Center Repertory Company presents
SWEAT
By Lynn Nottage
Directed by Elizabeth Carter
Lesher Center for the Arts
1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Margaret Lesher Theatre
March 31 - April 16, 2023
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PLACE: Reading, Pennsylvania
TIME: 2000 and 2008
THERE WILL BE ONE 15-MINUTE INTERMISSION
SWEAT is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. Co-commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival's American Revolutions: The United States History Cycle and Arena Stage. World premiere produced by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This production of SWEAT was first presented in New York by The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director, Patrick Willingham, Executive Director). Originally produced on Broadway by Stuart Thompson and Louise L. Gund.
*Member, Actors Equity Association
+Member, United Scenic Artists Association
Cast
Creative Team
Elizabeth Carter
Kelly James Tighe+
Becky Bodurtha+
Kevin E. Myrick
Laine Russell
Cliff Caruthers+
Penny Pendleton*
Dave Maier
Jeunée Simon
Alyssa Tryon
Lynn Nottage
Meet the Company
Michael J. Asberry*
Michael J. Asberry returns to Center REP, where he previously appeared as 'Coach' in Red Speedo. He just completed the Aurora Theatre Company's production of 'Paradise Blue'. Regional and National Theatre credits include Marin Theatre Company; Cal Shakes; Orlando Shakes (Orlando, FL); Sacramento Theatre Company; San Francisco Shakespeare Festival; San Francisco Mime Troupe; American Conservatory Theatre; Capital Stage; Artists Repertory Theatre (Portland, OR); Lorraine Hansberry Theatre; TheatreWorks; and the 6th Street Playhouse. Film appearances include A Christmas Mystery; San Andreas; FreeByrd; and Mr. Incredible and Pals. Television credits: Chance; Trauma, and Nash Bridges. Michael has voiceover credits with Pixar Animation, Pine Sol and Clorox, and appears as characters in the video games Watchdogs 2 and Battlefield Vietnam. He was recently featured in a television commercial for Toyota. Social media handles are: michaeljasberry (Instagram) and Michael J. Asberry (Facebook). (he/him)
Eddie Ewell*
Eddie Ewell hails from Detroit, Michigan and is excited to be working at Center REP for the first time! He began acting in the Bay Area and recently completed his MFA at American Conservatory Theater. He has been blessed to work on some wonderful projects, including Ti Jean and His Brothers (Mi Jean), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon/ Demetrius), and Wintertime (Francois) at A.C.T.; We Are Proud to Present... (Actor 2) at San Jose Stage; Kill Move Paradise (Isa) at Shotgun Players; The Welkin (Frederick Poppy) and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Matthias of Galilee) with ARC/ Remote Theater; To Saints and Stars (Ken) with Playwrights Foundation; VS. (Tye) with TheatreFirst; Jitney (Youngblood) at African-American Shakespeare Co.; Pass Over (Moses) at Marin Theater Company; Gem of the Ocean (Citizen Barlow) at TheatreWorks; and most recently Two Trains Running (Sterling) at Marin Theater Company. To God be the glory.
Roman Anthony Gonzalez
Roman Gonzalez is an Indigenous American, Bay Area native with a burning desire to reach the pantheon of greatness. The quintessential comedian, he is always thinking about the joke in most conversations. Roman trained at the award-winning Ohlone College Theater, and has also been instructed by legends such as Chazz Palminteri at the Manhattan Film Institute. Roman provides improv training to incarcerated individuals via the Red Ladder Theatre Company, which he describes as one of the most self-fulfilling roles he has ever had. Recently, he just filmed his first feature film called Fairyland directed by Andrew Durham starring Emilia Jones and Scoot McNairy.
Adam KuveNiemann
Adam KuveNiemann (he/him) is thrilled to be making his Center Rep debut with Sweat. Other credits include A Christmas Carol (American Conservatory Theater), The Red Shades: A Trans Superhero Rock Opera (Z Space), Exit Strategy (Aurora Theatre Company), The Gentleman Caller (New Conservatory Theatre Center), and understudying Angels in America (Berkeley Repertory Theatre). KuveNiemann also co-hosts the podcast Green Eggs… and Man? a wild, improvisatory ride through Dr. Seuss’ breakfast-themed classic—close-reading one page per episode. Learn more at coolwebsite.pizza (a real website that he actually pays for). Love to Panayiota and Katerina. AdamKuveNiemann.com
David Everett Moore*
David Everett Moore is excited to return to the Center Rep stage, where he was most recently seen as Mr. Green in Clue. David is a longtime Bay Area artist who has worked with local theaters including Crowded Fire, Aurora Theatre Company, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Magic Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Company, African-American Shakespeare Company, SPARC, Word for Word, and Marin Theatre Company, where he originated the role of Mr. Darcy in Lauren Gunderson's The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. Regional credits include work with Capital Stage Company, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Other favorite roles include Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet for SF Shakes, Addison in Safe House for Aurora Theatre Company, BJJ in An Octoroon for Capital Stage, and Black Man in We Are Proud To Present for Just Theater. David is a Resident Artist of the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and a proud graduate of UC Berkeley, where he earned his BA in Theater and Performance Studies.
Robert Parsons*
Bay Area credits include work at American Conservatory Theatre (Rock ‘N Roll, The Little Foxes, The Black Rider, Buried Child), Magic Theatre (A Lie of the Mind, Pleasure and Pain, The Lonesome West, The American in Me), Aurora Theatre Company, (A Bright New Boise, Private Jokes/Public Places), Shotgun Players (Blasted, The Three Sisters), SF Playhouse (The Effect, Colossal, Slasher, Six Degrees of Separation ) Marin Theatre Company (Pal Joey, Visions of Kerouac, Communicating Doors, Circle, Mirror, Transformation and Anne Boleyn), as well as appearances at Berkeley Rep, TheatreWorks, Word for Word, Cutting Ball and San Jose Stage Company.
Regional and International credits include work at Ahmanson Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Alley Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, San Miguel Playhouse, Teatro Santa Ana and The Sydney Festival (Australia).
Film Credits include: Freaky Tales, Fairyland, Freeland, Interview with Traveler #582 and Prufrock.
Robert is a founding member of Symmetry Theatre Company and Actors’ Reading Collective.
Lisa Anne Porter*
Lisa Anne Porter has performed with numerous theatres throughout the country. Most recently, she has been seen in "Dunsinane" at MTC, "Fefu and Her Friends" at ACT, "Eureka Day" at the Aurora Theatre Company, "The Eva Trilogy" and "A Bright Half Life" at the Magic Theatre and "Twelfth Night" at California Shakespeare Theatre. She was the Resident Director and the Co-Head of Voice and Dialects for the SF production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. As a teacher, she most recently served as Head of Acting and Dialects in the MFA program at ACT. She has an M.F.A. in Acting from A.C.T., a B.A. from Wesleyan University, and is a Designated Linklater Voice Teacher.
Cathleen Riddley*
Cathleen Riddley is thrilled to be appearing in this powerful play. After beginning her career at the Community Playhouse in Des Moines, Iowa (playing Jiminy Cricket in Pinnochio at the ripe old age of 8) she knew that a life in the theatre was what her heart wanted. Since then, she has become a multiple award-winning San Francisco Bay Area (and beyond) actor, having been seen at most local theaters at one time or another. Her favorite roles include Nina in The Incrementalist at The Aurora Theatre, Mrs. Price in Tree at SF Playhouse, Paulina in The Winter’s Tale and Kent in Marcus Gardley’s Lear at Cal Shakes, Rose in Fences at Sacramento Theatre Company, Lena in brownsville song (b side for tray) and every role in Hamlet (seriously) at Shotgun Players. As a director, she has directed the staged reading of Siren at Shotgun Players, a reading of Crumbs from the Table of Joy at the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, and the Affinity online series for TheatreFirst. She is a certified ASL Interpreter, has an MA from UPenn, and is a member of the first cohort of Making Good Trouble, whose goal is to empower San Francisco Bay Area artists and staff to become anti-racism trainers. Black Lives Matter. (she/her).
Maryssa Wanlass*
Maryssa Wanlass (she/they) is an actor, director, and educator, with an emphasis on social justice and classical theatre. She last appeared with Center REP in Enchanted April and Witness for the Prosecution. Other Bay Area stage appearances include SF Shakes (Much Ado, As You Like It, Hamlet, and Winter's Tale), CalShakes (As You Like It), San Jose Stage (Persuasion), Livermore Shakespeare Festival (As You Like It, Hamlet, Merry Wives of Windsor), Woman’s Will (Much Ado About Nothing, Good Person of Szechuan). They have directed locally for Utopia Theatre Project, PlayGroundSF, Shotz, and regionally for Advice to the Players. Wanlass' social justice work includes developing a storytelling workshop series with neighbors experiencing homelessness with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and working with Red Ladder Theatre to deliver improv workshops in California's correctional system.
Scott Coopwood*
Odysseus in The Oddysey, Puck in Midsummer, Cyrano in Cyrano De Bergerac, Brutus in Julius Ceasar and Petruchio in Shrew for CSF. For Berkeley Rep: Lennox in Macbeth directed by Daniel Sullivan and Featuring Frances McDormand and It Can’t Happen Here 2016. Regional favorites include: The title roles in Hamlet, MacBeth, Cymbeline, King John, Edward III and Cyrano De Bergerac, Iago in Othello, Edmund in King Lear, Angelo in Measure for Measure, Charlie in The Scene, Kippy in Take Me Out, Shylock in The Merchant Of Venice, Jacques in As You Like It, Trigorin in The Seagull, Petruchio in The Taming Of The Shrew, Brutus in Julius Caesar, Harry Brock in Born Yesterday, Brennan in Frost/Nixon, Edward in Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, Johan in Groundswell and Apis in Archduke. Regional Theatres include: Arkansas Rep., Artists Rep., Capital Rep., San Jose Rep., Center Rep., Berkeley Rep., Capital Stage, The Utah, Colorado, Orlando and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festivals, Arizona Theatre Co., Sacramento Theater Co., Marin Theatre Co., Portland Center Stage., Theatreworks SV., The Seattle Shakespeare Company, Profile Theatre Project, Shotgun Players, San Francisco Playhouse, and Jewel Theatre Co., as well as work with the Toronto, Windsor, and Oregon Symphony Orchestras.
Kim Donovan
Kim Donovan (she/her) is an Emmy nominated casting director and voice over artist. She has worked for Pixar, Netflix, Kuku Studios, Leviathan Audio Productions, and others. On stage, Kim is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre in NYC and has worked all over the Bay Area earning a TBA nomination and a Broadway World award. Kim produced the award winning RomHorCom “Bitten” and a feature length documentary about aging and skiing called “Snow Day”, currently on Amazon Prime. She is the in-house casting director for New Conservatory Theatre Center and a member of TheatreFirst in Berkeley. None of the words above would be possible without Larsen and Larsen The Wee.
Elizabeth Jones
Elizabeth Jones (US/Cynthia) is ecstatic to be returning to Center REP where she was previously seen as Nancy/Boz in A Christmas Carol. Elizabeth grew up in the Bay Area and is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Arts. Elizabeth was recently seen in the world premiere of A.C.T.’s YA production of The Code by The Kilbanes, Claudette in Theatre Rhino’s How Black Mothers Say I Love You, Radio in Caroline or Change (Ray of Light) and Motormouth Maybelle in Bay Area Musical’s production of Hairspray. Some other theatre credits include, Lady O in The Right Note (Spare Stage), Darlene in Dance of The Holy Ghosts (Ubuntu Theater Project), Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act! (Berkeley Playhouse) Ronnette in Little Shop of Horrors (Contra Costa Musical Theatre). Elizabeth sends love to her daughter Caira and thanks God, family and friends for their support. Follow Elizabeth on instagram @elizasenoj.
Terrance Smith
Terrance Smith is thrilled to be back for another show at Center REP. You might have seen him bring in the holiday cheer as The Ghost of Christmas Present in “A Christmas Carol.” He’s had the honor of working at Town Hall Theatre, where he won a Shellie Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sam in “Brooklyn Bridge.” Terrance also received a Best Actor nomination for his performance as Helena in B8 Theatre’s gender swapped take on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2022, he performed as a part of the End of Isolation Tour, which sought to spread awareness across ten states about the need for prison reform and ending solitary confinement. He’s even performed at the Eugene O’ Neill Festival in New Ross, Ireland. And if you are a fan of the hit Netflix cartoon series “Go Go Cory Carson” Terrance provides the voice for the coolest locomotive alive, DJ Train Trax. Follow his Instagram: @yountsmith23
Kyle Stoner
Kyle Stoner (he/him/his) returns to Center REP after his recent debut with the cast of Clue as Mr. Boddy et al. Kyle lives in Napa, where he uses his extensive knowledge of herding cats to conduct wine tours. Other credits: David Copperfield, David Copperfield [world premiere] (Jewel Theater Co.); D'ysquiths, Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder; Puck, Midsummer Night's Dream; Romeo, Romeo & Juliet, 12th Night, Edwin Drood, Three Musketeers (Davis Shakespeare Festival); Scotty, Ripcord, Venticello, Amadeus, Jean-Michelle, La Cage aux Folles (Cinnabar Theater); Les Miserables, Macbeth (Sierra Repertory Theater); Zorba, Carnival!, Snoopy!!! (42nd Street Moon); Gutenberg! the Musical! (Bike City Theater Co.); Princeton/Rod, Avenue Q (NCTC); Fabrizio, Light in the Piazza (Altarena Playhouse); Finch, How to $ucceed (BAM!); F-Word aka Frodo aka Francis, The Fellowship (AlterTheater); Jaques/Silvius/Oliver, As You Like It (SF Shakespeare Festival); Jesus, Jesus Christ Superstar (Bay Area Stage); Self, Ultimate Xmas Show (abridged), Complete Works (Reduced Shakespeare Company).
Elizabeth Carter
Elizabeth Carter is thrilled to be working with Center REP for the first time. Her regional directing credits include, most recently "Confederates" (St. Louis Rep), the upcoming "Steel Magnolias" (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), and past productions "Every 28 Hours Plays" and "A Place To Belong" (A.C.T Conservatory), "Stoop Stories" (Aurora Theatre Co.) and associate director on "the ripple, the wave that carried me home" (Berkeley Rep/Goodman Theatre) and assistant director "How I Learned What I Learned" (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). She directed the groundbreaking 2020 virtual "King Lear" (SF Shakespeare Festival) and "Feel the Spirit" (Shotgun Players/Colt Couer NYC). Her directorial film debut, "Bottled Spirits," will be released this Spring. She is a recipient of the Bridging the Gap Grant and is a 2019 alum of Director’s Lab West. Elizabeth is the inaugural SDCF Lloyd Richards New Futures Resident Director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Kelly James Tighe+
Becky Bodurtha+
Kevin E. Myrick
Laine Russell
Cliff Caruthers+
Penny Pendleton*
Dave Maier
Jeunée Simon
Alyssa Tryon
Lynn Nottage
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
+ Member, United Scenic Artists Union
^ Member, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
PRODUCTION STAFF |
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| Joe Coe Assistant Stage Manager & Deck Manager |
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| Kira Daugherty, Sylvia Lubman, Grant Strain Deck Crew |
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| Izzi Fleury, Emily Haynes, Vanessa Root-Fitzgerald, Dressers |
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| Linda Scotting, Stephanie Weldon Stitchers |
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| Emily Haynes, Vanessa Root-Fitzgerald Wigs and Make-Up |
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Special thank you to Alicia Lerner
SCENIC CONSTRUCTION by Rooster Productions
Rooster Productions is a small, employee-owned scene shop located in Richmond, California. Rooster provides each of its clients with hands-on experience, dedicated service, creative & effective technical solutions to ensure complete realization of design, production and staffing needs. Rooster's team consists of experienced, multi-disciplinary project managers, scenic carpenters, welders, sculptors, scenic artists and theatre technicians. Rooster's approach to scenic construction provides innovative solutions that are budget-sensitive, spectacular, and can be delivered as envisioned. Over the years, Rooster's theatrical client roster has rapidly grown to include many companies ranging such as Des Moines Metro Opera, Center REPertory Company, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Festival Opera, Livermore Valley, and the hit productions of Opera San Jose’s Cinderella, that was just revived in 2022.
| CENTER REPERTORY COMPANY | |
| Carolyn Jackson Managing Director |
Markus Potter Acting Artistic Director |
| Jeff Collister Production Manager |
Joe Coe Assistant Stage Manager |
| Del Medoff Master Electrician |
Sylvia Lubman Associate Producer |
| Liz Martin Costume Shop Manager |
Liesl Buchbinder Assistant Costume Shop Manager |
| Izzi Fleury Wardrobe Supervisor |
Jeff Draper, Kerri Shawn Education Directors |
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Alyssa Tryon |
Jennifer Perry Casting Director Supported by Casting Collective: Dori L. Jacob, CSA |
| LESHER CENTER FOR THE ARTS |
| Carolyn Jackson General Manager |
| Toni Kilcoyne Production Services Supervisor |
| Daniel Aldrich, Alex Bull, Terry D'Emidio, Alex Howard, Chris Joe, Theo Neeno, Steve Pino, Matthew Roberts, Garrick Schuster, Josh Stouffer, Josh Yarnell, Steve Young Technical Staff |
| Courtney Egg Audience Services Supervisor |
| Ohemaa Asare, Maddy d'Angelo, Hali Loyd, Alyssa Montany, Marie Montany-Campbell, Robert Nolan, Jeremiah Vierling, Aurora Wassmuth Ticket Office Staff |
| Pat Rusich Usher Coordinator |
| Linda Nomura, Sarah Wilcox Office Specialists |
| Katrienne Lemye, Elizabeth Orcutt Marketing Staff |
| CITY OF WALNUT CREEK | |
| Cindy Silva Mayor |
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| Cindy Darling, Matt Francois, Loella Haskew, Kevin Wilk City Council Members |
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| Sarah Baltazar, Jill Dresser, Jane Emanuel, Iasmine Klauber, Anne Merideth Arts Commission |
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| Dan Buckshi City Manager |
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| Kevin Safine Arts+Rec Director |