This One Girl's Story (2011)
Music and Lyrics by Dionne McClain-Freeney
Book and Additional Lyrics by Bil Wright
Wednesday, Sep 28th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Friday, Sep 30th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, Oct 2nd, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Sunday, Oct 2nd, 2011 at 8:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct 5th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Friday, Oct 7th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
Sunday, Oct 9th, 2011 at 8:00 pm
This One Girl’s Story is the journey of Patrice and her friends – four young women in search of a drama-free night filled with dancing and maybe a little romance – hopefully not with yet another W.G.F.M (“Wrong Girl For Me”). They’ve ditched their troubles in Newark to party in the Big City, but a shocking incident forces them to face difficult truths about themselves. This powerful musical, inspired by actual events combines R&B, jazz, gospel, and hip-hop to sing a tale of love and courage.
Approximate Running Time: 1:35; no intermission
New York: The Wiz for New York City Center’s “Encores!” and Wig Out at Vineyard Theatre. Regional Theatre: Leap of Faith (Ahmanson) Little Shop of Horrors (Paper Mill Playhouse) Buddy Holly (Westchester Broadway Theatre), Spunk (Actors Theatre of Louisville); World Goes Round (Barrington Stage Company), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Fulton Opera), Ain’t Misbehavin (Arizona Theatre Company, Cleveland Playhouse, San Jose Rep, Maltz Jupiter Theatre), Abyssinia (North Shore, Goodspeed Opera), Crowns (Portland Center Stage, Arena Stage, Studio Arena, Geva Theatre Arizona Theater Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville). Chicago credits at Chicago Shakespeare, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Marriot Lincolnshire, and Royal George Theatre. Film and Television: Joyful Noise, 30 Rock and The Unusuals. A graduate of Roosevelt University’s Theatre Conservatory in Chicago.
Broadway: The Color Purple (Celie), Avenue Q First National Tour (Ensemble/Gary Coleman Understudy), Regional: Hairspray (Dynamite), Intimate Apparel (Mayme), Kiss Me Kate (Hattie), Twelfth Night (Maria), Wit (Susie). Zonya received her MFA from University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a BFA from North Carolina A&T State University. Thanks Team! ROMANS 8!!!
Danielle K Thomas is so thrilled to be a part of this amazing piece and to work with this creative team! Broadway: Avenue Q, Off Broadway: Avenue Q, National Tours: Avenue Q, Cinderella, European Tours: Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Lil Shop of Horrors, Regional: Suessical, Big River, Crowns, Lil Shop of Horrors, Burn the Floor, Film: "Crooklyn", Pop Foul, TV: Rescue Me. "To God be the Glory for all that He has done! R.I.P Daddy, I miss & love you!"
Desiree Rodriguez - Off Broadway: Elizabeth in Tricks The Devil Taught Me. She recently completed the national tour of the Kennedy Center's show Barrio Grrl! where she played the role of Ana. Regional credits: Lourdes in This One Girl's Story (Abingdon Theatre) the one-woman show Tres Vidas (Core Ensemble) where she played Frida Kahlo, Rufina Amaya and Alfonsina Storni. Marisa in the East Coast Premiere of Kingdom, Lucille Frank in Parade, and Maria in Twelfth Night. For the recent national tour and Broadway revival of West Side Story, she worked with Director Arthur Laurents and the creative team as the language consultant/dialect coach. She received her BFA in Acting from Montclair State University.
Originally from Lafayette, Indiana Jade began singing at age 16. Her journey towards song was inevitable. Raised in a family surrounded by music, art, and poetry both her parents strongly supported all of her artistic desires. She studied piano, cello, and guitar as a young girl, then later found her voice as a teen. Jade’s passion for music and art kept growing as she matured into a young woman. Her recent projects include the “European Tour of the Harlem Gospel Singers”, “Little Shop Of Horrors”, “Featured Lead Vocalist for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines”, and “Rent”. Jade also creates her own original music, which is infused with sounds of her childhood years. Sweet melodious sounds that are deeply connect to her roots in Gospel, Jazz, and R&B. Jade would like to thank her family and friends for their continuous support and love, and God for the gift of song.
Antonio Edwards Suarez (Brealy/Mickey)-New York Credits: Broadway –American Buffalo (John Leguizamo Understudy); Chaucer in Rome (Lincoln Center); Off Bway: Points of Departure(Kirk Theater); The Hamlet Project (Mac Wellman Theater); The Trial (Mint Theater) Fuente (Cherry Lane Alt); Tresspass (Producers Club II); Silencing Ning (Emerging Artists). Regional venues : Cincinatti Playhouse; St. Louis Rep.; Milwaukee Rep.; American Repertory Theater; Commonwealth Shakespeare Company. Television: The Good Wife, As The World Turns (CBS); Law & Order (NBC); One Life To Live (ABC). Flight of the Conchords, Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO). Film: The Tested. MFA-ART/MXAT at Harvard. Thanks Bil.
RECENT OFF BROADWAY: SIGNS OF LIFE (Amas), JUDAS AND ME (NYMF), SPAIN (MCC), ELECTION DAY (Second Stage). REGIONAL: Barrington Stage, Goodspeed, Hangar, North Shore, NY Stage and Film, Old Globe, O’Neill, Village. Jeremy is the Co-Artistic Director of Midtown Direct Rep, has served as an Artistic Associate at Second Stage, and was the Artistic Director of adobe theatre company for 13 years. He lives in Maplewood with his wife Beth and daughters Clea and Quinn. www.jeremydobrish.com
Dionne McClain-Freeney is a musician and teaching artist. She is the composer & lyricist of This One Girl’s Story, nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in 2011. As a singer and choral director, she has appeared on numerous national and international stages. As a New York City-based gospel accompanist, she has played at some of the city’s most beloved churches. Dionne is currently Artistic Director of TruPraise Gospel Ensemble, a consultant to, and regular performer in France’s Absolute Gospel Festival, and is Community Musician at Middle Collegiate Church, in New York’s East Village, where she provides musical support to the music ministry, youth ministry, and is Music Worship Leader for SoulFood, a midweek worship experience.
Bil Wright is a novelist, playwright and educator. He has published four novels including the highly acclaimed When the Black Girl Sings, (A Junior Library Guild Award Winner) and Sunday You Learn How to Box, (a New York Public Library Choice for Young Readers and a Coretta King Celebrating the Dream Award). His plays include Bloodsummer Rituals, based on the life of poet Audre Lorde, ( Jerome Fellowship) Leave Me a Message (San Diego Human Rights Festival premiere) and This One Girls Story, (GLAAD AWARD nominee). He is the winner of a LAMI (LaMama Playwriting Award, chosen by La Mama herself, Ellen Stewart). He is an Associate Professor of English at Borough of Manhattan Community College.
NY: Adding Machine (Lortel, Obie, Outer Critics Circle Awards), We the People: America Rocks!, Whida Peru: Resurrection Tangle, CAP21, Lincoln Center Theater, NYMF, three national tours for Theatreworks USA, and more. Regional: Barrio Grrrl! (Kennedy Center), Barrington Stage, Hangar Theatre, TheatreWorks, Two River Theater, Westport Country Playhouse. As writer: Jonathan Larson Grant, Margo Lion Award, NYU-Frederick Loewe Grant, Paulette Goddard Award. J. has dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway Music Department credits and is currently on Faculty at NYU, where he also received his MFA. joconernavarro.com
Most recent stage work includes Venice (co-choreographer, Center Theater Group/Kansas City Rep). Film and television credits include Bring It On; All Or Nothing and Notorious (choreographer), Bride Wars (assistant choreographer), So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew (guest choreographer). Commercials include Nike, Subway, Wheat Thins, Dunkin Donuts and Miller Beer. Tanisha has worked with top artists including Beyonce, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, The Pussycat Dolls, Ne-Yo, Jordin Sparks, Sean Paul, and Alicia Keys.
In New York, Scenic Design credits include: Jesus Hopped The A Train and Curse of The Starving Class - Hunter College, Cosi fan tutte – NYU, Steinhardt, Lizzie Borden - Took An Axe Productions, We Declare You a Terrorist - SPF at the Public Theatre, The Children's Hour - APAC, The Angel Eaters Trilogy - Flux Theatre Ensemble, Kidstuff and The Main(e) Play - Partial Comfort Productions, Slavey - Clubbed Thumb. Regional: Hello Out There – Adirondack Theatre Festival; Don Giovanni and Brigadoon – Ash Lawn Opera Festival: The Sound of Music – Cardinal Stage Company, Bloomington, Ind; Tough Titty - Magic Theatre, San Francisco. Selected Associate Scenic Design: Wonderland (Tampa and Broadway), The Tempest – The Bridge Project at BAM, Oleanna (Broadway), and Blasted at Soho Rep. BTA; The University of Michigan. MFA; The University of California, San Diego. Member of USA Local 829. www.caleblevengood.com
Jill BC Du Boff (Sound Design) Broadway: Good People, The Constant Wife, The Good Body, Bill Maher: Victory. Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center, Atlantic, MTC, MCC, Playwrights Horizons, Public, Vineyard, Second Stage, NYTW, New Georges, Flea, Cherry Lane, Signature, Clubbed Thumb (Affiliate Artist), Culture Project, Adobe. Regional: Minneapolis Children's Theatre, Bay Street, La Jolla, Cincinnati Playhouse, Westport, Berkeley Rep, Portland Stage, Long Wharf, The Alley, Kennedy Center, NYS&F, South Coast Rep, Humana, Williamstown. TV: Comedy Central, NBC. Radio: Studio 360, WNYC News. Board member; LPTW. Nominations: Drama Desk, Henry Hewes. Awards: Ruth Morley Design Award, OBIE for Sustained Excellence. Adjunct Professor: Sarah Lawrence College.
Costume design credits include Metamorphoses, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? (both Warehouse Theatre), A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant (production design, Firehouse Theatre), The Argument for the Metaphysics of Morals and the original workshop production of Dance, Dance Revolution (both Williamstown Theatre Festival). In addition Josh has assisted on Finian's Rainbow (Broadway) and regionally (La Jolla Playhouse, Bay Street Theatre, City Center Encores!). MFA; Virginia Commonwealth University 2011.
Aaron Glick has produced Off and Off-Off Broadway Abraham Lincoln’s Big Gay Dance Party at Theatre Row, Hedwig and the Angry Inch at The Producer’s Club and Hair at Marymount Manhattan College. Aaron has also worked with producer David Stone and 321 Theatrical Management on such Broadway shows as Three Days of Rain (with Julia Roberts), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Broadway and National Tours), Wicked (Broadway, National Tours, and London) and Next To Normal, winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama.
Ricky has done national and international tours of shows such as RENT and A CHORUS LINE. Ricky serves as the Resident Associate Director/Choreographer for LE CIRQUE BIJOU aboard the Jewel ship for Norwegian Cruise Lines and has mounted HOLLYWOOD TO BROADWAY (Shanghai Center Theatre) and THOMAS AND FRIENDS LIVE! (US/Australian/UK Tours). Ricky also worked as a back-up dancer for recording artists Jesse McCartney and Paul McCartney. As an instructor, Ricky teaches Hip Hop and Musical Theatre at CRUNCH Fitness NYC and various Dance Studios from the East Coast to Hawaii. www.rickywhitfield.com
Julia Locascio is a director, costume designer, and sensory artist. RECENT DIRECTING: Polly Pen’s The Flitch, Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice, Chuck Mee’s Gone, and her devised works What Might’ve Been Lost and You Are Made of Stars. Julia has managed and designed costumes at the Williamstown Theatre Festival; studied with Anne Bogart and the SITI Company, the TEAM, and site-specific Shakespeare at the University of Cambridge; strengthened audience engagement in the marketing and development departments at Chicago's Redmoon Theater; and, in 2009, produced, curated and led a summer-long art festival in Red Cloud, Nebraska. Most recently, she assisted Punchdrunk NYC with the installation and management of Sleep No More. Julia has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing, Costume Design and Art History with honors from New York University. www.julialocascio.com
PRODUCTION CORE (Production Supervision) lends support and guidance to theatre companies who produce high quality theatrical performances and events, who need direction/support on the collaboration, planning and execution of the production process. The Production Core team is James E. Cleveland, Katy Ross, Joshua Scherr, Jared Goldstein, Adrian White, Rob Reese and Ron Grimshaw. Current projects include: Yeast Nation in the NYC Fringe, Play It Cool at Theatre Row, The Ohmies at Playwrights Horizons, Septimus & Clarissa at Baruch Performing Arts Center, Invasion! at The Flea Theatre and Kithless in Paradise at Theatre Row. www.productioncore.net
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