Bambiland

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Director's Statement

I am thrilled to introduce "Bambiland" as a pivotal production in our ongoing mission to create impactful work that resonates deeply within our community. Kendra Ann Flournoy, a co-founder of our company and a gifted playwright, has crafted a narrative that not only explores the personal journey of its protagonist but also celebrates the vibrant spirit and resilience of Detroit.

"Bambiland" centers around Nic, a tenacious 28-year-old journalist based in New York City, whose career is defined by her fearless pursuit of gritty investigative stories. When Nic is assigned to investigate the plight of overtaxed homeowners in her hometown of Detroit—a story that could propel her career to new heights—she must confront the ghosts of her past and the unresolved emotions she has long avoided.

This story resonates with me deeply as both an artist and real estate professional. The poignant exploration of the victimization faced by Black homeowners highlights systemic injustices that continue to impact marginalized communities. 

What excites me most about "Bambiland" is Kendra's profound ability to capture the essence of Detroit—the city's soul, its struggles, and its triumphs. Through a fusion of poetry, African dance, and music, Kendra brings a rich tapestry of cultural expressions to the stage, elevating Nic's journey into a visceral and transformative theatrical experience.

At Face Off Theatre Company, our 2024 season is dedicated to exploring the theme of identity through a powerful lineup of productions. "Bambiland" stands as a compelling centerpiece, offering a narrative that challenges our audience to reflect on their own identities and the communities they inhabit. 

I invite you to join us on this journey as we bring "Bambiland" to life on our stage. Together, let us explore the intersections of personal ambition and social responsibility, and strive to build a more just and compassionate community through the arts.

About Face Off Theatre Company

Face Off Theatre Company is a West-Michigan ensemble-based theater founded in 2015 by six graduates of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Today, FOTC seeks to both ENGAGE and EMPOWER the communities we represent. 

culturalasticity - “communities that heal, grow, care and inspire together, wire together and bring us all higher together" - Susana Barkataki

Cast

Creative Team

Meet the Company

Cierra Hedgespeth

Nic Russell

Cierra Sherise, a vibrant and enthusiastic recent graduate of Western Michigan University's Theatre program, is making waves in the world of theatre! She delivered a standout performance as Mrs. Peacock in Clue, brought depth and intensity to the role of Brutus in Julius Caesar, and added a touch of enchantment as a Muse in Emilia. Most recently, she had the honor of portraying Beneatha Younger in the Kalamazoo Civic's production of A Raisin in the Sun. Now, she is absolutely thrilled to make her debut with Face Off Theatre! Cierra's theatre journey began in an afterschool improv program, sparking a passion that led her to read every play she could find. This enthusiasm carried her to the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit during high school. She adores theatre, literature, and all forms of art. Cierra is bubbling with gratitude for her family, friends, and everyone who has ever cheered her on!

Delanti Hall

Everett Towns

Delanti Hall (he/him) is a 23-year-old Detroit native working on a bachelor’s in fine arts in acting at Western Michigan University, where he’s been in several productions such as Blood at the Root and Sweat, directed by Mark Liermann. He made his Face Off debut portraying Omari in Pipeline in 2021. He was last seen in Face Off’s production of Exception to the Rule by Dave Harris, directed by Arizsia Staton. He graduated from the Detroit School of Arts High School in 2019. Displaying talent early on, he was named Best Freshmen Actor there. Delanti became president of his Detroit school’s Thespian Troupe 5672 his senior year. While also in high school, he earned a “superior rating” at the Michigan Thespian State Festival for Duo/Individual Event Performance in 2017. An interesting fact? He once did a commercial for Henry Ford Hospital. This performance is dedicated to his family and his hometown. Because they are the reason he’s able to be who he is and do what he loves. As the playwright, Kendra, has beautifully said: “May we all do our work, play our part.”

Milan Levy

Charly Russell

Milan Levy (They/Them) was born in Los Angeles, California, and has been involved in theatre almost their entire life. They studied technical theatre and acting at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts from Kalamazoo College in 2023. After graduating, Milan became the production manager for Face Off Theatre Company. This is their first time directing with Face Off Theatre Company (YAY!) Their recent director credits include Unzipped at Festival Playhouse and All of Us: A Celebration of BIPOC Voices at The Civic. They want to shout out their amazing cast, crew, company and most of all co-director Xavier Bolden!

Guy Hauke

Phil Liberman

Guy Hauke has called Kalamazoo home for nearly twenty years. He's been married for 26 years and has two adult children. He is an unabashed Trekkie and Disney Parks Adult. He had supporting roles in the 2017 Kalamazoo Civic Theatre Productions of "By the Way, Meet Vera Stark" and "Radiation: A Month of Sun-days". He is excited to break his 7 year long acting pause with his Face Off Theatre Company debut in "Bambiland".

Rhonda Collins

Grandma Celeste

Rhonda Collins: I returned to the stage after a 50 year hiatus making my Kalamazoo Civic Theatre debut in Whose Life Is It Anyway? I enjoyed the experience so much, that I came back and performed in the musical Is There Life After High School? Prior to Whose Life Is It Anyway?, my last theatrical involvement was in high school, so I consider it to have been most appropriate because my answer is a resounding “yes there is”. Before moving to Kalamazoo six years ago, I lived and worked in the Chicagoland area after graduating from Northern Illinois University where I received a B.S. degree in Marketing. Before moving to Kalamazoo, I owned and operated my own vintage store in Evanston, Illinois. While now retired, I enjoy learning and appreciating the Kalamazoo community which is rich in theatre and art history. I was honored to make my Face Off Theatre Company debut in the production of North Star. I respect and appreciate all of the hard work that made such a production a success. The level of talent and dedication to showcase artists of color and celebrating diversity is awe- inspiring. I am humbled to return and perform in Bambiland. Thank you, once again, for this wonderful opportunity. I am most thankful for the love and wonderful support of my family and partner.

Kayde Moore

Former Official/Random Dude/Shawn Garland

Kayde Moore (they/them) was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended Detroit School of Arts. This is where they cultivated skills in acting, film editing, sound/costume design, camera operating and scriptwriting. They are a recent graduate of Western Michigan University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Film/Video/Media Studies and Arts Administration. Their hard work secured internships like Production Assistant for Shakespeare In Detroit in 2017 & 2021 with their shows Much Ado Para Nada and Romeo & Juliet. Shortly after they started as administrative intern in 2022 for Face Off Theatre Company. This opened the door for them to become Face Off’s Arts Administrator/Audience Development Manager post-graduation which is where the advocacy and community-driven work they love will only begin! Kayde is thrilled to take the stage with a company and show that means so much to them. This will be their main stage debut with Face Off Theatre after participating in the Youth New Play Project two years in a row!

Daniel Whitcomb

Phil Liberman U/S

Daniel Whitcomb is an actor, writer, cyclist, and theater enthusiast from Kalamazoo. They graduated in 2022 from Kalamazoo College, where they played such roles as Commander Effingham Swan/Walter Trowbridge in It Can’t Happen Here, Judge in The Exception and the Rule, and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. They were most recently seen as Mr. Connell/Jake in Face Off’s production of North Star by Gloria Bond Clunie. Daniel is grateful to their partner Ruth and the supportive community of passionate artists at Face Off for helping enable them to do their best work.

Alyssa Laney

Office Clerk/Charly U/S

Alyssa Laney is excited to be returning to the stage with Face Off Theatre in "Bambiland". She was recently an understudy with Face Off in “North Star” and performed in Kalamazoo Civics "Barbecue". Alyssa made her feature film debut in Exhibiting Forgiveness which will be in theaters the fall of 2024. She also recently performed in the films Jennifers Council and Babble. Alyssa has been an active student in the Academy of Theatre Arts at the Kalamazoo Civic and enjoys traveling and spending time with her four legged son Romeo. Alyssa would like to thank Sheila Lipsey, Kat Mumma, Titus Kaphar, and Anthony J Hamilton for their ongoing mentorship and support.

Marissa Harrington

Director

Marissa is a founding member of Face Off Theatre Company and graduate of Western Michigan University’s Theatre Program. She has directed numerous productions in Kalamazoo including: The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, Grease at Hackett Catholic Prep High School, In the Heights at Kalamazoo Central High School, The Learned Ladies at Kalamazoo College, Dancing Granny at WMU, as well as several FOTC productions (Been Loving You, Chain, The Mountaintop, The Colored Museum, and Dreamgirls). Marissa has also performed in several productions including Ruined, Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding, Detroit 67, and By the Way Meet Vera Stark. She resides in Kalamazoo with her husband Harold, beautiful children Lyla, Hunter, Estelle, and dog Enzo.

Kendra Ann Flournoy

Playwright

Kendra Ann Flournoy is a Detroit-bred multihyphenate artist. She’s a writer, visual artist, administrator, and educator. She has developed work at The Lark and in DrAw and Más Paginas, womxn writers’ collectives led by Nikki Brake-Silla and Christina Pumariega. Kendra’s plays have been staged in Kalamazoo, Detroit, Chicago, Omaha, and New York. Her work was featured in the 2019 50 in 50: Letters to Our Daughters showcase presented by The Billie Holiday Theatre and Frank Silvera Writers’ Workshop, The Black Lady Theatre’s 2019 Foundation: New Writings Series, Great Plains Theatre Commons 2024 New Play Conference, and she is a 2024 recipient of Detroit Public Theatre’s TAG Residency & Partnership Program. Kendra co-founded Face Off Theatre Company, based in Kalamazoo, MI, and was the Director of Alumni Programs and Operations Manager during her time at The Lark in New York City. She briefly served as the Managing Artistic Director at the Detroit Repertory Theatre. Over the past few years, she has stepped into film as a writer and has supported the production of over half a dozen independent films. Kendra received her BA in English and MFA in Playwriting from Western Michigan University.

Milan Levy

Production Manager

Milan Levy was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. They have been doing theatre pretty much their whole life, from being the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz in elementary school to joining a Shakespeare troupe at 11. They attended the Los Angeles Country High School for the Arts (LACHSA) where they learned technical theatre and acting techniques. They graduated from Kalamazoo College studying Theatre Arts this past June. Their recent endeavors include Camae in The Mountaintop, Dasani in Exception to the Rule with FOTC and is currently the director of The Civics youth play, All of Us. They reside in Kalamazoo with their three funky roommates and two Guinea pigs, Blu and Bartholomew (Barry). They are beyond excited to work with Face Off Theatre Company!

Ryan Tiara Jordan

Assistant Director

Born and Raised in Detroit, MI. I’ve been studying the arts since I was a kid. Attended Winans Academy of Performing Arts where I learned every art form. Attended/graduated Cass Technical High School where my focus was performing arts- acting. Attended/graduated Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. I just graduated in Spring ‘24 from Western with my BFA with focuses in acting and directing. My most recent endeavors include: Esther in Intimate Apparel at WMU, Grace in Piano Lesson at The Civic, Cynthia in Sweat at WMU, and assisting directing Bambiland at FOTC. I reside in Kalamazoo currently and travel between here and Detroit.

May Moe Tun

Stage Manager

May Moe Tun (they/she) Born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar her whole life, May opens most conversations, introducing themselves as a Burmese international student. She started learning about theatre because of the sheer joy and fascination she felt by seeing ideas transform from wishful thinking into fully-functioning collaborative live performances on stage. They were first introduced into stage managing as an assistant stage manager in The Mountaintop with Playhouse Festival and later stage managed Exception to the Rule and Ain’t Misbehavin with Face Off Theatre Company. As they continue to walk on their healing journey with self, identity, community, and histories of the places they have come to settle in, May wishes to one day explore collaborative story-telling as a director, writer, and actor, experiencing deep connection with each individual in life.

Olivia Johnston

Assistant Stage Manager

Olivia is thrilled to be a part of this world premier! Olivia enjoys the behind-the-scenes aspects of theater and is ready to lend their talents as Assistant Stage Manager for this production. This will be Olivia’s first production with Face Off Theatre Company. Thanks all for a warm welcome.

Dr. Quincy Thomas

Intimacy Choreographer

Quincy’s Ph.D. in Theatre and their Performance Studies certification are both from Bowling Green State University. As an actor, director, intimacy coordinator, and playwright, their offerings focus on subjects such as counter-storytelling; Black performativity in American media; stand up and solo performance, and performative writing. As a Professor in the Kalamazoo College Theatre Arts Department, Quincy employs their passion for theatre, performance studies, and writing while speaking to issues surrounding cultural marginalization and misrepresentation in the arts, specifically of racial and ethnic minorities, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. As a director, their most recent offering is Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. As an actor, some of their favorite roles played include Christopher in Blue/Orange, Albert in Clybourne Park, Touchstone in As You Like It, Lord Longeville in Love’s Labours Lost, Selsdon in Noises Off, and Actor in Nassim Soleimanpour’s White Rabbit; Red Rabbit. As a writer their play, The Whites Explain It All, was selected as the full-length play for the 2023 Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. When not seeing to these undertakings, Quincy is writing a novel and new play entitled, Complex Rhythms.

Sam Snow

Lighting Designer

Brandon Newson

Run Crew

Samma Yuag

Run Crew

Shea-Lin Shobowale Benson

Dramaturg

Shealin has been performing onstage since the age of three as a dancer, singer and actress; she is also a writer. She was a member of The VUU Players at her alma mater, Virginia Union University in Richmond, Va., performing in several stage plays and impromptu nights. She honed her dance skills as a member of Expressions Liturgical Dance Troupe and Unique Image Dance Troop, and on the dance line as a Dancing Diva with the VUU Marching Band. She has been with FOTC for the past 2 ½ years with the past 2 years being the Season Stage Manager working backstage on several FOTC productions. She even wrote a play “Is Black Enough” as part of FOTC’s New Play Series during the summer of 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Virginia Union University, a master’s degree in Psychology from Fayetteville State University, she is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Capella University. She currently resides in Kalamazoo, MI with her husband of 5 years, Rashidi, II and their very handsome fraternal twin boys Rashidi, III and Rashod.

Multimedia

Special Thanks

The Face Off Theatre Board of Directors

Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo

Stryker Corporation

Dorothy U. Dalton Foundation

Irving S. Gilmore Foundation

Kalamazoo Dry Goods

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Ashley Wiggins & Victoria’s Garden farm

The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre

Cara Lieurance at WMUK

Angela Anderson with 95.5 The Touch

Texture House Sound & Visuals

and those who donated all of the beautiful flowers we used on stage