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…and Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi – Closed
a rich, imaginative world that allows trees to preach, rivers to waltz, and Jesus to moonwalk
Civil War, Civil Rights, and a Modern Myth of Transformation
by award winning playwright Marcus Gardley
July 16 – Aug 2, 2015
Performed at the Center Theatre at the Seattle Center Armory,
305 Harrison Street
Directed by Tyrone Brown
Co-produced with Brownbox Theater
Seattle Premiere
…And Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi is a poetic retelling of the myth of Demeter and Persephone set during the Civil War and narrated by the Mississippi River. Having run away from a plantation, a father searching for his daughter is murdered and resurrected in the fertile, war-torn landscape of Louisiana. This lyrical play by one of America’s most exciting young African-American playwrights combines traditional storytelling, gospel music, and a wicked sense of humor to create a rich, imaginative world that allows trees to preach, rivers to waltz, and Jesus to moonwalk.
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“Jesus Moonwalks is in a lot of ways my signature play. It is based upon a story my great-grandmother used to tell about her father who fled the bonds of slavery and traveled the country in search of his family.”
-Marcus Gardley, playwright
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CAST and CREW:
This production features actors returning to both Brownbox Theatre and Sound Theatre Company stages alongside many new faces of local emerging artistic talent. Kathya Alexander, seen in Brownbox Theatre’s Black to My Roots summons the power and spirit of the Mississippi River to narrate this tale. Jesse Smith, last seen on Sound Theatre Company stage in the Gregory Award Winning The Wild Party plays the role of Damascus, an escaped slave. Nick Rempel (The Foreigner) portrays plantation owner and confederate defector, Jean Verse. Tee Dennard has appeared on many Seattle Stages including Seattle Repertory, Intiman and ACT Theatre and was a founding member of The Group Theatre. Newcomers to both companies include Shermona Mitchell who portrays Jesus and was nominated for her performance in A New Brain by STAGEright, Cornish student Lindsay Zae Summers portrays Free Girl, with Sunam Ellis, Anthony Duckett, Brace Evans, Santiago, Danielle Daggerty, Marie Bolla and Nick Edmondson rounding out the diverse cast.
Cast
Miss Ssippi……………………… Kathya Alexander
Damascus…………………………Jesse Smith
Demeter……………………………Santiago
Jesus ………………………………. Shermona Mitchell
The Great Tree ………………… Tee Dennard
Jean Verse…………………………Nick Rempel
Cadence Verse……………………Danielle Daggerty
Yankee Pot Roast……………… Anthony Duckett
Free…………………………………. Lindsay Zae Summers
Blanche Verse…………………… Sunam Ellis
Brer Bit……………………………. Brace Evans
Tributaries/Ensemble…………..Marie Bolla, Nick Edmondson, Jesse Smith
Production Team
Director/Co Producer…………. Tyrone Brown
Stage Manager…………………… Abigail Pishaw
Set Designer……………………… Burton Yuen
Costume Designer……………… Candace Frank
Lighting Designer………………. Richard Schaefer
Props Designer…………………. Ashley Banker
Sound Designer…………………. Dana Amromin
Composer/Music Dir…………. Jesse Smith
Movement Director……………. Ken Michels
Vocal/Dialect Coach……………Teresa Thuman
Assistant Stage Manager……. Chelsea “Mo” Moniz
Asst. Sound Design…………… Julian Armine[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]