Theatre SPARKS: The Water Gun Song

Mad Cow Theatre in partnership with Black Theatre Girl Magic presents

The Water Gun Song

by Idris Goodwin

Plays and Conversations for an Antiracist Tomorrow “Theatre is where we see ourselves and wrestle with our beliefs. Through the stories of others we reflect on our own.

Since racism lives at the intersection of misinformation, ego and unchecked power, the arts must counteract by cultivating personal reflection, learning, conversation and compassion.”

— Idris Goodwin IDRIS GOODWIN is a multidisciplinary arts leader and creative community builder. Across two decades he’s forged a multi-faceted career as an award-winning script writer for stage and screen, Break Beat poet, director, educator, and organizer. He is the new director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College.

The author of Free Plays: open source scripts for an antiracist tomorrow, Goodwin is committed to using the arts to spark meaningful conversation.

MAD COW THEATRE, in partnership with BLACK THEATRE GIRL MAGIC, presents digital readings of five short plays by award-winning playwright, poet and changemaker Idris Goodwin to spark conversation about race in America for multi-generational audiences. With the support of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA/USA), Goodwin has offered these plays to serve as a catalyst for action. Each of these short works, written to be read across the multi-generational spectrum, offer different insights about disconnects in racial conversation and the Black experience in America. Scripts and more can be found here: shttp://www.tyausa.org/freeplay/

CAST & CREW Director.....................................................................................Roberta Emerson Stage Manager.......................................................................Rantea Thompson Dramaturg...................................................................Lynne Streeter Childress Jules................................................................................................Bridget Kelso* Sam................................................................................................. Omari Pernell ROBERTA EMERSON (Director) is a director, actor and producer, and teacher among many other hats she proudly wears. She is a graduate of both the University of Minnesota with a BFA in acting and theatre management and New York University with an MFA in acting.

She has worked as an actor and director in many regional theaters around the country, has done extensive voice-over commercial and film work, and has been a teaching artist both stateside and in Europe. She is currently the Director of Theatre for Montverde Academy’s Theatre Conservatory and is repped by Lock Talent.

BRIDGET KELSO (Jules) is an actor and playwright.

Originally from Chicago, she has a BA in theatre from Marymount College and an MA in solo performance from New York University’s Gallatin School. She has appeared in many off-Broadway productions, including the National Black Theatre and the Apollo. Bridget was also a member of the Emerging Playwrights Group (EWG) at The Public Theater.

She currently serves as the Minister of Engagement at the West End Collegiate Church. *Member of Actors’ Equity Association

CAST & CREW

OMARI PERNELL (Sam) is very excited to be a part of this important collaboration between Black Theatre Girl Magic and Mad Cow Theatre. He is a 4th Grade, straight-A student at Renaissance Charter School at Crown Point.

Omari has been seen around Central Florida in productions of Mary Poppins as Michael Banks, Big Fish as Little Will, The Lion King as Little Simba, Children of Eden, Aladdin Jr. as Iago, and Suessical Jr. as the Mayor. He also enjoys reading, dancing, and playing video games. Omari would like to thank his parents and Grammy for all of their love and support.

THEATRE SPRKS

RANTEA THOMPSON (Stage Manager) was born and raised in Akron, Ohio.

She graduated from The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and has been seen in various productions and cabarets including Hairspray and Ragtime all around NYC and Ohio.

TV Credits: The Deuce on HBO, Bull and Quantico on CBS. She is a producer, writer, stage manager, and director. She directed and produced her first play Independence: A Play in Two Acts by Lee Blessing.

EMIR Productions was made out of her need to find a community that challenges the way people of color are perceived in theatre as well as help people who grew up humble, like her, to not give up on their dreams. Instagram @ranteat and @emirproductions.

We wish to express our gratitude to the Performers’ Unions: ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS AMERICAN GUILD OF VARIETY ARTISTS SAG-AFTRA

through Theatre Authority, Inc. for their cooperation in permitting the Artists to appear on this program.

ABOUT THE COMPANIES MAD COW THEATRE is a 501(c)(3) arts organization funded by the State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs; the Downtown Development Board; the Florida Theatrical Association; Orange County government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs program, and members of the Central Florida community like you. Mad Cow’s mission is to produce highly entertaining works of theatre to an ever-widening audience – promoting, enhancing, and celebrating the human condition through art. We celebrate the word and the actor through a combination of passionate, skillful acting and compelling, insightful writing, all nurtured by an attentive and ever-changing process. www.madcowtheatre.com BLACK THEATRE GIRL MAGIC is a community of Brown and Black identifying women with a mission to create a racially just, equitable, and accessible entertainment industry for Black and Brown women. They work to drive a cultural shift in theatre institutions to create safer spaces for the BIPOC community through public discourse and national legislation. BTGM aims to eliminate racist and ableist barriers of entry into all sectors of the entertainment industry. In addition, they elevate the valuable anti-racism work of other Black Woman-run organizations by sharing their resources and platform. BTGM is in the process of becoming a recognized non-profit organization and can be found at www.blacktheatregirlmagic.org.

Saturday, Sept. 19, 1:00 p.m.­­(EST) — Nothing Rhymes with Juneteenth Saturday, Oct. 3, 1:00 p.m.­(EST) — Black Flag Saturday, Oct. 17, 1:00 p.m.­(EST) ­— Act Free