2009-2010

By Anna Deveare Smith
Directed by Lori Adams

January 28 – February 7, 2010

fires in_the_mirror_artwork

Awards/nominations:
Kevin Kline Nomination: Outstanding Lead Actress (Michelle Hand)

Times:
Thursday – Saturday 8:00 PM
Sunday 2:00 PM

Ticket Prices:  
VIP: $25.00
General $15.00
Student/Senior: $10.00

Short Description:
Fires in the Mirror chronicles the tumultuous 1991 race riots in Brooklyn through a series of interviews with actual participants, as well as individuals who had an active interest in the outcome of the situation. 

Cast

Rory Lipede and Michelle Hand

Characters

Anonymous Lubavitcher Woman
The Reverend Al Sharpton
Letty Cottin Pogrebin
Rabbi Joseph Spielman
Anonymous Young Man 1
Michael S. Miller
Richard Green
Norman Rosenbaum
Anonymous Young Man 2
Sonny Carson
Roslyn Malamud
Carmel Cato

Designers & Crew

Director: Lori Adams
Dramaturg: Emily Immer
Set Design: Courtney Sanazaro
Light Design: Michael Sullivan
Costume Design: Kirsten Wylder
Sound/Video Design: Kareem Deanes
Stage Manager: Phillip Bettison
Assistant Stage Manager: Calee Mccauley
Board Operators: Zoe Sullivan, David Chandler
House Manager: Ryan Cooper
Poster Design: Adrienne Curry
Producer: Deanna Jent


Director’s Note

Words to Ponder

Videos, pictures, and articles record history instantly, and via our technological savvy we are able to access that documentation and process it as we see fit. As easily as we access this information, we can easily dismiss it and move forward by clicking a new tab to open the hottest music video, glimpse at photos of our dream vacation spot, or browse a social networking site to see who we can meet for coffee. We are very fortunate to acquire information at a touch of a button; yet, some events deserve more than a quick click. Some events deserve to be called forth and reflected through the human experience. They deserve time to pause, listen, and reflect in order for us to learn.

The Crown Heights riot is an event which deserves such pause. The characters featured in Fires in the Mirror are real people who experienced or were effected by a tragedy which flared into a conflict of race, economics, politics, and cultures. All of the dialogue is their words, their perceptions, and comes from their hearts. Today we pause to remember those people, walk in their words, and reflect upon our own personal conflicts with our neighbors.

We can’t click away humanity.

— Emily Immer Dramaturg

Fires in the Mirror is written from interviews done by Anna Deavere Smith in 1991 in Crown Heights, New York.


Production Photos

  • Rory Lipede as Robert Sherman in Fires in the Mirror
  • Michelle Hand as Minister Conrad Muhammed in Fires in the Mirror
  • anonymoous_young_man_fires_in_the_mirror


In the Media

Fires in the Mirror: Broadwayworld Review

Fires in the Mirror: Riverfront Times Review

 

Written by Moliere translated by Richard Wilbur
Directed by Deanna Jent

April 23 – May 3, 2010

tartuffe artwork_web

Awards/nominations:
Kevin Kline Nomination: Outstanding Costume Design (JC Kracijek)

Times:
Thursday – Saturday 8:00 PM
Sunday 2:00 PM

Ticket Prices: 
VIP: $30.00
General $20.00
Student/Senior: $15.00

Short Description:
Moliere’s seventeenth century travesty about deception, seduction and the perils of extremism.

Cast

Orgon: J. Samuel Davis*
Elmire: Kelley Ryan
Dorine, her maid: Colleen Backer
Tartuffe: Gary Wayne Barker*
Laurent, his servant: Jackson Mabry
Madame Pernelle: Peggy Billo*
Flipote, her maid: Carmen Larimore Russell
Cleante: Michael Brightman
Damis: Kareem Deanes
Mariane: Zoe Sullivan
Valere: David Chandler
Monsieur Loyal: Richard Lewis
Officer: Phillip Bettison

Designers & Crew

Director: Deanna Jent
Stage Manager: Lorraine LiCavoli*
Assistant Stage Managers: Jean Lang & Sydney Frasure
Set Design: Dunsi Dai
Light Design: Bess Moynihan
Costume Design: JC Kracijek
Sound Design: Kareem Deanes
Vocal Coach: Suzanne Mills*
Movement Coach: Shaun Sheley
Props: Josie Zeugin, Chelsea Russell, Samantha Baugh
Board Operators: Izzy Liu and Jean Lang


Production Photos


In the Media

Tartuffe: Broadwayworld Review
Tartuffe: Riverfront Times Review
Tartuffe: Combined Reviews  

 

Book by Joseph Stein, Music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick 
Directed by Deanna Jent

October 30 – November 22, 2009

fiddler on_the_roof_artwork

Awards/nominations:

Times:
Thursday – Saturday 8:00 PM
Sunday 2:00 PM

Ticket Prices:
VIP:  $35
General: $25.00
Student/Senior: $15.00

Short Description:
Set during a period of great turmoil just prior to the Russian Revolution (1905). Tevye the milkman is struggling to maintain his traditions and values while his world is transforming around him.

Cast

Tevye: Jerry Russo*
Golde: Lavonne Byers
Tzeitel/Fiddle Player/Shprintze: Laura Sexauer
Motel/Russian: Ryan Cooper
Hodel: Julie Venegoni
Perchik/Beggar: Paul Pagano*
Chava/Frume Sarah/Bielke: Natasha Toro
Fyedka/Mendel: Dylan Duke
Yente/Grandma Tzeitel: Eleanor Mullin
Lazar Wolf/Avram/Russian: Michael Brightman
Mordcha/Rabbi/Constable: Richard Lewis

Designers & Crew

Director: Deanna Jent
Assistant Director: Jean Lang
Music Director: Joe Dreyer
Set Design: Dunsi Dai
Light Design: Michael Sullivan
Costume Design: Jane Sullivan
Stage Manager: Bess Moynihan
Assistant Stage Managers: David Chandler, Sydney Frasure
Set Interns: Jessica Haley, Tom Stevenson
Lighting Interns: Valleri Dillard, Timomi Seki, Justin Walker
Props: Adrienne Curry, Jessica Haley
Board Operators: Valleri Dillard, Justin Walker
House Managers: Adrienne Curry, Stephanie Licklider, Chelsea Russell


 

Director’s Note

A Note from Deanna Jent... director of Fiddler on the Roof and Artistic Director of Mustard Seed Theatre

Imagine that it’s late December, 1948. As part of their Hanukkah festivities, families descended from the villagers of “Anatevka,” now living in America, come together to celebrate and re-enact their ancestors’ stories. The founding of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948 created conflict in the Jewish community – some objected to a secular Jewish state while others rejoiced. In the wake of the Arab-Israeli war which followed, many young Jewish-Americans moved to Israel to join the Israeli Defense Force, which became a source of both joy and grief for some families.

Within the framework of this time of transition, our production celebrates the lives of Tevye and his family in similarly challenging times. The melodic journey of A Fiddler on the Roof examines the intricate dance of tradition, growth, faith and family.

We welcome you to raise your voice (and a glass) with the cast at the end of the curtain call as they reprise the song, “To Life:”

“God would like us to be joyful,
even when our hearts lie panting on the floor.
How much more can we be joyful
when there’s really something to be joyful for?
To us and our good fortune:
Be Happy, Be Healthy, Long Life!
And if our good fortune never comes,
here’s to whatever comes

– Drink L’chaim – to Life!”


Production Photos


In the Media

Fiddler on the Roof: Joe Pollack Review

Fiddler on the Roof: Riverfront Times Review

Fiddler on the Roof: Broadwayworld Review


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