"PINEY RIDGE" by La'Chris Jordan

Directed by Isiah Anderson, Jr.

THE CAST AND CREW OF "PINEY RIDGE"

CREW

 


ISIAH ANDERSON, JR. - Director

Isiah is a well-known comedian, director and actor. He serves as the Teen Development Leader for the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center's after-school Hearts and Minds program.  For over 15 years, Isiah has directed the LHPAC's summer musicals which have been produced at the Paramount and Seattle Repertory Theatres. The shows have been amazing successes such as last summer's Snow White and the 7 (the Moore Theatre), Cinderella, Uncle Willie's Chocolate Factory (Seattle Rep) Grease, Soul of Beauty and the Beast, The Wiz, and Peter Pan.  In addition to directing Piney Ridge, Isiah will also direct Realizations by La-Keonna Wyrick as part of ACT Theatre's Young Playwrights Program (YPP) Festival which will receive a staged reading in March 2009.  This will mark the second time Isiah has directed one of La'Chris' plays.  In 2005, he directed Sadie's Kitchen.  Some of his favorite roles as an actor have been Walter Lee in A Raisin in the Sun, Hambone in Two Trains Running, and Chitlow in Purlie Victorious.  Isiah is also a well-known national comedian who has appeared several times on Black Entertainment Television's BET Comic View and as a featured performer on Russell Simmon's Def Jam Comedy Tour.

 

 CLAUDIA BAKER - Production/PR Assistant  

Piney Ridge is Claudia's first foray into the Seattle theatre scene.  Having graduated from film school nearly a year ago, she is enjoying her chance to expand her artistic experiences. She has worked on numerous indie films including four features and over eight short films. She currently works as a production assistant at Screaming Flea Productions. She enjoys yoga, gardening, going to concerts, and reading. 

 


LA'CHRIS JORDAN - Playwright/Producer

La'Chris is a playwright, poet and actress whose plays have been produced throughout the country, including Los Angeles and New York.  Her one-act plays include The Source (Manhattan Rep, Ashland New Play Festival), Backseat Girls (Manhattan Rep), The Beauty of Closure (Solo Performance Theatre Festival, Seattle), A Moment of Love (Actor's Theatre of Santa Cruz), Something More Than This (Magnolia Arts Playwright Competition, Longwood University Ten-Minute Play Festival), and Piney Ridge (Winner, Actor's Theatre of Santa Cruz, ActOberFest Finalist, 2007 E-merging Playwrights Competition). Her full length plays include Sadie's Kitchen (National Black Theatre Festival) and Haram ("Forbidden") (Seattle Dramatists New Play Festival).  She is currently working on her third full-length play Roses in the Water.  A broadcast journalism graduate of the University of Washington, La'Chris was named as one of the "50 Playwright to Watch" by the Dramatists Guild of America.  She is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the International Centre for Women Playwrights. La'Chris is eternally grateful to Isiah, the cast and crew of Piney Ridge - their love and commitment cannot be matched nor measured. La'Chris would also like to thank the two most amazing men in her life, her father "Poppi" and Scot for all their love. Most of all, La'Chris dedicates this show to her beloved mother. 

 

 
ROBIN REDDEMAN - Costume Assistant

Robin graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.A. in Afro-American Studies.  After working for Upward Bound and returning to school again, she became a naturopathic physician and aspiring actress.  Robin is thrilled to work on another production with La'Chris Jordan.  She first worked with La'Chris where she played the role of Bobbi in The Source at the University of Washington. She has also performed in The Vagina Monologues as part of V-day to raise money for ending domestic violence and in various student productions.  Robin studies acting at Freehold Theater in Seattle and is excited to take on a new role as costume assistant for this moving play. Robin would like to thank La'Chris for the opportunity to be a part of the Piney Ridge production team and to work with such an amazing cast and crew. 

 


SCOT RUNYAN - Set Designer/Builder

Scot is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and home construction expert.  He studied marine engineering where he learned the basics of plumbing and electrical systems.  After working as a special inspector for both commercial and residential home builders, Scot then worked for Habitat for Humanity.  In 1984, Scot published his first book How to Become Rent and Mortgage Free and is writing a second volume to the book. He currently works for a local housing authority as a project manager.  Scot is at work on his most ambitious project by far – an 8,064-square foot energy-efficient "dream house" made of cordwood which he expects to complete by 2010. This is Scot’s first experience with set design and he is incredibly excited to be working with such an amazing group of people on the set of Piney Ridge.

 

JENNA SCHMIDT - Stage Manager

Jenna graduated from the University of Washington in 2007 with a B.A. in Drama and English.  Currently, she works for the Seattle Children's Theatre.  Since graduating, she had had the privilege of stage managing The Shark and The Worm with Emerald City Scene, Arabian Nights with Balagan Theatre (which won a Footlight Award as one of the "Best Off Broadway" shows of 2008 from the Seattle Times) and she is thrilled to now be working on Piney Ridge.  Jenna would like to thank her amazing family and friends for their never-ending love, support and hugs, and La'Chris for allowing her to be a part of this fantastic project.  Peace and Love.


MARK SMITH - Lighting Designer

 

 QUINCY VIDAURI - House Manager/Concessions

Quincy is thrilled and privileged to be working with La'Chris again and is very excited to be a part of the Piney Ridge crew.  She is a K-9 Handler and volunteer for Northwest Disaster Search Dogs (NDSD.net) a non profit organization. She will be retiring from the U.S. Navy Reserves in June of this year. She will soon be launching her own Personal Training and Massage business, "Easy Health" this spring.

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CAST

  

L. STERLING BEARD ("L'il Timothy")

This is Sterling's first appearance at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.  He last appeared in Seattle Civic Light Opera's production of Ragtime.  Prior to that he appeared in Theater Schmeater's Requiem for a Heavyweight. Hailing from Yspilanti, Michigan, Sterling is a member of Theatrikos Theater Company in Flagstaff, Arizona where he portrayed John the Baptist in Godspell, Walter Parsons in Inspecting Carol and Juror #8 in Twelve Angry Men.  Sterling would like to thank La'Chris for this unique opportunity and for entrusting me with this role, my fellow cast members and our great crew for all their hard work, and the Seattle theatre community for their continued support of the arts.

  


TINA BEN-AUSTIN ("Bessie")

Tina's acting career began in the 80s with the Paul Robeson Theatre in Seattle.  Her acting credits include God's Trombones, The Wiz, and Livin' Black Ain't Easy But Being Black Sho' Feels Good.  Tina's last appearance was Tia in the Journey to Spruce Street written by Sandra Boas-DuPree.  Tina is honored and humbled to be appearing in this dynamic production of Piney Ridge and to return to a passion she loves.  Tina enjoys music, good food, and helping people look and feel beautiful.  She is married and has four loving children.

 

  

 
TAMI BROCKWAY JOYCE ("Laura") 

Tami is thrilled to be a part of Piney Ridge and this outstanding cast and crew.  Tami was most recently seen playing a pregnant woman in the touring production, Birth.  She is delighted to once again play the role of an expectant mother, both in this production and in her own life.  Tami and her wonderful husband live on Vashon Island with four cats, three chickens, two dogs, and one 2-year-old daughter.

 

 

ROBYN COFFIN ("Lilly")

Robyn moved here from Chicago three years ago with her lovely husband, Paul.  She graduated from Columbia College in Chicago in 2002 with a theatre degree and started her own theatre company.  She worked in such roles as Helena in Midsummer Nights Dream and Essie in You Can't Take It With You with Open Eye Theatre Company.  After moving to Seattle, Robyn worked on the plays Birth, 1448, and The Secret Recordings of Lenin to His Love Maryanne of Topeka Kansas.  Thank you so much to La'Chris for this opportunity and thank you to my love, Paul, for your love and support.



 
RICK DuPREE ("Sam")

Rick is delighted to be a part of the Piney Ridge cast, his second professional theatre production.  The first was another La'Chris Jordan production, Sadie's Kitchen where he played the role of Mr. Cooper.  Rick appeared in Langston Hughes' 2006 Back to Its Roots, The Play and the Mahogany Project's short play Journey From Spruce Street.  He was also a main character in the Eddie Smith's short film Behind Closed Doors.  This past June, he was part of the ensemble cast for the Brown Box Theatre/Mahogany Project Juneteenth production for the Seattle Mayor's office.  Rick earned a broadcast communications degree from the University of Washington, but has always had a desire to act and is extremely excited to have an opportunity to express himself through the dramatic arts.  Rick is married and has two children.

 

MEL ELLIS, JR. ("Junior")

Mel has lived in the Northwest for the last 12 years.  He has appeared in several plays and theaters around Seattle.  Some of his stage credits include Steve Brown in Sadie's Kitchen at Langston Hughes, Raymond Hollis in The Right to Dream with Living Voices, and Cephus Miles in Home at Theater Schmeater to name a few.

 


 

    

JOSEPH P. McCARTHY ("Sykes") 

Joseph is thrilled to be making his first appearance at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.  Previous credits include Boss and Mr. Two in The Adding Machine with the New Century Theatre Company, OM in Ten Thousand Things at WET, Old Cardinal in Life of Galileo with the Strawberry Workshop, Gumshoe Priest in Tuesday with Annex Theatre, the Old Shepherd in The Winter's Tale with Seattle Shakespeare Company, Eddie Brock in Born Yesterday at ACT Theatre, Army in Requiem For a Heavyweight at Theatre Schmeater, Adam as As You Like It and Decius Brutus in Julius Caesar with Wooden O.  Besides acting, Joseph is also a teacher, director and choreographer and has directed plays in India, the British Isles and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  He is a founding member of Second Story Repertory Theatre.

   

CHERNESE ROBERTSON-ABRUDAN ("Sarah")

Chernese hails from St. Louis, Missouri and moved to the Seattle area in late 2007.  Her educational experience includes a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish (Cum Laude) from Central Missouri State University.  She recently obtained an M.S. degree in Human Services with a specialization in psychology, and social and community services from Capella University.  Although Chernese has performed in various TV commercials, Piney Ridge will be her first stage role.  In her spare time, Chernese enjoys playing instruments, learning new languages, Latin and ballroom dancing, reading, traveling, photography and fashion.