SOME OLD BLACK MAN - Yuck Boys Live
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SOME OLD BLACK MAN A Play by James Anthony Tyler Starring Wendell Pierce and Charlie Robinson Directed by Joe Cacaci UMS Digital Presentation Hosted on UMS.org Executive Producer / UMS Producer / 59th Limited Liability Company Friday Evening, January 15, 2021 at 7:00 (Digital Premiere) Streaming on demand through Monday, January 18 The Jam Handy Detroit, Michigan
T H A N K Y O U T O S U P P O R T E R S O F T H I S U M S D I G I TA L
P R E S E N TAT I O N
Lead Presenting Sponsors
TIM AND SALLY PETERSEN
MICHIGAN ENGINEERING
Presenting Sponsors
DTE ENERGY FOUNDATION
NEWMARKET LLC
Patron Sponsor
JERRY AND DALE KOLINS ENDOWMENT FUND
Funded in part by
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
UMS SUSTAINING DIRECTORS
This digital presentation of Some Old Black Man is supported by Tim and Sally Petersen, Michigan
Engineering, DTE Energy Foundation, Newmarket LLC, and the Jerry and Dale Kolins Endowment Fund.
This digital presentation is also funded in part by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
and the UMS Sustaining Directors.CAST
Wendell Pierce / Calvin Jones, Ph.D.
Charlie Robinson / Donald Jones
C R E AT I V E T E A M
Joe Cacaci / Director
Justin Lang / Scenic and Lighting Design
Suzanne Young / Costume Design
Jim Lillie / Sound Design
Tiffany Robinson / First Assistant Director
Matt Hoffman / Director of Photography
HMS Media / Editing and Post-Production
This production runs approximately one hour and 45 minutes in duration and is
performed without intermission.
The world premiere of Some Old Black Man was produced by Berkshire Playwrights Lab and
subsequently moved to 59E59 Theaters in New York City.
3SYNOPSIS
In Some Old Black Man, Calvin Jones (Wendell Pierce), a hip, coolly intellectual
African American college professor, moves his 82-year-old ailing but doggedly
independent father, Donald Jones (Charlie Robinson), from Greenwald,
Mississippi into his Harlem penthouse. The play begins with an argument
over what to eat for breakfast, then turns into a generational clash over race,
opportunity, and a decision that Calvin made years ago. Donald’s grumpiness
is peppered with disturbing outbursts, revealing bits of his past, informed by
growing up Black and poor in the South. Donald is wary that he isn’t seen by
his gifted, accomplished son as being good enough, and Calvin resents Donald
as being a self-righteous, relentlessly tough parent. Father-son strife escalates
when their generational conflict is lensed through civil rights.
4ARTISTS
James Anthony Tyler (Playwright) is the In TV, he was show runner/executive
recipient of the 3rd Annual Horton Foote producer of two prime-time series:
Playwriting Award. He is an inaugural Showtime’s The Hoop Life, and CBS’s
playwright to receive a commission from Education of Max Bickford (Richard
Audible and currently has commission with Dreyfuss and Marcia Gay Harden, Peter
Williamstown Theatre Festival. His plays O’Toole). He directed the pilot of PBS’s
include Artney Jackson (world premiere Copshop
at Williamstown Theatre Festival, 2018 Food for Thought (Berkshire International
Edgerton Foundation New Play Award), Film Festival; & KCET TV), starring Minnie
Some Old Black Man (Berkshire Playwrights Driver and Tony Shalhoub, the short trilogy,
Lab at St. James Place and 59E59 Theaters), Public Speaking, by Richard Dresser,
and Dolphins And Sharks (LAByrinth Theater starring Treat Williams, and the National
Company and Finborough Theatre in Snatched, starring Andrew
London). He recently was the staff writer for McCarthy and Ernest Borgnine.
the new OWN Network show Cherish The Mr. Cacaci teaches TV Writing in the
Day created by Ava DuVernay. His upcoming
plays scheduled to be released in 2021 and TV/Screenwriting in the undergraduate
include an online workshop presentation
of Talkin’ to this Chick Sippin’ Magic Potion He co-founded and is co-artistic director
(TheaterWorks Hartford), a short audio of Berkshire Playwrights Lab in Great
drama All We Need is Us (Keen Company, Barrington, MA, developing new plays since
NYC) and a full-length audio drama Hop tha A 2007.
(Audible). BA: Central State University. MFA
in Film: Howard University. MFA in Dramatic Wendell Pierce (Calvin Jones, Ph.D.) stars
Writing: New York University, and Graduate as James Greer in Amazon’s international
of the Lila Acheson Wallace American hit series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan alongside
Playwrights Program: The Juilliard School. John Krasinski. He recently appeared with
an all-star cast in Between the World and
Joe Cacaci (Director) has directed new Me, a new special event based on the #1
plays at The Public Theater, Coconut Grove New York Times bestseller from Ta-Nehisi
Playhouse, New Jersey Rep, commercially Coates, which premiered in fall 2020
in New York (Baruch Performing Arts on HBO. Mr. Pierce starred as Clarence
Center), Los Angeles (Coast Playhouse, Thomas in HBO’s multi-award-winning
Court Theater), and most recently at New , opposite Kerry Washington.
York’s 59E59 Theaters. That play, Some Old He is recognized as Robert Zane on USA’s
Black Man, by James Anthony Tyler, starred Suits, starred on Anthony Hemingway’s
Wendell Pierce and was scheduled to Unsolved miniseries, and recurs in a multi-
re- open at The Sheen Center for the Arts season arc on Chicago P.D. for Dick Wolf
with Mr. Pierce and Charlie Robinson this and Eriq La Salle. Universally hailed for
past spring before COVID cancelations. Mr. his portrayal of Det. Bunk Moreland on
Cacaci’s own plays have premiered at The HBO’s The Wire (Image Award nominee),
Long Wharf, The Public, and commercially Mr. Pierce was additionally a three-time
in LA. Image Award nominee for his starring role
5Antoine Baptiste on David Simon’s next his Broadway stage credits are The Piano
HBO series, Tremé. Other credits include Lesson, Serious Money, The Boys of Winter,
Ray Donovan opposite Liev Schreiber, the and the New York premiere of the award-
HBO’s Strapped (Forest Whitaker), and Life winning Broke-ology at Lincoln Center.
Support (Image Award winner; WIN Award Off-Broadway productions include the New
winner) opposite Queen Latifah. York premiere of Some Old Black Man at
Wendell Pierce won the “Best 59E59th, The Good Times are Killing Me, as
Actor Award” at the 2019 Tribeca Film well as ‘Tis a Pity She’s A Whore, Cymbeline,
Festival, is an Independent Spirit Award and Two Gentleman of Verona for the New
and Gotham Award nominee for his York Shakespeare Festival. He received
performance in Burning Cane, and stars rave reviews for The Cherry Orchard at the
alongside Alfre Woodard and Aldis Classical Theatre of Harlem (VIV Award
Hodge in the 2019 Sundance Grand Jury nomination, best lead actor), followed
Prize winner Clemency. Mr. Pierce was by Waiting For Godot, set on a rooftop
an Independent Spirit Award nominee surrounded by water in post-Hurricane
and won the prestigious Acting Award Katrina New Orleans, and then starred
from the LA Film Festival for the intense opposite Laurence Fishburne and Angela
drama Four. His other features include Bassett in August Wilson’s Fences at the
Selma (Ava DuVernay; Black Reel Award Pasadena Playhouse. He next appeared
winner), Horrible Bosses, Twilight: Breaking in the Oedipus Plays in the ancient Herod
Dawn 2 (Bill Condon), Taylor Hackford’s Atticus Theatre at the Acropolis in Athens,
Parker alongside Jennifer Lopez and in association with the Washington DC
Jason Statham, Ray and Love Ranch, Wim Shakespeare Theatre.
Wenders’ Angst & Alienation in America, A New Orleans native, Wendell Pierce is
and Hole in One opposite Michelle known for his service to the city, focusing
Williams (Tribeca Film Festival), Fighting on efforts to rebuild the neighborhood
Temptations, Spike Lee’s Get on the Bus and in which he was raised after Hurricane
Malcom X, Sleepers, Waiting to Exhale, A Katrina. Ponchartrain Park Development
Rage in Harlem, Bonfire of the Vanities, and Corp, a non-profit corporation he created
Casualties of War. to build affordable and environmentally
The Juilliard alumnus, Tony Award- friendly homes, committed to help longtime
winning producer (for Clybourne Park), residents come back to their neighborhood.
and 2010 Obie Award winner has most His work was featured on CNN in the
recently received rapturous personal documentary film New Orleans Rising
reviews and was nominated for “Best with Soledad O’Brien, and he has been
Actor in a Play” for a London Olivier Award a featured guest on CBS Morning News,
for his portrayal of Willy Loman in the two NPR’s Talk of the Nation and Money Matters,
acclaimed 2019 presentations of Death of as well as a host of other national outlets.
a Salesman, first at the Young Vic and then Mr. Pierce notably appeared in Spike Lee’s
in its West End transfer to the Piccadilly documentary When The Levees Broke telling
Theatre for director Marianne Elliott. Mr. his family’s story of loss during Hurricane
Pierce earlier starred in world premieres Katrina. His memoir The Wind in the Reeds
of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Cost of was published to rave reviews in 2015. He
Living at Williamstown and Queenie Pie is part of Equity Media, the new ownership
at the Kennedy Center. Included among group of WBOK 1230 am, a 70-year-old
6legacy Black talk radio station in New credits include many pilots, as well as
Orleans, the oldest African American owned having been a regular on Buffalo Bill, Night
radio station in Louisiana. Court, Love & War, Ink, and Buddy Faro; in
addition, recurring characters on Disney’s
Charlie Robinson (Donald Jones), this past KC Undercover, Hart of Dixie, The Game, The
summer, completed a limited episodic Quad, Disjointed, and Home Improvement.
for Freeform TV called Love in the Time of There were great roles performed in
Corona. Pre-pandemic work included Last Grey’s Anatomy, McBride, Big Love, The
Romance at The New Theatre, reuniting Riches, My Name is Earl, Cold Case, House,
him with Michael Learned, with whom he Bernie Mac, Still Standing, and countless
had played opposite in Driving Miss Daisy. others. Twice a CAMIE Award winner, for
Since then he starred in the first season his made-for-TV movie roles in Miss Lettie
of The Guest Book for TBS, then guest and Me and Secret Santa. As for radio, one
performances on CBS’s NCIS, NBC’s This of his favorite performances was the lead
is Us, Better Things for FX, and now has a in Walter Mosley’s Black Betty, for LATW.
recurring role on Disney’s Raven’s Home, Charlie Robinson was the 2006 Ovation
and continues to recur on CBS’s Mom, Award Winner for “Best Actor in a Play” as
and for theater, he performed at the Dallas Troy in August Wilson’s Fences, and part of
Theater Center in The Trials of Sam Houston. the winning Jitney ensemble for the 2013
Mr. Robinson received the Fred Award by Theatre Image Award. He has performed
the Pasadena Playhouse, for the role of for years as a guest artist for the Oregon
Simon in Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Shakespeare Festival, and countless
Man, and a role he reprised for LATW’s other national theaters. Married to Dolorita
radio program, after successfully running Noonan-Robinson, children Luca, Christian,
the play at South Coast Rep. and the Old Charlie, and Byron, as well as a grandfather,
Globe, for which he won the Best Actor great-grandfather, and dog-dad to “Nala.”
2010 Image Theatre Award. A veteran actor
from Houston, Texas, Mr. Robinson studied Tiffany Robinson (First Assistant Director)
at Studio 7 Workshop and at the University is thrilled to work with UMS and the Some
of Houston along with the Alley Repertory Old Black Man Off-Broadway team (James,
Theatre; he was acting VP of the Urban Joe, and Wendell), again. This proud native
Theatre, before he moved to Los Angeles of Philadelphia holds a BFA in Theater Arts
and became a member of the Actors Studio. Administration from Howard University.
Mr. Robinson honed his craft at the Mark Ms. Robinson has had the pleasure of
Taper Too, Inner City Cultural Center, the working as a professional stage manager
Actors Studio with Lyle Kessler’s Unlisted, in Philadelphia and New York for the last
also acclaimed Driving Miss Daisy with 15 years. Selected shows: MJ The Musical
Diane Ladd and other LA roles, including (Broadway 2021), The Cher Show (Chicago
Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman at SCR. and Broadway), Motown the Musical
His film credits include: Apocalypse Now, (Broadway and 1st National), Memphis (1st
The River, Set it Off, Antwone Fisher, Even National), Three Sisters (Classical Theatre
Money, Jackson, Steam, Natural Disasters, of Harlem), Dreamgirls (National Tour), and
Sweet Kandy, Hoovey, Maybe Someday, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Broadway — African
Russell Madness, as well as Ellen Gerstein’s American cast).
short, Come Away With Me. Television
7UMS ARCHIVES
This digital presentation marks the UMS debuts of both Wendell Pierce and
Charlie Robinson.
8DIRECTED BY CAMERAS
Joe Cacaci John Ford
Joe Lukawski
WRIT TEN BY
James Anthony Tyler JIB
Cameron Frazier
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
University Musical Society of the MASTER ELECTRICIAN
University of Michigan Chris Simko
Mark Jacobson / Lead Producer and SOUND
Senior Programming Manager Aerial Enterprises
Cayenne Harris / Producer and Vice President, Al Hurschman / A1, Recordist
Education & Community Engagement Mark Gougeon / A2
Matthew VanBesien / President Nathan Manuel
Tim Petersen, Chair / Board of Directors
Sara Billmann / Vice President, WA R D R O B E
Marketing & Communications Tiffany Robinson
Ryan Davis / Vice President,
Chief Development Officer CREW
Michael Kondziolka / Vice President, IATSE Local 395
Programming & Production Kyle Chapman
Carmen Rodriguez / Vice President, Michael Dubyak
Finance & Administration Devin Miller
Dean Neeb
PRODUCER Greg Schmidt
59th Limited Liability Company Travis Sheldon
CAST IATSE Local 38
Wendell Pierce / Calvin Jones, Ph.D. Danny Berro
Charlie Robinson / Donald Jones April Campbell / COVID-19 Safety Officer
John Dillon
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY/EDITOR Robert W. Floyd
Matt Hoffman Kimberly Glenn
HMS Media Fred Graham, Jr.
Kristen Gribbin
SCENIC AND LIGHTING DESIGNER Adam Groves
Justin Lang Shawn Harrington
Felicia Hatcher-Brown
COSTUME DESIGNER Tyler Hively
Suzanne Young Kyle Jeffery / COVID-19 Safety Officer
Keith Jex
SOUND DESIGNER Suzanne Johnston-Steward
Jim Lillie James Kubiak
Arthur Merriweather
F I R S T A S S I S TA N T D I R E C T O R Timothy W. Poneleit
Tiffany Robinson Ross Robinson
Randal Roy
PRODUCTION Randy Vanwormer / COVID-19 Safety Officer
Jeffrey Beyersdorf / Production Director
Alex Gay / Assistant Production Manager
Anne Grove / Artist Services Manager
Rochelle Clark / Assistant Stage Manager
Bridget Kojima, Jacob Rogers, and Justine Sedky/
Couriers
9MUSIC SPECIAL THANKS
“I Was Standing on 75 Highway” 5th Avenue Furniture
by Lightnin’ Hopkins Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center
“Three Hours Past Midnight” Brooks Lumber
by Johnny “Guitar” Watkins Kathy Byrne, SAG/AFTRA
Used with permission by Cadillac True Value Hardware
Universal Publishing Group Cowan, Debaets, Abrahams &
Sheppard LLP/Josh Sessler
APM Music Detroit Wallpaper Co.
Keith Dickey, Michigan Medicine
TELEVISION PRODUCTION Fantasee Lighting
A N D P O S T- P R O D U C T I O N HMS Media
Matt Hoffman/HMS Media Henry Ford Hospital/Robin Damschroder and
Gerald C. Koenig, MD, Ph.D.
C AT E R E R S Simeon Heyer, The Jam Handy
Canape Cart, Birmingham Jessica Hicks, Ochre Bakery, Detroit
Ochre Bakery, Detroit John K. King Books
LynxDx, Inc./Steven Riggs and Ani Shirvanian
TITLE DESIGN Preeti Malani, MD, University of Michigan
Phire Group Bridget McCormack and Steve Croley
for their generous housing assistance
MOTION GRAPHICS Kathleen O’Neill, Canape Cart, Birmingham
Jenny Conway Quest Diagnostics/Margaret J. Collins and
Nathan T. Doyle
P O S T- A U D I O M I X Steinway Gallery of Detroit
Andrew Twiss Holly Taylor
Twiss Audio University of Michigan Health Service/
Lindsey Mortenson, MD and Jason Shellhaas,
LEAD PRESENTING SPONSORS MD
Tim and Sally Petersen University Productions, University of Michigan/
Michigan Engineering Doug Edwards, Paul Hunter, Rich Lindsay, and
Beth Sandmaier
PRESENTING SPONSOR Stacy and Jeffrey Weber
DTE Energy Foundation Matt Wilson
Newmarket LLC
PAT R O N S P O N S O R Artists appear courtesy of the Screen Actors
Jerry and Dale Kolins Endowment Fund Guild and the American Federation of Television
and Radio Artists
F U N D E D I N PA R T BY
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
UMS Sustaining Directors
ADDITIONAL THANKS TO Special thanks to the Director’s Guild of America
Ford Motor Company Fund and IATSE Local 38 and Local 395
LynxDx, Inc.*
Michigan Medicine
Quest Diagnostics
*The COVID-19 assay was developed at the
University of Michigan and is being deployed
in partnership with LynxDx, Inc.
Shot on location at The Jam Handy, Detroit, Michigan | © University Musical Society, 2021You can also read
