AUDIENCE CONVERSATION
AUDIENCE CONVERSATION
OPENING NIGHT
PATRON NIGHT
OPEN CAPTION
AFRICAN NIGHT – Use code to unlock seats
CAST TALKBACK
STUDENT MATINEE– For information, email [email protected]
OUR PRODUCTION OF NOLLYWOOD DREAMS WILL BE POSTPONED. WE WILL HAVE MORE INFO IN THE COMING DAYS.
SINGLE TICKET BUYERS
If you would like to transfer your ticket to a donation, please email the box office at [email protected] by MONDAY 3/23 at 10AM. Transferring your ticket to a donation supports MCC Theater during these uncertain times and we appreciate your consideration.
We will begin processing refunds for NOLLYWOOD DREAMS on MONDAY, 3/23. All tickets that are not converted into donations will be refunded to your mode of purchase. We appreciate your patience while we process these refunds.
PATRONS & SUBSCRIBERS
There will be a short priority booking period for the postponed performances of NOLLYWOOD DREAMS. We will have more info soon.
If you purchased guest tickets and you would like to transfer your ticket to a donation, please email the box office at [email protected] by MONDAY 3/16 at 10AM. Transferring your ticket to a donation supports MCC Theater during these uncertain times and we appreciate your consideration.
We will begin processing refunds for both productions on MONDAY 3/23. All guest tickets that are not converted into donations will be refunded to your mode of purchase. We appreciate your patience while we process these refunds.
JOCELYN BIOH (MCC’s Burnt Umber Playwright-In-Residence, MCC’s SCHOOL GIRLS…, “SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT”) returns with a new romantic comedy directed by SAHEEM ALI (FIRES IN THE MIRROR, THE ROLLING STONE).
It’s the 1990s and in Lagos, Nigeria, the NOLLYWOOD film industry is exploding and taking the world by storm. Ayamma dreams of stardom while working at her parents’ travel agency alongside her lovable and celebrity-obsessed sister Dede. When Ayamma lands an audition for a new film by Gbenga Ezie, Nigeria’s hottest director, she comes head-to-head with Gbenga’s former leading lady, Fayola. Tensions flare just as sparks start flying between Ayamma, the aspiring ingénue, and Wale, Nollywood’s biggest heartthrob, in this hilarious new play about dreaming big.
This production is supported, in part, by The Bonnie Cashin Costume Design Fund, The Laurents/Hatcher Foundation, and by public funds from The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the city council.
CAST
CHARLIE HUDSON, III
GBENGA EZIE
CHARLIE HUDSON, III
GBENGA EZIE
BROADWAY: A Raisin in the Sun. OFF BROADWAY: (A) Loft Modulation (American Vicarious), Hurt Village (Signature). REGIONAL: King Hedley II, A Raisin in the Sun, Seven Guitars (Two Rivers Theater), Detroit ’67 (Playmakers Rep), The Mountaintop (Northern Stage), Father Comes Home from the Wars (ART), Clybourne Park, Beneatha’s Place, (Baltimore Centerstage); Fences (Virginia Stage Company); The Piano Lesson (Yale Rep), Master Harold and The Boys (Portland Stage Company); Fly, (Crossroads Theater/Vineyard Playhouse), Richard III, Cyrano de Bergerac, (Trinity Rep), Mother Courage (Public Theater/NYSF), Threepenny Opera (Williamstown Theatre Festival). TELEVISION: Manifest (NBC), The Night Of (HBO), Shades of Blues (NBC), The Good Fight (CBS), Unforgettable (CBS), Forever (ABC), The Rosa Parks Story (CBS), A Raisin in the Sun “Revisited” (PBS). FILM: Roxanne, Roxanne; Complete Unknown; Twelve; Newlyweeds; Lillian. TRAINING: Alabama State University and Brown University/Trinity Repertory Consortium. I’m blessed for my family’s love and support.
NANA MENSAH
DEDE OKAFOR
NANA MENSAH
DEDE OKAFOR
is a Ghanaian-American writer and actor. She featured in Tracy Letts’s Man from Nebraska (dir. David Cromer), a performance that was nominated for 2017 Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics’ Circle Awards. Other credits include CBS All Access’s The Good Fight, CBS’s Madam Secretary, Elementary, and Evil, seasons 3 and 4 of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, Netflix’s Orange is the New Black and NBC’s New Amsterdam. She originated the role of Sade in the hit series An African City. Upcoming: Judd Apatow’s Staten Island, A24’s After Yang starring Colin Farrell, and Apple+’s anthology series, Little America.
ABENA MENSAH-BONSU
ADENIKEH
ABENA MENSAH-BONSU
ADENIKEH
From New Jersey, Abena is an actor/vocalist of dual Ghanaian and African-American descent. She originated and reprised the role of Nana in Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play directed by Rebecca Taichman (MCC Theater, Center Theatre Group. *Drama Desk Special Award). Abena performs regularly with singer-songwriter, Te’La, and provided the main vocals for the Royalton Resorts theme song, “Royalton Life”. She conceived, co-produced, and performed in WADE: Reflections in the Water to spread awareness of and benefit the Flint, Michigan water crisis. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Abena is also a former Disney Cruise Line mainstage vocalist. Additional NYC credits: Goddess (MCC SongLab/NYSAF), Appointment With gOD workshop (The Playwrights Realm), Ragtime (Ellis Island staging), How the Light Gets In – Water is Life (NYMF). TV: “Orange is the New Black”, “Daredevil”, “The Other Two”. “FBI”. Instagram: @abena.mb
SANDRA OKUBOYEJO
AYAMMA OKAFOR
SANDRA OKUBOYEJO
AYAMMA OKAFOR
Sandra is thrilled to be making her MCC debut with this incredible cast and creative team. This actor and composer/lyricist hails from Brooklyn, NY. THEATER: HAMILTON Chicago (U/S Eliza, Angelica and Peggy). TV: TOMMY on CBS (upcoming). Many thanks to God, my family and friends, KMR, Perennial entertainment, and Telsey&Co. Sandra graduated from Pace University with a BFA in Musical Theater in 2018. Updates available at sandraokuboyejo.com and @sandraokuboyejo. Love, always.
ADE OTUKOYA
WALE OWUSU
ADE OTUKOYA
WALE OWUSU
Is making his MCC Theater debut. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, graduate of The Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Regional Theatre: Gem of The Ocean by August Wilson (The Hangar Theatre) King Henry IV Part 1 (The Pearl TheatreCompany) A Taste of Honey(The Pearl TheatreCompany) A Raisin in the Sun-Directed by Phylicia Rashaad(Westport Country Playhouse) Kings of Harlem(St Luke’s Theatre) King Henry IV Part 1 & 2 in rep (The Shakespeare Theatre D.C) T.V.- Shades of Blue starring Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta(NBC), High Maintenance (HBO), Little America (Apple T.V. +) ABC Div Showcase(ABC) Upcoming: Dickinson (Apple T.V. +) Film:Premature(Sundance Premier IFC Studios) Here One Minute(Amazon Prime) Upcoming: Milkwater
EMANA RACHELLE
FAYOLA OGUNLEYE
EMANA RACHELLE
FAYOLA OGUNLEYE
is excited to make her Off-Broadway debut at MCC. Theatre: In The Name Of (Ensemble), Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Nan), Race (Susan), The Beaux’ Stratagem (Cherry), Clybourne Park (Francine/Lena), Ruined (Sophie), Soweto, Soweto, Soweto: A Township is Calling! (Ensemble), and international tours in South Africa and Holland. TV/New Media: Insecure (HBO), #LoveMyRoomie (YháWright Productions) & 30 Rock (NBC). MFA, West Virginia University. BFA, NYU-Tisch. Emana performs improv and stand-up comedy around New York City. She would not be here without the love and support of Granny, Mom, Brandon, & De. Follow her on Instagram: @emanarachelle
CREATIVE TEAM
JOCELYN BIOH
playwright
JOCELYN BIOH
playwright
Jocelyn Bioh is a 1st generation Ghanaian-American writer/peformer from New York City. She has her B.A. in English and Theatre from The Ohio State University and MFA in Theatre-Playwriting from Columbia University School of the Arts. Jocelyn is a commissioned playwright with Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage Theatre, Williamstown Theatre and the Atlantic Theater Company and was a former Resident Playwright at Lincoln Center.
Her plays include: the multi-award winning School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play which had two celebrated runs at MCC Theater in New York City and will be produced at 11 regional theatres all over the country in 2019 and 2020. Nollywood Dreams (Upcoming: MCC Theater 2020, Kilroy’s List 2015,) as well the new musical GODDESS of which she is the book writer. As a TV writer, Jocelyn has worked on “Russian Doll” (Netflix 2019) as well as being a staff writer on Season 2 of Spike Lee’s acclaimed series “She’s Gotta Have It” (May 2019.)
As an actress, Jocelyn’s stage credits include: In The Blood (Drama Desk Nomination,) Everybody (Signature Theatre, Lucille Lortel nomination) Men on Boats (Playwrights Horizons,) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Broadway; Tony Award Winner for Best Play, 2015), An Octoroon (Soho Rep, Obie Award Winner for Best Play, 2014), Booty Candy (Wilma Theater), Seed (Classical Theater of Harlem, Audelco Award Nominee), and Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (City Theatre). She also originated the role of “Topsy” in the world premiere of Neighbors (The Public Theater, Audelco Award Nominee). TV: Former Cover Girl spokesmodel, “Russian Doll” (Netflix) “Crashing” (HBO), “Blue Bloods” (CBS), “The Detour” (TBS), “The Characters” (Netflix), “Louie” (FX), and “One Life to Live” (ABC). Film: “Ben Is Back.”
SAHEEM ALI
director
SAHEEM ALI
director
Saheem is a proud immigrant from Kenya. Recent productions include Fireflies (Atlantic Theater Company), Dangerous House (Williamstown Theater Festival), Sugar in Our Wounds (MTC), Tartuffe (Playmakers Rep), Where Storms Are Born (Williamstown), Twelfth Night (Public Theater), Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theater), Nollywood Dreams (Cherry Lane), The Booty Call (Inner Voices) and Dot (Detroit Public Theater). He has workshopped new plays at Playwrights Horizons, Playwrights Realm, MCC, New York Stage & Film, Page 73 and The Lark. He is a Usual Suspect and former Directing Fellow at New York Theater Workshop, Sir John Gielgud SDCF Fellow and a Shubert Fellow.
set design by ARNULFO MALDONADO
costume design by DEDE AYITE
lighting design by DAVID WEINER
sound design by PALMER HEFFERAN
projection design by ALEX BASCO KOCH
hair & wig design by NIKIYA MATHIS
dialect coach DAWN-ELIN FRASER
prop master SAMANTHA SHOFFNER
production stage manager ALYSSA K. HOWARD
casting by TELSEY + COMPANY / WILLIAM CANTLER, CSA, DESTINY LILLY, CSA
NOLLYWOOD DREAMS
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