PERFORMANCES - EVENTS
ApOLOGIES TO LORRAINE HANSBERRY
(YOU TOO, AUGUST WILSON)
By Rachel Lynett
Staged Reading directed
by A. Lorraine Robinson
Additional Programming From VFP’s
Voices From a Changing Nation
October 10 - 11, 2022
LIVE, IN-PERSON
WITH COMMUNITY DISCUSSION
Winner of the 2021 Yale Drama Series Prize (selected by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Paula Vogel), Rachel Lynett’s futuristic comedy is set in the fictional world of a post-second Civil War, in Bronx Bay, an all-Black state and neighborhood established to protect "Blackness." As Jules' new partner, Yael, moves to town, community members argue over if Yael, who is Dominican, can stay. Questions of safety and protection surround both Jules and Yael as the utopia of Bronx Bay confronts within itself where the line is when it comes to defining who is Black and who gets left out in the process.
Theatre Performance Venue
The Corner at Whitman-Walker
1701 14th St NW | Washington, DC
CAST
Nessa Amherst…JULES
Charles Franklin, IV…LORENZO
Erica Dilworth…ALICE
Fatima Quander*…YAEL
Theodore Sapp*…IZAAK
Kelly Erin Sloan…Stage Directions
Apologies…runs 80 minutes (with no intermission)
About the artists
Rachel Lynett (PLAYWRIGHT) (she/they) is a queer Afro-Latinx playwright who writes dark comedies about complex, complicated women of color. Her recent playwriting credits include commissions with Barrington Stage Theatre Company (Holy Ground), Florida Studio Theatre (Carry Me and As You Are), and Theatre Lab (Last Night). Other credits include Last Night presented as a reading with Theatre Lab (2020); Here Be Dragons presented as a reading with Capital Rep (2019); You Were Mine presented as a reading at the Kennedy Center Page to Stage Festival presented by Theatre Prometheus (2019); He Did It presented as a reading with Equity Library Theatre, Chicago (2018) and presented as a workshop production with University of Central Florida's Pegasus PlayLab; Refuge as part of Z Space's Problematic Play Festival (2018); Good Bad People as part of Talk Back Theatre's Reading Series (2018), part of American Stage Theatre Company's 21st Century New Voices New Play Festival (2018), part of Jackalope Theatre's Circle Up series (2017) and as a reading as part of Unicorn Theatre Plays In Progress (2018); Well-Intentioned White People as the Michigan premiere with Matrix Theatre (2018), the world premiere with Barrington Stage Theatre Company (2018), the Downstage Left Residency with StageLeft (2017), part of Orlando Shakespeare New Play Festival (2017), and receiving honorable mention for the 2017 Kilroys for her play (2017). Her play, Abortion Road Trip received a workshop production produced by Theatre Prometheus as part of Capital Fringe where it won Best Comedy (2017) and then was later presented by Theatre Prometheus, as a part of the 2017 Kennedy Center Page to Stage Festival. Rachel Lynett is also the 2018 Recipient of the Arkansas Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship and one of the 2020 recipients for the Artist 360 grant.
For more information, go to www.rachellynett.com
Nessa Amherst (JULES) (she/her) is an actress and writer in the Washington, DC area. She has had the pleasure of performing with theatre organizations and companies from across the country - in-person and virtually - including South Carolina, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New York. Some of Nessa’s favorite credits include The Survival (National Queer Theater & Lincoln Center), #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence (1st Stage), As You Like It (Theatre Lab School of Dramatic Arts), This Profound Abyss (Rorschach Theatre), Julia Caesar (Barefoot Shakespeare Company), Runtime Error (Transformation Theatre), Henry VIII (Quarantine Queens Theatre Company), Lotto & Raffles & Sweepstakes, Oh My! (PlayZoomers), District Merchants (Theatre CBT & Globe Openstage), and These Violent Delights (Letter of Marque Theater Company). Nessa also took part in the audio workshop and play, A Murder in the Court of Xanadu, with Chicago’s A Theater in the Dark, which is scheduled to be released this fall. Her original monologue, Define “Black,” is featured in the anthology, 08:46: Fresh Perspectives, published by New World Theatre, and is available to purchase online. Originally from Chicago (actually, it’s Northwest Indiana, but it’s close enough, right?), Nessa holds a Bachelor of General Studies degree, emphases in theatre, music performance, and media studies, from the University of Missouri-Columbia. For more information: www.nessaamherst.com
Erica Dilworth (ALICE) (she/her) is very excited to be working with Voices Festival Productions for the first time. She was last seen playing Paula in the world premiere of Shoyu Tell at Lexington Children’s Theater. Some of her favorite past roles include Vera in the world premiere of Borrowed Babies and Maribel in Crooked. Erica loves any opportunity to collaborate, share new stories, use her BFA degree, and hopefully make people laugh at the same time.
@ericadilworth on instagram
Theodore Sapp*(IZAAK) (he/him) is pleased to be able to share his talent with the creative team in this project. Theatre credits include Portland Playhouse: Bella: An American Tall Tale; The Shakespeare Theatre: The Amen Corner; Virginia Repertory Theatre: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder; The Winnipesaukee Playhouse: The Mountaintop; SAS Performing Arts Co.: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. You can hear him on the podcasts Sugar Maple, and Not for the Masses. He can also be seen in the short film The Handler II and The Spook Who Sat by the Door. Theodore would like to extend gratitude to Aryn, family, and friends for their support on this journey. (*Member of AEA.)
With nearly 20 years of experience, Fatima Quander*(YAEL) (she/her) is a well accomplished professional actor and proud member of both Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). She has performed with FRESHH Inc. Theatre Company, DC Hip Hop Theatre Festival, Rep Stage, Everyman Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage Education, Theater of the First Amendment, the Folger Elizabethan Theatre, Imagination Stage, and Discovery Theater; she has also performed in house and on tour with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, she has appeared in a number of national and regional commercials including Toyota, Under Armour and Dick’s Sporting Goods, DC Health Link, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, and Navy Federal Credit Union (among others).
Charles Franklin, IV (LORENZO) (he/him) is from Washington, DC and proud to be a part of this project. Recent credits include Helen Hayes winner of Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Production, Blood at the Root at Theatre Alliance, Day of Absence, at Theatre Alliance, Klecksography at Rorschach Theatre, Snow Queen at Imagination Stage.
Charles currently holds a Bachelors in Theatre Arts -Acting & Directing from Bowie State University and has also trained at Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Kelly Erin Sloan (STAGE DIRECTIONS) (she/her) received her undergraduate training from the acting program at DePaul Theatre school and a MA in Educational Theatre from New York University. Some of her professional New York credits include "The Throwbacks" of the New York Musical Theatre Festival and Dat Black Mermaid Man Lady at New Dramatists, The Sandbox at "Fire This Time" ten-minute play festival and Both My Grandfathers at Lincoln Center. Her most recent credits include Iona Flies Away, an original musical by Tanisha Sabine, in which she co-wrote the music. She also performed in Issac: A musical journey by Marlon Saunders, produce by the Kent County Cultural Alliance in Chestertown, MD.
A. Lorraine Robinson (DIRECTOR & VFP’s Artistic Producing Director)’s full bio
can be found on our Producing Partners page.