Sunset Baby

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Director Statement

I am thrilled to announce our production of "Sunset Baby" by Dominique Morisseau, marking the beginning of our 10th anniversary season. This play holds a special place in my heart, having directed it previously, and I am excited to bring it back to life with fresh perspectives and renewed energy.

"Sunset Baby" delves into the complexities of identity, love, and sacrifice, inviting audiences to reflect on their own experiences and relationships. It challenges us to consider the cost of change and the true nature of revolution. What does revolution look like? What does it take to ignite meaningful change in our communities and ourselves? These questions resonate now more than ever, providing a powerful lens through which we can examine our world.

This production is made even more special through our partnership with the Black Arts and Cultural Center and the Festival Playhouse at Kalamazoo College. Together, we are committed to amplifying diverse voices and creating a space for dialogue around the critical issues that Morisseau so brilliantly captures in her work. Our collaboration allows us to reach a broader audience and engage in meaningful conversations about identity and social justice.

As we celebrate a decade of artistic exploration, we invite you to join us in this journey of discovery and reflection. Through "Sunset Baby," we hope to inspire, challenge, and connect with each of you as we ponder what it truly takes to make change in our world.

Thank you for your support and belief in the power of theatre.

In Art and Activism,

Marissa Harrington 

Co-Founder/Artistic Director

Face Off Theatre Company

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

Mikaela Johnson

NINA

Mikaela Johnson is a Chicago based actor, born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She is a recent graduate of Western Michigan University, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts. Her previous shows with Face Off include Pipeline and Jar the Floor. Some of her favorite credits include, Black by Popular Demand (The Second City Chicago), The Play that Goes Wrong (Western Michigan University) and She Persisted (Farmers Alley Theatre).

Delanti Hall

DAMON

Delanti Hall (he/him) is a 23-year-old Detroit native who studied his 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 Bambiland, an original play by Co-founder, Kendra Ann Flournoy, this past season. 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 2018-19. 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. “May everything I do exude my love for you.”

Ron Ware

KENYATTA

Ron began acting at a young age in Church. Church skits turned in to oratorical contests and eventually high school musicals. Ron continued his passion for acting with the Kalamazoo Black Civic theater group and the Western Michigan University Theater Department. In 2001 he moved out to Los Angeles. Ron was fortunate to be in several independent and student films. He also Played the role of Malcolm X in the play “The Meeting” in the famous Stella Adler theater. Ron returned to Michigan in 2009 and promptly booked an independent feature film and a Delta airlines national commercial. Here are a few notable characters Ron has portrayed on stage; Lenny in “Of Mice and Men”, Juror #8 in “12 Angry Men”, Colonel Nathan Jessup in “A few good men”, Gabriel in “Fences”, and Joseph Asagi in “Raisin in the Sun”, Doaker in The Piano Lesson. To date Ron has been blessed with guest star and co-star roles on network TV to include Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Detroit 187. I am happy to be in “Sunset Baby” another FACE OFF Theater production. It is always a pleasure to work with such talented and professional actors and crew.

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.

Milan Levy

Production Manager

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.

Kayde Moore

Arts Administration

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!

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.

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.

Lanny Potts

Lighting and Scenic Designer

May Moe Tun

Scenic Carpenter

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.

Stacy Bartell

Scenic Carpenter

Phoebe Tozer

Scenic Carpenter

Rex Jasper

Scenic Carpenter

Kirsten Sluyter

Scenic Carpenter

Cruz Kerley

Scenic Carpenter

Sarai Harper

Sound Board Op

Max Joos

Scenic Carpenter/Stage Manager/Light Board Op

Photos

Multimedia

Special Thanks

The Face Off Theatre Board of Directors

Our Presenting Sponsor - Stara

Face Off Theatre Company Founders

Face Off theatre company advisory board

Black Arts and Cultural Center

Festival Playhouse at kalamazoo college

Stryker Corporation

Irving S. Gilmore Foundation

Cara Lieurance at WMUK

Angela Anderson with 95.5 The Touch

Gordon Bolar

The Fatherhood Network

Dr. Quincy Thomas

Amy Brandt

Gary Marquardt

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