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A RAISIN IN THE SUN Cast
CHRIS HANNA (Director) directing credits have taken him from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Juneau, Alaska, and have included productions Off Broadway, at the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, and the Juilliard School. He served as Associate Artistic Director of Virginia Stage Company from l984- l991; favorites among his many previous productions at the Wells include The Rainmaker, Arms and the Man, Ah Wilderness! and the world premiere of Alan Havis’ play Morocco. He has served as Resident Director at the Juilliard School, as Artistic Associate for seven seasons with the Chautauqua Theatre Company, and is presently Director of Theatre at Old Dominion University. He holds a MFA in Directing from the University of California, San Diego, and is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. TERRY SUMMERS FLINT (Scenic Designer) Terry Summers Flint is happy to be back with VSC for her fourth season as Properties Master and occasional Scenic Designer. Previous designs for VSC include Hank Williams: Lost Highway, The Jungle Book, and Hansel and Gretel’s Grimm Tale. She received her BA from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and her MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Favorite past designs have included Vinegar Tom, Arcadia, and StopKiss. She gives her sincere thanks to the audience for continuing to support local theatres! MICHAEL BOSO (Sound Designer) Mr. Boso returns for his twelfth production as Sound Designer at VSC, where he also designed A Moon for the Misbegotten, Centennial Casting, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, The Piano Lesson, Doubt, To Kill a Mockingbird, Crowns, A Christmas Carol (2005 and ‘06), Contact, and The Taste Test. Kentucky Shakespeare Festival (Resident Sound Designer): Romeo and Juliet (2009 and '05), Macbeth (2009 and '05), Julius Caesar, Pericles Prince of Tyre, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, and The Comedie of Errors. Checking In, Stop Kiss, a.m. Sunday, and Art at Actors Guild of Lexington (KY), and Jesus Christ, Superstar at Lexington (KY) Musical Theater. Film/Television: Walden, The Ballad of Thoreau (Earth Day Network/Woodsongs, Inc.) Mr. Boso studied his craft as Assistant Audio Engineer of Lexington, KY's acoustic music Troubadour Concert Series and as Assistant Audio Engineer of the internationally syndicated live-audience folk music radio show, Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour. JENI SCHAEFER (Costume Designer) holds a MAC in Costume Design from Wichita State University and has been the Resident Costume Designer and Shop Manager at VSC for eight years. Regional credits include: Alive and Well, Moon for the Misbegotten; Centennial Casting; Wit; Yellowman; Crowns; Drawer Boy; Driving Miss Daisy; Of Mice and Men; To Kill a Mockingbird; Doubt; Indoor/Outdoor; The Elephant Man; The Poetry of Pizza; Taste Test; Hank Williams: Lost Highway; and many productions of A Christmas Carol. Ms. Schaefer would like to thank her wonderful husband Tony and two beautiful children, Sara and Ethan, for inspiring her everyday. A. NELSON RUGER IV (Lighting Designer ) is currently Resident Lighting Designer and Production Manager at VSC. He also is a successful visual artist, doing watercolor and acrylic surf art, and as a freelance lighting and scenic designer for theater companies across the United States. VSC credits include Alive And Well, Line in the Sand, Centennial Casting, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, The Poetry of Pizza, Doubt, King Lear: The Storm at Home, To Kill a Mockingbird, Indoor/Outdoor, A Christmas Carol ('07, `08, `09), The Elephant Man, Crowns, Of Mice and Men, Treasure Island, Vaudeville, Brighton Beach Memoirs as well as productions at Hangar Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Bristol Riverside Theatre, The Redhouse, The Savoy Company, Muhlenberg Theatre Association, Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre, Florida Rep, Old Dominion University, Opera Delaware, Lincoln Square Theatre, Kirkland Fine Arts Center, QueensTheatre in The Park, The New Victory Theatre, as well as over a dozen productions at Circa `21 Playhouse. Mr. Ruger has taught Scenic and Lighting Design at Millikin University, and recently was a guest faculty member at Syracuse University. He is an alumnus of Muhlenberg College and holds an MFA in Lighting and Scenic Design from Syracuse University. HARRIET BASS (Casting Director) Harriet Bass has been an independent New York casting director since 1989, casting for theater, film and television. In New York City Harriet has cast for ABC/TV, Fox Television Studios, Joseph Papps's Public Theatre: NEW WORK NOW, The Minetta Lane Theatre, The Women's Project, La Mamma E.T.C., New York Women in Film and Television, and The Jewish Repertory Theatre. She has cast the last three of the late August Wilson's ten part play series: the original and touring productions of Radio Golf, the Broadway production of Gem of the Ocean, and the Off-Broadway production of Jitney. Selected regional credits include: Mark Taper Forum, Hartford Stage Co, Arena Stage, Trinity Repertory Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, GeVa, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Longwharf Theatre, Alliance Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Virginia Stage Company, Dallas Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and Playmaker's Repertory Theatre. Feature films credits include: Pushing Hands directed by Ang Lee, Underheat, starring Lee Grant, First We Take Manhattan, produced by Golden Harvest Inc., and Graves End,20 directed by Sal Stabile. Ms. Bass has guest taught acting and auditioning at conservatory and university programs nationally. MATTHEW G. MARHOLIN (Production Stage Manager) is happy to be back at Virginia Stage Company this season. His most recent work includes The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, a new work produced by Broadway Across America. Prior to that, Matt worked as Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil’s production of Alegria in South America. His Production Stage Management credits include Broadway and National Tours for such shows as Blood Brothers starring Petula Clark and David Cassidy, South Pacific starring Robert Goulet, Jekyll & Hyde, Smokey Joe’s Café, Camelot starring Robert Goulet, A Few Good Men, Grease, Parade, The Wiz starring Stephanie Mills and the World Premiere of Frank Wildhorn’s Camille Claudel starring Linda Eder. International tours have included Porgy and Bess, Carmen Jones, tick, tick…BOOM! and Sophisticated Ladies. To date, Matt’s work has taken him to some 22 countries. STEPHANIE K. WHITE(Assistant Stage Manager) Stephanie is excited to be returning for her second season with the Virginia Stage Company. Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she has stage managed productions at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia and Gretna Theatre in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania. Her credits include Tartuffe, On the Verge, The Potting Shed, An Inspector Calls, Made in America, Mack the Knife, and Fiddler on the Roof.
SHOW STAFF SHANE K. STELLY Assistant Scenic Designer
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AXEL ALVIN JR. (Joseph Asagai) This is Axel’s first production at the Virginia Stage Co. Off Broadway: Ruined (MTC), Streamers (Roundabout Theater Co.) Violent Delights (The Public Theater Shakespeare Lab) Regional: Fences (Lorraine Hansberry Theater),and 
BEATTY BARNES, JR. (Bobo)- is honored to be making his VSC debut with this production. Beatty discovered his theatrical talents as a stand-up comedian with credits including, ABC's America's Funniest People, Comcast Comedy Spotlight and HBO's Aspen Comedy Festival to name a few. Local audiences may remember him as Ketu in Elizabeth River Theatre Company production of '100 and Link the Stink in the Pulitzer Prize winner Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks. Other productions include Coriolanus, Othello, Don Q., Black Battles with Dogs... Beatty would like to thank all those who support live entertainment and remember to be kind to one another.
MATTHEW CABBIL (George Murchison) A native of South Carolina, Matthew began his theatrical career doing school plays and local community theatre. In 2009 he graduated from the University of South Carolina Aiken with a BA in the Visual and Performing Arts. Cabbil has worked extensively in theatre throughout the Southeast, performing with several area theatre companies, including: the Aiken Community Playhouse, the Aiken Kidney Benefit, the Dawa Theatre Group, Orwelles Improv Troupe, Workshop Theatre Company, the Rude Weasels Improv Troupe, and the USCA University Theatre Players. Most recently he was seen playing a number of roles in the Aiken Community Playhouse’s production of Mere Mortals. Other recent credits include Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet (Othello / Tybalt / Nurse), The God Committee (Father Dunbar), The Mikado (Koko), and Fences (Corey Maxon). Matthew is delighted to join the Virginia Stage Company for their 2009 - 2010 season, and looks forward to calling Norfolk his new home.
JONATHAN BLAKE COOPER (Travis Cooper) - is a 14 year old seventh grader at Ghent School, where he participates in the following activities, the S.C.A. running club and former member of the Ghent chorus. Jonathan enjoys all sports particularly basketball. He has played for several recreational teams. His other community activities include Boy Scouts of America. Jonathan is a active member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. He is an assistant percussionist, member of Silent Praise Ministry (a mime group), &
NICOLE GANT (Beneatha Younger) is thrilled to make her first appearance at The Virginia Stage Company! Her recent theater credits include Beneatha Younger at The Actor’s Theatre of Louisville’s Production of A Raisin In the Sun, she also appeared at the Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick New Jersey as Nia & Characters in In the Continuum, Additional Credits include The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket, Voir Dire, At Home, Approaching Lavendar, and Venus at Mason Gross School of the arts, Rutgers University. Nicole holds a B.F.A. from Howard University and an M.F.A. from Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts.
ELAIN GRAHAM (Lena Younger) Ms. Graham was last seen in The River Crosses Rivers Festival, in the critically acclaimed performance of The Woman, in Lynn Nottage's, Banana Beer Bath. Broadway credits include : Mama Benin in Playboy of the West Indies, Lois in The Talented Tenth, Inancent in Inacent Black, The Chorus in The Bacchae. She has performed with The Negro Ensemble Company in New York, as Jesse Innes James in The Waiting Room, Patti Mae Wells in Home, Ophelia in Louie and Ophelia, Sheleah in Henrietta. She was Lois in The Dance on Widows' Row at The New Federal Theater. Claire Reed, in Cassandra Medley's Relativity. Regional credits include: Ella Franklin in Permanent Collections, Bernice in August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (Best Actress Detroit Free Press Award) Rose in Fences; Portia in Julius Caesar at Hartford Stage and Philadelphia Drama Guild. The North Carolina Theater Festival, From The Mississippi Delta. TV and Film credits include: Across the Universe,Winnie Mandela in Arthur! A Celebration Of Life. The City Teacher, Turn it Up, Mortal Thoughts, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Third Watch, The Juror, Oz, 100 Centre Street and Spencer: For Hire. Ms. Graham was also Carla Redlon on CBN's Another Life and Etta Mae Burrell on NBC's Another World.
JAMES JORDAN (Moving Man)- A Hampton Roads native, James has performed at the Little Theater of Virginia Beach, the Generic Theater and with Children’s Theater of Hampton Roads. James would like to thank his friends and family for their continued support of his theatrical endeavors. Finally, James would like to thank the cast, staff and administrators of Virginia Stage Company for their hard work and dedication. He asks the audience to please consider a donation to the stage company whose continued devotion to the arts provides high quality, affordable entertainment for the community and opportunity for actors and artists throughout the region.
LISA RENEE PITTS (Ruth Younger) - is an award winning stage, television, film and voice over artist. San Diego Critics Circle Award winner, Portland Drama Critics Circle Award winner, NAACP Theater Award nominee; she has been seen Off-Broadway, in Europe and regional theaters across the country, performing leading roles in plays such as, Intimate Apparel (Esther), Doubt (Mrs. Muller), Valley Song (Veronica) Tintypes (Susannah) Our Town (Emily Webb), The Old Settler (Lou Bessie) and Wait Until Dark (Susie) just to name a few. Television and film appearances include The Shield, Numbers, Law-n-Order, Showtime w/ Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy and now a recurring role as Alison Sawyer on the hit ABC Family Channel drama Lincoln Heights. Lisa’s voice has also been heard on some of today’s top selling audio book recordings; Left to Tell, Better Than I Know Myself, My Name is not Angelica and Pushkin and the Queen of Spades in which she won an Earphones Award for excellence in narration. Lisa is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she holds a BFA degree in Theater Arts. A native New Yorker, Lisa now resides in Burbank, CA.
MICHAEL SINGLETON (Moving Man) is proud to be a part of Virginia Stage Company’s A Raisin in the Sun.
