Azuka Theatre presents

Reverie

A new play by JAMES IJAMES
Starring *DAVID BAZEMORE, *DAMIEN J. WALLACE, JUSTIN MITCHELL
Scenic Design MARIE LASTER
Lighting Design J. DOMINIC CHACON
Costume Design ARIEL LIUDI WANG
Sound Design LARRY D. FOWLER, JR. (MR. CISUM)
Properties AVISTA CUSTOM THEATRICAL, LLC
Intimacy Director ZOE NEBRASKA
Production Manager LAUREN A. TRACY
Production Stage Manager R.J. HUNTER SMITH

Directed by JERRELL L. HENDERSON

Producers GAYLE & DAVID SMITH
Honorary Producers DR. JOEL & BOBBIE PORTER

On Stage MAY 4 - 22, 2022

CAST

*David Bazemore……………………..Jordan
*Damien J. Wallace……………………Paul
Justin Mitchell……………………………Lucas

Location & Time: South Philadelphia, now.
There will be NO intermission.
Please turn OFF all electronic devices prior to the performance. Photography or recording of this production, including cell phones, is strictly prohibited.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The land upon which we gather is part of the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape, called “Lenapehoking.” The Lenape People lived in harmony with one another upon this territory for thousands of years. During the colonial era and early federal period, many were removed west and north, but some also remain among the continuing historical tribal communities of the region: The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation; the Ramapough Lenape Nation; and the Powhatan Renape Nation, The Nanticoke of Millsboro Delaware, and the Lenape of Cheswold Delaware. We acknowledge the Lenni-Lenape as the original people of this land and their continuing relationship with their territory. In our acknowledgment of the continued presence of Lenape people in their homeland, we affirm the aspiration of the great Lenape Chief Tamanend, that there be harmony between the indigenous people of this land and the descendants of the immigrants to this land, “as long as the rivers and creeks flow, and the sun, moon, and stars shine.”

– We thank the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation for sharing this statement.

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Reverie found me. I am grateful it did. Through conversations with the artistic staff at Azuka, our playwright, our designers, and our excellent cast; the journey of psychological, emotional, and spiritual healing my life has been on for the past few years, the same journey I wish for all Black and Brown folx, now has a growing vocabulary to lean into in order to continue to grow. That is one of the gifts of this play. Through active (sometimes furious) meditation and simple yet powerful gestures of love, compassion, and acceptance; our playwright, James Ijames has provided the troubled waters necessary for us to collectively wade within in order to begin reaping the full spiritual healing possible once we actually take off our worldly armor, humble ourselves, and connect, one broken human being to another broken human being.

If you are looking for a different, gentler way to connect with yourself, this play is for you. If you are looking for a different, more compassionate way to connect with those you love (including and especially those who may have knowingly or unknowingly caused you pain), this play is for you. If you like engaging love stories, this play is for you. If nothing else I mentioned is of interest and you just want a great story, this play is for you. This play is a shelter and there is room for all within its walls. In the best sense of African American religious traditions, Reverie invites you to come as you are, to taste and see how good it is, and to leave its space altered by a growing sense of how much different our lives can be when we are a bit more patient with ourselves and thoughtful towards others. There is history in Reverie. There is sad reflection in Reverie. There is intense discomfort in Reverie. This is true. However, there is new breath and fresh ways of breathing in Reverie. There is playful discovery in Reverie. There is joy in Reverie. There is healing in Reverie.

Thank you for joining us.
All Love,

Jerrell L. Henderson

CAST

Click on the headshots to read artist bios

CREATIVE TEAM

STAFF & CREDITS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2021-2022

Lee Porter - President
Dustin Dove - Vice-President
Rosie McNamara-Jones - Treasurer
Larry D. Fowler, Jr. - Secretary
Jonathan V. Edmondson
Kimberly Engel
Kevin Glaccum
Steven Wright

We’re looking to grow our Board! Want to know more?

AZUKA THEATRE COMPANY MEMBERS

Artistic Director - Rebecca May Flowers
Artistic Director - Reva Stover
Executive Director - Kevin Glaccum
Marketing & Patron Services Director - Mark H. Andrews
Resident Dramaturg - Quinn D. Eli
PR Representation - Kory Aversa / Aversa PR & Events, LLC

FRONT OF HOUSE

House Managers - Talia Speak & Abby Toll
Box Office Managers - Kassidy Carlese & Abby Toll
Box Office Staff - Robert Charles Avigdor; Victoria Crenshaw; Sydney K. Holts; Marc D. Johnson, Jr.; Caroline Juelke; Jessica Merkins; Melissa Nesta; Liz Oakley & Katie Pelensky

PRODUCTION CREW & CREDITS

Additional Recorded Voices - Walter DeShields & Jaylene Clark Owens
Composer & Music Consultant - Ozzie Jones
Assistant Stage Manager - Miranda Watkins
Assistant Lighting Designer - DeAnna Howard
Properties Assistant - Saria Rosenhaj
Technical Director - Joe Daniels
Assistant Production Manager - Jackie Tracy-Cowles
Master Electrician - Andrew Cowles
Audio Engineer - John Kolbinski
Carpenters - AJ Garrigus, Dylan Bickart, Reilly Walker & Raine Canty
Scenic Painters - Annemarie Branco & Jack Tobin-Gross
Electrician - Rob Butler
Media Relations - Aversa PR & Events
Production Photographer - Johanna Austin
Video Promotion - James Kern
Graphic Design - Mark H. Andrews & Derek Carnegie
IT Support - Andrew Nelson
Website Design - PIC Designs
Printing - Quaker Printing

SPECIAL THANKS
InterAct Theatre Company, Resource Sharing Group

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS!

If your name has been omitted or misprinted, please accept our apologies and kindly notify us by contacting Kevin Glaccum at 215.563.1100

Thanks to the following funders for their generous organizational and programmatic support:

FOUNDATION SUPPORT

William Penn Foundation • The Wyncote Foundation • Free 2 Be Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation • Independence Foundation • MKM Foundation • The Shubert Foundation • PA Council on the Arts • Philadelphia Cultural Fund • June & Steve Wolfson Family Foundation • PIDC Community Capital Corp • Lida Foundation • Virginia Brown Martin Fund • Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation • Lindback Foundation • National Philanthropic Trust

CORPORATE SUPPORT

Harmelin Media

Thank you to our individual supporters, many of whom supported us during the shut-down:
This list represents gifts made since March 1, 2020.
∞ indicates RAD, Recurring Azuka Donors

PRODUCERS CIRCLE

HONORARY PRODUCERS ($5,000+)
Dr. & Mrs. Joel & Bobbie Porter • Pat & Robin Tracy • Anonymous

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS ($2,500 - $4,999)
David & Karen Jones • ∞Andi Sheaffer • David & Gayle Smith • Lee & Chris van de Velde • Jean Weaver

PRODUCERS ($1,000 - $2,499)
Martin Bodtmann • Karl Carter • Fern & John Culhane • ∞Kimberly Engel • David Fedor • ∞Kevin Glaccum • Marta Nolan-Alley • Michael Norris & Matt Varrato • Lee Porter • David Schlessinger • Paulette Singleton • ∞David J. Wierz

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS ($500 - $999)
∞Jay & Nancy Berkowitz • Dr. Marie Antionette Bey • David Bushnell & Kimberly Pelkey • James Crawford • Zach Dilks • Dustin Dove • Elizabeth Gemmill • Bryan & Kathy Glaccum • Michael Glaccum • Annie Goldenberg • Craig Jorgensen • Drs. Ken & Julie Kendall • ∞Tom Korman & Ann Kirshner • ∞Lisa & Chris McLean • Tom Mendocino & Nick Ifft • Ed & Lyn Tettemer

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT

IDEALIST ($100 - $499)
∞Patreshettarlini Adams • Marilyn Anthony • Harry Bambrick • Judith & Philip Benedict • Matt Birringer • Nancy Boykin & Dan Kern • Tony Braithwaite • Shannon Zura & Meghan Brodie • Antionette Brown • Thomas Carragher & Brian Dittmar • J. Dominic Chacon • Phyllis Cohen • ∞Anthony Copa • Donato D’Albis • Chris Deephouse & Donna Hunt • ∞Danielle Dilks • ∞Edward Dilks • Jonathan V. Edmondson • ∞Heather E. Evans • Michael Feighan • Gil Feinberg • ∞Rebecca May Flowers • ∞Ellen Foley • Dan Gannon • Flo Gardner • Patricia & Narinder Garg • Ann Lee Morgan & C. W. Gear • Maureen Glaccum & David Speers • Hannah Gold • Marie Gottschalk • Grace Grillet • Paul & Terry Guerin • Margaret Harris • Jenn Hayden • Patricia Haynam • Betsy & Ted Hershberg • Liza Herzog • David Ingram & Melanye Finister • Bobby Iovine • Lois Kitz • David Lathrop • Kelsey Leljedal • Ben Levan • Eli Lynn • Cirel & Howard Magen • The Marcus Family • Tim Martin • Rosie McNamara-Jones • Larry & Maureen Mullin-Fowler • ∞Andrea Nardello • ∞Charlotte Northeast • Thomas K. O’Leary • Gwen Ottinger • Laura Pattillo • Kathryn Petersen • Stephen Platt & Robin Schaufler • Sabrina Profitt • Nora, Sam & Willa Quinn • Kevin Riordan • ∞Heather Smalley • Margaret R. Spencer • Noreen & Eric Tarr • Nick Urban • Stephen Van Horn • Dan Van Wert & Alethia Calbeck • Deborah Volkmer • Mark Wade • ∞John Walber & Julie Slavet • Bob Weinberg & Eleanor Wilner • Noris Weiss Malvey • Wendy White • Tom Woodward • Peter Wool • Wayne Zukin • Anonymous (10)

REALIST (up to $99)
Robin Admana • Cassandra Alexander • Phil & Karen Allmen • Mark H. Andrews & Derek Carnegie • Rob & Stephanie Andrews • Peter Appelbaum • Johanna Austin • Lena Barnard • Christopher Baughman • Benjamin Behrend • Kerry Berkowitz • BA Bigham • Bruce Billow • ∞Ivy Brock • Jeff Burger • Keyonna Butler • Jake Buttery • Gail Byrne • Patricia Callahan & Bill Double • Timothy P. Carey • Eve Chamberlain • Peilin Chen • John Paul Christy • Katherine Coleby • Christopher Colucci • Kenneth Cruz-Dillard • Jess DeStefano • Dorrie Dillalogue • Karen DiLossi & Josh Schulman • ∞Rebekah Doyle • Michael Drzik • Jennifer Enslen • Leesha Fagan • Tony & Sue Faillace • Julie Fialkow • ∞Robin Fieler • Damien Figueras • M.J. Fine • Krissy Fraelich • Donald Friedman • Vincent Fumo & Amanda Jensen • The Fussersons • Linda Dubin Garfield • Robyn & Bill George • Scott & Nancy Geryk • Emma Gibson • Nan Gilbert & Lou Grimaldi • ∞Austin Ginsberg • Lavelle Glenn • Leigh Goldenberg & Aaron Bauman • Johanna Goode • Barbara Grabias • Danie Greenwell • Caitlin G. • Catherine Hagele • Kate Hanley • James & Jenna Harris • Jean Haskell • Amanda & Pete • Kate Heaney • Tom Helmer • Josh Herren • Brenda Hillegas • Peter Hoefler • Megan Hoffman • Esther & Bob Hornik • Caren & Stuart Hosansky • Sean Huber • Fred Jackes • Gilda Jackson • M. Jackson • Karl Janowitz • Cyndi Janzen • Elizabeth Johnson • ∞Lisa Johnson • Ira Josephs • Karin & Mark Kaplan • Elizabeth Kean • Patrice Kelly • James Kern • Julia King • James Kirby • Sharon Kling • Andrea Kocerha • Cindi Landmesser • Annette LareauFreeman • Margarete Larese-ortiz • ∞Kissy Lazo & Andrew Guyon • Felicia Leicht • Margaret Lonzetta • Gianna Lozzi • MaryAnne Lyons • Michael MacGowan • KC MacMillan • Stephen Mandato • Gene Mannelli • Noah Mannix • Sabina Mauro & Gerald Roche • Christopher McCarrick • Kathleen McCauley • Toitimeblog • Patricia McGovern Gorchov • Liam McLean • Shawna McMenamin • Lily Meier • Byron Merrick • Marnie Mielke • Frances Miller • Scott & McKenna • Lori Mudd • Michele & Leah Murray • Barbara Nardi • Charlene Nolten • Marie O’Donnell • Lorraine Osinski • Michael Osinski • Kasual Owens-Fields • Brian Papendic • Rosemary Parrillo • Cybele & Paul • Sonya Peterson & John Samas • Anthony Pires, Jr. • Steven Porter • Madison P. • Olive Prince • Mary Quick (Stewart) • Gary Rantz • Catalina Read • Veronica Redd • Keisha M. Richburg • ∞Kathleen R. • ∞Brittany Schmitke • Tattooed Love Boy • Lee & Linda-Jean Schneider • Megan Schumacher • Jonathan Silver • Dana Smith • The Smiths • Stephanie Smith • Talia Speak • Caitlin Speers • William Stuart • Arin & Taylor • Diana Swidler • Miriam Szapiro • Anne Taylor • Thomas Taylor • R. Eric Thomas • Phaedra Tinder • Maureen Torsney-Weir • John Turnbach • Hannah Vaughn • Michele Volansky • Harry Watermeier • Renee Lucas Wayne • Douglas Williams • Shirley Young • Anonymous (22)