Pegasus Players-In the Continuum

Ilesa Duncan Producing Artistic Director

Katie Klemme Managing Director Presents

IN THE CONTINUUM

by Danai Gurira & Nikkole Salter Directed by Ilesa Duncan Scenic Designer Jackie & Rick Penrod, USA

Lighting Designer Mike Durst

Sound Designer Christopher Kriz, USA

Costume Designer Christine Pascual, USA

Props Designer Angelica Gutierrez

Production Manager Dre Robinson Stage Manager Lauren Wiltgen

Produced by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, Inc. Press Opening Saturday, May 19, 2012 Pegasus’ main-stage productions are generously supported by the Chicago Community Trust, MacArthur Fund at the Richard Driehaus Foundation (sp), the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Pegasus Players is in residence at Jane Addams Hull House/ Beacon Street Theater. The videotaping or other audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

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CAST Samantha Bailey.................................................................................................... Abigail/Others Ashleigh Lathrop...........................................................................................................Nia/Others Krystal Mosley...............................................................................................................Understudy PROGR A M Scenic Designer............................................................................... Jackie & Rick Penrod, USA Lighting Designer.........................................................................................................Mike Durst Costume Designer................................................................................. Christine Pascual, USA Sound Designer........................................................................................Christopher Kriz, USA Props Designer............................................................................................... Angelica Gutierrez Production Manager.............................................................................................. Dre Robinson Master Carpenter.................................................................................................... Jesse Gaffney Scenic Charge............................................................................................................ Coco Lemery Stage Manager......................................................................................................Lauren Wiltgen Dramaturg............................................................................................................ Katrina Johnson Dialect Coach........................................................................................................ Eva Brenneman D I R E C TO R ’ S N O T E Danai Gurira and Nikkole Salter created IN THE CONTINUUM out of their profound concern for the experience of black women in the HIV/Aids struggle. I am compelled to direct this play NOW because nearly seven years later, Black women represent the highest rate of new infections in the U.S. and Africa – still. The need to tell this story persists– as told from the perspective of the women the playwrights so deftly and provocatively humanized beyond the bleak statistics. And as they challenged us years ago, we too sound the call for more unheard stories to be added “In(to) The Continuum.”

PROFILES Sam Bailey (Abigail/ Others) is thrilled to be working with Pegasus Players for the first time. Some of her favorite credits include THE SILVER PROJECT at American Theatre Company, THE CHICAGO LANDMARK PROJECT with Theatre Seven, TREE (J.J u/s) with Victory Gardens and DISGRACED (Jory u/s) with ATC. She was recently seen in the world premiere of Bixby Eliot’s GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE with Pavement Group at the Chopin. Sam is also a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf (‘10). A Chicago native, she studied theatre at Columbia College. Special thanks to Emjoy, Ashleigh, WP10, and the many women who served as inspirations for these characters.

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Ashleigh LaThrop (Nia/Others) is thankful to be working with Pegasus Players. A native of Chicago, Ashleigh’s theatre credits include THE TWINS WOULD LIKE TO SAY (Dog and Pony Theatre), COOPERSTOWN (Theatre Seven), THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), and understudying FML: HOW CARSON MCCULLERS SAVED MY LIFE (Steppenwolf Theatre). She has been seen regionally in CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY-a collaboration between Renaissance Theatreworks and Uprooted Theatre. She also spent two seasons with American Players Theatre where her favorite shows included AS YOU LIKE IT, THE CURE AT TROY, TAMING OF THE SHREW, and THE CRITIC.

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Ashleigh is a proud graduate of The University of Illinois and she is also an alumna of The School at Steppenwolf.

Thanks to Sam, Kevin, and everyone who made this production possible.

Krystal Mosley (Understudy) Krystal is excited to be working with Pegasus Players.

Some of her credits include 10 VIRGINS (Chicago Dramatist), AFRICAN CINDERELLA (Children’s Theatre Company Fantasy Orchard), MASS MIND RAPE (C’est la Vie Drama) and RESTAURANT REVELATIONS (Hollywood Fight Club). As a Chicago native, Krystal graduated from the University of Illinois with a BFA in Acting. Many thanks to Ilesa, cast, and crew for an amazing opportunity to collaborate on such an inspiring production.

Danai Gurira (Playwright) A playwright and actor, she co-created and performed the award-winning IN THE CONTINUUM, which premiered off-Broadway and toured the U.S. and Southern Africa. For her work on that production, Danai won a 2006 Obie Award, the 2006 Outer Critics John Gassner Award, and the 2004 Global Tolerance’ Award (Friends of the United Nations), in addition to being honored by the Theatre Hall of Fame. Gurira’s plays include ECLIPSED, which received premiere productions at the Wooly Mammoth, Center Theater Group and Yale Repertory Theater. It won Best New play at the 2010 Helen Hayes Awards as well as Danai winning Best Playwright at the NAACP Theater Awards in August 2010. In 2007, she received a Helen Hayes Award for Best Lead Actress in IN THE CONTINUUM at Woolly Mammoth.

Danai starred in the acclaimed film THE VISITOR (with Oscar-nominated actor Richard Jenkins) and on Broadway in Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Joe Turner’s COME AND GONE. She

is also featured in films 3 BACKYARDS (Sundance 2010), MY SOUL TO KEEP (Wes Craven, October 2010) and RESTLESS CITY (Sundance 2011). She has appeared in TV shows LAW AND ORDER, LIFE ON MARS, LIE TO ME, LAW AND ORDER CI and had a recurring role on HBO’s TREME. AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD has recruited Danai to play Michonne. She is the recipient of ‘08 TCG New Generations travel grant for ECLIPSED with the McCarter Theater and has taught playwriting and acting in Liberia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

She is developing a play about current day Zimbabwe where she traveled in April and September 2010 with the help of another TCG grant and the McCarter Theater. Her newest play, a historical Zimbabwean piece entitled THE CONVERT (a commission with CTG) has premiered at the McCarter, Goodman and Center Theater Group Theaters. These plays comprise parts of a trilogy on Zimbabwe’s coming of age from a feminine perspective.

She recently received the prestigious NEA New Play development grant to support the development of the Trilogy with Woolly Mammoth. She is currently a Hodder Fellow at Princeton University.

She is also a commissioned playwright with Yale Rep. She received her MFA in Acting from Tisch, NYU. Danai was born in the U.S. to Zimbabwean parents and raised in Zimbabwe.

Nikkole Salter (Playwright) Obie Award-winning writer Nikkole Salter co-authored and co-performed IN THE CONTINUUM, pronounced by New York Times, Newsday and New York Magazine as one of the best plays of 2005. For its Off-Broadway run and international tour, the play received an OBIE Award (2006), and the NY Outer Critics Circle’s John Gassner Award for Best New American Play (2006). Her play REPAIRING A NATION received its first reading through a partnership with the Studio Museum in Harlem’s Target™ Sunday initiative and was the In the Continuum 3

P R O F I L E S ( c o n t .) featured work with readings at The Cell Theatre Company’s BlackBoard Reading Series in NYC and at Luna Stage’s New Moon Reading Series. Her most recent written work, CARNAVAL, received a reading at Blackboard and will be read at Luna Stage in June.

Also as an award-winning actress, Nikkole received an IRNE award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in STICK FLY. She most recently performed the role of ‘Nella’ in Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s GEE’S BEND, at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, which was nominated for 3 Acclaim Awards. She appears in Nate Taylor’s feature film, FORGETTING THE GIRL. Ms. Salter’s deep sense of social responsibility led her to found and serve as Executive Director of THE CONTINUUM PROJECT, INC., a non-profit organization that creates innovative artistic programming for community empowerment and enrichment. Their first bi-annual endeavor, The Legacy Program: Residency – a theatre arts education, youth development initiative – launched in 2009 and continues at William Alexander Middle School in Brooklyn, NY. The Continuum Project, Inc. received the 2010 and 2011 Brooklyn Arts Council Regrant Award, a grant funded by the New York Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Program, in support of the Legacy Program: Residency. A Los Angeles native, Salter received her BFA in theatre from Howard University and her MFA from New York University’s Graduate Acting Program.

Ilesa Duncan (Director) Her recent directing work includes the acclaimed production of THE NATIVITY (Congo Square), THE GIMMICK, SHAPE OF A GIRL (Pegasus), BLUE SHADOW (Lifeline Theatre), HOPE SIX (Chicago Dramatists) and CROWNS for the Contemporary American Theater Company in Columbus Ohio. In addition to her work with Rivendell, 4 Pegasus Players

Other direction at Pegasus includes Jeff Award nominated TICK, TICK BOOM as well as HEATWAVE, BREATH BOOM, EV’RY TIME I FEEL THE SPIRIT, and six Young Playwrights Festivals (25th Anniversary - PAPER CLOUDS and THE MURAL, 24th - DELIVER ME FROM EVIL, 23RD - DINE & HASH, 22ND - BLOOMING FLOWERS IN WEEDS, 21ST - IN YOUR DREAMS and 19TH - GRACE). Some of her favorite projects also include the Jeff award-winning comedy LOVE CHILD (Theater on the Lake, Chicago Theater Co., and Live Bait Theater), SHAKIN’ THE MESS OUTTA MISERY, (Chicago Theater Company), WAITING TO BE INVITED (Victory Gardens), SARAFINA (Fleetwood Jourdain at Next Theatre), A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Contemporary American Theatre Company/Ohio), HEATWAVE (ETA), F**KING A (Theatre School at DePaul), and RED RAIN at Lincoln Center Theatre/HERE in New York. Recently named Producing Artistic Director at Pegasus, Ilesa is also a member of the Lincoln Center Theatre Director’s Lab and a NEA/ TCG Directing Fellow. Ilesa is also an arts educator in Chicago area schools – primarily as director of Pegasus’ Young Playwrights Festival and as Schools Program Manager for Chicago Dramatists. She is also Associate Artist with PanAmerica Performance Works (formerly Latino Chicago at the Firehouse) and Chicago Dramatists.

Mike Durst (Lighting Design) Mike’s work includes designs for premieres

by Jonathin Tollins, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Austin Pendleton, and Stephen Belber. In Chicago Mike has designed for Lookingglass Theatre, About Face Theatre, Shattered Globe, Chicago Public Radio, Adventure Stages, and Theater Wit. Other credits.

Pete Townshend in concert at La Jolla Playhouse. X, Live in Los Angeles at The House of Blues. “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” THE NIGHTMAN COMETH National Tour. SPLITTING

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INFINITY (Summer Play Festival NYC), STOCK HOME for NYC Fringe. OffBroadway: EXTINCTION at Cherry Lane (Red Dog Squadron), SECRETS OF THE TRADE Primary Stages at 59e59. Mike has received Chicago’s Jeff Award, Los Angeles’s Ovation Award, and San Diego’s Craig Noel Award.

Angelica gutierrez (Properties Design) is a native Chicagoan who studied at The School of The Art Institute. Ms. Gutierrez served as Art Director for the film “Israel in Exile” which was a 2002 Slamdance Film Festival selection. A former member of the Latino Chicago Theater Company at The Firehouse, Angelica has designed and built sets, props and costumes for numerous LCTC stage productions and is delighted to be working on what she hopes is the first of many productions at Pegasus. She is the proud mother of 11-year-old Water.

Christopher Kriz (Sound Design) works nationally as a composer and sound designer. Chris is delighted to be working with Pegasus again, having previously designed JITNEY, TWO TRAINS RUNNING, GOLDA’S BALCONY, SHAPE OF A GIRL and many others. In Chicago, Chris has designed productions for companies including Steppenwolf, Goodman, Northlight, Victory Gardens and TimeLine. Recent Chicago credits include THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER (Steppenwolf Theatre), BLACK PEARL SINGS (Northlight Theatre), PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (Lifeline Theatre), AFTER THE REVOLUTION (Next Theatre), THE WORD PROGRESS ON MY MOTHER’S LIPS DOESN’T RING TRUE (Trap Door Theatre), OPUS (Redtwist), OLD TIMES (Strawdog Theatre), FESTEN (Steep Theatre) and CLOUD 9 (Gift Theatre).

Regional credits include FALL OF THE HOUSE (Theatre Squared) and the national tour of AMERICA AMERIQUE (Jena Company). Upcoming productions include I AM GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD (Chicago

Dramatists), CREDITORS (Remy Bumppo) and THE LETTERS (Writers Theatre). To hear more of his work, please visit www.christopherkriz.com Christine Pascual (Costume Design) previously designed 25th Young Playwrights Festival for Pegasus.

Recently she designed WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A PRESENTATION... at Victory Gardens and FISH MEN at the Goodman. Additional credits: THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DEITY, RELATIVELY CLOSE, THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO, HAMBONE, CONCERTO CHICAGO, SYMMETRY and BLACKBIRD. Further, she designed EL NOGALAR; MASSACRE, and FREEDOM, NY (Teatro Vista); 26 MILES and ELLIOT, A SOLDIER’S FUGUE (Teatro Vista/Rivendell); JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE, BLACK NATIVITY, SANCTIFIED, ST. JAMES INFIRMARY, SEVEN GUITARS, ELMINA’S KITCHEN, FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA and A SOLDIER’S PLAY (Congo Square); SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD, THE PIANO LESSON, THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER and FLYIN’ WEST (Court Theatre); MEGACOSM (A Red Orchid); CROSSED, LUNATICAS, JARRED and GL 2010: NOT YOUR GENERIC LATINA (Teatro Luna); MADAGASCAR (Next Theatre); OUR LADY OF THE UNDERPASS (16th Street/ Teatro Vista); THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET (Steppenwolf ); WELCOME TO ARROYO’S, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, TRUE WEST, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, THE PEOPLE’STEMPLE and LIVING OUT (ATC); and TEN CENT NIGHT at Chicago Dramatists. Regional credits include HAD DEITY (Second Stage/ NY) and JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE (Centerstage/Baltimore). Pascual was a 2010 Henry Hewes Design Award nominee and an exhibitor at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial and the 2012 United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference.

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Liviu Pasare (Projection Design) Liviu is an artist who focuses on new media and technology and interactive installations. He has worked with various artists and theaters as a video designer, cinematographer, editor, animator and has produced, directed and performed for live multimedia experiences. He has been affiliated with Redmoon, Victory Gardens Theater, Gift Theater, InFusion Theater, Porchlight Theater, Fox Valley Rep, Clockwise Theater. His recent works include LAS HERMANAS PADILLA with Fusion theater, LUMINOUS FIELD with Luftwerk, and SIXTY MILES TO SILVER LAKE at Collaboraction.

Jacqueline & Rick Penrod (Scenic Design) Jackie and Rick are very happy to be collaborating once again with Pegasus Players on this production of IN THE CONTINUUM. Other recent designs include THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW DRESS Next Theatre Company, Chicago Children’s Theatre’s production of GOODNIGHT MOON, Lookingglass Theatre’s production of THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, & AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS in Chicago, Centerstage Baltimore and Kansas City Repertory Theatre; TREE for Victory Gardens Theatre Company, SLEUTH for Theatre at the Center, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST and THE PHILADELPHIA STORY for Remy Bumppo, LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST for Milwaukee Shakespeare, OKLAHOMA! for American Theatre Company. THE GIMMICK, & THE SHAPE OF A GIRL for Pegasus Players. They received Joseph Jefferson nominations for THE LAST ACT OF LILKA KADISON, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, OKLAHOMA! and THE SHAPE OF A GIRL. Rick is the Resident Designer/Technical Director for New Trier High School. Jackie is a professor of design at Columbia College Chicago. They are the proud parents of three wonderful daughters, Anne, Sarah, and Miranda.

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Katie Klemme (Managing Director) (Managing Director) has been involved with Pegasus Players in one way or another for most of the past decade, most recently as the Managing Director from 2004-2007, where credits include producing involvement on more than a dozen shows at Pegasus’ former home and work on its international tours. Also a stage manager, recent credits include RENT, DISGRACED, ESCAPE, THE AMISH PROJECT, THE ORIGINAL GREASE, SPEED-THE-PLOW & OLEANNA (in rotating rep), DISTRACTED YEAST NATION (the triumph of life), HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, TOPDOG/ UNDERDOG & TRUE WEST (in rotating rep), THE PEOPLES TEMPLE (American Theater Company). Other recent credits include SPIN (Theater Wit); FROZEN, FRANKIE & JOHNNY, A COUPLA WHITE CHICKS SITTING AROUND TALKING, RABBIT HOLE and THE MELVILLE BOYS (Buffalo Theatre Ensemble); and work as a director with Serendipity’s 2nd STORY at various venues around Chicago. She is on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago where she teaches stage management.

Jesse Gaffney (TD/Master Carpenter) Jesse is excited to be working on her first show here at Pegasus Players.

Elsewhere in Chicago she is an artistic associate at 16th Street Theatre and has worked with Silk Road, Congo Square, Lifeline, A New Leaf, Chicago Children’s, Piven and Noble Fool Theatre Companies among others. Outside of Chicago Jesse worked for Allenberry Playhouse in Boiling Springs, PA, Stages St. Louis, and The Arrow Rock Lyceum in Arrow Rock, MO. You can follow her work and see how many props for her shows are created on her blog at theatreprojects.blogspot.com. Thanks and love to Warwick.

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Lauren W iltgen (Stage Manager) Lauren has staged managed MAN BOOBS (Pride Films) and PLAYS AND THE METEOR with Geopolis Theater.

She is thrilled to be a part of this wonderful production team and excited to continue her work outside of Columbia College, where she currently attends. She would like to thank Ilesa and everyone involved for helping her continue to grow and create beautiful theatre.

Dre Robinson (Production Manager) is very happy to work with Ilesa and Pegasus Players. As a native Chicagoan, Robinson has been blessed to have worked all over the world, doing what he loves to do. He has toured with Second City and Black Ensemble Theatre and has worked with some of the top theatrical companies in Chicago, including The Goodman Theater. In his spare time he is busy writing, directing, and producing with his company Studio One Productions.

ABOUT PEGASUS PLAYERS Dr. Arlene Crewdson founded Pegasus Players in 1978, growing out of original student writings performed by both faculty and students in the City Colleges.

Touring began in order to fill the needs of the Uptown area and of groups that had no access to live theatre. After becoming incorporated in 1979, the group found a home in a rented space in the Edgewater Presbyterian Church, allowing it to continue its commitment to the residents of the community. In 1984, the theatre relocated to the O’Rourke Center for the Performing Arts on the Truman College campus, located in the heart of Uptown.

The 25th Young Playwrights Festival was Pegasus inaugural production as theatre in residence at Jane Addams Hull House’s Beacon Street Theater.

Pegasus remains committed to providing a quality arts experience for those who would normally be denied it, such as inner-city school students and lowincome senior citizens. The Joseph Jefferson Committee awarded the first ever Jeff Citation for an outreach program to Pegasus for its “extraordinary success in serving Chicago’s disenfranchised.” The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs recognized the Young Playwrights Festival with a special cash award for “Outstanding contribution to the arts and outreach efforts to expand the accessibility of high quality arts experiences.”

Recognition for artistic excellence has prevailed throughout Pegasus’ 33-year history. The company has received an unprecedented 79 Joseph Jefferson Citations. The experience Pegasus provides for Chicago is invaluable.

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P E G A S U S P L A Y E R S S TA F F Producing Artistic Director....................................................................................Ilesa Duncan Managing Director..................................................................................................Katie Klemme Operations Manager........................................................................................... Marcus Petrella Public Relations..........................................................................................................Aaron Mayes Marketing & Customer Relations.................................................................... Vunzai T. Yeazel Front of House/Box Office.............................................................................Mildred Langford Legal Services........................................................................Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP Insurance Services.......................................................................Paczolt Financial Group, Inc. Usher Services................................................................................................................. The Saints B OA R D O F D I R E C TO R S Clarence Wood..................................................................................................................President David Barr, III............................................................................................... Secretary & Treasurer Toi Denise Houston.............................................................................................. Board Director Arlene Crewdson.......................................................Founder/Executive Director Emeritus F O U N DAT I O N , C O R P O R AT E & G OV E R N M E N T S U P P O R T The Chicago Community Trust City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs: CityArts; Cultural Outreach Program John Crewdson Memorial Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Frankel Family Foundation Illinois Arts Council Prince Charitable Trust United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Anonymous ELIXIR CREW Special thanks to these amazing volunteers who work tirelessly with us making magic: Mildred Langford..................................................................................................Administration, Aaron Mayes..........................................................................................................Public Relations Topher McCullogh................................................................................................Graphic Design Venessa Ortega............................................................................................Events & Hospitality Andrew Walker..........................................................................................Website/social media Additional thanks to: Black Ensemble Theater/Jackie Taylor, Cahicago Dramatists, Congo Square Theatre, PanAmerica Performance Works, Mario Bartres, William Hayashi, Tsehaye Hébert, Katrina Johnson, and Juan Ramirez

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