[NEohioPAL] Gee's Bend is Sewn into Cleveland Play House Season

[Alison Bibb]

Gee’s Bend is Sewn into Play House Season 
Play based on the world famous quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama 

CLEVELAND (January 10, 2008) – Gee’s Bend, the true story of a community of
the world-renowned quilters from rural Alabama will be produced on the
Baxter Stage of The Cleveland Play House at 85th and Euclid from February
1-24, 2008.

“Gee’s Bend represents the kind of event we dream of producing: a deeply
moving story about an extraordinary group of individuals that has great
resonance in our community,” says Michael Bloom, Cleveland Play House
Artistic Director.

Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, an Alabama native, first became aware
of the quilts of Gee’s Bend when they were first publicly unveiled at the
Whitney Museum of Art in New York. Upon viewing the quilts (which were also
exhibited at the Cleveland Museum of Art in 2004), Wilder realized that
there had to be a story behind the quilts that yearned to be told. The
Alabama Shakespeare Festival offered Wilder a commission to develop a play
based on the quilts and quilters, and after visiting Gee’s Bend several
times beginning in 2004, quilter Mary Lee Bendolph left Wilder with the
charge to “just write it honest.” 

The characters in the play Gee’s Bend are meant to be a composite of the
women I have talked to and read about,” says Wilder. “The play is not solely
about the quilts, but rather, the quilts become the backdrop for a much
bigger journey.”

Gee’s Bend, the play, was first read at the 2006 Southern Writers’ Project
Festival of New Plays, and received its world premiere in February 2007 both
at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery.

Gee’s Bend spans 60 years and three generations of women, using just four
actors to provide an intimate portrait of a small, rural community that
amplifies American political and artistic history.

ABOUT GEE’S BEND
Gee’s Bend is the story of a young woman, Sadie, who discovers herself in an
isolated world beginning in the late 1930s and into the turn of the 21st
century. Her home on the “bend” has always been humble, and hard work is
essential for survival. When the time is right, Sadie’s mother, Alice,
introduces her to the art and tradition of quilting, which opens Sadie up to
a new, creative world, and proves that her heart is as strong and as
beautiful as the quilts she creates.

ABOUT THE CAST
SHANÉSIA DAVIS (Nella) has performed extensively in regional theatres
throughout the country, including Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Kansas City
Repertory Theatre (multiple credits), Northlight Theatre, Steppenwolf
Theatre (multiple credits), Centerstage, Southcoast Repertory Theatre, Royal
George Theatre, Goodman Theatre (multiple credits), San Diego Repertory
Theatre, Court Theatre (multiple credits) and Victory Gardens Theatre. She
was a series regular on the television show “Early Edition,” and also
appeared on “Missing Persons,” “Gabriel’s Fire” and ”Making a Case for
Murder: The Howard Beach Story.” Her film credits include roles in Damaged
Goods, Only Child (short), Morning Due (short), The Weatherman, Uncle Nino,
Life Sentence, Chicago Cab and With Honors.

WENDELL B. FRANKLIN (Macon) performed in the off-Broadway production of
Speak Truth to Power at The Culture Project. His regional theatre credits
include performances at the Weston Playhouse, Billie Holiday Theatre,
Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival (multiple
credits), Pennsylvania Centre Stage (multiple credits) and Penn State
University (multiple credits). He has appeared on television in “Law and
Order” and “Church Detectives.” Mr. Franklin holds a Master of Fine Arts in
Acting from Penn State University.

ERIKA LaVONN (Sadie) has performed on Broadway in The Lion King and
off-Broadway in Portraits at Union Square Theatre and Another Story at Ubu
Repertory Theatre. Ms. LaVonn’s regional theatre credits include roles at
Arizona Theatre Company (multiple credits), Portland Center Stage, Actors
Theatre of Louisville, Denver Theatre Center, The Schubert Theatre
(Massachusetts), The Kennedy Center (multiple credits), Delaware Theatre
Company, McCarter Theatre, Crossroads Theatre and The Organic Theatre.

WANDACHRISTINE (Alice/Asia) has been seen in regional theatre productions at
the Court Theatre, Hartford Stage Company, Dallas Theatre Center, Portland
Center Stage, Apollo Theater, Theatre Works, Santa Monica Playhouse, Mark
Taper Forum, MC Cadden Place Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, The Hudson
Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Cherry County Playhouse, Chicago Theatre
Company (multiple credits), Goodman Studio Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre,
Carter Studio, Illinois Theatre Company (multiple credits), Second City and
Bryn Mawr Theatre. Her television credits include roles on “ER,” “The
Justice League,” “Scarface,” “How We Are,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,”
“Judging Amy,” “General Hospital,” “Frank Leaves for the Orient,” “One
World,” “L.A. Doctors,” “The PJs,” “Arli$$,” “Missing Persons,” “The
Untouchables,” “Goodnight My Sweet Wife. . . A Killing in Boston,” “The Mary
Thomas Story,” “Open Admissions” and “The Killing Floor.” Wandachristine has
several film credits to her name, including The Engagement, Mr. and Mrs.
Jones, Passing Minds, A Lover for My Husband, Patch Adams, Temporary Girl,
City of Angels, A Family Thing, Reasons, Richie Rich, Folks, Backdraft, Men
Don’t Leave and Clara’s Heart.


ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
ELYZABETH GREGORY WILDER (Playwright) was raised on a houseboat in Alabama.
Her play Fresh Kills was produced at the Royal Court in London, directed by
Tony nominee Wilson Milam. Gee’s Bend was commissioned by the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival where it premiered in February, 2007. Other plays
include The First Day of Hunting Season (Ensemble Studio Theatre) and The
Spirit of Ecstasy. She is currently completing commissions for the Alabama
Shakespeare Festival (The Furniture of Home) and the Denver Center (The Bone
Orchard). Ms. Wilder is a graduate of the dramatic writing program at New
York University and has written for television. 

SHIRLEY JO FINNEY (Director) is an award winning director who has worked all
over the country. She recently directed the critically-acclaimed East Coast
Premiere of Stick Fly at the McCarter Theatre Center. Her directing stints
also include such notable theatres as The Kennedy Center, Pasadena
Playhouse, the Goodman Theatre, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Crossroads
Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville (Humana Festival), The Mark
Taper Forum, and the Sundance Theatre Workshop. She has received an LA
Theatre Ovation Award nomination, the NAACP Image Award, the Drama Critics
Award, Backstage West, and LA Weekly Award for Best Director for her
production of Yellowman. Ms. Finney is featured in Infiniti in Black, a
national ad campaign for Infiniti. She has directed several episodes of the
series “Moesha” and has received the International Black Filmmakers Award
for the film Remember Me. She is an alumna of the American Film Institute’s
Directors Workshop for Women. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from
UCLA. She has been an Artist-In-Residence at Columbia College in Chicago and
guest director and lecturer at USC and UCLA. Ms. Finney is also a member of
the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, The Directors’ Guild and
the Screen Actors’ Guild.

MICHAEL VAUGHN SIMS (Scenic Designer) was raised in Selma, Alabama during
the years following the Civil Rights Movement. He was a member of the first
class of the Selma City Public Schools to attend racially-integrated classes
from first through twelfth grades. His father, a Baptist preacher, served a
rural church located about ten miles from Gee’s Bend. CPH: The Old Settler
BROADWAY: The Scarlet Pimpernel (Associate), High Society (Assistant), The
Lion King (Assistant) OFF-BROADWAY: The Torch Bearers, Drama Department;
Annie Warbucks (Assistant), Variety Arts Theatre REGIONAL: The Old Globe,
Guthrie Theatre, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre,
Yale Repertory Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, George Street
Playhouse, Center Stage, Florida Stage, Clarence Brown Theatre, Dad’s
Garage, Juilliard Drama Division, The Acting Company, Chautauqua Theatre
Company, TheatreWorks/USA FILM: Practical Magic (Illustrator) EDUCATION:
Master of Fine Arts, Yale School of Drama OTHER CREDITS: 2006 San Diego
Critics’ Circle Award for A Body of Water, The Old Globe; 1994 Drama-Logue
Award for Pterodactyls, South Coast Repertory Theatre

MYRNA COLLEY-LEE (Costume Designer) CPH: The Piano Lesson, Forrest City, The
Amen Corner OFF-BROADWAY: Becoming Adele, The Harold Clurman Theatre;
Brecht’s Mother Courage, New York Public Theatre; The Pirates of Penzance,
Delacorte Theatre REGIONAL: St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf
Theatre, Theatre Virginia, Studio Arena Theatre, Portland Center Stage,
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of
Louisville, The Cincinnati Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre FILM:
Frederick Douglass, An American Life; Long Day’s Journey Into Night; Booker
T. Washington: The Legacy and The Life EDUCATION: Master of Fine Arts,
Temple University OTHER CREDITS: Founder of the SonEdna Foundation,
Commissioner for the Mississippi Arts Commission, recent solo exhibition of
costumes and renderings at the Mississippi Museum of Art

VICTOR EN YU TAN (Lighting Designer) CPH: Room Service BROADWAY: Macbeth, As
You Like It, Romeo and Juliet OFF-BROADWAY: Joy Luck Club, Tea, Cambodia
Agonistes, and over 35 productions for Pan Asian Rep; premiere of Sheila’s
Day; premieres of For Colored Girls, Spell #7, Dance and the Railroad, Fob,
The Colored Museum and over 20 other productions for the NY Shakespeare
Festival; premieres of the Yiddish musicals The Golden Land and On Second
Avenue REGIONAL: McCarter Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Sacramento
Theatre Company, Virginia Stage, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee
Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Mark Taper Forum, Pasadena
Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Hartford Stage, Cincinnati
Playhouse, Crossroads Theatre, Indiana Playhouse, American Repertory
Theatre, Asolo Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Dallas Theatre Center, Syracuse
Stage, Capital Repertory Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, George Street
Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Barrington Stage, Studio Arena,
TheatreVirginia, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Geva Theatre, American Music
Theatre Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Sacramento Opera, Florida State
Opera OTHER CREDITS: The premiere of The Young Lady of Rwanda directed by
Michael Bloom for the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and the premiere of
Ikebana for the Pasadena Playhouse.

JAMES C. SWONGER (Resident Sound Designer) CPH: The Chosen, Bunnicula, Man
of La Mancha, Trumbo, Lincolnesque, The Clean House, Cuttin’ Up, Of Mice and
Men, RFK, Rabbit Hole, Dream a Little Dream, Custody of the Eyes, Well, A
Streetcar Named Desire, A Christmas Story, I Am My Own Wife, Room Service,
Bad Dates, Restoring the Sun, Rounding Third, The Real Thing, The Piano
Lesson, John Henry, Tuesdays with Morrie, Plaid Tidings, Crowns, Hurlyburly
REGIONAL: Cleveland’s Lyric Opera, Utah Festival Opera Company, Utah’s
Pioneer Theatre Company, Baltimore’s Center Stage, New Jersey’s George
Street Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theater OTHER CREDITS: designed the
premiere productions of The Tragic Demise of Whaleship Essex, Swinging on a
Star: A Tribute to the Music of Johnny Burke, Tangents, and The Count of
Monte Cristo, adapted by Charles Morey; designed sound system installations
for restaurants, theatres, and churches; former adjunct professor for the
University of Utah’s Fine Arts program

JOHN GODBOUT (Stage Manager) CPH: A Christmas Story, The Chosen, Man of La
Mancha, Lincolnesque, The Clean House, Of Mice and Men, RFK, Rabbit Hole,
Custody of the Eyes, Well, A Streetcar Named Desire, I Am My Own Wife,
Rounding Third, Tuesdays with Morrie, Enchanted April, Cookin’ at the
Cookery, The Underpants, The Dinner Party, Forest City, Dirty Blonde, Crumbs
from the Table of Joy, A Tuna Christmas, Bright Ideas, Frank Langella’s
Cyrano, I Hate Hamlet, The Amen Corner, The Waverly Gallery, Dinner with
Friends REGIONAL: Shakespeare and Company; Capital Repertory Theatre;
Arkansas Repertory Theatre; Northern Stage; American Stage; Worcester
Foothills Theatre; Seaside Music Theatre

Founded in 1915, The Cleveland Play House is the first permanently
established professional theatre in the United States. More than 12 million
people have attended over 1,300 productions at The Play House – including
more than 130 American and/or World Premieres. Today, under the leadership
of Artistic Director Michael Bloom and Managing Director Kevin Moore, The
Cleveland Play House is an artist-driven theatre that serves the Greater
Cleveland community by holding true to its mission:

To produce plays of the highest professional standards that inspire,
stimulate, and entertain our diverse audiences, and to conduct training and
educational programs that enhance the quality of life for those we serve and
help to insure the future of theatre.

The Ohio Arts Council helps to fund The Cleveland Play House with state tax
dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural
enrichment for all Ohioans.

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Alison Bibb-Carson
Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
The Cleveland Play House
8500 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio  44106
216.795.7000 x236
SEEINGISBELIEVING...www.clevelandplayhouse.com

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