CAST in order of appearance

Montrellous .......................................................................... Gabriel Lawrence*

Clyde ............................................................................................ Darlene Hope*

Letitia ................................................................................... Sydney Lolita Cusic*

Rafael ............................................................................................ Xavier Reyes*

Jason ....................................................................................... Ryan Czerwonko*

Understudies never substitute for performers unless a specific announcement is made at the time of performance:

For Clyde and Letitia: Cherita Armstrong*

SETTING

A truck stop sandwich shop-a liminal space

Clyde’s is performed without an intermission

Stage Manager ................................................................ Christina M. Woolard*

*- denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association

The director is a member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Inc., an independent national labor union.

The stage technicians of George Street Playhouse are proud members of IATSE Local 21.

Sydney Lolita Cusic (Letitia) is excited to be making her George Street Playhouse debut. Previous credits include Tr@k Girls Pt 1 (Anita, Ensemble Studio Theatre) FLEX (Cherise, TheatreSquared) Romeo and Juliet (Juliet, Stella Adler Studio); Jane Eyre (Bertha, Playwrights Horizons Downtown); The Colored Museum (New York University Tisch); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Alchemical Studios). She received her BFA at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Much love to her parents, brothers, and circle of friends for their constant support. In addition to acting, she is a theater and film producer. sydneycusic.com

Ryan Czerwonko (Jason) is an actor and filmmaker in NYC. TV: The Endgame, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, The Blacklist (NBC), The Deuce, Watchmen (HBO), and many more. FILM: Cherry, Paint, Birder. THEATRE: First Folio Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare, Livermore Shakespeare. Ryan is the artistic director of “Adult Film”, a film and theatre collective in Brooklyn. He teaches acting in his apartment. IG: @ryanczerwonko + @ adultfilm.nyc.

Darlene Hope (Clyde) earned her BA in Theatre Arts from the University of South Florida and her MFA in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. She also studied extensively in London, Paris, and Italy under lauded international artists Corin Redgrave, Sir Donald Sinden, Dame Sian Phillips, Patsy Rodenburg OBE, Maestro Antonio Fava,

Sheridan Morley, and Tony Award winner Mark Medoff. Perhaps best known as the title character in A Visit From Aunt Flo, the Cannes Lion Award-winning viral video that has received over 2.5 million views worldwide, Miss Hope has toured extensively throughout the US, South America and the Caribbean combining her bright and captivating performances with philanthropy, humanitarian relief, and young artist mentorship. She is the author of multiple plays, screenplays, and faithbased journals, and is the founder of HopeFull Productions. OFF BROADWAY: Sistas the Musical, Normalcy. SELECT REGIONAL: Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Asolo Rep, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Miami New Drama, American Stage, Norwegian Cruise Lines, TheatreworksUSA.

TV/FILM: Halston, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, FBI, God Friended Me, Strut, Commedia By Fava, Don’t Shoot the Messenger, When Bae Doesn’t Pay Attention. DarleneHope.com.

Gabriel Lawrence (Montrellous) Gabriel

Lawrence is excited to make his George Street Playhouse debut. Stage credits include: Martin Luther King - The Mountaintop (Arc Stages), Frederick Douglas -The Agitators (Playhouse on Park), Dez - Skeleton Crew (Baltimore Center Stage), Even - Sweat (The Asolo) and title roles in Macbeth and Julius Caesar (The Acting Company). TV credits include: FBI, EVIL, Prodigal Son, The Deuce, Mysteries of Laura and recurring parts on ABC’s What Would You Do?. He teaches classes in acting, debate, filmmaking and Shakespeare throughout Manhattan and beyond. MFA, Theatre: UC San Diego Theatre. Visit mrgabriellawrence.com for more information.

Xavier Reyes (Rafael) is a Puerto Rican actor, thrilled to tell this story, his second Lynn Nottage play! Having worked all over the US, Puerto Rico, Japan and Canada, some favorite credits include: Moliere’s SCAPIN at Pioneer Theatre Company, Trading Places directed by Kenny Leon at the Alliance Theatre, Kinky Boots Broadway National Tour, Night at the Museum workshop, Anna in the Tropics (Barrington Stage) , Fun Home, Hair, In The Heights, Rent, West Side Story and others. Thank you God, universe, creatives, cast, Melissa, GSP, and BLOC. Thank you audience member for showing up, supporting and being a part of this beautiful story! I dedicate this particular journey to my brother Steven. Follow @XavierReyesActor

Cherita Armstrong (U/s Clyde, Letitia) Theatres: Utah Shakespeare Festival, American Place Theatre, MCC, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Theatre for the New City, New York Theatre

Workshop Theatres: St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre, Public Theatre (Maine), Hollywood

Fringe Festival Theatre credits: Trouble in Mind, (Millie Davis) Clue, (Ms. Scarlet) Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, (Harriet Jacobs-solo performance), Seven Guitars, Well, Old Settler, Oak & Ivy, Harlem Duet, The African Company

Presents Richard III, Beehive, Tambourines To Glory.

Television: 9-1-1, Pretty Little Liars, Law & Order:

SVU, Law & Order: Trial by Jury

Rafael Jordan (U/s Rafael, Montrellous) is an Actor, Director, and Producer working on stage and screens. He was recently seen as trumpet-playing headliner Blue in Paradise Blue at City Theatre in Pittsburgh, and Edmund in King Lear with Joe Morton at The Wallis Annenberg in Beverly Hills. Other Regional: Shakespeare Theatre of DC, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Seattle Repertory Theatre, the Magic Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre. Notable roles include: Bobby - American Buffalo; Will – Shakespeare in Love; Paul – King Charles III, Ben Gun in the world premier of runboyrun by Mfoniso Udofia. TV credits: Law & Order SVU, FBI: Most Wanted, Godfather of Harlem, City on a Hill, Blue Bloods. Rafael stars in the forthcoming indie feature film The Nurse, and short film Christmas Eve currently on Amazon. Rafael founded Village Park Productions with his sister Aisha Jordan, where they are busy creating and producing film and series’, known for sketch series #HashtagTheShow. Rafael received an MFA in Acting from American Conservatory Theatre. IG @Rafaeliscoolbutrude, @ hashtagtheshow, Twitter @Blackachusetts

Lynn Nottage (Playwright) Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play RUINED has received an Obie, the Lucille Lortel Award, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play (Manhattan Theatre Club, Goodman Theatre). Other plays include INTIMATE APPAREL (New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play; Roundabout Theatre, CENTERSTAGE, South Coast Repertory); FABULATION, OR THE RE-EDUCATION OF UNDINE (Obie Award; Playwrights Horizons,

London’s Tricycle Theatre); CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY; LAS MENINAS; MUD, RIVER, STONE; POR’KNOCKERS, and POOF! Nottage is the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2007 MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant,” the National Black Theatre Festival’s August Wilson Playwriting Award, the 2004 PEN/ Laura Pels Award for Drama, and the 2005 Guggenheim Grant for Playwriting, as well as fellowships from the Lucille Lortel Foundation, Manhattan Theatre Club, New Dramatists, and New York Foundation for the Arts. She is a member of The Dramatists Guild, an alumna of New Dramatists and a graduate of Brown University and the Yale School of Drama, where she is a visiting lecturer. www.lynnnottage.net

Melissa Maxwell (Director) specializes in new play development. Credits include: Trouble in Mind (Utah Shakespeare Festival), Safe House (Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis; received 6 St Louis Theatre Circle Award Nominations); Slashes of Light (The Kitchen Theatre/Civic Ensemble; world premiere); Tunnel Vision (Off the WALL Theatre, world premiere); American Slavery Project’s Unheard Voices (NY Historical Society and other venues); Show Way (Vital Theatre; received Off Broadway Theatre Alliance ‘Best Family Show’ nomination): Nathan the Wise (Pearl Theatre Company); world premiere of scientist Carl Djerassi’s (creator of the contraceptive pill) Taboos (Soho Playhouse). Melissa is also an actor, award-winning playwright, and a motivational speaker with two TEDx Talks to her credit (TEDxMosesBrownSchool: Taking Ownership; TEDxBarnardCollegeWomen: On Courage). www.melissamaxwell.com.

Yale Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, The Old Globe, Drury Lane Theatre, Asolo Rep, The Acting Company, 59E59, Edinburgh Fringe, Primary Stages, Hartford Stage, The Public Theatre, amongst others. Board member of WithAll, a non-profit organization on a fight to end eating disorders. B.F.A. Ithaca College, M.F.A Yale School of Drama (Donald & Zorca Oenslager Fellowship Award in Design Recipient). Member of United Scenic Artist 829. IG: @riwrdesign

Azalea Fairly (Costume Designer) is a New Orleans born NY based costume designer. NYC Off Broadway and Regional credits include: Detroit 67 (TheaterSquared, AR), Blood Knot (Flat Rock Playhouse, NC), By the Way Meet Vera Stark (Colorado Fine Arts Center, Nominated for 2022 Henry Award for Outstanding Costume Design), 10x10 Play Fest (Barrington Stage MA), Schoolgirls (TheaterSquared, AR), What Lies Beneath (On Site Opera NYC), TJ Loves Sally Forever (Jack Theater, NYT Critics Pick). Broadway assistant credits include: Hamilton and A Strange Loop (2022 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical). Film design credits include The Rainbow Experiment and Paris in Harlem.

Azalea-Fairley.com.

Riw Rakkulchon (Set Designer) is a Set & Costume Designer, Animator and Chef from Bangkok, Thailand. He/They has worked at

Cheyenne Sykes (Lighting Designer) is originally from the Coast Salish region of Canada, she works on a wide range of projects including dance, performance art, music festivals, and theatre. Select Recent Design Credits: Her Portmanteau (George Street Playhouse), This Is Our Youth (Area Stage Company), Be More Chill (Area Stage Company), Polylogues (Colt Coeur), The Softstream (Digital Concert from Softee), Performance Artist Miles Greenberg’s FOUNTAIN I, PNEUMOTHERAPY (II), and

HAEMOTHERAPY (1), Black Exhibition (The Bushwick Starr), The Slow Room (PSNY), AGNES (59E59, Lesser America), PROTOTYPES (Susan Marshall & Company). Select Assistant/Associate Credits: Bonnaroo Site Lighting (David Weiner Design), Sanctuary City (NYTW), Mary (Kanye West at Lincoln Center), Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Playwrights Horizons), White Noise (The Public Theater), “Daddy” (New Group/ Vineyard).

Scott O’Brien (Composer/Sound Designer) has composed and designed theatre and dance for a variety of off-Broadway and regional theaters. He was the Resident Composer/ Sound Designer for American Globe Theatre (2000-2014), the Chautauqua Theater Company (2006-2009), Adirondack Theatre Festival (2013-2015) and the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, MN (2019 and 2021 seasons). He has lectured on Sound Design at SUNY-Rockland, Pace University, Fairleigh-Dickinson University, The Duke Ellington School for the Arts and Montclair State University (heading up the Sound Design Program there from 2015-2019). His production company Duck & Trout Music is based out of Gardiner, ME. Currently, he is composing for The Public Theatre (Lewiston, ME) and Theatre at Monmouth (Monmouth, ME). He has the good fortune to collaborate frequently with director, actor and playwright Melissa Maxwell.

Fre Howard (Wig & Makeup Designer) is an Artisan, Mom, educator (Faces By Fre,LLC). Fre grew up in Michigan, now resides in Philadelphia, PA. Fre Designed Wigs and Makeup for The Fisher Center at Bard SummerScape’s Dom Juan, Ars Nova’s Mrs.

Murray’s Menagerie, and was the Assistant Designer on Othello for Opera Philadelpia. In 2019, Fre became the First woman of color to design Makeup and Wigs for Operas at The Curtis institute of Music and Temple University Fre has worked in Film and Television for Netflix, Apple TV, Mystery Science Theatre 3000 - Season 13, Bel-Air on Peacock and National Commercials, Including Smartwater. Yaasss to our GSP Clyde’s Cast and Crew!

Cristina (Cha) Ramos (Fights and Intimacy) is a multidisciplinary theater artist with a metric montón of books, swords, and altars in her NYC apartment. She is an intimacy & fight director, dramaturg, playwright, performer, and instructor. Recent projects include: intimacy and fight direction for Dom Juan at the Fisher Center at Bard College; associate intimacy direction for COMPANY on Broadway; dramaturgy for new works by José Rivera and Leslie Ayvazian; performing with the Vixens En Garde all-female sword-fighting Shakespeare comedy troupe; teaching intimacy and stage combat in-person and online; and ongoing development of her three original plays. More info at www.CallMeCha.com.

Christina M. Woolard (Production Stage Manager) stage manages for theatre, circus, and live events. Previous credits include American Hero and A Doll’s House, Part 2 (George Street Playhouse), Dead + Alive (One Year Lease), Space Dogs (MCC), Kinky Boots (Bucks County Playhouse), Preparedness (The Bushwick Starr), Passing Through (Goodspeed Musicals), Will You Come With Me? and Notes on My Mother’s Decline (The Play Company), Wilder Gone (Clubbed Thumb), Sunset Circus (Parallel Exit) and An American In Paris (The Argyle Theatre). Pandemic activities included

ONSTAGE APRIL 25-MAY 31 stitching PPE with the Broadway Relief Project. Proud AEA member and alumna of Rutgers University. For Mom — your song is in my heart.

Pat McCorkle, CSA; McCorkle Casting LTD (Casting) Pat McCorkle and McCorkle Casting continue to strive for inclusivity and social awareness during it’s 35 year history in casting. She has cast for George Street Playhouse for over 25 years. Broadway: Over 50 productions including, On The Town, Amazing Grace, End of the Rainbow, A Few Good Men. etc. OffBroadway: Over 60 productions: Highlights; Tribes, Our Town, Driving Miss Daisy. Regional Theatre: Guthrie, Barrington Stage, CATF and hundreds of regional theatres throughout the country. Feature films: Currently casting six films for theatrical release. Previous projects: Premium Rush, Ghost Town, The Thomas Crown Affair, Die Hard with a Vengeance, etc. Television: 2 new films for Hallmark, Twisted, Humans for Sesame Street, Californication-(Emmy Nomination), Chappelle’s Show, Strangers with Candy etc. (mccorklecasting.com)

Christopher J. Bailey (GSP Production Manager) This season marks Mr. Bailey’s 24th at George Street Playhouse and 18th as its Production Manager, having previously served the Playhouse as Technical Coordinator and Sound and Lighting Manager. Recently for GSP he was Lighting Designer for The Immigrant. Was also Lighting Designer for GSP’s production of Clever Little Lies, which moved to the Guild Hall Theatre in East Hampton and then off-Broadway to the Westside Theatre. His other designs for GSP includes 6 scenic designs and 9 sound designs for GSP’s Educational Touring productions, 28 lighting designs and 40 sound designs for GSP’s mainstage productions. Also, has designed for: Pearl Theatre, Barrington Stage, Premiere Stages, Bickford Theatre, Abingdon Theatre, Strand Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Two River Theater, Ashlawn Highland Opera, LKB Dance, Randy James Dance, Rand Theater, The Irish Repertory Theatre, Westport Country Playhouse, Long Wharf, Delaware Theatre Company, Jacob’s Pillow, and more. Mr. Bailey also teaches Stagecraft and Play Production at Middlesex County College.

David Saint (Artistic Director) is in his 25th season as Artistic Director of George Street Playhouse. He has directed 43 mainstage productions at GSP, having most recently helmed Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise. Additional productions include Fully Committed and Tiny Beautiful Things for the GSP virtual season, Midwives, and Conscience, in addition to The Trial of Donna Caine, American Hero, American Son, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and An Act of God starring the legendary Kathleen Turner in the 2017-18 season. His time here has been marked by collaborations with such artists as Keith Carradine, Tyne Daly, Rachel Dratch, Sandy Duncan, Boyd Gaines, A.R. Gurney, Uta Hagen, Harriet Harris, Jack Klugman, Dan Lauria, Kathleen Marshall, Elaine May, Anne Meara, David Hyde Pierce, Chita Rivera, Paul Rudd, Stephen Sondheim, Marlo Thomas, Eli Wallach, and many others including a remarkable partnership with Arthur Laurents. In addition, many new award-winning works have begun their life here during his tenure such as The Toxic Avenger, Proof, The Spitfire Grill, Joe DiPietro’s Clever Little Lies, and It Shoulda Been You. He has directed Final Follies at Primary Stages, Clever Little Lies at Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY and off-Broadway at West Side Theatre, as well as the National tour of West Side Story. In July 2016, he directed West Side Story at the legendary Hollywood Bowl starring Jeremy Jordan and Solea Pfeiffer. In Summer 2019, he directed a revolutionary new production of West Side Story for IHI Stage Around in Tokyo and served as Associate Producer for the Academy Award-nominated film version of West Side Story directed by Steven Spielberg. He also has directed on Broadway, off-Broadway and regionally at Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theatre Club, Primary Stages, McCarter, Williamstown, Seattle Rep, Pasadena Playhouse, Pittsburg Public, Long Wharf and many others by such writers as Aaron Sorkin, Wendy Wasserstein, Peter Parnell, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Joe DiPietro and Jonathan Larson. He is the recipient of the Alan Schneider Award, Helen Hayes Award, L.A., Drama Critics Award, several DramaLogue Awards and is the President of The Laurents/Hatcher Foundation.

Jamie Grant (Interim Managing Director) has been a leader and innovator in performing arts for more than three decades. The former President and CEO of the Ordway Center (Saint Paul, MN), Long Center (Austin, TX) and McCallum Theatre (Palm Springs, CA) has worked in both the United States and Canada. Under Jamie’s leadership, for the first time ever a production went directly from the Ordway to Broadway when SIX opened. For 13 years Jamie was the general manager of the Centre in the Square in Kitchener, Ontario, an award-winning multi-purpose performing arts center with a main hall of 2000 seats, plus an art gallery and studio theatre. Jamie has accomplished the rare feat of opening many new performing arts centers: Imperial Theatre in Saint John, New Brunswick, Heritage

Theatre in Brampton, Ontario, Skylight Theatre Amphitheatre in Toronto and was the founder and Producer of Theatre Malton. An adjunct lecturer at the University of Waterloo, Jamie taught for almost a decade for the Centre for Cultural Management and is a regular lecturer, panelist and guest speaker for other universities, colleges, and professional conferences. A soughtafter part-time consultant for many years, Jamie has done strategic planning work for dozens of arts, entertainment and non-profit organizations in the United States and Canada for over 25 years. He has recently decided to grow Grant Management Group and currently serving as Interim Managing Director at George Street Playhouse.