ClariCe Smith Performing artS CenteroCtober 16 – 26, 2008

To Be Young, gifTed

and Black

www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

proGrAM NoTES

To Be Young, gifted and Black

If there is any one way to describe the life of Lorraine Hansberry, it is not simple. In her lifetime she belonged to many communities: as a black person, as a woman, as a playwright, as an upper-middle-class citizen, as a civil rights activist, as a wife and, though she did not disclose it until late in her short life, as a lesbian. Her life spans so many different identities that it is nearly impossible to assemble them all into one single, comprehensive picture.

And yet, To Be Young, Gifted and Black attempts to do exactly that. Robert Nemiroff, Hansberry’s husband and literary executor, has here collected her own words into a narrative that tells the story of her life. It is at times fuzzy, or vague in its detail — even Nemiroff does not pretend that he can describe her completely — but it offers as full a picture as it can of who she was and what she wanted to pursue in her art. The question, then, is why? Why try to explain the unexplainable? What relevance does the (incomplete) story of a playwright who died in the 1960s have to us?

The answer lies in the purpose of Hansberry’s art itself. Following the wide success of her first play, A Raisin in the Sun, critics and scholars were quick to identify her as a playwright who was concerned with black issues and the struggle for civil rights. This assumption was very accurate: Hansberry was an outspoken advocate of the civil rights movement both in her writings and in her speeches; she originally met Nemiroff at a rally. What it was not was comprehensive. The premiere of her second and last work produced in her lifetime, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, drew negative reviews from critics and audiences alike. granted, it was a tough play to grasp intellectually, but the main reason critics gave for their dislike was that its subject was not Hansberry’s to write about. The play depicted the lives of white Jewish intellectuals in greenwich Village; she was supposed to be a black writer alone. What these reviews miss about the purpose of her plays is that they are not really about the people in them at all. The action onstage depends entirely on the characters, of course, and the dramas center on them in very specific detail. But Hansberry herself said that her purpose was never to describe these individual people in isolation. Rather, she viewed her work as accessing bigger truths about all people, by focusing on particular ones: “in order to create the universal, you must pay very great attention to the specific. Universality … emerges from truthful identity of what is.”1 Her work was ultimately not about black people, or white people, but about people.

To Be Young, Gifted and Black is written in that same spirit. It may seem to describe the life of one particular person; complex, brilliant and utterly unique. But it reveals something greater about the struggles, hardships and victories that we all face, in each of our own many roles.

— John Barkmeyer, Research Dramaturg — Adriene Brathwaite, Production/Research Dramaturg

1 Wilkerson, Margaret B. “The Sighted eyes and Feeling Heart of Lorraine Hansberry.” Black American Literature Forum Vol 17, 1 (1983):8-13.

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Daniel MacLean Wagner, Producing Director

byLorraine HansberryadaptedbyRobert Nemiroff

oCtober16–262008ina&JaCKKaYtheatre

Photo by David Moses Attie

DirectorScot reeseScenicDesignerDeborah Wheatley

lightingDesignerbrian EngelCostumeDesigner Ivania Stack

SoundDesignerMatthew M. NielsonProduction/researchDramaturg

Adriene brathwaiteresearchDramaturg

John barkmeyer

To Be Young, gifTed

and Black

301.405.artS

CAST

CAST (in alphabetical order)Adriene BrathwaiteNevie BrooksJamar BrownLauren CiandellaJoanna Maria Fortuna+Tonique Heaven+Chase Helton Deborah Lubega*Jasmine Meadows+Thony MenaAmanda Miller*Jason PhillipsCarmen Samuel*

* Performances: October 16, 19, 23, 24+ Performances: October 17, 21, 22, 26

uNDErSTuDIES (in alphabetical order) Andrew Blau ellentinya Dodd Ann Fraistat David OlsonMai Spann-Wilson Alicia Waller John Wood

ACT oNE: 1930 – 1959ACT TWo: 1960 – 1965

There will be one 15-minute intermission.

proDuCTIoN STAFF

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Assistant Directors Karalee Dawn, Thembi Duncan, Farah Lawal, and Bina MalhotraAssistant Scenic Designer Jackie LittmanAssistant Lighting Designer Ariel BenjaminAssistant Costume Designer Kristy Hall and Frank LabovitzAssistant Sound Designer Joanna Maria FortunaAssistant Dramaturg eternanda FudgeProduction Coordinator Cary gillettStage Manager Supervisor David KriebsStage Manager Sarah WilbyAssistant Stage Managers Rachel Parks and Courtney Wood

CoSTuMES AND WArDrobECostume Shop Manager Stephanie ShawCostume Shop Supervisor Susan ChiangDrapers Lisa Burgess, Susan Chiang, emily HoemStitchers Liz Brown, Jessica Cruise, Shana Ferguson, Maeve Kelly, Jackie Littman, Peter Park, Chelsey Schuller, Courtney Wood, students of THeT 284, THeT 479, and THeT 114 Wigs and Hair Krystal BrownDressers Lee gerstenhaber, elizabeth Mann, Renee Nyack, Alison Parker, Hannah Swirnow

ElECTrICSAssistant Manager of electrics Laura MacAdamelectrics Coordinator Jeff ReckewegMaster electrician Tom Hamanelectricians Jenny Cisneros, eternanda Fudge, Jordan Levine, yedeedya Mellman, Nicole Smith, Mandy yu, students of THeT 114Light Board Operator Melanie ShurProjection Operator Tracy HauptSpot Light Operator Sara Osipow propErTIESProperties Master Tim JonesOverhire Properties Crew Andrea MooreProperties Construction Crew Beverly ginley, Jose Nunez, students of THeT 114

To be young, gifTed and black

proDuCTIoN STAFF

www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

pAINTSScenic Charge Artist Ann ChismarPaint Crew Mayumi Baker, Lauren Ciandella, Luis gimenez, Jes Johnstone, Noah Langer, Amina Mohamed, David Olsen, Matt Reckeweg, Kate Wolfe, students of THeT 114

SCENE ShopTechnical Director Rick WeinardAssistant Technical Director Andrew WallaceScene Shop Supervisor Steve CosbyOverhire Set Construction Crew Chris Insley and Christian Sullivan Set Construction Crew Lex Davis, Jacob Cigna, Aaron Holmes, students of THeT 114

SouNDAudio Shop Manager Kristine eckermanAudio Coordinator James O’ConnellSound Board Operator Rhea SmirlockAssistant Sound Technician Kyle KallgrenSound Crew students of THeT 114

ruN CrEWStage Operations Manager Bill BrandweinRun Crew John Kim

DIrECTor AND DESIGNErS

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brian Engel (lighting designer), third-year MFA candidate in lighting design. His recent work includes lighting design for Filthy Rich and The Physicists. Assistant lighting design credits include: The Ash Girl, Machinal, The Distance From Here; Arena Stage: The Mystery of Irma Vep; The Studio Theatre: My Children! My Africa!; Olney Theatre Center for the Arts: Stuff Happens, Brooklyn Boy, Godspell, Democracy; Round House Theatre: Orson’s Shadow. Upcoming work includes The Winter’s Tale.

Matthew M. Nielson (sound designer) is happy to be returning to Maryland after designing 2007’s The Distance From Here. Other area sound design and composition credits include: Round House Theatre (2007 Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Sound Design, Resident Play, A Prayer for Owen Meany), Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Franklin Park Arts Center, the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Kennedy Center, Imagination Stage, Discovery Theatre, the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Off-Broadway sound design credits include the Joseph Papp Public Theatre/New york Shakespeare Festival.

Scot reese (director) Professional theatre credits include productions from Los Angeles to New york. Television credits include daytime dramas, situation comedies, variety specials, commercials and an emmy Award for individual achievement in performance. Reese’s most recent credits include the world premiere of Blues Journey at the Kennedy Center, Pretty Fire and From the Mississippi Delta for the African Continuum Theatre Company, Once On This Island and Crumbs from the Table of Joy at the Round House Theatre, The Heidi Chronicles and Barefoot in the Park (with Laura Linney and eric Stoltz) at LA Theatre Works and Bells Are Ringing and Purlie at the Kennedy Center.

Ivania Stack (costume designer), third-year MFA candidate in design. Previous credits include costume designs for: Journeymen Theatre Company, Berkshire Theatre Festival and Rorschach Theatre Company. University of Maryland: Marisol, The Ash Girl and Urinetown. Assistant costume design credits: M. Butterfly (Philadelphia Theatre Company), Current Nobody (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company) and Either/Or (Theatre J). Upcoming design projects include: Boom (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company), The True History of Coca Cola in Mexico (gala Hispanic Theatre) and F**king A (Studio Theatre, Second Stage).

Deborah Wheatley (scenic designer), third-year MFA candidate. Recent and upcoming productions include: Adventure Theatre: Harold and the Purple Crayon (scenic designer); The Kennedy Center: blues journey national tour (associate scenic designer), Alice In Wonderland, Jr. (scenic designer), Chasing George Washington (projections designer); Imagination Stage: The Neverending Story (projections designer); Folger Shakespeare: Macbeth (assistant scenic designer); Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company: Fever Dream (assistant scenic designer).

To be young, gifTed and black

301.405.artS

ACTorS AND proDuCTIoN STAFF

Ariel J. benjamin (assistant lighting designer), first-year lighting MFA candidate. Outside designs include: Black Comedy, Our Town, Two Rooms, Frozen and The Importance of Being Earnest. Upcoming lighting design at UM: The Illusion.

Andrew blau (u/s ensemble), sophomore theatre and government and politics double major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Prince Amir), Urinetown (Hot Blades Harry). Outside productions: National Tours: Oliver! (Artful Dodger), The Full Monty (Nathan), The Will Rogers Follies (James); goodspeed Opera House: Great Expectations (young Pip).

Adriene brathwaite (ensemble, production/research dramaturg), senior theatre performance major, Ronald T. O’Leary Scholarship and Friedgen Family Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (greedmonkey), The Piano Lesson (u/s grace). Kogod Theatre: The Colored Museum (Janine, Medea Jones), The Amen Corner (u/s Ida Jackson and Choir). Other UM Productions: August Wilson Staged Reading, Kreativity (Khaos, Fragments).

Nevie brooks (ensemble), junior theatre performance and english double major. Kay Theatre: Urinetown (wardrobe), The Ash Girl (spotlight operator). Other UM productions: A Whitewash (Sympathetic Liberal White girl), The Spot (Betsy), Not Even Past (elaine), Weekday Players.

Jamar brown (ensemble), junior theatre performance major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (puppeteer). Kogod Theatre: The Colored Museum (Miss Roj, Son). Other UM productions: The Spot (director). Outside productions: Working: The Musical (Lovin’ Al, Tom), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon).

lauren Ciandella (ensemble), senior theatre performance major, Theatre Patrons Fund Scholarship. Kay Theatre: Urinetown (Barrel). Kogod Theatre: The Distance From Here (u/s Shari). Other UM productions: An Experiment in Grand Guignol (Stitch), Stonewater Rapture (Carlyle). Outside productions: Weiner Sausage! The Musical (Jane).

Karalee Dawn (assistant director), second-year PhD student. Selected New york City credits: Publicist: Mamma Mia!, Proof, The Mystery of Charles Dickens, Take Me Out. Producer: An Almost Holy Picture with Kevin Bacon. Assistant director: The Cripple of Inishmaan at george Mason University.

Ellentinya Dodd (u/s ensemble), sophomore theatre performance major. This is her first performance at the University of Maryland.

Thembi Duncan (assistant director), senior theatre performance major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kogod Theatre: Marisol (Angel), The Physicists (Inspector Voss).

Joanna Maria Fortuna (ensemble, assistant sound designer), junior theatre performance major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (wardrobe head). Kogod Theatre: The Physicists (wardrobe). Other UM productions: Kreativity.

Ann Fraistat (u/s ensemble), junior theatre performance and english double major. Other UM productions: Variations on the Death of Trotsky (Mrs. Trotsky). Outside productions: The Naked Party (erin), Oedipus at Colonus (Messenger), bobrauschenbergamerica (Bob).

ACTorS AND proDuCTIoN STAFF

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Kristy leigh hall (assistant costume designer), first-year MFA candidate in costume design. Kogod: Marisol (assistant). Outside designs include: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Reluctant Dragon. Assistant Design: Arcadia (Court Theatre), A Year with Frog and Toad (Chicago Children’s Theatre) and Argonautika (Lookingglass). Upcoming designs: Between Trains (designer), The Illusion (designer).

Tonique heaven (ensemble), sophomore communication and theatre double major. Outside productions: Sweet Charity (Charity Hope Valentine), Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal).

Chase helton (ensemble), senior theatre performance major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theatre: Urinetown (Joseph Strong). Other UM productions: Lebensraum (Actor 1), The Lab (Mitchinn), The Weir (Jim). Outside productions: Julius Caesar, A Christmas Carol, A Tale Just So.

Franklin labovitz (assistant costume designer), second-year MFA candidate in costume design. DC area credits include costume designs for The Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, Studio Theatre Second Stage, Theatre J, Theatre Alliance, Catalyst Theatre Company, Rorschach Theatre, The Potomac Theatre Project and The National Players. Upcoming shows include Anton in Show Business (Kogod Theatre), The Winter’s Tale (Kay Theatre), Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears (Theatre J) and Fever/Dream (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company).

Farah lawal (assistant director), BA in theatre from the University of Maryland. She was a recipient of a Theatre Patrons Association Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Spider). Kogod Theatre: The Physicists (Matron Boll), The Colored Museum (The Kid/Topsy Washington) and The Amen Corner (Sister Boxer).

Jackie littman (assistant scenic designer), senior theatre design major, Dean and Mrs. Charles Manning Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Green Bird (prop and fly crew). Kogod Theatre: Marisol (assistant costume designer), Savage in Limbo (assistant costume designer). Other UM productions: Lebensraum (scenic designer), Stonewater Rapture (scenic designer).

Deborah lubega (ensemble), theatre performance major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (Lust), Urinetown (Robby The Stockfish/UgC exec. #2). Kogod Theatre: The Colored Museum (prop crew). Other UM productions: A Whitewash (Black College Professor), The Story of Clyde Gasdsen (Nancy). Outside productions: Big River (Alice/ensemble), Dido and Aeneas (Belinda).

bina K. Malhotra (assistant director), BA in theatre from the University of Maryland with honors. She was a recipient of the Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship and Benjamin Banneker Scholarship. Outside productions: Strathmore Music Center: Free To Sing (assistant director); National Tour: What Every Woman Wants (assistant director); Lincoln Theatre: Common Realities (assistant director).

Jasmine Meadows (ensemble), junior theater performance major. Other UM productions: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Cheshire Cat).

Thony Mena (ensemble), junior theatre major. This is Thony’s first Department of Theatre production. Other UM productions: UM Film Club: Hollow (Dan), Etiology (elijah).

To be young, gifTed and black

www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

ACTorS AND proDuCTIoN STAFF AND ACKNoWlEDGEMENTS

Amanda Miller (ensemble), junior theatre and psychology major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (puppeteer), The Green Bird (ensemble). Kogod Theatre: The Physicists (audio technician), The Colored Museum (run crew). Other UM Productions: Kreativity.

David olson (u/s ensemble), sophomore theatre performance major, Creativeand Performing Arts Scholarship. Kay Theater: The Ash Girl (Owl). Other UMproductions: Lebensraum (Actor #1), Keepers of Shoppe (Pietro), The WeekdayPlayers. Outside productions: Lebensraum (Actor #1), Urinetown (Bobby Strong).

rachel parks (assistant stage manager), sophomore theatre stage management major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (fly master), Urinetown (run crew). KogodTheatre: Marisol (electrics crew).

Jason phillips (ensemble), junior theatre performance major. Outside productions: Brunch with Bugs (James), The Wiz (student director), Murder by Indecision (Bentley), Seussical the Musical (Wickersham Brother), Little Shop of Horrors (Wino).

Mai Spann-Wilson (ensemble), senior African-American studies major. Other UM productions: A Whitewash. Outside productions: Colors Musical.

Alicia Waller (u/s ensemble), senior vocal performance major, Creative and Performing Arts Scholarship, Stringer Foundation Performing Arts Scholarship. Other UM productions: Maryland Opera Studio: Cosi fan tutte (ensemble), Later That Same Evening (production assistant), Armide (ensemble), Don Giovanni (ensemble). Outside Productions: Free to Sing (Inez, Lucrezia, Isabella; understudy).

Sarah Wilby (stage manager), junior theatre production major. Kay Theatre: Urinetown (assistant stage manager). Kogod Theatre: Marisol (assistant stage manager). Outside productions: Studio Theatre: Grey Gardens (run crew); Capital Fringe Festival (venue manager and production assistant); Hangar Theatre (carpentry apprentice).

Courtney Wood (assistant stage manager), senior theatre production major. Kay Theatre: The Ash Girl (assistant stage manager). Kogod Theatre: Marisol (assistant master electrician), The Distance From Here (assistant master electrician). Other UM Productions: Lebensraum (stage manager).

ACKNoWlEDGEMENTS

Produced by special arrangements with SAMUeL FReNCH, INC.

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of the production is strictly prohibited.

The productions of the Department of Theatre offer training opportunities for all students. Casting is decided on the basis of ability, not race, ethnicity, or gender, except in those instances where these elements are essential to the play or the character’s development.