We Are Proud to Present

We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 - 1915

By Jackie Sibblies Drury

Directed by Amelia Lumpkin

Image courtesy of Trevon Carr

February 18-27, 2022
Saint Augustine’s University, Seby Jones Theatre, Raleigh

Live-Streamed to your home and in-person performances:

$23 Adults. $20 Senior. $18 Groups. $5 Students & Educators

Live-Stream: $10 Individual, $25 Household

Seby Jones Fine Arts Theater Auditorium. 1315 Oakwood Ave, Raleigh, 27610.

Adult Content. Non-graphic racial violence. Profanity. Racial Slurs. Simulated gunshot sound effects.

READ THE REVIEWS: The Triangle Review Beltline to Broadway Chatham Life and Style

LISTEN to the Panel Discussion: “Retelling history through theatre.”

LISTEN to the Director Interview on WHUP Lights Up, minute 30

I'm not doing a German accent
You aren't doing an African accent
We aren't doing accents

A group of actors gathers to tell the little-known story of the first genocide of the twentieth century. As the full force of a horrific past crashes into the good intentions of the present, what seemed a far-away place and time is suddenly all too close to home. Just whose story are they telling?

Award-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury collides the political with the personal in a play that is irreverently funny and seriously brave.

CAST:

Matthew Hager, DJ Brinson, Dylan Bailey, Trevon Carr, Alli Mae Carnes, and Ra’Chel Fowler.

Artistic Team:

Director: Amelia Lumpkin

Production Stage Manager: Jeremy Vance

Assistant Stage Manager: Allyssa Petrone

Streaming Lead: Mikki Stith

Camera Operator: Theo Egan

Sound Designer: Juan Isler

Lighting Designer: George Jack

Master Carpenter: Jeff Nugent

Props Designer: Olivia Allen

Costume Designer: Lydia Houston

Projections Designer: Allyssa Petrone

Music Coordinator: Matthew Hager

Running Crew: Benjamin London

Fight & Intimacy Choreographer: Heather J. Strickland

Dramaturgs: Olivia Allen, and Dr. Kaye Evans

Counseling and Support: Kelly Caniglia and Scotty Elliott

Dylan Bailey (Actor 3/Another White Man) is a Raleigh-based theatre artist and arts educator. He holds a BFA in Theatre for Youth from East Carolina University. He’s acted with Seed Art Share, Burning Coal Theatre, Pittsboro Youth Theatre, Theatre in the Park, Pure Life Theatre, and Summer Storybook Theatre. As a teaching artist, he has worked with SAY, NCT, CYT, Raleigh Little Theatre, Applause! Youth Theatre, TAP, The ArtsCenter, Seed Art Share, Burning Coal Theatre, and Starbright Little Players. In 2020 he was recognized as an “Outstanding Arts Educator” by Chatham Life + Style in their publication’s Best of the Year event. He currently serves as a member of Pure Life Theatre’s Core Leadership and as Seed Art Share’s Managing Director. In his free time, he writes plays for young audiences!

DJ Brinson (Actor 2/Black Man) is beyond grateful to be part of this production. This will be his first time on stage in seven years and he’s excited to finally hit the stage again with such a special and powerful piece. He holds a BA in Acting from Greensboro College and is currently getting his Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina Central University. Some of his favorite collaborative memories include opening for Maroon 5, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffet (The Greenbrier Resort), Adrian in Smokey Joe’s Cafe (The Allenberry Playhouse), and Principle in the 2018 Sheetz Super Bowl commercial. When DJ is not acting, he spends time working as a talent agent for Devise Talent Agency and in healthcare marketing and administration. Time with family and friends is time well spent and if there are hot wings involved, he’s a happy man! Big thanks to everyone involved in this production, loved ones for support, and my sweet English Bulldog, Shuga-my best friend!

Alli Mae Carnes (Actor 5/Sarah) is thrilled to be making her Justice Theater Project performance debut! Alli is a full-time actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Originally from Florida, she grew up dancing in the Nutcracker Ballet and various dance competitions. Since moving to the Triangle in 2018, Alli has performed in multiple shows and has worked as a choreographer/teaching artist for the NCT Conservatory, Raleigh Area Children's Theatre, St. Mary's School, Sanderson High School, Raleigh School of Music, Raleigh Little Theatre, Gallery Players, and The Justice Theater Project.  When Alli is not performing or teaching with these companies, she teaches voice and acting lessons from her private studio "The Alli Mae Carnes Studio." She loves teaching students all over the world, spanning over 4 countries, through the AMCS. She is an advocate for self-expression and making theatre a safe space where people feel free to be themselves. Hope you enjoy this beautiful, important show! @allimaecarnes

Trevon Carr (Actor 4/ Another Black Man) is thrilled to be making his Justice Theater Project debut.  He was most recently seen in Theatre Raleigh’s Oh, What a Night as a Swing/Ensemble. In Trevon’s free time he loves taking pictures and creating videos which can be seen on his Instagram: @iamtrevoncarr

J. Ra’Chel Fowler (Actor 6/Black Woman) is a North Carolina performance artist. She is a native of  Durham and an Alum of NCCU’s theatre department and holds three additional advanced degrees. J. Ra’Chel was last seen on The Justice Theater Project’s stage as Cynthia in SWEAT. She is very excited to return to this COVID-protected stage in this upcoming production and “play” with these talented actors. Her most recent theatrical production includes TIP’s The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble. Other local theatrical productions include Seven, the play, Worried, and “For Colored Girls…”.  J. Ra’Chel has also performed with the late Dr. Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Ensemble (AADE), Cultural Movement African Dance Company, and Ayoluwa African Dance Ensemble. Her greatest joys are her three children: Kourtnee’ Ra’Chel, Josiah & Jeremiah.  J. Ra’Chel believes “the difference between living and existing is “PASSION”.  Her mantra in life is D2BD – Dare 2B Different ~ “if you’re lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change”.

Matthew Hager (Actor 1/White Man/Music Coordinator) is an actor, theatre-maker, and teaching artist based out of Raleigh. For The Justice Theater Project Matthew previously performed in Sweat and directed The Justice Theater Project’s summer camp productions for the last three years and will direct Mary Poppins Jr. this summer. Matthew has acted for many other local companies, including NC Theatre, NC Symphony, EBZB Productions, Bulldog Theater Ensemble, Honest Pint, Manbites Dog, Deep Dish, and Burning Coal Theatre (company member since 2012).  In 2017, Matthew founded Aggregate Theatre Company with the mission of developing a younger theatergoing audience in the Triangle. Aggregate will release Matthew's original musical Giselle la Trent the Gazellephant later this year as the first podcast musical made for kids and families. FB & Instagram: @aggregatetheater

Olivia Allen (Props Designer/Dramaturg) is excited to make her return to live theatre in her hometown, Raleigh. She graduated with a BFA in Directing from Emory & Henry College in 2019. Some of her favorite stage management credits include Eurydice, Cabaret (E&H), and The Lion King Jr (The Dreamland Stage Company). Her favorite directing projects include RENT: School Edition at Seattle Children’s Theatre (asst. director), No Exit, and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s State Fair (E&H). Before moving back to Raleigh, she interned at Georgia Ensemble Theatre where she served as the assistant director for their productions of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Night Must Fall, and Leading Ladies. Olivia also serves as an Admin and Artistic Associate for The Justice Theater Project and is looking forward to the rest of the season.

 Lydia Henry Houston (Costumer/Wardrobe) was the Costumer for The Justice Theater Project’s Black Nativity in Concert 2021.  She is a sewist with more than 40 years of sewing and costuming experience. Graduating with a Degree in Fashion from Bauder College in 2014, Lydia earned The Craftsmanship Award in the Annual Bauder Black Tie Fashion Show. Before attending college, she had designed and sewn costumes for The African American Dance Ensemble, led by Baba Chuck Davis; Collage Dance Company; Suah African Dance Theatre; and several choreographers. She specializes in creating an awesome fitting garment. Lydia was a Wardrobe Assistant with Cirque du Soliel’s “Amaluna” in Atlanta, GA, and Miami, FL. She has been a Movie Wardrobe Assistant for a DeVan Clan Production in GA and a True Dreams Production in NC. Always creating, she designs bowties with her husband for their company, The BowGame Bowties. She currently operates ExtremelyLydia Sewing Company. Her motto is “You Design It, I’ll Make It”.

 Juan Isler (Sound Designer) a native of Kinston, NC, grew up singing and earned a music-business degree at Winston-Salem State University in 1993. He worked as a deejay before coming to Raleigh, where he got a job as technical director at what is now Spectrum News in 2004.  He has worked on more than 50 plays in venues across the Triangle on both sides of the stage, as an actor, technician, and director. He is the resident Sound Designer at The Justice Theater Project. He also serves on various boards, NRACT and Beltline To Broadway, and is on the core leadership committee at Pure Life Theater. He is an active member of the American Theater Critics Association and a recipient of the Raleigh Arts Commission's Medal of Arts award. He is the host of the show “TORN,” where he is one of the public faces of the online hub Beltline To Broadway (beltlinetobroadway.org, formerly RDU On Stage). All of this, while working as an event coordinator at NC State University.

 George Jack (Light Designer) previously designed lighting for The Justice Theater Project’s production of For Colored Girls.  He is better known in the Raleigh area as an actor, performing in dozens of local productions with Burning Coal Theatre (including Magaldi in Evita, Ben Franklin in 1776, Polonius in Hamlet), Sweet Tea Shakespeare (York in RICHARD II, The Old Shepherd in The Winter’s Tale, and roles in (Henry IV, King Lear, and Hamlet), Raleigh Ensemble Players (Claude Monet in Defying Gravity), Theatre in the Park, and the African American Cultural Complex (John Quincy Adams in Amistad Saga).  He has a BA from the College of William and Mary and an MFA from the University of Louisville.  George is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Saint Augustine’s University in Raleigh.  

 Benjamin London (Set CrewStage Manager)

Amelia Lumpkin (Director) graduated from Davidson College with a BA in Theatre and a minor in Arabic. As an all-around theatre maker, arts administrator, and performer, she is delighted to debut her professional directing with The Justice Theater Project where she has managed the summer camp program from 2018 to 2021. In the past, she directed Cloud Tectonics and The Purple Flower at Davidson, site-specific one-act plays for Channel Dance at Fort Point Theater Channel. She has collaborated as a theatre teacher or administrator for youth theatre programs with Choate Rosemary Hall, Davidson Community Players, Raleigh Little Theater, The Theater Offensive, and her elementary school students during five years of teaching. Her study abroad in Bolivia inspired Canela, Café or Chocolate, a bilingual play she wrote, directed, designed, and performed alongside members of Saya Mauchi about the black experience in Bolivia. You can check out her other current project: Assigned Female at Birth: a web series about some bodies has two seasons available to watch for free on YouTube. She sends the greatest kudos to this incredible team that has kept telling this story despite all of the challenges and to her family who has been her greatest supporters.

 Jeffrey Nugent (Master Carpenter) is delighted to help this talented cast, crew, and production team to tell such a wonderful story. Thanks to Jerry for the opportunity; Shelley for her patience and willingness to share; and to each of YOU for supporting our passion. Enjoy the show!

Heather J. Strickland (Fight and Intimacy Coordinator)has worked in the triangle area for nearly 20 years as a director, actor, and dance/fight/movement/intimacy choreographer. Recent fight/intimacy choreography credits include: NRACT's Bonnie and Clyde, Honest Pint's Metromaniacs, NC State University Theatre's Ragtime, and Raleigh Little Theatre's Pippin. Favorite projects include: Director for Bare Theatre's all-female Titus Andronicus and the regional premiere of EverScape, Director for RLT's What We’re Up Against, Dance/Fight Choreography for Justice Theatre Project's Oliver, and Movement Director for RLT's Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and Sonorous Road's The Wolves. Heather works with schools and theaters as a teacher and choreographer, including St. Mary's High School, NC State University Theatre, Apex High School, and Panther Creek High School. Heather has a degree in Theatre Arts from Flagler College and is trained by the Society of American Fight Directors.

Jeremy Vance (Stage Manager) graduated from ECU with a BFA in Theatre Arts and is delighted to be a  part of this powerful production. Previous credits include I and You with Burning Coal Theatre; Turn of the Screw at The  Turnage Theatre; Big Fish, Cabaret, Pirates of Penzance,  Thoroughly Modern Millie, Bat Boy, and Mamma Mia! at  Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Center.

Photos by Naveed Moeed