Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet – Paperless Program

CofC Stages proudly presents

Marcus;
or the Secret of Sweet

by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Directed by Gary DeWitt Marshall

Scenic Designer Jonathan Wentz	Costume Designers Zach Kobylarz Ambernice Tolliver	Lighting Designer Lauren Duffie	Sound Designer Eli Salas
Technical Director JD Stallings	Costume Shop Manager Ellen Swick		Stage Manager Mikaela Phillips

April 14-16, 2023
Sottile Theatre, 66 George Street

Jump to: Production Team | Acknowledgments | Cast and Production Team Biographies

Cast

Production Team

CofC Stages Artistic Director: Janine McCabe
Director of Theatre: Nakeisha Daniel
Production Supervisor: Miles Boinest
Choreographer: Jah’mar Coakley
Intimacy Coordinator: Nakeisha Daniel
Stage Management Advisor: Susan Kattwinkel
Assistant Stage Manager: Olivia Maness

Assistant Scenic Designer: Madison Berry
Research Assistant: Allison Jones
Properties Lead: Jonathan Wentz
Properties Artisans: Bristol Barnes, Madison Berry, Zach Kobylarz, Ambernice Tolliver
Media and Projection Research: Chris Warzynski
Media and Projection Editor: Madison Berry
Media and Projection Sound Designer: Eli Salas
Scenic Charge: Jonathan Wentz
Scene Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Bristol Barnes, Madison Berry, Glenna Durbin, Isabella Gardner, Bea Lemaster, Caroline Magee, Max Marshall, Ella Moore, Ethan Robey, Eli Salas
Scenic Construction: Students of Stagecraft
Properties Room Manager: Isabella Gardner
Fly Rail Operators: Izzy Byers, Spencer Vinzani

Costume Design Advisors: Janine McCabe, Ellen Swick
Hair, Wig, and Make-Up Designer/Artisan: Lauryn Gadson
Sewing & Alterations: Stef Amezcua Barrientos, Ashlyn Denham, Mattison Gaillard, Sav Griffin, Cameron Gulledge, Samantha Stinner, and students of Intro to Costuming
Wardrobe Crew: Sidney Shanahan, Mira Turkewitz
Costume Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Brandon Alston, Molly Belle, Savannah Blake, Zachary Kobylarz, Olivia Maness

Associate Lighting Designers: Alex Jones, Chris Warzynski
Head Electrician: Bootsie Baldwin
Electricians: Katie Burns, Madelein Hanson, Caroline Magee, Reed, Ethan Robey, Eli Salas, Sara Whitehead
Light Board Programmer/Operator: Abby Israel
Electric Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Bootsie Baldwin, Alex Jones, Chris Warzynski
Follow Spot Operators: Katie Higens, Mary Galemmo

Sound Design Advisor: Caleb Garner
Sound/Mic Technician: Jacob Reiss
Sound Board Operator: Nitin George

CofC Stages Operations Coordinator: Miles Boinest
Marketing & Communications: Nandini B. McCauley
Graphic Designer: Rob Alexander
Photography: Madison Berry
Publicity: Madison Berry, Zach Kobylarz
Box Office: George Street Box Office
House Manager: Sara Whitehead
Office Assistant: Ngaa Magombedze

Special Thanks

Capt. Tim Agee, Anja Kelley, Victoria Leatherman, Carolyna Ramirez, Adam Wells, Evie Palmisano, and the George Street Box Office Staff

Thank you to all of our donors!

Become an Impact Sponsor
The Department of Theatre and Dance offers opportunities to become an Impact Sponsor. Impact Sponsors have a direct financial and personal impact on individual students with whom you’ll be connected. You will be honored at special events, receive recognition in the 2022-2023 season programs and other department reports and receive updates from your student. For more information, visit theatre.cofc.edu/support and contact our office at 843.953.6306 to declare your impact.

Impact Sponsor Levels:
BENEFACTOR $2,500+ (for incoming student scholarship)
Add your name here!

GUARDIAN $750 (Clarence Student Award)
Karl & Charlene Bunch
Tap & Jean Johnson
Mindy Seltzer & Bob Lovinger
Evelynn & Bill Putnam
Sam & Nancy Stafford
Charlotte Townsend
Louis & Andrea Weinstein
Chester & Arlene Williams
Anonymous (4)

Special Gifts: (Leave a lasting legacy. Learn more: 843.953.5348 or cofclegacy.org)
Anonymous – legacy gift
Charleston Academy of Music
John Covington & Robert Lukey – legacy gift
Michael & Susan Master – legacy gift

Become a Season Sponsor
As we transitions back to live in-person audiences and mask-free performances last season, we worked hard to keep our students and audiences engaged. We preserved the student experience during these last two years, but we lost essential revenue that plays a huge role in funding our season’s productions. Your donations contribute to funding the essentials needed for scenery, lighting, sound, and costumes, but more importantly, they help support student employees, student research and travel, and other student-focused experiences. We can’t do this without your generosity!

Season Sponsor Levels:
PRODUCER $1000+
Karl & Charlene Bunch
Tap & Jean Johnson
Jenny Hane
Anthony Laneve
Anne & Allen Lyndrup
Sam & Nancy Stafford
Chester & Arlene Williams

ADVOCATE $750-999
Susan Kattwinkel
Janine McCabe
Matt & Gretchen McLaine
Susan Morrison
Evelynn & Bill Putnam
Mindy Seltzer & Bob Lovinger
Nancy & Sam Stafford
Louis & Andrea Weinstein
Jonathan & Janine Wentz

STAR $500-749
Michael & Susan Master
James McKenna
Valerie B. Morris

DIRECTOR $250-499
Kristin Alexander
Sandra N. Bumgarner
Janice and Jay Messeroff

FAN $100-249
Donnetta L. Grays
Todd McNerney
Jillian and Michael Smallwood
Emma Simmons
Justin Van Beusecum

PATRON up to $99
Mary Beth Berry, Laura C. Bayless, Stephen & Allegra Litvin, James Rozier, Bari Perales, Claire Steffens, Laura Turner

Cast and Production Team Biographies

Guest Artist:
Ambernice Tolliver (she/her) is a Charleston native. Her love and appreciation for theatre began at a young age with Charleston Stage Company. Ambernice went on to study costume design at the College of Charleston. She also received a Master’s degree from University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. Ambernice’s recent theatrical credits include Septima, Hangmen, Clyde’s, and A Hidden Life (PURE Theatre). Her creativity and love for the fine arts has guided her back to the Carolinas where she has reconnected with her theatrical roots at PURE Theatre and as a mentor at the College of Charleston.

Guest Artist:
Tonya S. Williams (she/her) is a College of Charleston alumna with a B.A. in Theatre. As an actress and singer, she has had the performed all around Charleston at venues such as The Dock Street Theater in A Raisin in the Sun, Footlight Players Theater in Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Threshold Theater in The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Park Housewife, and The Charleston Music Hall in the musical Love & Southern Discomfort. Her most memorable performance was at Flowertown Players, when she performed for the legendary Ossie Davis in his play Purlie Victorious as the lead female role Luttiebelle. Tonya is a PURE Theatre Core Ensemble member. Her credits at PURE include Retcon, This Random World, Father Comes Home from the Wars: Part 1, 2, and 3, the world premiere of Honoria Quietly Drawing Strength from Her Truth, and Clyde’s. Her film credits include The In Crowd and Netflix’s comedy Naked with Marlon Wayans.

Tonya is also a national recording artist and a singer/songwriter/producer (tonyanicolemusic.com). She performs various genres such as R&B, Funk, Soul, Jazz, Pop, and Gospel. When Tonya is not performing, she teaches Theater Arts with the non-profit organization Engaging Creative Minds. Tonya is also a former Theater teacher with Charleston County & DD2 Schools. Her passion to teach and inspire drives her each day. She feels truly blessed to be able to enjoy her passions day and night; performing and teaching it.

Gee Barber (he/him) is a senior majoring in Theatre. This is his third mainstage production with the College of Charleston. He has previously performed in Last Night and the Night Before as well as A Sudden Spontaneous Event. Outside of the theatre he is also a nomad, poet, and photographer.

Madison Berry (she/her) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Performance and Scenic Design/Technology). Previous design credits include Violet (properties).

Darius Darby (he/him) is a junior majoring in Theatre. This is his first mainstage production at the College of Charleston. He can’t wait to share the beautiful story of Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet.

Lauryn Gadson (she/her) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is her first time designing hair and makeup for a College of Charleston production. She was last seen in Violet.

Dani Harrell (she/her) is a senior double majoring in Public Health and Dance with a minor in Theatre. This is her second mainstage production at the College of Charleston. She was last seen in the Fall 2022 dance concert Shifting Perspectives.

Randolph James Howell Jr. (they/them) is an undeclared major. This is their first show at the College of Charleston.

Jaden Jenkins (he/him) is a senior majoring in Theatre for Youth. He has performed in many of the College of Charleston productions including Violet and Cabaret.

Alex Jones (they/them) is a sophomore at the College of Charleston, originally from Spartanburg, SC. They are majoring in Theatre (Lighting Design and Technology) with a minor in film studies. This is Alex’s first time as an associate designer for the mainstage. Recent technical credits at the college include: Two Gentlemen of Verona (head electrician), Violet (co-head electrician), and Shifting Perspectives (Lighting Designer). Alex would like to thank Lauren Duffie for being a wonderful mentor.

Sylvia Jones (she/her) is a senior double majoring in Communication and Theatre (Performance). This is her fourth mainstage show. She has performed in Spark, Living Dead in Denmark, and Everybody. This is her first time performing in the Sottile and she is excited to conclude her College career with this performance.

Zach Kobylarz (they/them) is a senior majoring in Theatre (Costume Design and Technology) from Pawleys Island, SC. This is their fifth mainstage show at the College of Charleston. Their work was last seen in Becoming We as a lighting designer and Shifting Perspectives as a costume designer.

Alex Leary (he/him) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre (Performance) and minoring in Film Studies and African American Studies. This is his second mainstage show at the College of Charleston. He was last seen in Pipeline.

Mikaela Phillips (she/her) is a junior double majoring in Theatre and Communication. This is her third mainstage show, having assistant stage managed Cabaret and A Sudden Spontaneous Event. She has also stage managed Center Stage’s production of The Swing of the Sea.

Eli Salas (they/he) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Scenic/Lighting Design and Technology). He is this season’s student sound designer. He made his sound design debut with Center Stage’s production of The Swing of the Sea. They last designed CofC’s Two Gentlemen of Verona. You can see him next in Center Stage’s production of Firebringer.

Brandi Smalls (she/her) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Gloria Smith (she/her) is a junior majoring in Public Health with a minor in Theatre. She is excited to make her theatrical debut in Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet. This production holds a special place in her heart because of the artistry, camaraderie, and community that she has found by working with the wonderful people on this project.

Chris Warzynski (any pronouns) is a Sophomore pursuing a major in Theatre (Performance and Lighting Design and Technology) and a minor in Japanese Studies. Chris last designed three dance pieces for the Shifting Perspectives dance concert as well being the head electrician for Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Chris has performed in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Violet as will be in Center Stage’s upcoming production of Firebringer.