Click to Read the Program
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Click to Read the Program ~~~
Regional Premiere
April 8-24, 2022 • Raleigh
Directed by Jerry Sipp
Umstead Park United Church of Christ. 8208 Brownleigh Drive, Raleigh 27617
Masks are required indoors. Covid vaccinations or negative test are appreciated. This show has strong language and a brief strobe light scene. Recommended for high school age and above.
A thrilling, darkly funny, and gripping new reimagining of Ibsen’s 1882 classic.
Fracking may be causing earthquakes in an Oklahoma town where tens of millions of barrels of oil are stored. If “The Big One” hits, the explosive results would be a disaster. When the local newspaper editor tries to blow the whistle, his brother, the sheriff, will go to any lengths to stop him, including exposing his secrets, ruining his reputation, and making him an Enemy of the People.
REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS:
Beltline to Broadway review “Seismic Familial Relationships…”
Beltline to Broadway Podcast with the Playwright
Chatham Life and Style feature “Nonbinary and Poly Representation…”
LISTEN to an interview with JTP’s Jorie Slodki and Dr. Schoerning, a science education researcher with the nonprofit American Resiliency. “American Resiliency provides information and adaptation services to help Americans prepare for climate change. The scientific community has a good idea of what the changes that are coming will look like, and what we need to do to prepare. I believe it's time for everyone to have access to this information.”
Opening Weekend:
Friday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. Meet the Director pre-show reception with bubbles an dessert items. 7:30 p.m. performance
Saturday, April 9, 6:15 p.m. DISCUSSION: Dr. Faith Perez McGowan “Climate Grief: Living in a Visibly Decaying Environment.” 7:30 pm performance
Sunday, April 10, 3:30 p.m. performance
Second Weekend: Friday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. performance
Saturday, April 16, 6:15 p.m. DISCUSSION: Meet the Playwright! 7:30 p.m. performance
Sunday, April 17, 3:30 p.m. performance
FINAL Weekend :
Friday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. performance CANCELLED due to illness.
Saturday, April 23, 6:15 p.m. DISCUSSION: Dr. Cheryl Johnson with Artistic Director Jerry Sipp. “How do Americans find truth in our age of media misinformation, when scientific data is discounted or suppressed to achieve the goals of powerful institutions or people?” 7:30 pm performance
Sunday, April 24, 3:30 p.m. final performance with FREE child care, FREE audio description Reservations required for both.
ABOUT THE SHOW:
“Enemy of the People is a play that tells the story of a man following his conscience and doing what he feels is morally right, despite the negative impact on his reputation and his family's security.
Adapted from the Ibsen play, this Enemy is set in the fictitious town of Cushing, OK, where millions of barrels of oil are pumped through each day and where tens of millions of oil are stored. The play takes place the weekend before the 2016 election and reflects some of the restlessness of the rural red states. The month before a significant earthquake hit a town 40 miles north of Cushing. If one hits Cushing, the damage could be catastrophic. The editor of the paper, Daniel, wants to write an editorial urging citizens to action, but his brother, the town sheriff, prevents him. When Daniel decides to press his point, bad things happen.
Told in two hours, with 7 characters, this adaptation is fast-paced, comedic, and a reflection of contemporary times.”
meet the cast and artistic team:
Seth A. Blum (Daniel) is delighted to appear in his first production with The Justice Theater Project. Seth has appeared with many companies around the Triangle. Some favorites include Iago, Hamlet, Caliban, and Richard III with Bare Theatre; Tom Wingfield in Glass Menagerie, Andrew Rally in I Hate Hamlet and Randle McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at Raleigh Little Theatre; The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) and David Tuttle in Sorry Wrong Chimney with Actor’s Comedy Lab. Seth wishes to thank his bride, Rebecca, and three children for their patience and reasonably good behavior while he was away at rehearsal. Seth is a criminal defense lawyer by day, so if you have been accused of a crime, why not stick around after the show?
Janet Boudreau (Kathryn) is thrilled to be a part of this talented ensemble for Enemy of the People. Last season, Janet reprised her role of Pat in JTP's 68-minute film version of HE/SHE AND ME after being featured in this one-woman show live (pre-pandemic) with The Women's Theatre Festival (WTF) and again in Boone's BOLO Festival. Janet has also played leading roles in WTF productions of More Than Anything in the World and the Planned Parenthood 100th Anniversary Celebration. She was last seen on JTP's stage as Mrs. Bedwin in our hit musical, OLIVER! Janet regularly sings with the Choral Society of Durham and has performed with chorales in Brazil, Cuba, and Spain.
J Chachula (Peter) is an actor, improvisor, teacher, and director. He is a graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and runs Open Mind Improvisation. Memorable gigs include two years touring with the Transactors Improv Company as well as directing, writing, and acting for the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ Nature Fun Theatre. This is his third project with The Justice Theater Project, having played the Stage Manager in Our Town and the Director of Every Brilliant Thing. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and son. Many thanks to Jerry and the wonderfully supportive team at The Justice Theater Project!
Emily Chiola (Nora) is thrilled to be performing in her first show with The Justice Theater Project. Emily is a Raleigh-based actress and has previously been seen in The Odd Couple, Death by Design, 12 Angry Jurors, and in several radio plays and online performances. When not on stage, she enjoys traveling, filmmaking, writing and dabbling in fashion.
J. Ra’Chel Fowler (Mandy) is a North Carolina performance artist. She is a native of Durham and & Alum of NCCU’s theatre department. She also holds three additional advanced degrees. J. Ra’Chel was last seen on The Justice Theater Project’s stage as Actor 6/Black Woman in We Are Proud to Present …. She is very excited to bring this new character to life in this upcoming production. Her greatest joys are her three children: Kourtnee’ Ra’Chel, Josiah Dymarja’ & Jeremiah DeKarai. 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”.
Dan Oliver (Mort) a retired writer/producer/director, spent many years at WRAL-TV and Horizon Productions. Triangle theater appearances include Dry Powder for Sonorous Road, Well Fed, Well Said for Seed Art Share, Heads Will Roll, True West, Maccountant, Hamlet, and Celebration for Little Green Pig, and Picasso at the Lapin Agile for the ArtsCenter in Carrboro.
Nat M. Sherwood (Billy) is a Raleigh native and 2019 alumna of both NC State University and NYC’s Atlantic Acting School Summer Intensive. They are a trans-non-binary actor, playwright, and poet having most recently portrayed Tybalt and Paris in Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Other recent credits include Jean-Paul Marat in MARAT/SADE, Demetrius and Quince in The Midsummer Experience, and Sunny Jacobs in The Exonerated. Nat dedicates their performance to their late “Momma Bear,” Vicki Poole Sherwood.
Olivia Allen (Stage Manager) 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 (assistant 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.
Cory Arnold (Lighting Designer) has a B.A. in Music Business from Millikin University. Recent Lighting Design credits include Real Women Have Curves, Shadows, Every Brilliant Thing, and Black Nativity in Concert (The Justice Theater Project). Cory often uses his skills as an electrician at DPAC, PNC, and other regional venues. He is excited to be part of this production and thanks those who continue to support him in his pursuit of the arts.
Sally Beale (Costume Designer) began working on theatre productions at the Granville Little Theatre in Oxford, NC, both on stage and off. Her favorite costuming shows were The Crucible and The Music Man. Sally went on to work seven years at The Playhouse Community Theatre in Rocky Mount as their costume and prop designer. Her favorite shows there included Annie Get Your Gun, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Diary of Anne Frank. This is her fifth show with JTP and is excited to be working with this production of Enemy of the People.
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.
Jeffrey Nugent (Set Designer/Master Carpenter) has been active with Triangle theater groups for more than 20 years as an actor, designer, props wrangler, builder, ninja, etc… He is excited to collaborate with the amazing cast, crew, and production team in telling this wonderful story. Thanks to them for sharing their gifts and to YOU for supporting our passion. Enjoy the show!
Jerry Sipp (Director, Justice Theater Project Artistic Director) North Carolina director, actor, and educator Jerry Sipp has been appointed as The Justice Theater Project’s (JTP) Artistic Director. Sipp will be the company’s second artistic director. A veteran professional theatre artist, Sipp has served as Producing Artistic Director for Temple Theatre in Sanford, The Playhouse Theatre in Rocky Mount, and Granville Little Theatre in Oxford. Sipp is the co-founder of Trio Productions, a professional touring educational theatre with an 18-year touring history across the U.S. and Scotland. He has directed well over 100 productions and performed in over 100 shows. Sipp is a member of the Actor's Equity Association, the union of professional stage actors in the U.S. He served for three years as a member of the Board of Directors of the NC Theatre Conference. Sipp has also seen 12 of his original scripts produced and has won several awards for his playwriting. For JTP, he has directed the musicals Ragtime and Grey Gardens played the lead role of Mitch Albom in Tuesdays with Morrie and has worked with JTP as their 2017-2018 season-long producer of A Soldier’s Play (October 2017), Black Nativity (December 2017), and Bent (February 2018) to critical acclaim. He directed JTP’s June 2018 musical Oliver! and performed the role of Fagin. In 2019 he directed the critically acclaimed Sweat. 2020 found Jerry reprising for film his one-man show “Shadows,” based on the life of Robert Louis Stevenson.
Jorie Slodki (Assistant Director) has been serving as JTP's Outreach Coordinator since 2016. Jorie is also a board member for the Cary Playwrights Forum, where she has produced the It's Been One Week Monologue Competition for the past two years. Jorie directed These Shining Lives for the Women's Theater Festival's Mainstage season in 2018. She directed a radio play of Mac McCord's The (Dog) Park, which won Best Production in CPF's Radio Play Contest 2019. When Jorie is not doing theater, she can be found in the community working as the Grants & Content Manager for the Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary. Jorie has an MA in Theatre Research from the University of Wisconsin and a BA in Theatre/Anthropology from Indiana University. She would like to thank her husband Zakai for all his support.
Heather J. Strickland (Fight and Intimacy Choreographer) 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 The 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
Sage Amthor Twiss (Props Designer) is happy to be working with JTP once again. Sage is the Special Effects Technician for A Christmas Carol (Theatre In The Park), most recently was a props master for Snow White (Lythgoe Family Panto), and The Fall Of The House Of Usher (Town of Cary). Her job is Production Manager at Red Hat Amphitheater downtown Raleigh. Thanks to the kiddos Hazel, Izzy and Elijah and special loves to granddaughter Seneca Sage and The Ever Patient Wife of Wonder, Andrea Amthor Twiss!!
