Facing Our Truth
Dates:
November – 14, 15, 16 – 2019
November – 21, 22, 23 – 2019
Directed by: Alma Martinez
Production Team:
Assistant Director/Dramaturg – Glennon Bell
Stage Manager – Miranda Tejeda
Assistant Stage Manager – Mitchell Calderilla
Musical Accompanist – Kirin Lo
Music Director – Quetzal Flores
Technical Director – Alan Tollefson
Lighting Designer – Jennifer Gonzalez
Sound Designer – Dan Jerz
Scenic Designer – Morgan Lee
VisitingArtist/Scenic Design – Cesar Hoguin
Costume Designer – Jeanette Godoy
Digital Designer – Corwin Evans
Fight Choreographer/MasterCarpenter – Paul Rose
Props Master – Aiden Olivares
Publicity – Micheal Xu
Box Office – Jan Duran
Photographer – Janine Hill
Lead Painter – Megan Ehernberg
Front of House Manager – Baylee Logan
Cast:
Shyonta Glothon – Ayanna/Elissa/Greatest-grand/Okie
Casemi Simmon – Ezra/Trayvon
Nick Mclean – Owen
Tyrone Jefferies – Andre
Neena Diaz – Zimmerman
Misty D. Levingston – Mom
Marcus Young – Son
Shannon Capaldi – Policeman/Business Woman
Julieta Del Toro – Rebecca/Rahim
Jon Carter – Doc/Employer
Kirin Lo – Guitarist
Short Synopsis:
Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old youth racially profiled and shot by George Zimmerman on February 26, 2012. That rainy evening, Martin was visiting his aunt who, like Zimmerman, lived at the Twin Lakes Retreat residential complex in Sanford, FL. Walking home from the local 7-11. Martin was spotted by Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch Captain, who called the police, describing Martin as “suspicious” and “up to no good”. Zimmerman’s deduction of Martin’s character based on his skin color and clothing is what compelled him to pursue, threaten and shoot Martin who was unarmed and holding only an Arizona Tea and a bag of Skittles. Martin
was shot by Zimmerman in the heart at close range.
The acquittal of Zimmerman, based on the “Stand Your Ground” law that allows the use of deadly force in self-defense even if that force can be safely avoided by retreating, led The New Black Fest www.thenewblackfest.org to commission six diverse and award-winning playwrights to each write a short play. The playwrights include, A Rey. Pamatmat, Dan O’Brien, Dominique Morisseau, Mona Mansour, Winter Miller, Marcus Gardley, Tala Manassah and Quetzal Flores, founder of the Grammy Award-winning group “Quetzal”.
Facing our Truth allows audiences a glimpse into the visceral fear and trauma of growing up Black in America and affords the opportunity to engage audience members into one of the most serious humanitarian and political issues facing our nation today.
“No one is free until we are all free.” – Dr. Martin Luther King
