Written by Cheryl L. Davis
Directed by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer
Conceptual Desinger: Ann Bartek

Starring: Maba Ba, Joresa Blount, Richard Mays, Kimbra Ransom. Jeanie Tse, and Nikole William

Swimming Uptown is the story of a Samantha Alexander, a professional African-American woman who has her world turned upside down when her sister is imprisoned and she must look after her teenaged niece Tiya. In attempting to cope with the chaos her life has become, Samantha is forced to reconnect with her family -- and herself.

Written byLorraine Cink
Directed by Riv Massey
Conceptual Designer: Ann Bartek

Featuring: Chris Kloko, Kiran Malhotra, Tim Banning & Rachel Radenberg

Jennifer is busy navigating the modern upper middle class life in NYC while trying to fill the emptiness inside her. When an unexpected pregnancy rocks her perceptions of perfection, she finds that things are not always as they seem and that she may find family in a place she least expects it.

Written by William Shakespeare
Adapted and Directed by Seth M. Gamble
Consulting Designer: Ann Bartek

Prospero – Blythe Coons
Miranda/Ariel – Samantha Colicchio
Caliban/Ferdinand – Maya Erskine
Gonzalo/Stephano –
Cherish Monique Duke
Sebastian/Trinculo – Kerry Stinson
Antonio – Rachel Wright
Alonso – Brooke Schlosser

This particular cutting of The Tempest focuses on the stories of Prospero, Ferdinand, Miranda and their viewpoints on life, love and magic.  Seven women portray more than thirty characters, exploring how doubling of certain characters works and what changes when the story is told in a world where gender doesn't matter.

From the Director:
I wanted to condense this play, already one of Shakespeare's shortest, as much as possible.  A doubling system has allowed the show to be played with only seven actors.  Further, I decided to present an entirely female cast. We looked at what it meant to be a female in the role, and how that would be translated in performance.

I wanted to focus on the meatiest of the doubled roles - Miranda with Ariel, and Ferdinand with Caliban.   Because the show is mostly Prospero's story, it also seemed natural that his story should be explored.  We worked to examine the story arcs surrounding each of those characters, and where important, to bring in the secondary characters to round out these stories.

Tonight is a culmination of those efforts, but by no means a finished product. I am hoping that you will regard this presentation as a first look into our explorations, and expect that you will participate in our journey with your critical feedback.