Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea
By Nathan Alan Davis
A Co-Production Between WMU Theatre & Face Off Theatre Company
Director: Marissa Harrington**
Stage Manager: Amari Valentino*
Costume Designer: Jared Schuhardt*
Sound Designer: Mary Narusis*
Lighting Designer: Hannah Flones*
Scenic Designer: Dave Nofsinger
*It is with great pride that we recognize the creative efforts of our students.
**In association with Face Off Theatre Company.
CAST
Dontrell: Kemar Williams
Erika: Kiara Durbin
Dad: Delanti Hall
Mom: Aniya Thompson
Danielle: Arise Rock
Shea: Aniya Zeigler
Robby: Donovan B. Wade
PRODUCTION STAFF
Assistant Director/Intimacy Director: Ynika Pocopio Yuag**
Assistant Stage Managers: Audrey Way, Treasure Rose
Cultural Competency Consultant: Arizsia Staton
Dramaturge: Dr. Shea-Lin Shobowale-Benson**
African Dance Consultant: Heather Mitchell
Voice/Movement/Intimacy: Elizabeth Terrel
African Drums: Nate Waller
Technical Director: Patrick Niemi
Assistant Technical Director/Assistant Scenic Designer: Dani Hosler
Props Master: Rin Spielmann
Light Board Operator: Liz Ryan
Sound Board Operator: Noah Vos
Carpenters: Joe Fleck, Isabel Hafner, Dani Hosler, Camryn Pieknik, Madison Soloman
Master Electrician: Brian Boyer
Costumer: Julia Kosanovich
Stitchers: True Chin-Parker, Alex Damm, Madison Hoffmann, Micaela Johnson, Molly Lewis
Costume Running Crew Head: Maggie Mills
Wardrobe Crew: Lucy Beard, Emma Pop
Stage Crew: Gibson Diemert, Zach Gonzalez, Jessica Krolik, Simone Leath, Sarah Meierdirks, Charles St. George
**In association with Face Off Theatre Company.
BIOS
Kiara Durbin (Erika): is a junior from Twinsburg, OH. Previous Credits: Lady Helena/Lord Howard/Eve, Emilia; Margy Frake, State Fair; Dr. Apgar/Sally Ride, She Persisted.
Hannah Flones (Lighting Designer): is a junior from South Elgin, IL. Previous Credits: Master Electrician, Head Over Heels; Lighting Designer, Timoramino; Scenic Change Artist, The Tempest; Electrician, Sunday in the Park with George; Master Electrician, New Beginnings; Assistant Lighting Designer, Into the Woods.
Delanti Hall (Dad): is a senior from Detroit, MI. Previous Credits: Blood at the Root; Pipeline; The Piano Lesson.
Mary Narusis (Sound Designer): is a junior from Woodstock, IL. Previous Credits: Properties Master, Pippin; Sound Engineer, Winter Dance Gala 2022; Lighting Designer, The Old Man and the Old Moon; Sound Designer, LYS.
Arise Rock (Danielle): is a freshman from Detroit, MI. Previous Credits: Juliet, Romeo and Juliet; Helena, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Mickey, The Odd Couple. WMU Debut!
Jared Schuhardt (Costume Designer): is a senior from Kalamazoo, MI. Previous Credits: Scenic Designer, The Tempest.
Aniya Thompson (Mom): is a sophomore from Chicago, IL. Previous Credits: Mr.D/Hades, The Lightning Thief; Nehebka, Aida; Puiser Boudreaux, Steel Magnolias.
Donovan B. Wade (Robby): is a sophomore from Evanston, IL. WMU Debut!
Kemar Williams (Dontrell): is a sophomore from Lansing, MI. Previous Credits: Lewis (Understudy)/Ensemble, Pippin.
Aniya Zeigler (Shea): is a freshman from Westland, MI. WMU Debut!
Guest Artists
Marissa Harrington (Director): Marissa is a founding member of Face Off Theatre Company and a graduate of Western Michigan University’s Theatre Program. She has directed numerous productions in Kalamazoo including: The Piano Lesson by August Wilson, Grease at Hackett Catholic Prep High School, In the Heights at Kalamazoo Central High School, The Learned Ladies at Kalamazoo College, Dancing Granny at WMU, as well as several FOTC productions (Been Loving You, Chain, The Mountaintop, The Colored Museum, and Dreamgirls). Marissa has also performed in several productions including Ruined, Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding, Detroit 67, and By the Way Meet Vera Stark. She resides in Kalamazoo with her husband Harold, beautiful children Lyla, Hunter, Estelle, and dog Enzo.
Ynika Pocopio Yuag (Assistant Director/Intimacy Director): Ynika Pocopio Yuag is a Queer director, production manager, and intimacy choreographer based in Kalamazoo. Their focus includes consent-based practices and empowering those in the margins–she is most inspired by Queer and Indigenous storytelling and is honored to uphold a lineage of storytellers from her native lands of Banaue and Siquijor in the Philippines. She is a proud member of Face Off Theatre Company in Kalamazoo, MI where she serves as the production manager. Favorite directing credits include Kokoro (True Heart) (Festival Playhouse of Kalamazoo College), Dance Again (Queer Theatre Kalamazoo), and Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine (Face Off Theatre Company). Select intimacy choreography credits include Indecent and The Creation of the World and Other Business (Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids), and Yellowman (FOTC). In 2021, she received her B.A. magna cum laude in Psychology and Theatre Arts from Kalamazoo College. They currently reside in Kalamazoo. More information on their work is available at ynikayuag.com.
SHOW INFORMATION
Photography and recording of any kind is prohibited by law.
There will be one 10-minute intermission.
FACE OFF THEATRE COMPANY
Mission
To create meaningful work that inspires and sparks change in our community through providing a space that empowers, develops, and supports artists of color.
Vision
Face Off Theatre Company aims to present audiences with fresh and innovative work that is inspirational, entertaining, and thought-provoking. We aim to create transcendent theatre art that explores the complexity and richness of the Black experience, as well as, encourages cross-cultural dialogue that illuminates and expands our understanding of the universal human experience. We will accomplish this by:
- Fostering an appreciation for the arts across racial, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic lines.
- Inspiring and helping communities to make theatre an active part of their lives.
- Providing opportunities for under-served populations to create theatrical experiences expressing their heart through devised work, staged readings, and workshops.
- Fortifying relationships through collaborations within the community that are innovative, effective, and mutually beneficial.
DONORS
Special thanks to our donors for their endless support!
COMING NEXT
![Image](https://files.wmich.edu/s3fs-public/styles/hero_12_5/public/images/u927/2023/WMUT-22_CONVOS_LUDUS_600x250.jpg?h=9abd62af&itok=3sxxPqsk)