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M I SSI O N

H I S TO RY

D I R E C TO R ’ S N OT E S

The Saint Martin Repertory Theatre is a component of the Good Ground Institute. The company uses the Dwennimmen as it’s symbol. An adinkra from Ghana, Dwennimmen represents humility & strength. This character embodies our mission: to create space for marginal voices that are unheard in dominant stories.

Good Ground Institute was established in 2001 as a mission of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. Initially supported by an Episcopal Charities and Community Service New Ministries Grant, Good Ground presented a series of forums, dealing with issues of oppression, featuring nationally recognized scholars, theologians and activists at the church. Additionally, Good Ground presented music programs such as Blues and Jazz in the Sanctuary. St. Martin’s determined that Good Ground Institute had the potential to increase its reach as stand alone organization, so in 2011 the organization incorporated as a non-profit organization. While the arts have always been a Good Ground component, the organization created the Saint Martin Repertory Theatre to utilize the talents of its artists cadre and add another avenue to lift up those marginal voices in our society.

This is an era where the educational systems all over the country have been in constant crisis, particularly in the inner city. No Child... looks at certain aspects of this problem and hopefully will promote some dialogue on the subject. The future of the country is directly influenced by how our youth are prepared to deal with it.

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SA I N T M A R T I N R E PE R TO RY T H E AT R E

Artistic Directors ........................................... Terry Cullers, Raina Long and Larry Nance

Advisory Board ...........................................Homer Barrett, Jr., Rev. Christopher E. GriffinAnita Haskell, Gerri Outlaw

Resident Artists ......................... Homer Barrett, Jr., Terry Cullers, Christopher E. GriffinAnita Haskell, Tom Jones, Renee Jackson, Raina Long

Larry Nance, Gerri Outlaw, Deidre SearcyMignon Stewart, Don Williams

Marketing ................................................................................................................The Company

Good Ground InstituteBoard of Directors .............................................Anita Haskell, Ellen Janiec, Gerri Outlaw

Sanctuary StaffHouse Managers ..............................................................Derrick Dawson and Ellen JaniecBox Office ....................................................................Homer Barrett, Jr. and Thomas Jones

B IOGR APHIES

Warren Feagins (Janitor Barron, Brian, Jose) is excited to be working with Saint Martin Repertory Theatre on its first full production. He has worked with

Tympanic, Harlem (In Chicago), Point of Contention and Jackalope Theatre Companies. He has also appeared in various independent locally produced short films.

Rjw-Mays (Shondrika, Mrs. Kennedy, Security Guard) is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago. She has done two Theodore Ward Playwright productions; Ma Noah

and Etymology of Bird. She has performed at the American Theatre Company, Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre and ETA where she was nominated by The BTAA for her work in Good Black. God is Good.

N O CH I L D. . .C A S T A N D CR E W

Playwright ...........................................................................................................................Nilaja SunMs. Sun ..........................................................................................................Nevada MontgomeryJanitor Barron, Brian, Jose ..................................................................................Warren FeaginsShondrika, Mrs. Kennedy, Security Guard ............................................................... Rjw-MaysJerome, Mr. Johnson, Dona Guzman .................................................................Lance NewtonChris, Phillip, Mr. Johnson .......................................................................Christopher McMorrisMs. Tam, Coca, Xiomara, Mrs. Projensky ....................................................... Charlita WilliamsUnderstudy .................................................................................................... Lashanna Hawthorn

Producers .............................................................................. Derrick Dawson and Larry NanceDirector ...........................................................................................................................Terry CullersAssistant Director .......................................................................................................... Raina LongSet Designer ................................................................................................................ Don WilliamsLighting Designer.......................................................................................................... Raina LongSound Designer ........................................................................................ Afrikan Nerve ControlCostumer ...................................................................................................................... Anita HaskellStage Manager .................................................................................................. Latienda Williams

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B IOGR APHIES (c o n t.)

Christopher McMorris (Chris, Phillip, Mr. Johnson) is excited to be preforming for the Saint Martin Rep in such an important production. He has

been seen in several productions in Chicago, A Girl to Be Named Later, Piece Meal Clan, Alice of The House of Carroll and Runaway’s the Musical to name a few. Christopher is ecstatic to be debuting with Saint Martin Rep and sharing the his craft with an audience.

Nevada Montgomery (Ms. Sun) received a B.F.A in acting from Wright State University in Dayton Ohio. At Wright State, she played Belarius

in Shakespeare’s“ Cymbeline”, Mrs. Webb in “Our Town” and The Nameless Lead in Sandra Crews’ “Broken Levees.” She recently made her Chicago acting debut as Nurse Babbit in Amy Geist’s new work “Alyss”

Lance Newton (Jerome, Mr. Johnson, Dona Guzman) born in Las Vegas, NV graduated from Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI where he received his BFA

in Theatre Performance with a minor in Philosophy. “No Child” is Lance’s 6th show in Chicagoland. He is thrilled to be a part of the Saint Martin Repertory Theatre and thankful to be a working Actor.”

Charlita Williams (Ms. Tam, Coca, Xiomara, Mrs. Projensky) hails from Texas where her credits include: Annette/Ensemble - “Annie”, Helen

Robinson - “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Rachel - “Only God Can Judge Me”,

Stephie -”Fabulation Or, The Re-education of Undine”, and Suzanne - “Dearly Departed”. She made her Chicago debut in the chorus of “The Church”. Other Illinois credits include: Harriet Tubman in “A Road to Freedom”, Miep in “Ann Frank T.M.O.” and most recently Steele in “A Piece Of My Heart”.

Lashanna Hawthorn (Understudy) I enjoy acting because it allows the audience to connect with the character and go on an emotional journey

and inspire people to do great things. I studied acting at ETA Theatre, and will continue learn and grow as an actor. I want to thank everyone from Saint Martin Repertory Theatre for giving me this opportunity.

Nilaja Sun (Playwright) is a solo performer and writer. For her creation and performance of No Child... and its subsequent national tour, Nilaja garnered 17 awards including: an Obie Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, two Outer Critics Circle Awards including the John Gassner playwriting award for Outstanding New American Play, a Theatre World Award, the Helen Hayes Award, and an LA Ovation Award and was named the Best One-Person Show at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. Nilaja’s New York credits include No Child..., Einstein’s Gift, Pieces of the Throne, Time and the Conways (each with Epic Theatre Ensemble), Huck and Holden (Cherry Lane Theatre), The Cook (Intar), and The Adventures of Barrio Grrrl! (Summer Play Festival). She has also been seen on “30 Rock,” “Law and Order: SVU,” and as Detective Gloria Hubbard in the film “The International”. As a solo performer, Nilaja’s projects include critically acclaimed Blues for a Gray Sun (Intar), La Nubia Latina, Black and Blue, Insufficient Fare, Due to the Tragic Events of... and Mixtures. A native of the Lower East Side, she is a Princess Grace Award winner and has worked as a teaching artist in New York City.

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B IOGR APHIES (c o n t.)

Terry Cullers (Director) has been on the Chicago scene for a great number of years. He has also worked at Vince Cullers Advertising, a family business and the first full-service Black owned agency in the U.S., where he directed radio commercials and coordinated the administration of television production. Some of the other companies he worked with as either director or actor are ETA, MPAACT, Kuumba, Pegasus, Chocolate Chips, Organic, Raven, and the Black Ensemble Theater.

Raina Long (Assistant Director/Light Design) is an actor, writer and educator who has worked in and around Chicago for over ten years. Her acting credits include roles in theater, print and film. Her writing credits include “The Freedom Code”, an educational play for children. Raina is excited to be the Assistant Director for No Child... and hopes to provide“...profound and positive artistic experiences that are both educational and entertaining” with this and all other productions with Saint Martin Repertory Theatre.

Latienda Williams (Stage Manager) is delighted to work with Saint Martin Repertory Theatre. Her production experience includes 3rd Dimension Performance Group’s “Torn the Musical”, August Augustus’s “Suga Foot Blue” and Ark Production’s “The Greasy Plate”. She invites you to travel with her on this journey of dedication and passion.

Afrikan Nerve Control (Sound Design) is the latest iteration of the award winning sound collective that has been known as Ministers of the New Super Heavy Funk, chaos and disorder, Vibration Society and Soul of Black Folk.

Anita Haskell (Costumes/Props) Ms. Haskell’s theatre experience is as dresser for The Chicago Opera Theatre, as well as costumer for several small medieval music ensembles.

Derrick Dawson (Producer) received a B.A in English from Northeastern Illinois University and is a former

journalist in the United States Navy. He is the Co-Chair of Crossroads Antiracism and Training and has served as the Co-Chair of the Antiracism Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. He works as the Training Manager for the Chicago law firm of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg in Chicago. A long-time supporter of Chicago theater, Derrick is excited to be a part of this inaugural production of Saint Martin Repertory Theater.

Larry Nance (Producer) has been a member of the Creative Actor’s Ensemble, the Ma’at Association of Afrikan Centered Theatre, (MPAACT), the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, Urban Underground Media, program associate for the Blacklight Film Festival and served on the boards of the Bronzeville Film Festival, National Episcopal AIDS Coalition and Chocolate Chips Theatre Company. He is Media Programs Coordinator and a teaching artist with Urban Solutions, a playwright, filmmaker and serves as Pastoral Assistant at St. Martins Episcopal Church.

Don Williams (Set Design) co-produced GOOD TIMES LIVE ONSTAGE in 2006. Donald has written and produced several plays in the Chicago area over the last seventeen years.

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