Leaving Watermaine
Nan Nelson
Actress: Magdeline Mainlodge
“a portrait of the Mainlodge family as they each forge their journey of personal growth from the family ties that bind almost too tightly. Against the backdrop of the mysterious murder of Jesse Moss, the Mainlodges and the Watermaine community search for answers, uncovering heartbreak, shame, ambition, colorism…. And ultimately triumph of spirit! Leaving Watermaine is a powerful testimony to the love of family and the fuel it provides for perseverance. Featuring Karen Abercrombie, Thom McKinney,
K. Alana Jones, Renee Welsh-Noel, Chloe Shade, Jeremy DeCarlos, John Bonds, John Harris, PJ Barnes, Coven Colby, and Scott Reynolds.”
Nouveau Sud Circus Project
Director of Production
“The Nouveau Sud Circus Project is a contemporary social circus initiative rooted in the “underground” dance/acrobatic/physical theatre scenes present in the vast array of cultures in the urban regions of Charlotte. Through physical language — dance, movement, and circus — these communities tell stories of their struggles, histories, traditions, transformations, and iconography, as we examine the idea of what it is to be a citizen of the ‘new’ south.”
La Bestia- A Nouveau Sud Circus Project
Stage Manager
“La Bestia is an homage to an important and often unheard sector of our community, our LatinX community, while also aiming to open conversation about the reality of immigration in the United States and around the world. Driven by the growing presence of Central Americans in the Charlotte metro region and the greater awareness of the calvary that is crossing Mexico for most immigrants, the Nouveau Sud Circus Project embarks on a theatrical investigation to bring attention to the treacherous journey that some of our community members endure. The phenomenon of immigration is an international and intercultural one, and this production aims to continue to bridge the gap between communities as we look to discover new frontiers beyond the four walls of the theater.”
Single Black Female
Director
A completely student led production. Chloe brought together six black female artists together to produce Single Black Female by Lisa B. Thompson. Chloe’s goal of the show was to provide student artists an opportunity to practice their skills before graduating.
Gather: The Secret Life of Micro-aggressions
Director
This was a student-written, acted, and directed piece. The piece explored the , no-so- subtle, aggressions black girls face at their public school.
Chasing Gods by Paris Crayton lll
Director
Chloe directed this piece to submit to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, which she eventually won at the national level. This play explores familial relationships that are challenged by different ideologies. Characters are forced to face their hatred to keep their loved ones in their lives.
Detroit 67’ by Dominique Morrisue
Assistant Director
“The world is shifting for two siblings running an after-hours juke joint in their basement to make ends meet. But when a mysterious woman finds her way into their lives, the siblings clash over much more than the family business. Currently among the top five most-produced playwrights, Dominique Morisseau’s powerful play unfolds an explosive moment in our history – the uprising that shocked the city of Detroit in 1967 – set to a vibrant soundtrack of the day's Motown music.”
Jump by Charly Evon Simpson
Assistant Director
“Depression, grief, suicide, and mental illness are just some of the themes Charly Simpson explores in her play Jump …While not offering any definitive answers, Simpson’s richly layered script does offer a ray of hope that connection is possible IF we pull together the courage to reach out, listen, and trust one another. It’s thought-provoking, cautionary storytelling that does what theater does best: informs, enlightens, entertains, and (hopefully) brings us closer together.” —BroadwayWorld.com.
Freedom Summer by Cynthia Grace Robinson
Assistant Stage Manager
“August 4, 1964. Nora has started a new life “passing” as a white woman, while her sister, Carrie, prepares to travel to the deep South and register Blacks to vote. The bodies of three civil rights workers have just been found in Mississippi, leading the sisters to question the price of civil rights, Black identity, and what it means to be Free.”
These Shining Lives by Melanie March
Assistant Director & Actor: Frances
“A play based on the true story of four young women who obtain a high-paying job at Radium Dial company. Such jobs were unusual for women in the 1920s, so the girls eagerly accepted. After some time working there, the women start noticing some troubling health issues. It takes numerous doctors’ visits and some travel to finally understand what was happening to them. This revelation sends them on an upward battle to fight for what’s right.”
Pippin
Actor: Berthe
“The story of an actor named Pippin in search of a place in the world. Replete with its classic score and big dance numbers, our production, directed by Professor Dean Adams, also infuses new energy with contemporary circus arts and aerial performance and plenty of magic (of both the theatrical and sleight-of-hand varieties!). A multiple Tony Award winner when it debuted in 1972 and again for the 2013 Broadway revival, Pippin is a big-hearted tale of adventure and self-discovery.”
MigrantX
Circus Artist
“the world premiere of Georgina Escobar’s MIGRANT X, exploring the issue of immigration policy globally, nationally, and locally through the lived migrant experience. Taking place outside in the Arts Quad, the show takes audiences through a migrant’s journey – both physically and emotionally. Directed by Associate Professor Carlos Alexis Cruz with musical direction by Shamou.”