site-specific installations in the US and Music), The Love Project (National Black
Europe. Her most recent exhibitions Theater Festival), The Hip Hop Project
include No Space Hidden (Shelter) ICA LA, (Krannert Performing Arts Center), The
Los Angeles, CA (2017); 20/20: The Studio Shipment, We Are Proud to Present a
Museum in Harlem and Carnegie Museum Presentation About the Herero of Namibia,
of Art, Pittsburgh, PA (2017); A Picture of Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From
the Universe in Clock Time, Momentum the German Südwestafrika, Between the
9, Moss, Norway (2017); Magnetic Fields: Years 1884–1915 (UnderMain Theater),
Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s The Burning (Contemporary Arts Center),
to Today, Kemper Museum, Kansas City, and immersive/site responsive theater
MO (2017); Harlem: Found Ways, Cooper Cry You One (Mondo Bizarro and Art
Gallery at Hutchins Center, Harvard Spot Productions). Johnnie directed and
University, Cambridge, MA (2017); Urban choreographed RENT (Ferndale Repertory
Planning: Contemporary Art and the City Theater), West Side Story (University
1967-2017, Contemporary Art Museum Kwazulu Natal, South Africa), Bamaboula:
St. Louis, MO (2017); Chaos or Community? Musician’s Brew (Cleo Parker Robinson
1345th anniversary tour), and Cubamor The film, television, video, and ceremonies in
Musical (Village Theater). She has received over 30 countries. Select credits include
numerous awards and nominations Broadway: Harry Potter And The Cursed
for her work including a United States Child, The Curious Incident of the Dog
Artist nomination for dance, the Prague in the Night-Time, The Crucible, Once
International Dance Festival Award, Times- Musical (also West End, Australia, Canada,
Standrard Beti’s Choice Award, Theatre S. Korea), RENT. Off-Broadway: SOCIAL!
Bay Area Award, and Vivian Robinson/ (w/David Byrne at Park Avenue Armory),
Avdelco nomination for outstanding Wild Goose Dreams (The Public Theater),
choreography. She choreographed the Sweeney Todd (Barrow Street Theater),
feature film Scary Movie 5, served as a My Name’s Not Indian Joe (Davenport
choreographer for Disney’s Frozen: Live at Theater), Knives In Hens (59 E 59), Pearl:
the Hyperion and more recently performed Spring River Flower Moon Night (Lincoln
in the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Center), Tender Napalm (59 E 59), Once
Games in Brazil. Johnnie is a visiting Musical (New York Theater Workshop),
assistant professor in dance at Florida Brown Butterfly (Aaron Davis Hall). Film and
State University. TV: Made For Love (HBO season 2, episode
3), Katy Perry for SNL, Amici season 9
John Kemp (audio systems designer) is (Canale 5 Italia), Across The Universe
thrilled to be part of the Parable of the (Julie Taymor/Sony Pictures). Opening
Sower team. He sends his love to all who Ceremonies: World Expo 2020 (UAE), XXII
come, gone, and will be. Winter Olympic Games (Sochi). Other: The
Dunham Technique Video (commissioned
Christopher Kuhl’s (lighting designer) by US Library of Congress/archived by
recent work includes: Dog Days (Los Smithsonian Institute), Margie Gilles’
Angeles Opera); The Object Lesson (BAM, Legacy Project, Momix, inaugural program
Edinburgh Festival, Sydney Festival); The of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Joan
Source (San Francisco Opera, REDCAT, Peter’s Dance Co, Earl Mosely’s Diversity of
BAM); The Institute of Memory (The Public Dance. Lee is Georgie’s Mama.
Theater, TBA Festival); Straight White
Men (Young Jean Lee’s Theatre Company, Arnulfo Maldonado (scenic designer) is
The Public Theatre, Kaai Theater, Centre a New York City-based set and costume
Pompidou); The Elephant Room (St. Ann’s designer. Notable New York credits
Warehouse); and ABACUS (BAM, Sundance include: School Girls or the African Mean
Film Festival, EMPAC). He has received two Girls Play, Charm (MCC Theater); Bull In
Bessie Awards, two Ovation Awards and A China Shop (Lincoln Theater Center);
a Sherwood, Drammy, and Horton Award. Twelfth Night (The Public); Kingdom Come
He is originally from New Mexico and a (Roundabout); Duat, generations (Soho
graduate of CalArts. Rep); Caught (Play Co); Men On Boats,
Iowa (Playwrights Horizons); Iphigenia In
Yasmine Lee (movement director) is Aulis (CSC). Regional: Berkeley Rep, Center
a movement and dance-centered Stage, Central City Opera, Guthrie Theater,
multidisciplinary artist. She has worked Old Globe, Olney Theater Center, Opera
as a choreographer, movement director, Theater of St. Louis, Philadelphia Theater
and performer across dance, theater, Company, Two River Theater, Williamstown
14Theater Festival. Tour: The Magnetic Devin Cameron (tour lighting director) is
Fields: 50 Song Memoir (BAM Next Wave/ based in New York City, where he creates
international tour). Maldonado is a Clubbed for theater, dance, and live events. Recent
Thumb Affiliated Artist, a recipient of a credits include Drama Desk Award-
Princess Grace Fabergé Theater Award, and winning The Strange Undoing of Prudencia
a multiple-Henry Hewes Design nominee. Hart (National Theatre of Scotland), Their
MFA: NYU Tisch. arnulfomaldonado.com Eyes Were Watching God with Tony Award-
winning director Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Chris De Camillis (production stage (Billie Holiday Theatre), Water± national
manager) Broadway: Les Liaisons tour (National Public Radio), Dream
Dangereuses, Misery, It’s Only a Play, Machine (Free Play), and resident lighting
The Glass Menagerie. Off-Broadway: The designer at the critically acclaimed
Rape of the Sabine Women by Grace B. immersive theater experience Sleep No
Mathias (Playwrights Realm), Building the More (Punchdrunk). devincameron.com
Wall (New World Stages), The Total Bent
(Public), Much Ado About Nothing (NYSF/ Alex Dakoglou (audio technician) was
DELACORTE), Pride’s Crossing (Lincoln born and raised in Philadelphia, has
Center), SLAVS! (NYTW), Oliver Twist been involved in music since elementary
(TFANA), Raised in Captivity (The Vineyard). school, starting with six years of piano,
Regional: American Repertory Theater; and eventually playing guitar in bands for
artistic coordinator and resident stage many years. In 1993, he started working as
manager 1998-2013. a live sound mixer. In 2004, a couple years
after receiving a BM in jazz guitar from the
Caroline Pastore (assistant stage University of the Arts, Alex moved to Los
manager/wardrobe) graduated last May Angeles, and quickly became head sound
from SUNY Purchase’s theatre/design mixer at the House Of Blues on Sunset
technology program where she studied Strip, where he mixed gospel, rock, R&B,
stage management. Since moving to New and hip hop weekly. In his seven years
York she has toured with Cartography there he worked with many well-known
as their stage manager and worked musical acts, before shifting his career
as a production assistant on several to the road and full-time sound mixing.
events. While at Purchase, she worked Today, Alex has mixed in venues such as
on Passage (production stage manager), Madison Square Garden, Sydney Opera
and Right Behind You (production stage House, and Radio City Music Hall, with
manager). She spent two summers at The symphony orchestras, bands, and artists.
Cape Playhouse where she was a part of Currently, Alex lives in Philadelphia and
several productions including Lady Day... tours with long time clients/artists such
(asst. production manager), Noises Off as Idina Menzel, Herb Alpert, LIVE, and
(asst. stage manager), Once (asst. stage Toshi Reagon, while also sound designing
manager), and Little Shop of Horrors (asst. and mixing for musical theater, and guest
stage manager). Caroline would like to lecturing in live sound at his alma mater.
dedicate her work to her dear friend, Ari
Bourke, for continuously inspiring her work
as a theater artist.
15SueAnn Leung (associate costume development and touring worldwide. His
designer) is a New York-based costume past work includes projects with Kaneza
designer with a keen interest in using Schaal, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Peter Brook,
design to explore identity and expression. Daniel Fish, Victoria Thiérrée-Chaplin,
They have served on Santo Loquasto’s Yael Farber, Anna Deavere Smith, Annie-B
Tony Award-winning design team for Parson & Paul Lazar, Lisa Peterson, Peter
Broadway’s Hello, Dolly!. Leung’s recent Sellars, Julie Taymor, John Cameron
work has included a shift to film and TV Mitchell, and Tony Taccone. Recent
media that is changing more quickly premieres include 600 Highwaymen’s A
to tell diverse stories. Most recently, Thousand Ways, Bryce Dessner’s Triptych
they were the costume designer for (Eyes Of One On Another), John Cameron
HBO APA Visionaries 2021 Finalist Little Mitchell’s The Origin Of Love, Kaneza
Sky, a queer Asian American coming of Schaal & Christopher Myers’ Cartography,
age drama about the power of chosen Sam Green & Kronos Quartet’s A Thousand
family, as well as Butterfly Lovers 永久徘 Thoughts, Big Dance Theater / Mikhail
徊, a live performance centering queer Baryshnikov’s Man In A Case, and Nalaga’at
Asian diasporic love for The Metropolitan Deaf-Blind Theater’s Not By Bread Alone.
Museum of Art in collaboration with Ongoing collaborations include 600
The W.O.W. Project. Leung earned a BA Highwaymen, Big Dance Theater, Rude
in gender studies from Mount Holyoke Mechs, Adrien M. & Clare B., Toshi Reagon,
College, and this background continues to and Compagnia T.P.O. Upcoming premieres
inform their work using costume design include Scott Shepherd’s This Ignorant
as a powerful tool to humanize and Present w/Malthouse, Sam Green’s 32
respectfully represent people — especially SOUNDS, and Nora Chipaumire’s Nehanda.
queer people of color. He is a founding member of CIPA (The
Creative & Independent Producer
Samantha Shoffner (props designer) Alliance). More information at arktype.org.
Broadway: Trouble in Mind, Slave Play
(2019, remount, and August Wilson Meiyin Wang (original producer) is a
lobby redesign). Associate Broadway: producer and curator of live performance.
Children of a Lesser God, The Price, She is the producing director of The
Noises Off, Falsettos, China Doll, Living Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts
on Love. Select Off-Broadway: To My Center in New York. She was the co-
Girls, Nollywood Dreams, Shhh!!!, Seize director of Under the Radar Festival
the King, A Strange Loop, BLKS, Merrily at The Public Theater, and the festival
We Roll Along (Roundabout), Is God Is. director of La Jolla Playhouse’s Without
Corporate: Google, Samsung, Grammys, Walls, and the curator of the Park Avenue
Emmys, H&M, Macy’s. Production Design: Armory’s Artist In Residence series. As an
IBM, NBCUniversal, BMW, Disney, Marvel. independent producer, she has worked
Professor at Citytech; props and paint. with artists including Toshi Reagon, Half
Freelance interior designer and artist. Straddle, and Pig Iron, and her work has
smartsetsbysam.com. been seen across four continents. Wang
was born and raised in Singapore and
Arktype / Thomas O. Kriegsmann (tour currently lives in Brooklyn.
producer) specializes in new work
16The company extends its special thanks to University
Musical Society – Matthew VanBesien, Michael J.
Kondziolka, Cayenne Harris, Anne Grove, Sara Billmann,
Mary Roeder, Mark Jacobson, and Jeffrey Beyersdorf;
Kobi Conaway and Andrew Owen, Dominique Bischoff-
Brown, Margot Kenley, Jacqueline Woodson, Lanita Foley,
BROWN ESTATE, Meghan Kirksey, Barbara Luciani, Amy
Laura Cahn, Ann Hackler, Lydia Mann, Elana Dykewomon,
Diane S & Jewelle G, Jan Foust Hurt, Quita Sullivan, James
Crawford & Complete Music Studios.
Learn more about the Parable of the Sower collaborators
and journey at parableopera.com.
The pre-show soundscape includes the music of Bernice
Johnson Reagon, Jason Moran, Meshell Ndegeocello,
Arooj Aftab, Climbing PoeTree, and Alicia Hall Moran.
News Reporter: J. Bob Alotta.
Produced by Wise Reagon Arts, Consultant Shanta Thake
Based on the novels Parable of the Sower and Parable of
the Talents by Octavia E. Butler.
Courtesy of the estate of Octavia E. Butler.
Originally commissioned by The Public Theater, and
co-commissioned by The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.
World premiere at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
November 9, 2017. It is made possible with funding by the
New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Theater
Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation. Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower was
developed with support by The Public Theater and during
a residency at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York, NY.
Additional support provided by the Apollo’s Salon Series
Program. Fiscally sponsored by Cal Shakes. Originally
Produced by Wise Reagon Arts LLC and Meiyin Wang.
17PROPELLING
THE FUTURE
At Michigan Engineering,
we are turning science fiction
into science fact.
Advanced spacecraft propulsion,
robotics and artificial intelligence
just scratch the surface of our
scientific and technological leadership.
Discover the future at engin.umich.edu
UMS ARCHIVES
Toshi Reagon makes her second UMS appearance this weekend following her
UMS debut in January 2003 at the Michigan Theater with Sweet Honey in the
Rock and BIGLovely. Helga Davis also makes her second UMS appearance this
weekend following her UMS debut in performances of Einstein on the Beach in
January 2012 at the Power Center. UMS welcomes the rest of the company in
their UMS debuts this weekend.
18P A R A B L E P AT H A 2 Y P S I
This weekend’s performances of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower by
Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon are the culmination of a series
of related events that include a community read; an Octavia E. Butler Week,
offered in partnership with the U-M Institute for the Humanities; and additional
events that together comprise Parable Path A2Ypsi. Parable Path A2Ypsi
events began in January 2022 and have been created in partnership with local
literary organizations, Octavia E. Butler enthusiast groups, and community
and University scholars interested in Afrofuturism and self-sustainable
collectivism. UMS thanks the many Parable Path A2Ypsi partners who came
together in allyship around the themes of the novel and the opera: social and
environmental justice, sustainability, adaptation, and persistence. To learn
more, please visit UMS.org/parablepath.
19T H A N K YO U TO S U P P O R T E R S O F T H I S W E E K E N D ’ S
PERFORMANCES
Lead Presenting Sponsors
UMS Board Co-Chair Lisa D. Cook
UMS Board Co-Chair Rachel Bendit
and Mark Bernstein
Presenting Sponsor
Michigan Engineering
Funded in part by
National Endowment for the Arts
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