BIOS
RON HIMES (Troy), appeared in The Black Rep’s production of Seven Guitars, Sunset Baby, The Whipping Man, On Golden Pond, Romeo and Juliet, Death and the King’s Horseman, Boesman and Lena and Gem of the Ocean, which was featured at the 2007 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Additional credits include King in King Hedley II, Banquo in Macbeth, Herald Loomis in Joe Turner’s Come And Gone, Robert Johnson in Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil, for which he won the Woodie Award for Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role, and Blind Jordan in Sty of the Blind Pig. He created the role of Joe Lee in Conversations On A Dirt Road, Booster in Jitney, Malcolm X in The Meeting and When The Chickens Come Home to Roost. His acting credits in other St. Louis theatres include The Permanent Collection and The Exonerated at HotCity, All The Way, Follies ,The Little Foxes and Miss Evers’ Boys at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and several productions with Theatre Project Company and the General in The MUNY’s production of Guys and Dolls. He has appeared as Clarence Thomas in Unquestioned Integrity: The Hill/Thomas Hearings at 7 Stages in Atlanta and in The Black Rep’s production of The Meeting at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
LINDA KENNEDY (Rose), returns from the University of Southern Indiana where she performed in Our Town as the Stage Manager. She recently had the opportunity to appear in the film currently being shot in St. Louis A Ghost Walking. Her Black Rep credits include but are not limited to Seven Guitars, Purlie, Once On This Island, For Colored Girls…, The Wiz, On Golden Pond, Pericles, and The Montford Point Marine. Ms. Kennedy has been an Artistic Associate with The Black Rep for many years and has worked both on and off stage with and for The Black Rep for more than 30 years. Recently she worked behind the scenes as the Costume Designer for The Black Rep’s production of Lines in the Dust by Nikkole Salter. Other stage credits include Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage (New Jewish Theatre), The Glass Menagerie, Windmill Baby, Marijah’s Pictures, Helver’s Night and Blood Wedding (Upstream Theater), Agnes of God (Avalon Theatre), The Gin Game (Actor’s Studio). The Spitfire Grill (Stephens College Summer Theatre in Okoboji IA). She has also performed in several historical vignettes for the Museum, and has taught theatre and dance to youth and adults. She has had the privilege of doing both film and voiceover work, like the 250N250 piece for the Missouri History Museum, a short film project for the Ulysses S. Grant Museum, and for the MOCRA Voices podcast series. She received accolades in the River Front Times and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. A two time Kevin Klein nominee, she received the Go List Best Actress Award, the Visionary Awards Successful Working Artist Award, the Missouri Arts Individual Artist Award, the Griot Award from the Griot Museum and in 2012 the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award from the Arts and Education Council
ROBERT ALAN MITCHELL (Bono), is really excited to return home to The Black Rep to perform the role of Bono. Now, a resident of New Orleans, he has a done a total of 5 Tennessee Williams plays there in 4 years, with 3 different companies, and a production of Tartuffe, as well as 3 "Fakespearean" movie mash-ups (Scarface, Godfather & Pulp Fiction) with his own NonProphet Theater-South. Thanks to Bunny for being his biggest fan
BRIAN MCKINLEY (Corey), is a recent graduate of Western Illinois University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Born and raised in Peoria, IL he is currently an education assistant with The Black Rep. He also is an actor in The Black Rep's Professional Touring Company. Recent credits include the title role in The Wiz (COCA), Drew in Rock of Ages & Lysander in A Midsummer Nights Dream (MSU Summer Theatre), and Christian in Ruined (Western Illinois University). He would like to thank his family for all of their love and support and Ron for the opportunities and training
STEVEN MAURICE (Lyons), is delighted to once again grace the stage with The Black Rep. He was last seen in The Black Rep’s performance of Dreamgirls. Other theatre credits include: Unity Theater, Flood Stage, and Hawthorne. His background includes TV and film as well. He would like to thank God and The Black Rep for this opportunity. He dedicates this performance to his wife Jocelyn and to his son Steven Maurice II. Take wings!!-
RICHARD AGNEW (Gabe), Richard Agnew (Gabe), has worked 24 years at The Black Rep (18 years as an Equity Stage Manager). Richard normally works behind the scenes as a stage manager; this will be his first time performing on The Black Rep mainstage. Richard thanks God for the opportunity to work with Ron Himes, Lorna Littleway and this wonderful cast and production team. Richard dedicates this performance to his father, Wiley. E Agnew.
LENA SANAA WILLIAMS (Raynelle), ​is​ ​a​ ​St.​ ​Louis​ ​native​ ​and​ ​resident.​ ​She​ ​began​ ​praise​ ​dancing​ ​at​ ​the​ ​age​ ​of​ ​4​ ​at Wellspring​ ​​ ​Church​ ​located​ ​in​ ​Ferguson,​ ​MO.​ ​Lena​ ​further​ ​explored​ ​her​ ​passion​ ​to​ ​dance​ ​as​ ​she studied​ ​tap​ ​and​ ​ballet​ ​at​ ​The​ ​Judy​ ​Best​ ​Talent​ ​and​ ​Dance​ ​Center.​ ​She​ ​was​ ​introduced​ ​to​ ​acting​ ​when she​ ​attended​ ​the​ ​Summer​ ​Performing​ ​Arts​ ​Camp,​ ​SPA,​ ​hosted​ ​by​ ​The​ ​St.​ ​Louis​ ​Black​ ​Repertory Company​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Summer​ ​of​ ​2017.​ ​While​ ​attending,​ ​Lena​ ​discovered​ ​her​ ​love​ ​for​ ​theater​ ​and​ ​was identified​ ​by​​ ​Ron​ ​Himes​ ​for​ ​her​ ​talent. ​ ​Her​ ​first​ ​theater​ ​performance​ ​was​ ​in​ ​the​ ​SPA.​ ​​ ​production​ ​entitled​ ​Black​ ​and​ ​White. ​During​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​of​ ​2017,​ ​Lena,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​her​ ​twin​ ​sister,​ ​recited​ ​the​ ​Countee​ ​Cullen​ ​poem​ ​​Hey Black​ ​Child​ ​​at​ ​the​ ​request​ ​of​ ​Pastor​ ​David​ ​Crank​​ ​​for​ ​Faith​ ​Church's​ ​televised​ ​​Love​ ​Riot​​ ​program.​ ​ A​ ​multitalented​ ​individual,​ ​Lena​ ​also​ ​runs​ ​track​ ​and​ ​plays​ ​select​ ​soccer​ ​for​ ​St.​ ​Louis​ ​Scott​ ​Gallagher.​ ​In her​ ​spare​ ​time​ ​she​ ​enjoys​ ​participating​ ​in​ ​social​ ​activism,​ ​any​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​fashion,​ ​and​ ​spending​ ​time with​ ​her​ ​twin​ ​sister.
Who's Who Behind The Scene
JIM BURWINKEL (Set Designer), ), is a scenic and lighting designer whose work has been seen at the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Shakespeare Festival St, Louis, and other Saint Louis theatres, as well as at theatres in Ohio, Massachusetts and Minnesota. In addition to his professional work, Jim is a Professor of Theatre at St. Louis University. Jim received his bachelor in theatre from Xavier University in his home town of Cincinnati, and holds a Master of Architecture from Washington University.
JOSEPH W. CLAPPER (Lighting Designer), is honored to return this 41st season as a member of The Black Rep’s design team. Joseph is a two-time recipient of The Black Rep’s Woody Award for Lighting Design Excellence of Spunk (’95) and Godspell (’01). Lighting design credits include Hänsel und Gretel and the Mikado for the UAO, Helver’s Night, An Illiad, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, of which he received a nomination for the 2015 St Louis Theater Circle Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play, and A Human Being Died That Night for Upstream Theater, The Drowsy Chaperone and Carmina Burana at SIUE, The Very Last Green Thing, Joshua’s Boots, A Thunder of Horses and The Black Spider for OTSL. Additional local designs include Theater Consultant of the Pillsbury Chapel and Dale Williams Fine Arts Center at the Missouri Baptist College, production lighting consultant for the Jazz at the Bistro renovation, and the Lee Theater renovation at The Missouri History Museum. For the past 16 seasons, Joe has been proud to serve the musicians and staff of the incomparable SLSO as their Assistant Stage Manager and Lighting Director.
KATE SLOVINSKI (Properties Designer), is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois where she received her degree in Arts & Humanities with Specialization in Theater Performance, Direction, and Literature & Criticism. Later, she attended Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where she received her Certification in Secondary Education for Theater Arts & English. She is the resident Properties Designer and Manager for Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.”
KAREEM DEANES (Sound Designer), is thrilled to be working with The Black Rep this season. Kareem has been on stage most recently at Mustard Seed Theatre in Clayton, MO where he serves on the theatre’s advisory board. Kareem’s most recent sound designs include: DOT and Seven Guitars for The Black Rep, One Flea Spare for Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble (SATE) and Playland and Tartuffe for Mustard Seed Theatre. While not working in professional theatre, Kareem teaches theatre and media studies at Parkway West Middle School. He also spends his summers developing young performers at Sherwood Forest Camp. Kareem would like to thanks his loved ones for their continued support.
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MARISSA PERRY (Costume Designer), is a St. Louis native with a passion for fashion and the arts. She has a BFA in fashion Design and an MFA in Media Design. Marissa owns a small design company (Free Region) in her native St. Louis. Though fashion is her first love she has come to love theatre costuming. She has costumed for The St. Louis Black Repertory Company, Metro Theatre, COCA Stl, Grand Center Arts Academy, and is the principle designer for Innervision Dance Company. Her motto is “Do what you love and what you love will make room for you”!
TRACY D. HOLLIWAY-WIGGINS (Stage Manager), is a native of East St. Louis and a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She has served in various roles with The Black Rep for more than twenty years. Some of her favorite stage management credits with the company include Black Nativity, The Gospel at Colonus, Strands and My Secret Language of Wishes. She has also stage managed for Dances of India, ATREK Dance Company and Washington University Dance Theatre. Tracy thanks God for the vision of Genesis Academy of Arts and Fine Arts Ministry, Genesis Arts Ministry of East St. Louis, where she is the Founder and Director, Rev. Derek Bastian and St. Luke AME Church of East St. Louis, IL. Matthew 22:21
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THE THEATRE OF THE SOUL SINCE 1976
