Cast of
Harry and the Thief
in tech rehearsal
SET DESIGN: Megan Kemp
LIGHTING DESIGN: Rachel Atkinson
photo credit: Jamie Rogers
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Letter from the Director of
Harry and the Thief
Marcus McQuirter, Department Chair
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Happy February All
We are very excited to open our first show this spring:
Harry and the Thief
by Sigrid Gilmer. This play is something a bit out of the ordinary, something distinct from your traditional Black History Month fare. It’s irreverent, yet endearing. Funny though caustic. Heartwarming, eye-raising, ire raising. It’s about the past. It indexes the Present. It imagines The Future. You see, Mimi’s cousin builds a time machine. And Mimi goes back to meet Harriet Tubman. But she is not the Harriet Tubman we hear about all month long. She’s different. She’s a person. And together Mimi and Harriet change the past. Er, the present. The future.
Chaotic as it sounds, the play stands as a wonderful example of speculative storytelling’s potency. Works like
Harry
enables us to reclaim narrative agency and to envision paths forward by offering a new, alternate unraveling for a familiar tale. As theater artists—designers, actors, technicians, and managers— we had to ask the question: what would Mimi have specifically changed in 1861 to “transform the southern United States into a haven for free thinking, free love, social, racial, and gender equality.” As participants in this democratic experiment in 2020, we must similarly ask ourselves, “What do we do now to build and sustain a prosperous, egalitarian world for our future selves?” And by future selves I mean all of us tomorrow morning, literally. I also mean all of us generationally. Literally.
So, I hope you are able to come and ask these questions with us in the darkened theater. Collectively approached, I think the answers may prove useful. That said,
Harry and the Thief
is a comedy, so we hope you get some laughs to go with your deliberations on identity, historical truth, and subliminal spiral pathways enabling movement contra-directional to the forward progress of time.
Additionally, April will see us present the classic
Twelve Angry Jurors
by Reginald Rose and adapted by Sherman L. Sergel. Our second student production directed by Glen Bird will run from April 16-26 in The Acting Studio, Highland Campus 4000. As always, we are always excited to see our students take the reins and apply what they’ve been learning in the classroom as they mount a full production on their own. Again, I hope you are able to come and join us.
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GUEST ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:
Set Designer
MEGAN KEMP
Interview by Jamie Rogers
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Where are you from?
I’m from Pflugerville, Texas.
What schools have you attended?
I attended PHS and graduated from UT with a major in psychology and a minor in African and African Diaspora Studies.
What draws you to designing sets for theatre?
I’ve been involved in set construction and scenic painting since high school. I enjoy the constant freshness that comes with the quick turnover of theatre. There’s always something new and fun and you never get bored. The building and design processes provide interesting obstacles that call for innovative ways to overcome those problems. Besides the difficulty, I enjoy bringing a play to life through the re-creation of their reality or through expanding on a specific theme.
Can you tell us a bit about your design process?
I start by just reading the script. Usually, little ideas will start swirling around in my head that tie into important themes that the work is trying to get across or just feelings that it gives me when reading it. I usually stick to whatever comes to mind first, since it’s usually the strongest, and I will start sketching ideas from there. Of course, I always provide space in my designs in case it needs to change or be scrapped all together. It’s important to pay attention to what the script describes in terms of set needs and making sure you check all those boxes.
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Set design for
The Mamalogues
by Lisa B. Thompson at The VORTEX
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Why did you decide to pursue set design as a profession?
I didn’t. People just offer me opportunities, and I take them if it interests me. I do enjoy designing, and am grateful for all of the opportunities. But my career path is wide open and set design is just one stone amongst many.
Are there particular productions that you are drawn to?
Not really.. I have a wide range of interests in terms of genres, however, I do enjoy anything Black or POC that deals with our many lenses. The shows I do don’t have to be earth shattering but I do prefer something that at least attempts to break down a boundary or causes the audience to think or feel in a new way.
Describe your design process for our upcoming production of
Harry and the Thief
. What are some of the design challenges?
I read the play and immediately had some ideas and feelings, however, the script described the play as a “trunk show” which meant the writer envisioned something quick and easy (which if you know me, that’s my kind of style). But making a simple set is actually more challenging than one might think, especially with this play! The play is set in several locations over two very different time periods. There’s even a limbo state between time and space. This was challenging to achieve with the quick scene changes and trying to keep transitions light in terms of workload. Yet, in the end, we managed to come up with an idea that keeps the players in a time and place that is everywhere and nowhere specific.
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Set design for
Harry and the Thief
at Austin Community College
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
KENNARD RYDOLPH
Interview by Jamie Rogers
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Where are you from?
I was born in Austin Texas in 1995, so I have seen this city grow more than I have.
Were you involved in
theatre when
you were in high school? Any past theatre experience on stage or behind the scenes?
I never had the opportunity to participate in any of the theater productions while I was attending Pflugerville high. I was an avid scholar and athlete so those two endeavors took up a majority of my time. I am a huge movie buff, and I always had a hunger to work on both sides of a camera. Once I left high school and met like-minded people at Texas State, I started writing short films just for the fun of it. That's what helped solidify my transition from the STEM field into DRAMA, against my parent’s concerns that I'd end up broke.
What were the reasons you decided to enroll at Austin Community College?
The biggest reason I decided to choose ACC was convenience. The multiple locations meant that I could work around my work schedule and not have to deal with too much Austin traffic. The second biggest reason was the intimacy of the classrooms. As I said I came from Texas State University where most of my entry-level classes were located in large auditoriums. That kind of setting never engaged with me. I'm the type of person who likes to ask questions to help quantify new information and being seated fifty feet away from the professor amongst a hundred other students is not conducive to my learning style. ACC has great professors who can teach the same information in a clear concise way that's also a hell of a lot cheaper too.
Any favorite classes in the Drama Department and why? Important things you have learned so far?
My favorite class definitely has to be Acting one, because of the group I had the pleasure of working with and because of the professor Dr. Lisa Neely. The class had such a diverse range of personalities and demographics that enabled me to learn how to play to people's strengths. When someone in the group wasn't as comfortable coming out of their shell and acting to their full potential I was able to work with them by just being my friendly self to get the best performance out of them which in turn helped me be a better actor. I think the most important take away from the whole experience has been to not take anything or anyone for granted, and that everyone can teach you something new. Even a baby can teach you patience. And that if you think you know all there is to know about someone or something you will probably miss out on a whole universe of possibilities.
You are cast in our upcoming production of
Harry and the Thief
. Can you tell us a bit about the character you play? And what the rehearsal process has been like?
So, I play the character of Maddox, he is the head house negro who is much smarter than his master would like to give him credit for. He is sharp and quick-witted so the character comes naturally to me. His main motivation is to run away to Paris with the love of his life, a fellow slave named Miss Shiloh. He is a man of class who elevates the decorum everywhere he goes.
The rehearsal process has been wonderful thanks to the direction of Marcus McQuirter and the amazing acting group I have the honor of working with. Once again the ACC community seems to bring together the right complementary pieces that make any project come along with ease. Not to suggest that the process has not been hard work. On top of having to learn cues and lines, we all have had to learn a few dance numbers as well. But the entire process has been a blast so far.
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Kennard Rydolph in rehearsal for
Harry and the Thief
photo credit: Laura Ochoa
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Any favorite ACC Drama Production?
One of my favorite productions I got the chance to see last year. It was called
WELL
by Lisa Kron and was directed by Kristen Rogers. It was about a girl who is perpetually sick and her relationship with her mother. It touched on themes of racism, sexism, the health of the community and what it means to really be "well". I judge a good piece of art by the involuntary emotions it makes me feel. And the takeaway
Well
left me was about questioning how we determine the well-being of the communities we live in. The integration of culture and demographics into a monolithic group is how you heal a fractured society. In today's political and cultural turmoil the play’s poignant message really struck a chord with me.
Do you attend school and have outside employment? If so, how do you find a balance between work and drama department involvement?
I normally would be juggling four classes and a forty plus hours work week along with community service, but this spring semester didn't have the classes I was looking for so I'm focusing on work. However, it did grant me the time to participate in this production. But to answer your question the way I manage to find time to do the necessary things in my life is by having a stable support structure and keeping people around me that compliment my work ethic. I strongly believe in the saying: "faster alone, further together." I could not achieve most of the successes in my life without my supportive family who help me through troubled times, or the love of my life who has pushed me to grow into a better man. I think it's very important that everyone take care of those around you and in turn, they will take care of you. The same could be said for any theatrical performance. We all pick up each other's slack so that the end result is a tight performance.
Any overall advice to give to current Drama Majors on ways to get them involved in the Department?
The best advice I can give to any up and coming Drama Major is to make as many friends as you can. Don't be afraid to speak up and ask questions because chances are the person your asking was in your position until they spoke up too. Yes, it is important to practice your craft but it is equally important to be a complementary player to whatever team you are a part of. I guess improv skills are beneficial to that point. But when I come to getting that part or shining in your audition, unless you are on the nepotistic path, it comes down to how you demonstrate your work ethic. Will people remember you and a hard-working actor who will handle even the smallest of roles with reverence and was a pleasure to work with? Or will you be remembered as lazy and difficult to work with or even forgettable. But life is a journey and whatever path you take will take practice, so just practice compassion.
What does the future hold?
I feel like I'm at a point in my life where I'm at a pivotal junction. I've networked with a lot of talent and people who have been in the entertainment business and I'm starting to see the budding fruits of my labors. I am working on acting in local short films with directors from CBS, as well as starting my own political centric podcast on YouTube called Kenspiracy. I am also co-writing a feature film with a friend of mine and hopefully, we can get it picked up to get the ball rolling on that. I have a plan, yes, but the older I get the more I realize that luck is an important aspect of life. And as long as I'm doing the preparation the opportunities will keep knocking.
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Costume Design Renderings by Stephanie Dunbar
for
Harry and the Thief
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GREG ROMERO
's full-length play,
Falling Down the Mountain of Great Storms
, had its first 15 pages read by Permafrost Theatre Collective in New York City as part of their "Ice Breaker Series." The event seeks to share new works-in-progress and new forms of storytelling with an audience. The event was on February 9th.
Two of his short plays,
Daphne Becomes the Arctic
and
Zoe Through the Subway Dog Door
, were presented by Rowan College - Cumberland Campus in Vineland, NJ as part of their project, "On the Fringe," which is a showcase of short new plays. The event was on February 19th.
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ACC Drama Department 2019-2020 Season
Playhouse Creatures
by April De Angelis
September 26-October 6 in the HLC Acting Studio
General Seating is $8.00
Much Ado About Nothing
by William Shakespeare
October 24-27 & November 7-10 in the Austin Playhouse Theatre
General Seating is $8.00
Harry and the Thief
by Sigrid Gilmer
February 27-March 8 in the Austin Playhouse Theatre
General Seating is $8.00
Twelve Angry Jurors
by Reginald Rose
adapted by Sherman L. Sergel
April 16-26 in the HLC Acting Studio
General Seating is $8.00
Performance times are at 7:30pm for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings,
and at 2:00pm for Sunday matinees.
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CALLING ALL ACC DRAMA ALUMNI!
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Be sure to join the ACC Alumni Network!
The ACC Alumni Network is open to all former students who have earned an associate degree or certificate, or completed at least 20 credit hours at ACC. Our mission is to promote and support our alumni and students in their educational, social and professional endeavors, and to foster a spirit of loyalty and lifelong connections to Austin Community College.
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You can always keep
up-to date with the
ACC Drama Department
by visiting our website
or following us on Facebook and Instagram!
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