The Rosenberg/Strange Fruit Project

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Cast

Creative Team

NJRep Staff

Gabor Barabas, Executive Producer

SuzAnne Barabas, Artistic Director

Evan Bergman, Associate Artistic Director

Dee Dee Irwin, Managing Director

Joel Stone, Literary Manager

Jessica Parks, Production Manager andResident Scenic Designer

Patricia Doherty, Resident Costume Designer

Jill Nagle, Resident Lighting Designer

Nick Simone, Resident Sound Designer

Brian Snyder, Technical Director and Facilities Manager

Kristin Marie, Production Stage Manager

James Lockhart, Master Electrician

Rachael Malloy, Assistant Stage Manager

Janey Huber, Assistant Lighting Designer/Assistant Covid Monitor

Karen Wharmby, Volunteer Coordinator

Dee Cantalice, Director of Finance

Robert Baird, Director of Education

John Pietrowski, Covid Compliance Officer

John Pocalyko, Head of Finance Committee

Mare Akana, Gallery Curator

Andrea Phox, Photography Curator

Gail Winar, Artistic Associate

Donna Stiles, Scenic Artist/Assistant Properties

Blake Robinson, Assistant Properties/Set Design

Gisela Nucciarone, Carpenter

Meet the Company

John Jiler

Actor

JOHN JILER (Playwright, Actor) is a writer of both drama and prose. He was the recipient of both the Richard Rodgers Award and the Kleban Librettists' Award for his musical Avenue X, which played in New York at Playwrights' Horizons and in some fifty cities around the world. He was a runner-up for the Weissberger Prize for his first full-length play Sour Springs. His work has been seen coast to coast, from the Eugene O'Neill National Playwright's Conference to the Kennedy Center to Seattle Rep and many places in between. His most recent book, Sleeping With The Mayor, was named a New York Times’ “Most Notable Book.” His first, Dark Wind, was called by the Village Voice “a classic.” As a journalist he has also written for the NY Times, The Nation, and the Village Voice, where the stories that led to Avenue X and Sleeping With The Mayor first appeared. Among his current theatrical projects are Big Red Sun a World War Two era story with composer Georgia Stitt, recently seen at the NAMT Festival and shortly to appear at the York Theatre; Channel, a new play at the Labyrinth Theatre’s Barn Series; and Sirocco, ink still wet. His first one-man show, Explicit Vows, was seen at both Playwrights Horizons and the Flea Theatre; his new one, Ripe, also workshopped at Playwrights Horizons, was performed at Theatre For The New City and hailed by the New York Times as “classic.” In his former life as an actor he appeared at the New York Shakespeare Festival, the Hartford Stage Company, and Chicago’s Body Politic, where he won the Chicago Drama Critic's Best Actor Award. He has just completed his first novel, North Of Here.

Lee Odom

Clarinetist

LEE ODOM (Clarinetist) is a composer and band leader whose musical spectrum includes gospel, free-improvised music, jazz, R &B, Hip-Hop and classical. instrumental spectrum includes the clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, flute and oboe. A native of North Carolina, studying clarinet performance at Appalachian State University, Boone NC, Lee later moved to New York City where she decided to pursue her musical career. Lee has performed with many outstanding groups such as the Western Piedmont Symphony, Hickory NC, various theatre musical productions throughout NC and New York, The Karl Berger Improv Orchestra, Canaan Baptist Church Music Ministry, Matt Lavelle’s 12 Houses Free Improv big band, the Makanda Project Boston, MA, UpSurge NY poetry ensemble, also with Keith “The Captain” Gamble and the Nu Gypsies, the Zodiacs Saxophone Quartet, and with many outstanding musicians such as Don Byron, JD Parran, Warren Smith, Craig Harris, and David Murray. Lee also performs as band leader, as Sweet Lee Music, performing at various venues and festivals throughout New York, Boston, & Connecticut. She has been featured artist for Craig Harris’ Harlem Jazz Box, and also participated in “Women Composers” produced by Abby London, where she featured original compositions. She also appeared as a guest artist with artists through the Jazz Foundation NY. Lee was also the featured alto saxophone player for Bang on A Can “The Shape of Jazz to Come.” The New York Times described her sound as “prayerful and ever searching.” Lee was honored to be an Artist-in-Residence at Holmes Presbyterian Camp, Holmes, NY and at Art Omi in Hudson NY, where she created and cultivated many musical experiences, and Teaching Artist for Poly Prep Summer Art Camp. Lee is currently a Teaching Artist for the Jazz House Kids in Paterson NJ. The music by Sweet Lee and her accompanying bands has been sending lighting vibes throughout the boroughs of New York. With a fusion of Gospel, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Classical, and free improvisation, “Sweet” Lee keeps the groove groovin’.

Margarett Perry

Director

MARGERETT PERRY (Director) is an award-winning director of new plays and has directed and developed new work Off-Broadway and in regional theatres across the country and in the UK. She directed John Jiler’s Half Moon Bay for Nylon Fusion at the New Ohio Theatre in NYC. Recent world premieres include: Born in East Berlin by Rogelio Martinez and Seared by Theresa Rebeck (both at San Francisco Playhouse), The House by Brian Parks (US, London & Scotland), Education by Brian Dykstra (59E59) and Banned from Baseball by Patricia O’Hara (Human Race). Margarett was the Resident Director at the Kitchen Theatre in Ithaca where she has directed over 25 productions including Private Lives, Cock, Old Times, Clean Alternatives and most recently The Thanksgiving Play. Other recent favorites include: Shrek the Musical (Connecticut Rep), Used to Was/Maybe Did (Center Theatre Group), The Revolutionists (Human Race) and A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Hudson Stage). During the shutdown, she ventured into the short film and music video world for passion projects such as “#Hashtag That-Say Their Name” (from the musical Crazy Make Crazy), “This Doesn't Work” written & performed by Darian Dauchan and Brian Dykstra and “Time Passes” for the Resident Acting Company. She also began exploring watercolor and her work is licensed by the New York Historical Society and was a finalist in 2020 Brush & Lyre Prize. Margarett was an Artistic Fellow with the Lark for years and considered it her theatrical home base. www.margarettperry.com

Jessica Parks

Resident Scenic Designer/Props Designer

Jessica has been working for NJ Repertory Company since 2003 and has been the resident scenic designer and prop designer since 2010. Set designs at NJ Rep include: The Promotion, Memoirs of a Forgotten Man, Wolf at the Door, The Jag, Swimming at the Ritz, Happy and Broomstick. NYC credits at 59E59 St. Theaters include: Michael Tucker’s Fern Hill, Butler, The Housewives of Mannheim, Jericho and Poetic License. Other credits include: The End of Hester at Theatre Row NYC, Bretch:Call & Response at Paradise Factory Theatre and Dan Lauria's Dinner with the Boys at Theater Row NYC.

BRIAN SNYDER

Technical Director/Facilities Manager

Snyder has been an artist, carpenter, and prop builder since 2003 for several companies in NY and NJ including The Art Department, PVS, Stone Dog Studios, Two River Theater Company, and NJ Repertory Company. After 4 years of teaching Visual Arts and Stagecraft at Lakewood High School he returned to the world of freelance and made his debut as Technical Director and Master Carpenter here at NJ Rep in 2014.

PATRICIA DOHERTY

Resident Costume Designer

As NJ Rep’s resident costume designer since 2000, Doherty’s work includes: The Housewives of Mannheim, The Color of Flesh, Old Clown Wanted, The Good Daughter, Place Settings, Bookends, Engaging Shaw, Puma, Noir, Broomstick, View of the Mountains, Swimming at the Ritz, Dinner with the Boys (with Dan Lauria), Closure (with Wendy Malick, Gary Cole), Nobody’s Girl, Butler, Mad Love and Iago , Fern Hill (with Jill Eikenberry, Dee Hoty and John Glover) to name just a few. New York: Southern Comfort—The Musical (The Public Theater 2016 Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics, Drama Desk Award Nominations with Annette O’Toole, Jeff McCarthy); Dinner with the Boys with Dan Lauria (The Acorn Theatre) Academia Nuts (2014 NYMF Best New Musical); The Devil’s Music (St. Luke’s); The Goldman Project (Abingdon Theatre); Freed, Fall to Earth, Poetic License, The Housewives of Mannheim, Butler, Small World (59E59th St Theatres); Love Therapy (DR2) Regional: Alley Theatre (past resident designer), Barrington Stage, Cleveland Play House, Merrimack Rep, Florida Rep, Penguin Rep, Engeman Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Montreal Jazz Festival , Luna Stage, Playwrights Theatre of NJ, Merrimack Rep (MA), People’s Light and Theatre Festival (PA), Rubicon Theatre of LA, Mosaic Theatre (DC), Cape Cod Playhouse (MA), Weston Playhouse (VT) TV/Video: AT&T, “Unsolved Mysteries,” Pennsylvania Public Television Guest Artist: Monmouth University, Case Western Reserve University, Ohio University, Niagara University, Syracuse University Guest Artist and Instructor: Kent State University, School of Theatre and Dance 1992-95

JILL NAGLE

Resident Lighting Designer

Jill is the Resident Lighting Designer at NJ Rep. Partial NJ Rep include: Dinner with the Boys, Closure, Butler, Broomstick, Happy, Puma, Night Train, and Noir. Partial NYC designs include: Butler, A Stool at the End of the Bar, Jericho, Poetic License, Housewives of Mannheim, The Man in Room 306, The Dishwashers (59E59), Love Therapy (Daryl Roth), Dinner with the Boys (The Acorn) The Bully Pulpit (Samuel Beckett), Do Not Go Gentle (Harold Clurman), Count Down (Bank Street), In the Parlance (The Pulse), Carrera (La Mama E.T.C.), South Beach Rapture (Dixon Place). Other venues: John Engeman Theatre, Chester Theatre, Luna Stage, Playwrights of New Jersey, Montclair State University, New Jersey City University. www.jillnagle.net

NICK SIMONE

Resident Sound Design

Nick has been a performing arts educator in NYC for the past 18 years. He has worked at various music schools for all ages and has been a teaching artist for Roundabout Theatre Company, Apollo Theater, and Sundog Theatre specializing in sound design and musical disciplines. As a musician, Nick plays multiple instruments and has also performed at the renowned Carnage Hall and at the Metropolitan Opera House. Nick has also worked as sound designer and as an audio engineer for many productions such as: US: A Progressive Love Story, The Norwegians, North To Maine, IYOM, Wild Children, Time Travelers Trip To Niagara, The Diorama, Shakespeare's Hamlet at Bryant Park, Extreme Weather, Don’t Dress For Dinner, Villainous Company, Capone, & Romantic Trapezoid. Nick is also affiliated with MTV's production Artist to Watch series as a sound assistant. He is currently the chief audio engineer for Fenix Studios in Staten Island, NY and has credits on multiple albums, films, broadcasts, streaming, music videos and mobile apps. He has worked with up and coming talent and platinum selling artists in different genres from Lorde to Coldplay.

JAMES LOCKHART

Master Electrician

Lockhart has the pleasure of working as the Master Electrician for NJ Repertory Company. He is a young, vibrant freelance lighting designer & master electrician that has worked in the tri-state. He has a comprehensive set of skills.

RACHAEL MALLOY

Assistant Stage Manager

Malloy is very excited to be starting their career with NJ Rep. Previous credit highlights include: 7 Deadly Sins NYC with Tectonic Theatre Project (Show Operator) and Northampton Community College’s Summer Theatre (Tech Intern). College theatre: Head Over Heels (Assistant Stage Manager), FAME (Stage Manager), Into The Woods (Assistant Stage Manager), Cabaret (Stage Manager).

GABOR BARABAS

Executive Producer

For NJ Rep, he has produced over 80 world premieres including Ends, A World I Never Made, North Fork, Octet, The Girl With the High Rouge, In Search of Red River Dog, Naked by the River, An Unhappy Woman, Immortal Interlude, Getting in Touch With My Inner B*tch, Till Morning Comes, Slave Shack, Panama, Big Boys, Winterizing the Summer House, Piaf in Vienna, The Color of Flesh, Emil, Touch of Rapture, Beyond Gravity, A Child’s Guide to Innocence, The Good Daughter, Apostasy, The Best Man, Tilt Angel, Love and Murder, tempOdyssey, October 1962, Place Setting, And Her Hair Went With Her, Engaging Shaw, Poetic License, The Housewives of Mannheim, Dead Ringer, Exposure Time (recipient of and Edgerton New American Plays Award), Character Assassins, The Tangled Skirt (nominated for an Edgar Award by the Mystery Writers of America), Puma, Night Train, The Judy Holliday Story, Jericho (recipient of and Edgerton New American Plays Award), American Stare, Release Point, Esther’s Moustache, Ants, Noir, Happy, Broomstick, Admit One, A View of the Mountains, Butler (recipient of and Edgerton New American Plays Award), Lucky Me, Dinner with the Boys, Angels and Ministers of Grace, and the musicals Immortal Interlude,Bookends, The Little Hours (recipient of and Edgerton New American Plays Award), and Date of Lifetime. His book Miklos Radnoti: The Complete Poetry in Hungarian and English was recently published by McFarland.

SUZANNE BARABAS

Artistic Director

SuzAnne Barabas (Director/Artistic Producer), has been the Artistic Director of NJ Rep for the past 24 years. SuzAnne is a member of Actors Equity Association, the Dramatist Guild, and the Society of Directors & Choreographers.

DEE DEE IRWIN

Managing Director

Dee Dee joined New Jersey Repertory Company in October 2022, bringing with her almost 30 years of experience in the performing arts and live events industry. Prior to coming to NJRep, Dee Dee spent nine years as the Director of Marketing and Communications/Associate Producer for Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, CA, and 12 years as part of the Broadway in Hollywood team for Nederlander’s beautiful Pantages theatre in Hollywood, CA. Dee Dee can also be found playing with puppets as part of the gang that produces Brian Henson’s Puppet Up! Uncensored at the legendary Jim Henson Company Lot. While in Laguna Beach, Dee Dee served as chair for the Laguna Beach Arts Alliance, saw the theatre turn 100 years old and produced much of the virtual programming during the pandemic. Originally from Los Angeles, Dee Dee holds an MA in Humanities, a BA in Theatre, and is a proud member of IATSE 857. Special shout out to the love of her life, her dog Pickle, who you might see roaming the theatre and giving his opinion on, well, pretty much everything.

Photos

We Thank the Following for Their Support

The Shubert Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, SBA Shuttered Venues Program, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, New Jersey CRF, NJEDA, JENNJOE Fund, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, OceanFirst Foundation, Princeton Area Community Foundation, Manasquan Bank, Community Foundation of New Jersey, Monmouth County CARES, Jewish Communal Fund, Darien Family Fund, Vasi Laurence, Linda Mitchell, Caroline Huber and Caryl Sills.

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