WELCOME
FOUNDER,
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR VINCENT M. LANCISI
Welcome,
I’ll never forget the first time I met Jacqueline Marie Butler. It was in October 2015 at Theatre J in Washington DC. She came on to the stage and stole our hearts as she pulled us into her fascinating coming of age story on her front stoop in Queens, NY 1962. The Actress was Dawn Ursula in a transformational performance, inhabiting a cast of over a dozen characters. The play was called Queens Girl in the World. The playwright was Caleen Sinnette Jennings. The director was Eleanor Holdridge. I laughed and cried as Jackie navigated life between home and a predominantly Jewish private school during the era of doowop music, Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Movement.
I met Jackie a second time two years later with Mosaic Theatre’s sequel play: Queens Girl in Africa, performed by the spell-binding Erika Rose and directed by Paige Hernandez. The story picks up as Jackie arrives in Nigeria amid civil war and growing racial tension back home. Erika’s performance was virtuosic as she played seemingly dozens of characters and many dialects to bring her vivid high school years to life.
After experiencing these two incredible plays, I couldn’t help but wonder how Jackie’s story would end, so I asked Caleen if she’d accept a commission from Everyman Theatre to complete the trilogy. We produced the first two plays in rotating rep while Caleen wrote the third play. We launched a new play festival in our renovated rehearsal hall upstairs and opened Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains—with resident company member Felicia Curry playing Jackie and Paige Hernandez directing—in March of 2020. After just one week of performances, the pandemic shut all theatres down.
It brings me great pleasure to present this brand-new production of Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains. This time, the role of Jacqueline Marie Butler will be played by the incredible Deidre Staples and directed by Danielle A. Drakes.
Enjoy the show.
Vincent M. Lancisi Founder, Artistic Director
OUR MISSION
Everyman Theatre provides transformative experiences through professional theatre that are welcoming, relevant, and affordable to everyone, featuring a Resident Company of Artists.
Welcome!
MANAGING DIRECTOR
MARISSA LAROSE
At Everyman, we believe that everyone has a story to tell. One of the most significant contributions we make for our community is providing ways to engage with wide-ranging stories, empathize with varied perspectives, and support community members, both young and old, in crafting their own stories through the tools of theatre.
This season alone, we are engaging with students across 76 classrooms, and growing! So many classes incorporate members of our Resident Company in a true full-circle service to the community. Here’s just a few:
Resident Actor Megan Anderson is teaching an elementary class on embracing storytelling through theatre. A partner from our collaboration with Highwire Improv is teaching a middle school Comedy Club using theatre skills for creative risk-taking. Resident Actor Beth Hylton is teaching an adult class on Creating and Performing Character that was so popular we added a second session taught by Director of Education Joseph Ritsch. Every quarter offers a new slate of content-rich classes onsite at Everyman, all with need-based scholarship opportunities.
Teaching Artists and Actors will make over 125 visits to high school classrooms to dig into the performances they see at Everyman throughout the season. We host Childcare Matinee classes during select Sundays with creative play for children 3-12. We partner with schools to provide K-12 residences that explore self-expression, storytelling as a playwright, actor, or designer, and storytelling through movement, dialect, text analysis, acting, masks, and more. We partner with colleges and universities to expand educational development opportunities and enhance the preparation of a local workforce in the theatre industry.
Everyman is committed to providing storytelling tools to as many classrooms as we can, believing that everyone does have a story to tell. That’s why Jacqueline Marie Butler’s words in Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains resonate so deeply with us. After you hear her words today, I hope you’re inspired to share your story.
Marissa LaRose Managing Director
QUEEN'S GIRL: BLACK IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS
BY
CALEEN SINNETTE JENNINGS
DIRECTED BY
DANIELLE A. DRAKES
CAST
JACQUELINE MARIE BUTLER DEIDRE STAPLES
CREATIVES
SET DESIGN
DANIEL ETTINGER
COSTUME DESIGN
DANIELLE PRESTON
LIGHTING DESIGN
HAROLD F. BURGESS II
SOUND DESIGN
SARAH O'HALLORAN
WIG DESIGN
EARON CHEW NEALY
DIALECTS
KIM JAMES BEY
STAGE MANAGER
MOLLY PRUNTY
SETTING
Bennington College in Vermont; 1968-1972
RUNTIME
Approx. 75 minutes, no intermission
Resident Company Member
The Cast and Stage Manager are members of the Actors' Equity Association.
Produced by special arrangement with Bret Adams, Ltd. 48 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036. www.bretadamsltd.net
QUEENS GIRL: BLACK IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS was commissioned and originally produced by Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, MD.
Please visit the Box Office or everymantheatre.org for information on Content Transparency.
A Conversation with the Director
Director Danielle Drakes talks with dramaturg Robyn Quick about the art of the solo show and Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains.
RQ: The solo show is a particular passion of yours and one that you have explored frequently as an actor and director. What is it about the solo show that you find so compelling?
DD: I find the solo performance compelling because it requires an intimacy and richness in connection between the performer and the audience. As an actor and director, I’m drawn to the challenge and simplicity of telling a story with just one voice, one body. It’s a chance to delve deep into a character and focus intensely on the narrative, where every moment matters. For the audience, everything experienced is in the process of their own transformation.
RQ: Your artistic process on solo shows has been informed by your study of the rasa aesthetic from classical Indian performance. Can you talk a little about the use of the rasa in contemporary theatre in the United States?
DD: Rasa is an Indian aesthetic concept that describes the essence (flavor, juice or nectar) of a work of art that evokes emotion in the audience. I was first introduced to rasas as an actor preparing for a one-person show early in my career. My director had studied with Richard Schechner, so our process leaned heavily on the Rasabox technique. Since then, I have studied and integrated various aspects of the rasa work in every performance/project I have directed. Rasa is a tool I use as a director that I believe brings a powerful approach to contemporary theatre here in the US. In my work, I use rasa to create a visceral, emotional experience that goes beyond cultural boundaries. This is because of the way that the breath is used. Intentionally crafted breath can enrich the audience’s experience. It’s energetic. Is all energy. The entire process. Each rasa— whether it’s love, humor, or sorrow—serves as a tool to guide the audience through a transformative journey that feels both personal and universal.
In American theatre, which often leans toward naturalism, incorporating rasa adds extra layers of expression and a luscious theatrical vibe. It pushes performers and directors to move beyond realism and focus on the emotional impact of every moment. This is especially effective with solo performances, where the actor smoothly shifts between different characters and emotions. By deliberately invoking various rasas, a solo performer can craft a rich, multi-dimensional experience that deeply resonates with the audience, turning the performance into more than just a story—it’s an immersive emotional journey.
RQ: How have you found the rasa aesthetic particularly effective in meeting the challenges and possibilities of solo performance?
DD: The challenges of solo performance are immense: the actor must command the stage alone, often moving rapidly between multiple characters, emotions, and narrative threads. The rasa aesthetic offers a powerful tool to meet these challenges by providing a structured yet flexible approach to emotional expression. Each rasa—whether it’s shringara / love, hasya / humor, or karuna / sorrow—is like an emotional key that unlocks a specific response in the audience. By focusing on evoking a particular rasa in each moment, the actor can guide the audience’s emotional journey with clarity and precision. This not only helps in maintaining the energy and engagement throughout the performance but also allows the actor to navigate the transitions between different emotional states more fluidly.
Moreover, the use of rasa emphasizes the universality of emotions, which is crucial in
solo performance. When the actor deeply connects with a rasa, the audience, regardless of their background, can resonate with the emotion being portrayed. This shared emotional experience is what makes solo performance so powerful and intimate. The rasa aesthetic, therefore, provides a way for the actor to tap into a timeless, cross-cultural language of emotion, making their performance both impactful and transformative.
RQ: Black in the Green Mountains is the third Queens Girl play that Caleen Sinnette Jennings wrote as an autofictional reflection of her formative years. (Some audience members may recall that the first two were performed at Everyman in 2019 and the third as a virtual performance in 2020.) Can you talk about your connection to the artists who brought us those productions, and the legacy of the Queens Girl plays?
DD: The Queens Girl plays by Caleen Sinnette Jennings have established a unique theatrical legacy that resonates deeply through their exploration of identity, race, and the complexities of growing up. The first two plays—Queens Girl in the World and Queens Girl in Africa—laid the foundation for this narrative journey, and witnessing their artistry at Everyman Theatre in 2019 was a privilege.
My connection to the artists involved goes back years. Paige Hernandez, a longtime friend, and collaborator, first worked with me in 2010 when I directed her debut solo show, Paige in Full, at The Hegira Theatre in DC, where I was producing artistic director. Five years later, I directed her second solo show, Havana Hop, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, balancing this with my full-time role managing school programs and festivals at the Folger Library. Around the same time, I began working with Caleen Sinnette Jennings on projects related to teaching Shakespeare and gaining a deep appreciation for her work as a playwright.
In 2019, Paige directed Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 at Rep Stage, a significant undertaking for both of us. This experience was particularly transformative as it reversed our usual roles, with me as her actor. Applying rasa practice to Anna Deavere Smith’s play, I deepened my understanding of this tool. This role reversal enriched my creative process, allowing me to draw inspiration from Paige’s dedication to storytelling and authenticity.
The Queens Girl plays aren’t just about one girl’s story; they speak to broader experiences of cultural dislocation, self-discovery, and the search for belonging. The work done by these brilliant Black women has solidified Queens Girl as a vital voice in contemporary theater, culminating in the powerful trilogy that reflects Caleen’s exploration of the personal and the political.
RQ: How does the work of the solo artist and the sharing of the story of Jacqueline Marie Butler and her process of self-discovery feel right for this moment?
DD: The work of the solo artist feels especially vital in this moment, as it emphasizes the power of individual voices and personal narratives in a world where many are still fighting to be heard. The story of Jacqueline Marie Butler, as she navigates the challenges of adolescence, cultural identity, and societal expectations, resonates deeply today. Her journey of self-discovery, as depicted in the Queens Girl plays, is a reflection of the ongoing struggle many face in carving out their own space in the world.
In a time of heightened awareness around issues of identity and belonging, Jacqueline’s story reminds us of the importance of claiming and defining our own paths. As she grows and learns to assert her individuality against the backdrop of a changing world, her experience mirrors the broader societal push for recognition, equality, and self-determination. The solo format, with its intimate focus on a single character’s journey, highlights these themes powerfully, making Jacqueline’s process of carving out her own space in the world not just a personal triumph, but a universal one.
Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains (2024)
MEET THE PLAYWRIGHT
CALEEN SINNETTE JENNINGS
Caleen Sinnette Jennings has had seven plays published by Dramatic Publishing Company, and her play Classyass appears in 7 play anthologies. She has been nominated for 5 Helen Hayes Awards, and has won awards from The Actors’ Theatre of Louisville and the Kennedy Center. Plays in her Queens Girl Trilogy have been produced nationally and her children’s play, Darius & Twig did a Kennedy Center national tour in 2017. She is Professor of Theatre Emerita at American University where she taught theatre for 31 years. There she received the 2003 Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award and the inaugural award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in 2019. Jennings has been commissioned to write for The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Signature Theatre, Imagination Stage, Roundhouse Theatre, Everyman Theatre, and South Bend Civic Theatre. She has been a faculty member of the Folger Shakespeare Library’s Teaching Shakespeare Institute since 1994, and she is Senior Consultant to the Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library.
MEET THE DIRECTOR
DANIELLE A.
DRAKES
[she/her] [REGIONAL]: Taffety Punk Theater Company: La Salpetriere; Rep Stage: Ghost/Writer, Kill Move Paradise, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill; Theatre Alliance: Klytmnestra; Keegan Theatre: The Wilting Point; Theatre at Monmouth: Lysistrata; Playhouse Square: Havana Hop; Olney National Players: A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Theater Offensive: Dance of Mirrors. [UNIVERSITY]: Bowie State University: A Song for Coretta, Trojan Women; Catholic University: Sophocles’ Antigone; Howard University: Breath, Boom, Mrs. Evers Boys, Mixed Babies; Montgomery County Community College: Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea; Towson University: How to Catch Creation; UMBC: Trouble in Mind, She Kills Monsters. [EDUCATION]: MFA, The Catholic University of America.
CARVING ONE’S PATH IN A CHANGING WORLD
Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains begins with Jacqueline Marie Butler’s worries about the world. The year is 1968, and her return to the United States after attending high school in Nigeria shocks her with the profound political and social changes in the country. She must now find her place in a newly strange terrain. Jacqueline’s worries about the world and journey of becoming in tumultuous times were shared by many of her generation. Her years at Bennington College, 1968 – 1972, saw the escalation of the war in Vietnam and ongoing battles for civil rights that engaged young adults in debates about the state of the world and motivated some toward social and political activism. They forged paths for themselves both individually and collectively that were often different from those of the generation before them and resonate in the experiences of college students today.
In The Good Fight, Shirley Chisholm’s chronicle of her 1972 presidential campaign, the congresswoman devotes an entire chapter to the insights she gained from her visits to college campuses. Chisholm writes with empathy for the anxiety of the generation born after 1945 that she describes as “the first one to grow up and come of age in a world that appeared at every moment in real danger of annihilation.” She notes that for these young people, “some fundamental quality of life had changed; it was no longer possible to be sure there was a future.” Her analysis continues, “What does a young person believe in, growing up in such a world?” Believing they have been betrayed by the elders who have created this troubled world, they respond with the rallying cry “If we do not save the world, who will?”
And so, Chisholm concludes, this generation “decided, almost en masse, to lay hands on their society and change it.” As television brought the bloodshed of war in Vietnam to every home and the number of U.S. casualties exceeded those of the Korean War, anti-war protests sprung up across the country. From the Democratic National Convention in 1968 to college campuses, young people voiced their opposition to the war and were met with sometimes-fierce opposition from authorities—including the shooting of students by National Guard troops at Kent State and Jackson State in 1970. And starting in the early 60s, as educational historian Michael S. Roth writes in The Student: A Short History, “national struggles for civil rights seized the imagination of thousands of students around the country.” Here too, “politically motivated to become agents in the public sphere,” they put their concerns into action as they travelled the country to participate in voter-registration drives and boycotted business that refused to integrate. Chisholm sums up the emotional spirit of this activism: “The young civil rights campaigners, black and white, acquired a feeling that not only were many things amiss, but that they could do something to change the conditions. Along with discontent, they found hope.”
At the same time these students wanted to change the world, they sought new possibilities for their own lives. As Roth observed, in the 1960s a growing population of college students that represented the diversity of the country more than ever before, pursued an education that would enrich their range of opportunities for the future and help them “live their own truth.” Jacqueline’s story – from leaving home and facing the discomfort of a new environment to making discoveries about who she is and what kind of work she will find meaningful – embodies that experience of her generation. And it speaks to the present as well. As college students today engage in their own drive for equity, justice, and a meaningful place in a tumultuous world, they might take inspiration from 1969 and Sly Stone’s encouragement to live our own truth:
Stand!
In the end you'll still be you One that's done all the things you set out to do
Chisholm, Shirley. The Good Fight. e-book ed., HarperCollins P, 1973. Roth, Michael S. The Student: A Short History. e-book ed., Yale UP, 2023.
By Robyn Quick Resident Dramaturg
CAST BIOS
DEIDRE STAPLES (Jacqueline Marie Butler) [EVERYMAN THEATRE]:
Crumbs from the Table of Joy, The Skin of our Teeth. [OFF-BROADWAY]: Classical Theatre of Harlem: A Midsummer Night's Dream [REGIONAL]: Mosaic Theatre Company: Confederates; Studio Theatre: Good Bones, John Proctor is the Villain (Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Production in a Play and Outstanding Ensemble in a Play- Hayes), The Wolves (U/S); Arena Stage: My Body, No Choice; Signature Theatre: Daphne’s Dive (U/S); The Welders: LadyM; National Players Tour 70: Twelfth Night, The Crucible, Around the World in 80 Days. Pointless Theatre Co.: Rite of Spring. www.deidrestaples.com
CREATIVE TEAM BIOS
HAROLD F. BURGESS, II (Lighting Design) [EVERYMAN THEATRE]: (Resident Lighting Designer) Over 20 productions, including Dial M for Murder, Jump, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, Sense and Sensibility, Flyin’ West, An Almost Holy Picture, Pipeline, Radio Golf, Murder on the Orient Express. [REGIONAL]: Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: Clyde’s; Round House Theatre: Radio Golf, Nine Night, Nollywood Dreams, We’re Gonna Die, Throw Me On The Burnpile and Light Me Up, A Boy and His Soul, A Doll’s House, Part 2; Studio Theatre: Breath Boom, My Children! My Africa!; Olney Theatre Center: Aubergine, Thurgood, Grounded; Theatre J: Intimate Apparel, Trayf, Broken Glass, Another Way Home, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Hampton Years; Adventure Theatre: Big River; Mosaic Theatre Company: Unexplored Interior; Rep Stage: Kill Move Paradise; Northern Stage (VT): A Doll’s House, Part 2, Grounded. [AWARDS]: 2020 Independent Artist Award, Maryland State Arts Council. [TEACHING]: Director, College Park Scholars Arts Program, University of Maryland. [EDUCATION]: MFA, University of Maryland College Park. Member, United Scenic Artists, Local 829. www.haroldburgessdesign.com
KIM JAMES BEY (Dialects) [EVERYMAN
THEATRE]: Queens Girl in the World and Queens Girl in Africa; Kim is happy to be returning to Everyman Theatre for this new production of Queens Girl. Select credits include at Olney Theater: Fela!; Huntington
Theatre: Toni Stone; Arena Stage: Turn Me Loose, Ruined, The Piano Lesson, et. al; Mosaic Theatre: Queens Girl in Africa, Blood Knot; Shakespeare Theatre: Red Velvet, The Amen Corner; Signature Theater: Detroit 67, The Scottsboro Boys. Additional dialect work credits at Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Hangar Theatre, and Clackamas Theatre (Washington). Kim is a Certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework®.
DANIEL ETTINGER (Set Design) [EVERYMAN THEATRE]: (Resident Set Designer): Recent highlights include POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dial M for Murder, The World Goes ‘Round, Jump, Crying on Television, Behold, A Negress, The Skin of Our Teeth, Everything is Wonderful, The Importance of Being Earnest. [OFF-BROADWAY]: 59E59: The Lucky Star; The Blue Angel Theatre: Pageant; Roundabout Theatre Company: A Man For All Seasons, Room Service; The York Theatre Company: Talley’s Folly, Luv. [REGIONAL]: Woolly Mammoth: You for Me for You, Eclipsed, Vigils, Recent Tragic Events, Kiki and Herb, Starving, The Mineola Twins; Olney Theatre Company: Annie, Mary Poppins, The Piano Lesson, Bakersfield Mist; Rep Stage: All She Must Posses, Dorian’s Closet, H2O, Venus in Fur, Mrs. Warren’s Profession; Barter Theatre: Thoroughly Modern Millie, She Loves Me,
and over 100 other productions. [TEACHING]: Towson University Design Program.
VINCENT M. LANCISI (Founder, Artistic Director) founded EVERYMAN THEATRE in October of 1990 and has directed 58 productions including Dial M For Murder, The Sound Inside, The Lion in Winter, Cry It Out, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, Dinner With Friends, Sweat, Aubergine, M. Butterfly, Noises Off, Dot, Death of A Salesman, Under the Skin, Blithe Spirit, Deathtrap, Tribes, The Glass Menagerie, The Beaux’ Stratagem, August: Osage County, You Can’t Take It With You, Stick Fly, All My Sons, Two Rooms, Rabbit Hole, The Cherry Orchard, Doubt, Much Ado About Nothing, The Cone Sister, And a Nightingale Sang, The School for Scandal, A Number, Amadeus, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Buried Child, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, A Delicate Balance, Hedda Gabler, Proof, Uncle Vanya and The Last Five Years. As a freelance director, last season he directed True West for Rep Stage in Columbia, MD. In addition to his work at Everyman, he has taught acting and directing at Towson University, University of Maryland, Catholic University, Howard Community College, and at Everyman Theatre. He is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Vincent sits on the boards for the Bromo Tower Arts & Entertainment District and the Market Center Merchants Association. Vincent holds his undergraduate degree in Theatre from Boston College and his master’s degree in Directing from The Catholic University of America.
EARON CHEW NEALY (Wig Design)
[BROADWAY]: Fat Ham; (Associate Designer) Macbeth, Chicken and Biscuits, Sweat. [REGIONAL]: The Signature: Bad Kreyól, Three Houses; MCC: Table 17 (Makeup Design); Classical Theater of Harlem: Midsummer Night Dream, Malvolio, Twelfth Night; The Huntington: Toni Stone, Fat Ham, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone; Public Theater: Hamlet, The Harder They Come, Fat Ham, Cullad Wattah, Mojada; Bucks County Playhouse: Dames at Sea, Kinky Boots; SOPAC: Last Super; Soho Rep: On Killing; Goodspeed, New World Stages: Little Girl Blue; Colorado University: Meet Vera Stark, Matilda; NYTW: On Sugarland; Berkshire Theatre Group: Nina Simone: Four Women; Dallas Theater Center:
Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains (2024)
Little Women; Weston Playhouse: Oklahoma!, Patsy Cline; Cape Fear Regional Theater: Memphis, Dream Girls; Yale Rep: Cadillac Crew, Twelfth Night
SARAH O'HALLORAN (Sound Design) [EVERYMAN THEATRE]: Sense and Sensibility, Be Here Now, Proof, Dinner with Friends. [REGIONAL]: Ford’s Theatre: Mr Lincoln; Theater J: The Hatmaker’s Wife, This Much I Know, The Chameleon, Gloria: A Life, Two Jews Walk into a War, Compulsion, Nathan the Wise, and Talley’s Folly; Olney Theater Center: The Brothers Paranormal, The Humans, Our Town, and Labour of Love; Woolly Mammoth/The Second City: She the People: The Resistance Continues; 1st Stage: The Phlebotomist, The Brothers Size, Swimming with Whales, Trevor, and When the Rain Stops Falling; Studio Theatre: Cry it Out; Mosaic Theater: In His Hands and The Return; Theater Alliance: A Chorus Within Her. Sarah is a member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829.
DANIELLE PRESTON (Costume Design) [NEW YORK]: Lincoln Center: Where Words Once Were. [DC AREA]: Signature Theater: Primary Trust, Penelope, Passing Strange; Round House Theatre: Topdog | Underdog; Studio Theatre: Fat Ham, Clyde’s, At The Wedding; Woolly Mammoth Theatre: The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes; Olney Theatre: Long Way Down Musical, A Nice Indian Boy [REGIONAL]: Barrington Stage Company: Primary Trust, Blues for an Alabama Sky; Children’s Theater Company: Locomotion; Hangar Theatre: Schoolgirls: Or The African Mean Girls Play, The Realness; Chicago Opera Theater: Quamino’s Map; Berkshire Theatre Group: B.R.O.K.E.N. Code B.I.R.D. Switching. [EDUCATION]: University of North Carolina School of the Arts: M.F.A. in Costume Design. Proud member of United Scenic Artists Local 829. daniellepreston.com @danielleprestondesign
MOLLY PRUNTY (Stage Manager) [EVERYMAN THEATRE]: (Assistant Stage Manager): Harvey, Jump, The Lion in Winter, Behold, A Negress, Cry it Out. [REGIONAL]: Peabody Opera: Don Giovanni; Baltimore Center Stage: Young Playwrights Festival. [TEACHING]: Baltimore School for the Arts: Expressions 2023. [EDUCATION]: B.A. in Theater Design & Production from University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
This Theatre operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
The director is represented by Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
The set and lighting designers are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE.
QUEENS GIRL PRODUCTION STAFF
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
Olivia Dibble
CARPENTERS
Nick Colantuano
Joe Martin
Charles Whittington
Louis Williams, III
Charlie Woods
PAINTER
Meaghan Toohey
ELECTRICIANS
Emily Burgess
Griffin DeLisle
Mel Gabel
Charlie Woods
COSTUME CRAFTS
Wil Crowther
LIGHT BOARD PROGRAMMER
Maisie Stone
LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR
Eli Golding
SOUND BOARD OPERATOR
Louis Williams III
PROJECTION PROGRAMMER
Kalil White
DRESSER
Lindsay Wilk
WIG SUPERVISOR
Linda Cavell
Vincent M. Lancisi, Founder, Artistic Director | Marissa LaRose, Managing Director
Photos by Kiirstn Pagan Photography
EVERYMAN THEATRE RESIDENT COMPANY
ACTORS
Megan Anderson
Felicia Curry
Danny Gavigan
Deborah Hazlett
Helen Hedman
Paige Hernandez
Beth Hylton
Hannah Kelly
Katie Kleiger
Wil Love
ARTISTS
Tony Nam
Bruce Randolph Nelson
Tuyết Thị Phạm
Zack Powell
Kyle Prue
Jefferson A. Russell
Carl Schurr
Stan Weiman
Yaegel T. Welch
Daniel Ettinger | Scenic Design
David Burdick | Costume Design
Harold F. Burgess II | Lighting Design
Pornchanok Kanchanabanca | Sound Design
Gary Logan | Dialects
Lewis Shaw | Fights & Intimacy
Cat Wallis | Stage Management
Robyn Quick | Dramaturgy
Actors pictured in order listed below.
WHY DO WE HAVE A RESIDENT COMPANY?
Only a handful of theatres nationwide feature an ensemble of professional actors that perform regularly each season. They are the core of Everyman Theatre. Because of their distinctive familial bond, history and trust of each other, company members can jump deeply into meaningful relationships onstage. Our artists push each other to deliver the highest caliber of work.
Learn more about our Resident Company members by visitng everymantheatre.org or scanning the QR code.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Everyman Theatre is governed by a dedicated group of community volunteers, our Board of Directors.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
W. Bryan Rakes, President
Colleen Martin-Lauer, Vice President
Mark Paul Lehman, Vice President
Chris DiPietro, Secretary
Walter Doggett III, Treasurer
Meadow Lark Washington, CARES Chair
Vic Romita, Appointee
DIRECTORS
Allyson Black Woodson
Edie Brown
Sarasi Desikan
Anthony Evans
Larry Fishel
Susan W. Flanigan
Sandra Levi Gerstung
W. Robert Hair
Lisa Harris Jones
Gina Hirschhorn
Sandy Laken
Vincent M. Lancisi
Marissa LaRose
Jennifer Litchman
Charles Lu
Marjorie McDowell
Tony Nam
Jenny Peña Días
Dorothy H. Powe
James Ryan
Leland Shelton
Brooke Story
Michael Styer
Donald Thoms
Drew Tildon Reis
Christopher Uhl
Christian Ventimiglia
GOVERNMENT, FOUNDATIONS, FUNDS AND CORPORATIONS
Gifts listed here were received from donors between July 1, 2023 and September 26, 2024.
VISIONARY $50,000+
Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
Baltimore Civic Fund
Baltimore County Commission on Arts and Sciences
France-Merrick Foundation
Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, LLP
Maryland Department of Education
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Maryland Department of Labor
Maryland State Arts Council
Mayor Brandon M. Scott & The Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs
Middendorf Foundation
The Shubert Foundation
SEASON PRODUCER
$25,000–$49,999
William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund creator of the Baker Artist Awards, www.bakerartistawards.org
Bertoli-Mansfield Fund
David and Barbara B Hirschhorn Foundation
Galanthus Foundation
Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation Inc.
RESIDENT COMPANY
SPONSOR
$10,000 - $24,999
American Trading and Production Corporation
BGE
Bunting Family Foundation
Goldsmith Family Foundation
Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds
LifeBridge Health
National Endowment for the Arts
P. Flanigan & Sons
T. Rowe Price Foundation
Truist
Venable Foundation
University of Maryland, Baltimore
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
$5,000–$9,999
Anonymous
Abell Foundation, Inc.
Bank of America Foundation
Helen S. And Merrill L. Bank Foundation
Helen Pumphrey Denit Trust
Phyllis and Joe Johnson Foundation
John J. Leidy Foundation
Lord Baltimore Capital Corporation
Harvey M. Meyerhoff Fund Inc.
Nora Roberts Foundation
Romita Solutions
Earle and Annette Shawe Family Foundation
Transamerica Foundation
PRODUCER $2,500–$4,999
Harry L. Gladding Foundation
Lois and Philip Macht Family Philanthropic Fund
Harry L. Gladding Foundation
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
$1,000–$2,499
Anonymous
Hecht-Levi Foundation
IBM Corporation
The Mead Family Foundation
Sally S. Decatur and H. Miller Private Foundation
DIRECTOR $250–$999
Actors’ Equity Foundation
Constellation Brands
Taylor Foundation Inc.
MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES
American Trading and Production Corporation
Bank of America
Black & Decker
Exelon Foundation
IBM Corporation
International Monetary Fund
McCormick & Co.
Network for Good Norfolk Southern
T. Rowe Price
Truist
IN-KIND SUPPORT
City Seeds
Forno Restaurant & Wine Bar
Lord Baltimore Hotel
University of Maryland, Baltimore
LEAD CORPORATE PARTNER
MAJOR SUPPORT FROM
COVER ART DESIGNED BY Jacob Kemp / TALISMAN
INDIVIDUALS
Gifts listed here support Everyman
Theatre's Annual Fund and were received between July 1, 2023 and September 26, 2024.
VISIONARY $50,000+
Susan W. Flanigan and George Roche
Gina and Dan Hirschhorn
Bryan and Jennifer Rakes
SEASON PRODUCER
$25,000–$49,999
Dr. Larry and Nancy Fishel
Susan W. Flanigan
Dorothy H. Powe in memory of Ethel J. Holliday
Vic and Nancy Romita
RESIDENT COMPANY SPONSOR
$10,000 - $24,999
Ed and Ellen Bernard
Chris DiPietro
Walter B. Doggett III and Joanne Doggett
Jennifer C. Engel
Shirley T. Hollander*
Lisa Harris Jones and Sean Malone
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen and Maureen Shaul
Bob and Terri Smith
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
$5,000–$9,999
Mary Catherine Bunting
Shaun Carrick and Ronald Griffin
Paul and Kathleen Casey
Diann and David Churchill
John Deermer
Curt Lind and Linda Ettinger
Kaylie Kassap George and Adam George
Sandra D. Hess
Paul Konka and Susan Dugan-Konka
Mark and Sandy Laken
Mark Paul Lehman and Kurt Davis
Kenneth C. and Elizabeth M. Lundeen
Dr. and Mrs. David and Nancy Paige
John and Marsha Ramsay
Brooke Story
Donald and Mariana* Thoms
Meadow Lark Washington and Joe Washington
Mark Yost and Kevin Galens
PRODUCER $2,500–$4,999
Anonymous
Emile A. Bendit and Diane Abeloff
George and Frances Alderson
Patricia Bettridge
Winnie and Neal Borden
Eva and Warren Brill
Courtney Bruno
Judy Shub-Condliffe and Jack Condliffe
Ross and Michele Donehower
Barbara Glynn
Jean Jacocks
Francine and Allan Krumholz
Wil Love and Carl Schurr
Mary and Jim Miller
Terry H. Morgenthaler and Patrick J. Kerins
Tim Nehl and Joy Mandel
Brian and Eileen O'Rourke
Ed and Jo Orser
Reid Reininger
Jim and Laura Rossman
Hugh Silcox
Ronnie Silverstein
Martha P. Stein
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
$1,000–$2,499
Anonymous (3)
Ronald* and Baiba Abrams
Mark and Susan Adams
Bruce and Polly Behrens
Allyson Black Woodson
Michael Booth and Kristine Smets
Livio and Diane Broccolino
David Brown
Edie and Stan* Brown
Jeanne Brush
David Cane
Jerry and Carol Doctrow
Tootsie Duvall
Barry and Susan Eisenberg
Anne Elixhauser
Ms. Susan Sachs Fleishman
Debra and Maurice Furchgott
Praveena Gadam
Sandra Levi Gerstung
Marci Gordon and Andrew Barnstein
Caroline Griffin and Henry E. Dugan, Jr.
W. Robert Hair and Steven J. Ralston
Carol and Joe Hamilton
Catherine Hammond
Alan and Trisha Hoff
Hope Hollander
Paul M. Holmes
Nancy King
Ernest and Donna Kovacs
Evelyn S. Krohn
Marissa LaRose and Travis Andrews
Gayle Levy and Martin Barber
Fred and Judy Lobbin
James MacNicholl and Sara Lombardo
Marjorie and Scott McDowell
Kathleen Howard Meredith
Steven Morris
Gerry Mullan and William Sweet
Dr. Mike Myron and Linda Weisfeldt
Andrew and Sharon Nickol
Patricia S. and Robert J. Orr
Gary and Leslie Plotnick
Mark and Joanne Pollak
Elenor Reid
Anne Marie Richards
Sue Shaner and John Roberts
John and Sarah S. Robinson
Jamie and Sarah Ryan
Arnold and Monica Sagner
Nancy Dalsheimer Savage
Harvey and Debbie Singer
Bob and Jackie Smelkinson
Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains (2024)
Julia Smith
Joaneath A. Spicer
Ruth and Chuck Spivak
Marilyn Steinmetz
Shale D. Stiller and Honorable Ellen M. Heller
James Stofan and William Law
Sheldon and Victoria Switzer
Eileen and Philip Toohey
Louis B. Thalheimer and Juliet A. Eurich
Elizabeth Trimble
Joe and Debra Weinberg
Dr. and Mrs. Myron and Linda Weisfeldt
Barbara Coleman White
Wolman Family Fund
DIRECTOR $500–$999
Brad and Lindsay Alger
Dale Balfour
Ray and Day Bank
Deborah R. Berman
John and Carolyn Boitnott
Patty Bond
Michael Borowitz and Barbara Crain
Jan Boyce
Mr. and Mrs. A. Stanley Brager, Jr.
Paul and Jane Brickman
Lew and Vicki Bringman
Peter and Eileen Broido
Jeffrey Budnitz and Siobhan O'Brien Budnitz
Kristen Cannito
Evelyn Cannon and James Casey
Jan Caughlan
Arnold Clayman
Fred Cogswell
Samuel Cohen and Joan Piven
Judith Cooper
Betty and Stephen Cooper
Nancy Cormeny
Harlan and Jean Cramer
Dr. Chi Dang
Dr. Albert F. DeLoskey and Lawrie Deering
Barbara Dent
Anne Efron
Bill Eggbeer
Gary Felser and Debra Brown Felser
Don Firmani and Janet Esch
David and Merle Fishman
Donna Flynn
Paul Fowler and Frank McNeil
Benedict Frederick
Beth Gansky
Suzan Garabedian
Ronald Geagley
Tom and Lora Gentile
Naomi Robin and Gerald Gleason
Herbert and Harriet Goldman
Dorothy Gold and Jim Wolf
Donald M. and Dorothy W. Gundlach
Robert and Cheryl Guth
Richard Manichello and Margo Halle
Fritzi K. and Robert J. Hallock
Jane Halpern
William Hamilton and Paula Jackson
Suzanne Hill
Michael Hirschhorn and Jimena Martinez
Dr. Carl Shanholtz and Dr. Ruth Horowitz
Greg Huff and Pamela Pasqualini
Idy and Jennie Iglehart
Ann H. Kahan
Mr. Harold Kanarek
Nina Knoche
Larry Koppelman and Liz Ritter
Ron and Marianne Kreitner
Toni and Evan Krometis
Colleen Martin-Lauer and Mark Lauer
Jonna and Fred Lazarus
W.J. Lederer and Jennie Rothschild
Peter Levy and Diane Krejsa
Brendan Lilley
Bruce Lindstrom
Linda and Jim Loesch
Michael and Lois Mannes
Jeanne E. Marsh
Phyllis McIntosh
Stan and Laurie Miller
Bruce R. Nelson and Richard Goldberg
Linda Nevaldine
Drs. Mary O'Connor and Charles King
Gail Oppel
Thomas L. and Leslie V. Owsley
Justine and Ken Parezo
Dr. Fred Pearson
Rosser J. Pettit
Judy and Scott Phares
Paternayan-Ramsden Fund of the BCF
Terry and Alan Reed
Daniel Rodricks and Lillian Donnard
Bess Rose
Wendy S. Rosen and Richard Weisman
Dr. Alan Schwartz and Dr. Carla Rosenthal
Kristin Rowles and Paul Ferraro
David and Sarah H. Shapiro
Stephen and Gail Shawe
Patricia Smeton
Norma Snow-Goldberg
Susan Spencer and John Spencer
Damie and Diane Stillman
Bruce and Susan Vaupel
Susan and Hutch Vernon
Ellie Wang
Maria Wawer
Thomas Weyburn
Peter Ayers Wimbrow, III
Joseph and Valerie Yingling
Carol Yoder
Marvin and Sheila Zelkowitz
PLAYWRIGHT $250–$499
Anonymous (2)
Walter and Rita Abel
Lissa Abrams and Abe Wasserberger
Tom Abrams
Dr. Sania Amr
Greg Baranoski and Lucio Gama
Thomas and Christine Barth
George and Christina Beneman
Thomas Benner
Dr. Wendy M. Berlinrood
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Bethell
Pat Blanchard
Lisa Blue
Mark and Christina Braun
Charles Browne, III and Rod Cook
Jim and Sue Burger
Robert and Rina Campbell
Sharon and Irvin Caplan
Vivian Chu
Helen and Troy Clark
Ms. Marcia Cohen
Will and Carol Cooke
Marnell Cooper
David Cox and Joanna Miskelly Cox
Mary Cumming
Jodi Dunn and Peter Bouxsein
Carol Eakin-Burdette
Dr. Frank Eisenberg and Ms.
Catherine Blake
Patricia Yevics-Eisenberg and Stewart Eisenberg
Arlene Falke
John and Dorothy Foellmer
Joseph and Teresa Freed
Dr. and Mrs. Ivan Scott Fried
Jill and Ira Gansler
Mark and Patti Gillen
Saralynn and Sheldon Glass
Sue Glick
Susan Goetze
Gary Goldberg and Patricia Meisol
Sydell Gould
Hannah and Thorne Gould
Kathleen Gregory
John and Susan Hailman
James F. Hart
Pat Hawthorne
Margot Heller
Charles Henck and Karen Malloy
Jessica Iannetta
Deborah Ingle
Jencks Family Fund
Michael Kannen and Maria
Lambros Kannen
Linda Katz
Mark and Kelley Keener
Mr. and Mrs. D. Brooks Kitchel II
Dr. and Mrs. R. Kuppers
Colleen Lamont
Beth Lebow
Gregory Lehne
Aaron and Jill Levin
Freddi Lipstein and Scott Richard Berg
Gail Long
Mark Lowitt
Patrick Martyn and Eric Lomboy
Dr. Wendy Matt
Judy and David Mauriello
Corinne Meijer
Greer Meisels and Weston Konishi
Vicki Moyer
Annette Nagler
Rima Namek
Barry Narlines
Elaine Niefeld
Susan Noyes
Joseph J. O'Hare
Carl and Carol Oppenheim
Ira and Nancy Oring
Patricia Palmer
William and Susan Paznekas
Katherine Pisano
Carolyn I. Polowy
Sandra and Thomas Poole
Bob and Shirley Prue
Thomas Queeney
Drew and Ryan Reis
Dr. Mary Anne Facciolo and Dr.
Michael Repka
James Reynolds and Susan Soohoo
Al Russell
Richard and Kayleen Saucier
Judi and George Seal
Stephen Singer and Barbara Hawkins
Linda and Kirby Smith
Susan Smith
Richard and Cathy Snellinger
Eric and Ellie Stang
Michael Terrin
Drs. Nancy Kass and Sean Tunis
Rose Viscardi
Louise Wagner
Charles Emerson Walker, PhD
Peggy Widman
Sandra Wighton
Richard Willing
Dennis Wilson and John Farley
Donald and Jerriann Wilson
W. Stanley Wilson
Lucy Wright
Linda H. Yienger
Mr. and Mrs. H. Ronald Zielke
MONTHLY SUSTAINING DONORS
David and Marcia Cohen
Joyce Duffy-Bilanow and Stephen Bilanow
Neil and Deborah Eisenberg
Anne Efron
Neil and Deborah Eisenberg
Ira Gooding and Kristen Vanneman-Gooding
John and Susan Hailman
W. Robert Hair and Steven J. Ralston
Catherine Hammond
James F. Hart
Paul M. Holmes
Fred Lobbin
Marjorie and Scott McDowell
Mary Nichols
Dr. Alan Schwartz and Dr. Carla
Rosenthal
Drew Reis
Becky and Joe Richardson
Judi and George Seal
Linda and Kirby Smith
Susan Truitt
Peggy Widman
* Deceased
Everyman Theatre is a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone – audience members, students, artists, volunteers, staff, and trustees – to experience art and be part of a positive community where all can be treated with kindness and respect.
In order to make this a reality we need your help in upholding our core values and creating a space that allows everyone to fully participate in the transformative experience of live theatre.
WE BELIEVE THAT…
• Everyone is deserving of kindness and respect
• All individuals deserve to feel welcomed and included in the work we do
• It’s our collective responsibility to maintain a safe and supportive environment
• Theatre provokes thought and inspires dialogue, which builds our capacity for empathy, understanding, and connection
• It’s our collective responsibility to oppose racism by consciously, purposefully, and continually striving against racial biases and the systemic structures that perpetuate them
• We must take a united stance against all forms of oppression or marginalization, and recognize that although discomfort may be productive, cruelty never is
WE INVITE YOU TO…
• Embrace a mindset of goodwill and extend courtesy to others
• Immerse yourself fully in the performance – applaud, shed a tear, laugh out loud, and express your emotions freely
• Embrace your fellow audience members’ reactions and cherish the fact that theatre is a shared journey
• Make a deliberate effort to confront your own biases, and partner with us in putting these beliefs into action. We are all learning - help us maintain a positive community and culture of collaboration
• Share your feedback and experiences with us, as we are continually looking to improve
WE WILL NOT TOLERATE…
• Discrimination, harassment, or any form of speech/behavior that threatens the safety or well-being of others
• Unwanted invasion of another person’s physical space
• Refusal to comply with staff instructions or disregarding the theatre’s policies
Any conduct that contributes to a dangerous or hostile environment will be taken seriously. If you witness or experience a violation of the values and expectations outlined above, please alert one of our staff members. Everyman takes this feedback very seriously and will take action to protect our community.
Thank you for joining us and being a part of the Everyman Family!
GRATITUDE FOR THOSE BEFORE US
We honor the Indigenous Piscataway, Lumbee, and Cherokee people of Baltimore City and the unceded ancestral lands of the Piscataway on which Everyman Theatre resides. This acknowledgement does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, but serves as a first step in honoring the land we occupy and as an act of resistance against the erasure of their histories. For more information: https://native-land.ca/ and http://baltimoreamericanindiancenter.org
LEADERSHIP
Founder, Artistic Director
Vincent M. Lancisi
Managing Director
Marissa LaRose
ADMINISTRATION
Producing Director
Kyle Prue
Director of Finance + Human Resources
Larry Bright Finance + Human Resources Associate
Robin Fraker
Facilities + Operations
Manager
J.R. Schroyer
Assistant Managing Director
Sean McComas
ARTISTIC
Associate Artistic Directors
Paige Hernandez
Noah Himmelstein
Tuyết Thị Phạm
PHILANTHROPY
Directors of Philanthropy
Charisse Paige
Lauren Saunders
Associate Director of Institutional Giving
Elliott Kashner
Philanthropy Assistant
Caitlyn Hooper
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Director of Marketing & Communications
Alexander Cortes
Associate Director. Communications & Partnerships
Corey Frier
Associate Director of Marketing Operations
Jordyn Farthing
Assistant Director of Marketing
Madeline ‘Mo’ Oslejsek
Multimedia Manager
Lindsay Pedersen
Marketing Coordinator Jalice Ortiz-Corral
Patron Engagement Coordinator
Nico Liberto
Patron Engagement Associates
Andromeda Bacchus, Davin Banks, Tyrel Brown, Rae Dorsey, Abigail Duggan, Mel Gabel, Caitlyn Hooper, Ja’Net Jones, Rory Kennison, Kate Appiah Kubi, Sarah Lohrfink, Elizabeth Malvo, Derrell Owens, Thom Purdy, Kelsey Schneider, Teddy Sherron III, Majenta Thomas
PRODUCTION
Director of Production
Amanda M. Hall
Production Manager
Cat Wallis
Technical Director
Trevor Wilhelms
Assistant Technical Directors
Brandon Ingle
Ren Brault
Scene Shop Manager
Sarah Blocher
Lead Carpenter
Adam Sorel
Scenic Charge Artist
Jill Koenig
Properties Artisan
Michael Rasinski
Deck Manager
Louis Williams, III
Costume Director
David Burdick
Costume Associate
Amy Forsberg
Head of Wardrobe
Lucy Wakeland Haag
Lighting Supervisor
Juan M. Juarez
Lead Electrician
Maisie Stone
Audio/Video Supervisor
Andrew Gaylin
Maryland Corp Fellows
Lanoree Blake
Jupiter Lam-Bright
EDUCATION
Interim Director of Education
Joseph W. Ritsch
Education Program Manager
Owen Harris Scott
Education Operations Manager
Arianna Costantini
Teaching Artists
Beth Hylton, Carole
Graham Lehan, Chinai Routte, Fatima Quander, Francesco Leandri, Hanah Jeffrey, Isaiah Harvey
Jefferson Russel, Joseph Ritsch, Kendall Jones, Kimberley Lynne, Kyle Prue, Lakeshia Ferebee, Lanoree Blake, Lauren Jackson, Lindsay Wilk, Lucius Robinson, Megan Anderson, Patricia Hengen-Shields, Ronnita Freeman, Sarah Nichols, Teresa Spencer, Tia Thomas
Special Thanks to all participating Everyman Resident Company Artists
