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A LETTER FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Welcome to Farmers Alley Theatre and our production of Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap.

I believe we are in many ways products of our upbringing.  Growing up as a child of the 1980’s my interests were many.  Artistically I was influenced by my mother, Laurel, in all things theatre as she would take me backstage at the Kalamazoo Civic when she would perform. My father, Josh, had season tickets to University of Michigan football, and games at the Big House or Crisler Arena are still things I covet. Both parents helped me embrace my Jewish heritage, and although our population in West Michigan was small, I felt great pride in being Jewish in a part of the world where that wasn’t common.  

Who our parents are and how they influence us becomes a major factor in shaping who we are as humans.  Without my parents I certainly wouldn’t be the Executive Director of a regional theatre, a job I love, as I get to help bring the magic of live theatre to so many. And with The Great Leap, playwright Lauren Yee uses her parental influence in writing this terrific play, drawing on her father’s experience as a basketball player in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the 80s.  

What makes this play so compelling to me is not just the subject matter, but the characters and relationships who are so relatable regardless if you have ever picked up a basketball or know who Deng Xiaoping is.  I dare you not to see yourself in Manford, Connie, Wen Chang or Saul. The human drama and universality of a game of basketball is undeniable.

I am a huge basketball fan and the drama that can occur on the court could rival Shakespeare.  Just ask 8-year-old me in 1989 (when this play takes place) as the University of Michigan’s star player, Rumeal Robinson, would step up to the free throw line and sink two shots with :03 seconds to give the Wolverines the National Championship.  Those points were more than just numbers on the scoreboard. In that same way, the words and actions of Manford and the rest resonate more than points, rebounds and assists in a box score.  That’s the power of theatre.

We thank you for coming out and embracing new, exciting, meaningful productions like the one you’re about to see.  If you’re in the mood for more, we’ve got lots more great shows lined up for the rest of our Crystal Anniversary season.  Next month we premiere the one woman show, Becoming Dr. Ruth followed by the hilarious family comedy Chicken & Biscuits in April. 

See you at the theatre.

Robert Weiner
Executive Director

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap interweaves a very personal story of a young man from San Francisco Chinatown’s search for identity, with one we all know so well from the world stage, the protests in and around Tiananmen Square in 1989.

She asks us to consider the personal circumstances and choices that lead to not only life-changing impacts, but world-changing ones too. She moves from the outcomes of a historical handshake (mirroring the one that sparked Ping Pong diplomacy on a bus in 1971) to the ensuing personal and political stories that unfold as a result. I love that. 

Stories that reveal the line from the hyper-personal to the hyper-global intrigue me so much because that is the heart of all of our stories as human beings. We make our life choices thinking that our impacts may not mean much, when in fact, they mean the world. My hope is that, like me, you too are invigorated by this story.

Helen Young, Director

Farmers Alley Theatre Staff

Joshua T. Weiner — President

Kathy Mulay — Vice President

Dan Guyette

Patricia Huiskamp

Alice Kemerling

Julie Nemitz

Charles Ofstein

Lanford J. Potts

Jack Hopkins

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Cast

Creative Team

Crew

Meet the Company

Ming Wu* (he/him)

Manford

Ming is very enthusiastic to dive into the world of The Great Leap as Manford Lum. Especially here at the Farmers Alley Theatre in KalamaZOO, Michigan! He recently worked on a feature film called MY HEAVENLY CITY directed by Sen-I Yu. In his free time, he plays ball. Trying to become the next Steph Curry. Ming trains with the Barrow Group and his one-on-one coach, Sandra Turner. Ming is repped with Stewart Talent (Bonnie Shumofsky Bloom). Transformers (2007) is the reason why Ming became an actor. He would like to thank Boni, Jalen, Eddie and Tay, Sandy, Priya, and most importantly, the woman who gave him life. Mum.

Richard Manera (he/him)*

Wen Chang

Richard is excited to be making his debut at Farmers Alley Theatre! He has performed at many theatres in the Chicago area, where he was last seen working with the Lyric Opera of Chicago on FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and LE COMTE ORY. He has also worked at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, The Goodman, Marriott Theatre of Lincolnshire, Drury Lane Theatre as well as Token Theatre, House Theatre, and Silk Road Rising. As part of the RSC presenting the entire canon of Shakespeare from theatres across the globe, Richard was in Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's HENRY IV PARTS 1 & 2. He has also performed at the Donmar Warehouse in London with the Olivier Award winning production of PACIFIC OVERTURES. Richard is a proud member of AGMA and AEA.

Jason Grubbe (he/him)*

Saul

Jason last appeared on Farmers Alley stage in SUPERIOR DONUTS. He is delighted to be back! Jason portrayed Vadislav in the debut of DAY OF THE DOG in St. Louis and it's subsequent Off-Broadway run. He also played the title role in BEN BUTLER in Iowa. Other roles include Iago, Claudius in HAMLET and Philippe in HEROES. Jason is a proud member of Actors Equity.

Zhanna Albertini (she/her)

Connie

Zhanna is thrilled to be working with Farmers Alley Theatre for the first time! Some of her previous credits include Broken Nose Theatre, Strawdog Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Steep Theatre, MPAACT and Silk Road Rising Theatre. You may also catch her on season 6 of CHICAGO P.D., Season 10 of CHICAGO FIRE and Season 2 of POWER BOOK IV: FORCE. Zhanna is happily represented by Stewart Talent Chicago. She would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support!

Helen Young (she/her)

Director

Helen Young is an actor and director who maintains her work in theatre, film, and television as well as a full time tech job with Amazon. Helen is passionate about continuing a multi-disciplinary artist’s path and encourages women to do the same. She believes that curiosity, knowledge and skill in multiple disciplines and viewpoints is the best way to affect change through a lifetime of story-telling. Credits include: THE CHINESE LADY (Director, Critics Pick, Jeff Recommended), THE PAPER DREAMS OF HARRY CHIN (Reading Director), THE AUDIENCE (Associate Director), and CHIMERICA (Asst. Dramaturg) at TimeLine Theatre; WILD BOAR (Director), and NEW CHINA FESTIVAL (Lead Director) at Silk Road Rising; AMERICAN HWANGAP (Director, WBEZ Worldview Pick, Jeff Recommended), and TINY DYNAMITE (Director) at Halcyon/A-Squared; TEA (Director, Jeff Recommended) at Prologue Theatre. Helen is also an actor (SAG/AFTRA) and serves on the boards of Token Theatre and Chicago Dramatists. She will next be directing WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at the TimeLine Theatre in Chicago.

Roger W. Burleigh* (he/him)

Stage Manager

Roger is excited to be in his 10th season as Farmers Alley Theatre's Equity Stage Manager. Roger started his theatre journey in second grade and has been traveling that road ever since. Both as an actor and technician, Roger has graced many stages throughout the area, and has been at Farmers Alley since season two. Some of his favorites in recent years are NEXT TO NORMAL, THE PRODUCERS, DOGFIGHT, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES: DREAM ON, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, MURDER FOR TWO, and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. Roger would like to thank his family and educators who got him hooked on live theatre. There is nothing quite like experiencing a live production with a live audience. Proud member of Actors Equity Association.

Mike Borzkowski (he/him)

Technical Director

Mike is in his second season as Farmers Alley Theatre’s full time technical director. Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Mike has spent the last decade bouncing around various tech and production roles at many theatres in the area including Miller Auditorium, Chenery Auditorium, Farmers Alley Theatre and more. Specializing in taking things apart, but not necessarily putting them back together, Mike is excited to take on unique challenges and opportunities as Farmers Alley’s Technical Director for the 2022-23 season.

Cory Kalkowski (he/him)

Lighting Design

Cory graduated from Western Michigan University in 2015 with a BFA in lighting design and production. He has toured with JERSEY BOYS and ELF ON THE SHELF as a head electrician. Having been a Production Electrician for two major national tours he now is giving back to the community some of his knowledge in large-format productions.

Tony Mitchell (he/him)

Sound Design

Tony graduated from Western Michigan University with a BS in Multi-Media Arts & Technology and creates audio & video content with the art community and businesses with his production company, Texture House. Tony is also the lead sound designer for Farmers Alley Theatre and band leader for his “Indie Soul” band Basic Comfort.

George Eric Perry (he/him)

Scenic Design

Savannah Draper (she/her)

Prop Design & Scenic Painter

Savannah previously served as Prop Designer for A SWINGING CHRISTMAS: THE HOLIDAY MUSIC OF TONY BENNETT, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, BRIGHT STAR, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY, AVENUE Q, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, A DOLL'S HOUSE PART 2, THE PRODUCERS, LIBERACE!, IT'S ONLY A PLAY, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, and HONKY TONK ANGELS. A Kalamazoo native, Savannah has spent the last few years working as a freelance designer, stage manager and technician throughout Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Prior to her travels she was the Stage Management Associate for the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre and Props Designer for Millbrook Playhouse. Savannah is thrilled to be able to call Farmers Alley her forever theatre home and is grateful to all who have helped her along her theatrical journey.

Nicole Peckens (she/her)

Costume Design

This marks Nicole's sixth production with Farmers Alley, and her first season as Resident Costumer. Her resume includes a wide variety of film and theatre from the historic outdoor drama THE LOST COLONY, "My Brother, My Brother, and Me," and such iconic shows as THE TOXIC AVENGER, AVENUE Q, THE PRODUCERS, MARAT/SADE, and THE ARABIAN NIGHTS. She received her MFA in Costume Technology from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her BFA in Costume Design From Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. She sends a thank you to her mother, her husband Murdoc, her Partner in Mischief, and her furlings for their love and support to keep her sane.

Steve Hodges (he/him)

Hair/Wig Design

Steve has been our very talented Wig Master for our productions of A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, BRIGHT STAR, THE REVOLUTIONISTS, LOST IN YONKERS, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY, NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED, CAMELOT, FUN HOME, MARVELOUS WONDERETTES: DREAM ON, A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2, BEYOND THE RAINBOW, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, and THE PRODUCERS. Steve’s talent was also on display during our productions of HONKY TONK ANGELS, GYPSY, IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, THE ANDREWS BROTHERS, 1776, and FANCY NANCY. He also been featured on the Farmers Alley stage as an actor in THE SPITFIRE GRILL, A MAN OF NO IMPORTANCE, and 1776. Steve is also a valued volunteer who often serves as our House Manager on show nights. “Thank you to Farmers Alley Theatre for giving me the opportunity to grow in this artistic endeavor.”

David Clemens (he/him)

Projection Design

David holds a BA from Western Michigan University with focuses in Fine Arts and Sustainable Brewing. David has been working in technical theatre in Kalamazoo for over 30 years as an audio engineer and designer. Currently he is the audio engineer for Miller Auditorium and a staff member in the Department of Theatre at Western Michigan University. This is David’s first production at Farmers Alley Theatre.

Julie Minar (she/her)

Asst. Stage Manager

Julie has been working backstage since season 8. In that time she's filled many roles including Assistant Stage Manager, floor crew, dresser, and follow spot operator. Her favorite was playing the dead body in MURDER FOR TWO: HOLIDAY EDITION.

Jan Campbell (she/her)

2nd Asst. Stage Manager

Jan joined the Farmers Alley family all the way back in the theater's third season. In the 30 plus shows she's done here since, Jan has run follow spots (she loves her tower), worked floor crew, been an ASM, and a stage manager. She wants to thank the founders for creating such a wonderful theater here in Kalamazoo.

David Knewston (he/him)

Master Electrician

This is David's first season as the Master Electrician for Farmer's Alley after starting as a volunteer last year. He has taken the opportunity here to grow more connected with his late father by doing something they both shared a passion for - helping others tell stories. David's day job is leading a team of systems analysts at Streamline Healthcare Solutions.

Marcia Smith (she/her) and Tom Smith (he/him)

Wardrobe Support

Marcia and Tom are long-time supporters of theater in the Kalamazoo area. Natives of Kalamazoo/Portage both were involved with their respective high school’s theater and music programs. They continued to support Portage Northern’s Drama and Music Departments when their children, Jennifer and Adam, were students there. Marcia was the Box Office Manager for 24 years and Tom lent his construction expertise backstage. Marcia was also a familiar face in her role as Assistant to the Directors for the musicals at Mattawan High School for 15 years. Together they have volunteered at Farmers Alley Theater since Season 1 and have assisted with the costumes for all productions since Season 8.

Michael Bruno

Head Carpenter

Issac “Ziggy” Middleton

Asst. Carpenter

*Proud Member of Actors Equity

Actors' Equity Association (“Equity"), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors' Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions.

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Farmers Alley Theatre's Regional Premiere Production Of THE GREAT LEAP

Continuing our streak of sold out performances and extended runs (Bright Star, A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder, A Swinging Christmas: The Holiday Music of Tony Bennett), Farmers Alley Theatre presents the very first production of The Great Leap to West Michigan audiences.

The time: 1989. An American college basketball team travels from San Francisco to Beijing for a "friendship game" against a Chinese squad.

Far from friendly, the matchup quickly becomes a high-stakes battle, as the American coach fights for his reputation and his Chinese counterpart fights for his life. Both countries try to tease out the politics behind this newly popular sport.

Cultures clash as the Chinese coach tries to pick up moves from the Americans, and Chinese-American player Manford, spies on his opponents.

Caught in the middle, Manford must prove his mettle on the court while unraveling a long-kept secret. Cultures and generations clash in this kinetic, darkly comic sports drama.

Inspired by events in her own father's life, playwright Lauren Yee applies a devilishly keen satiric eye to her generation (and its parents).

This regional premiere production is directed by Helen Young. Credits include: The Chinese Lady (Director, Critics Pick, Jeff Recommended), The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin (Reading Director), The Audience (Associate Director), and Chimerica (Asst. Dramaturg) at TimeLine Theatre; Wild Boar (Director), and New China Festival (Lead Director) at Silk Road Rising; American Hwangap (Director, WBEZ Worldview Pick, Jeff Recommended), and Tiny Dynamite (Director) at Halcyon/A-Squared; Tea (Director, Jeff Recommended) at Prologue Theatre. Other directing credits include work at Remy Bumppo, Artistic Home, Chicago Dramatists, Our Perspectives, and Miranda Theatre at the Cherry Lane (NYC).

Helen says, "The theme that intrigues me most in The Great Leap is the relationship between micro-decisions and macro-outcomes - how we now live in a global ecosystem where individual choices actually have global impact because of the myriads of ways people across the world and cultures impact each others daily lives. In the play, the choices that are made by individuals eventually lead to events that then lead to events that then impact global events and how they get framed, which in turn impacts policies and politics.

My hope is that audiences will have a good time, and become intrigued as I am by the phenomena where we can look at any one big issue and use our minds' lens to look back and forth between individual situations and global impacts and be fascinated by how it all connects. There is a lot of hope in this view, as well as a lot of responsibility. And what a privilege, yeah?"

Farmers Alley Theatre's Executive Director Robert Weiner adds, "We are so thrilled to be continuing our tradition of producing new and exciting works for the Michigan theatre community with The Great Leap. Following in the footsteps of our previous productions of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and The Revolutionists, Lauren Yee's vibrant play includes all of my favorite aspects I love to see when attending the theatre - smart comedy, tense drama, relatable storytelling and a unique vision."

The Play's author Lauren Yee is a celebrated playwright, screenwriter, and TV writer. She is the winner of the Doris Duke Artist Award, the Steinberg Playwright Award, the Horton Foote Prize, the Kesselring Prize, the ATCA/Steinberg Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters literature award, and the Francesca Primus Prize. She has been a finalist for the Edward M. Kennedy Prize and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her plays were the #1 and #2 plays on the 2017 Kilroys List.

Our production stars three professional actors new to Kalamazoo stages: Ming Wu (as the central character and basketball prodigy "Manford") Richard Manera (as coach "Wen Chang"), and Zhanna Albertini (as Manford's confidant "Connie"), as well as Jason Grubbe (as the hard-driving American coach "Saul") previously seen in our production of Superior Donuts in 2012.

The Great Leap runs for three weekends from January 27 through February 12. Tickets are $35/$39 on Fri/Sat/Sun and $30/$35 on Thursdays. Student ticket pricing is $15 for all shows. Preview performance tickets on 1/26 are $25. Tickets are available for purchase at www.farmersalleytheatre.com or by calling the Box Office at (269) 343-2727.

Farmers Alley Theatre is Michigan's premier professional arts organizations, known for producing exciting and innovative work of the highest professional quality. Celebrated for its eclectic programming of both contemporary and classic productions, the theatre is the recipient of 26 Wilde Awards - Michigan's equivalent of The Tony Awards for professional theatre in the state.

Farmers Alley Theatre is passionately dedicated to its mission to create the highest caliber professional productions that entertain while inspiring, educating, and communicating with audiences to reflect on the diverse human experience.

Donors

2022-2023 Donors

Farmers Alley Theatre profoundly thanks all the following donors and sponsors for their generous contributions from 9/1/22 to 1/11/23

Special Thanks

Steve Hodges
Hayden Lane-Davies
Tony Holewinski
Julie Nemitz
Stacy Bartell
Kat Mumma/VDA Productions
Becky Klose/Klose2U Photography
Paul Stroili/Touchstone GraphicDesign
Steve Brubaker/Twenty20 Productions
Laurie McDonald/Allegra Creative Marketing Group