2024 Season of Black Girl MagicCelebration Arts Presents |
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TOPDOG/UNDERDOG |
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| Written by Suzan-Lori Parks |
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June 7 - 30, 2024 |
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Dr. Melinda Wilson Ramey |
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James Ellison III |
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Starring |
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| Setting. Here. Now. |
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PERFORMANCE LENGTH: 2 hours, 30 minutes. 1 intermission. Production Note: This play is for mature audiences and contains adult language, sexual references, and simulated violence. Parental discretion is recommended. |
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TOPDOG/UNDERDOG won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama making Suzan-Lori Parks the first Black woman to receive the award. Directed by George C. Wolfe, the performance starred Jeffrey Wright (Lincoln) and Don Cheadle (Booth). Mos Def replaced Cheadle as Booth during the show’s run. TOPDOG/UNDERDOG returned to Broadway in 2022 to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Directed by Kenny Leon, the production won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Both Corey Hawkins (Lincoln) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Booth) received nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play.
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Produced on Broadway by Original New York production by |
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OUR MISSION
Celebration Arts is a multicultural and multiple-discipline organization whose purpose is to support the development and presentation of the performing arts, making art accessible to community residents through training and performance opportunities.
COVID-19 SAFETY
Masks are recommended, not required.
MOBILE PHONES + DEVICES
Please turn your phones off as you enter the theatre, prior to the performance.
VIDEOS + PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography, video, and recording devices are prohibited during the performance.
LATE ARRIVALS
As a courtesy to our performers and seated patrons, late arrivals will be seated in a suitable location by our ushers when it is least disruptive.
PARENTAL GUIDANCE
This play is for mature audiences and contains adult language, sexual references, and simulated violence. Parental discretion is recommended.
ACCESSIBILITY
Wheelchair seating is available. For any other accommodations, please contact the theater in advance at 916.455.2787.
Director's Note
Topdog/Underdog is a play about two brothers in a room. Or is it? Perhaps it is a different perspective of Abraham Lincoln’s legacy. Maybe it is a critical commentary on some larger social or political issue(s). Nonetheless, we do have the intimate opportunity to witness two brothers in their room. Their names just happen to be Lincoln and Booth.
I saw Topdog/Underdog in 2002. It was my first time seeing a show on Broadway, and I was spellbound. As my sisters and I were leaving, I saw Suzan-Lori Parks. OMG! You have to understand that I was in graduate school at the time; I spent my days absorbing all things Black theatre and drama. I was becoming a big fan of her work, so this was huge! My sisters prodded me to go meet her saying I would regret it if I didn’t. So, with the excitement and terror of a little girl on her first day of kindergarten, I walked up to her. I rambled something about being in graduate school and James Baldwin. She was the nicest person ever! And she drew pictures of little hearts and stars around her autograph on my playbill. But the most wondrous moment of that short interaction was one of pure endearment. Her parents were with her. She had brought her dad, who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, to see the show. As the ushers moved him to his wheelchair, I did not see a debilitating body, but only eyes beaming with pride.
As I reflect on Topdog/Underdog, I remember this snapshot of a daughter and her father, and I understand. I understand family. I know every family is unique. Every family is a mix of good, bad and ugly thrown into a pot with laughter and fear to keep warm, simmer or sometimes boil over. I know family is the one thing everyone needs, but so many, sadly, do not have.
I am blessed to have a family – a wonderful husband, soon-to-be teenager and hyperactive poodle – who I absolutely adore! I also have my Celebration Arts family that I thank for asking me to direct one of my all-time favorite plays.
Over the past few months, I have been welcomed into yet another family. Conrad Crump and DJ Lacy have been gracious enough to let me hang out with them at Booth’s cramped but “humble abode.” I have had a blast watching them grapple with the material, add their own nuances and learn about themselves and each other. Gentlemen, I appreciate you for being Lincoln and Booth…“I mean 3-Card.”
Enjoy the show!
Dr. Melinda Wilson Ramey
Playwright's Introduction
In January 1999 I was thinking about a play I'd written seven years earlier called THE AMERICA PLAY. In that play's first act we watch a black man who has fashioned a career for himself: he sits in an arcade impersonating Abraham Lincoln and leets people come and play at shooting him dead-- like John Wilkes Booth shot our sixteenth president in 1865 during a performance at Ford's Theatre. So I was thinking about my old play when another black Lincoln impersonator, unrelated to the first guy, came to mind: a new character for a new play. This time I would just focus on his home life. This new Lincon impersonator's real name would be Lincoln. He would be a former 3-card monte hustler. He would live with his brother a man named Booth.
My interest in 3-card monte began one day when my husband, Paul, and I were walking along Canal Street and saw some guys doing the shell game. I was fascinated because, while I'd seen the scam before, this time I had someone whispering a running commentary in my ear, a kind of play-by-play, explaining the ins and outs of the scam, what was really going down. Sure enough the commentator was my husband. Thurs out that, back in the days when he played in the Muddy Waters Blues Band, Paul would, for fun, hustle 3-card monte between sets. So when we got home that day he sat me down and showed me how to throw the cards. This play is about family wounds and healing. Welcome to the family.
Suzan-Lori Parks
April 2002
Cast
Production Team
PRODUCTION TEAM
Artistic Director
James Ellison III
Director
Dr. Melinda Wilson Ramey
Stage Manager
Raheem Muhammad-Terrell
Set Design
Tony Parker
Light + Sound Design
James Ellison III
Scenic Carpenter
James Ellison III
Scenic Painter
Andre Ramey
Box Office Manager
Rhonda Clark
Volunteer Coordinator
Voress Franklin
Marketing
Elizabeth Baidoo
Photography
Jonathan Martinez
Imani Mitchell
Poster Art
Hans Bennewitz
Meet the Company
Conrad Crump
Conrad Crump is a multifaceted actor with a rich background in acting and singing and has honed his craft through rigorous academic study and practical experience.
Conrad received a bachelor's from UC Berkeley and a master's from USC and was trained in the Alexander technique of acting and the Garcia-Marchesi tradition (Bel Canto method) of singing at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
Conrad brings a unique blend of physical and vocal expertise to his roles. He has graced the stage with platinum-award-winning artist Andrea Bocelli.
Most recently, Conrad showcased his talent as Brucie in Lynn Nottage's acclaimed play, SWEAT, at City Theater, earning praise for his depth and authenticity. He was last seen at Celebration Arts in 2023 in DIRECT FROM DEATH ROW - THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS and WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN.
While Conrad continues to be a dynamic presence on stage, captivating audiences with his incredible performances, he most cherishes the role of Dad to his two daughters, who motivate him daily.
Donald Lacy III
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG is Donald Lacy's second role in a production at Celebration Arts.
Previously, he starred as Walter Lee Younger in last season's production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN.
Donald recently studied at Pacific Conservatory Theatre, and his first introduction to theatre was in 2017 when he played Orpheus in the show EURYDICE at Delta College.
Since then, his favorite roles he has played are Bo Decker (BUS STOP), Mark Antony (JULIUS CAESAR), and Biff (DEATH OF A SALESMAN).
He wishes upon everyone who comes and supports the production of peace, love, positivity, health, and wealth.
Suzan-Lori Parks
Despite early discouragement from a high school teacher, Suzan-Lori Parks has risen to prominence as one of the most celebrated playwrights in the nation. As the first African-American woman to clinch the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002, she has reshaped the theatrical landscape with her historically aware and linguistically rich productions, now staples in drama schools and classes nationwide.
Parks's journey began in college, where she studied fiction under the tutelage of the legendary James Baldwin. Recognizing her extraordinary talent, Baldwin encouraged her to pursue playwriting, citing her penchant for infusing her short stories with vibrant character voices.
Her tour de force, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, debuted at the Public Theatre in 2001 before a triumphant transfer to Broadway. The accolades poured in, including the prestigious MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" and the historic Pulitzer Prize for Drama the following year, making her the first African-American woman to achieve such a feat. In 2023, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG received a Tony Award for Best Revival, further cementing its status as a theatrical masterpiece.
Reflecting on the profound impact of TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, Parks remarked, "It has incredible resonance throughout all communities, throughout all age groups, throughout all cultures."
Dr. Melinda Wilson Ramey
Dr. Melinda Wilson Ramey (Director), also affectionately known as “Dr. Melinda,” earned her BA in African American Studies at Vanderbilt University and doctorate in Theatre and Drama at Northwestern University.
She is the Associate Dean for Student Success in the College of Arts & Letters at Sacramento State where she has directed several Black plays and performances and served as the Artistic Director of Sons/Ancestors Players (2005-2017).
Dr. Melinda loves using the stage as a place “to play” with theatrical representations of Black identity.
She is thrilled to add TOPDOG/UNDERDOG to her directing credits at Celebration Arts that include SPELL #7 (2022), SPELL #7 (2021 - virtual performance), A SOLDIER'S PLAY (2019), BOURBON AT THE BORDER (2013), and HAVING OUR SAY (2009). Finally, she gives a huge shout out and all her love to Andre, Eden and Super for their incredible patience and never-ending support!
James Ellison III
James Ellison III has served as the Artistic Director for Celebration Arts since December 2022. A dedicated actor, volunteer, and board member, Ellison has been part of the Celebration Arts family for over 20 years, starting with a pivotal 1 AM phone call with founder James Wheatley when he was just 19.
In 2023, Ellison delivered a memorable performance as Thurgood Marshall in the one-person show THURGOOD during the Celebration Arts 2023 Season of Overcoming. He also made his directorial debut with A RAISIN IN THE SUN, marking a significant milestone in his career.
A seasoned stage, television, and film veteran, Ellison has performed in various productions across California, from commercials and community theater to professional stages at B Street Theatre and Capital Stage in Sacramento.
A passionate advocate for the visual and performing arts, Ellison has testified before the California State Legislature, underscoring the critical importance of arts funding. "State funding is the water that keeps the arts hydrated. You cut the funding, you cut our water," he asserts.
Ellison's commitment to the arts and his community shines through his work, making him a vital force in Sacramento’s cultural landscape.
Raheem Muhammad-Terrell
Raheem was bitten by the acting bug when his 4th grade teacher asked him to play Zeus, the King of the Gods, for a class on Greek mythology.
Raheem went on to act in several productions throughout high school and college, notably playing the lead role of Jess Simple in the Central State University production of Langston Hughes’ Simply Heavenly.
In 2023 Raheem’s family surprised him with an invitation to an acting workshop in New York City. That experience provided the impetus for Raheem to pursue the theater once more.
In 2023 Raheem was the Assistant Stage Manager and also played a small role in Celebration Art’s production of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and served as a stagehand for Celebration Arts’ production of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf.
Raheem retired from the United States Army after 23 years of service. Raheem currently works in the tech world as a Senior Human Resources Business Partner.
Multimedia
ABOUT CELEBRATION ARTS
Originally the Celebration Dance Company founded in 1976 by James Wheatley, Celebration Arts became a 501c3 organization in 1986. For more than 30 years, Celebration Arts continues to be a cornerstone of music, dance, and theater for the Sacramento region’s African American community bringing Black artists and stories to its stage at 2727 B Street. In addition, Celebration Arts provides educational programs to children through Kids’ Time and dance training for teens, adults, and seniors. More information can be found at celebrationarts.net.
James Wheatley
Founder
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nicole Manker
President
Executive Director
Kelly McDole
Vice President
James Ellison III
Artistic Director
Halifu Osumare, PhD
Board Member
Voress Franklin
Board Member
Samuel Jenkins
Board Member
Andre Ramey
Board Member
Non-Board Officer
Niyah Moore
Secretary
Elaine Douglas
Emeritus Advisor
Linda Goodrich, PhD
Emeritus Advisor
Sponsors
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Donate
Donations
Celebration Arts cannot exist without the generous support of our donors. As a volunteer-run organization for more than 36 years, all proceeds from ticket sales are applied towards operational costs to produce shows and keep our doors open. Unfortunately tickets sales do not come close to covering these expenses.
We are dependent on your generosity to continue bringing theatrical productions and educational opportunities to our community. Contributions of any amount make a significant impact to the livelihood of our theater from helping us pay our rent and upkeep of our facilities, to giving small stipends to our performers and helping us spread the word to attract patrons to the theater.
Thank you so much for your support!
Black Girl Magic Art Exhibition
We are incredibly excited to announce a collab with BLACK ARTIST FOUNDRY to bring the BLACK GIRL MAGIC ART EXHIBITION to the community!
For the 2024 Season of Black Girl Magic, our walls have been transformed into an art gallery, and patrons will experience awe-inspiring works from 11 talented Black women artists who call Sacramento home.
We thank Abayomi Brownfield, Aliyah Sidqe, Beth Consetta Rubel, Michaela Stewart, Nataki Owino, Noelle Tavares, Nia Brown, Omonivie Okhade, Shani Zuberi, Shawntay Gorman, and Tasha Nichole King for sharing their works in a celebration of the Black woman in beauty, strength and complexity.
Stay tuned for more info about the artists and upcoming special events.
Be sure to leave time to explore the gallery and your opportunity to add works for sale to your personal collection!
Image Credits:
Noelle Taveres, “Jerrod: An Ode to Solange,” 2023. Mixed media on canvas, 24”x30.”
Aliyah Sidqe, “Family Portrait,” 2022. Oil on canvas, “16x20.”
Shawntay Gorman, “Asaili Dickson,” 2024. Acrylic on canvas, 36”x36.”