By Zora Howard Directed by Yolanda Franklin A co-production with Common Ground Theatre
UPDATED DATESApril 5 – April 21, 2024
Preview performance: Friday, April 5th at 7:30pm
Preview performance: Saturday, April 6th at 2:00pm
Opening Night: Saturday, April 6th at 7:30pm
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2pm
Added Saturday Matinees April 6th and April 20th at 2pm
Scripps Ranch Theatre continues Season 44 with STEW by Zora Howard, a co-production with Common Ground Theatre and directed by Yolanda Franklin. The production runs April 5 – April 21, 2024 on the campus of Alliant International University. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. There will be preview performances on Friday, April 5th at 7:30pm and Saturday, April 6 at 2pm, with a Press Opening on Saturday, April 6 at 7:30pm. Patrons can purchase Ticketsonline athttps://scrippsranchtheatre.org/showtickets/ or contact SRT Patron Services at 858-395-0573.
STEW Synopsis
Mama is up early to prepare an important meal and, even with her family on hand to help, time is running short. Tensions simmer with three generations of Tucker women under one roof, but things come to a boil as the violence hovering around the periphery of their lives begins to intrude. The kitchen becomes a microcosm of the family, a protection from outside traumas with the making of the stew a challenging task (it gets ruined twice) and a group activity needed to keep the family together. (SOME STRONG LANGUAGE)
Yolanda Marie Franklin, Executive Artistic Director of Common Ground Theatre and Director of Stew shared “I am so looking forward to partnering with Scripps Ranch Theatre to share the beautiful story STEW (2021 Pulitzer Prize Finalist) by Zora Howard with San Diego. Like the three generations of black women in STEW, food and community play a big role in my life and are an inherent part of the Black Family Experience. When things go wrong in your life – you can always go home and share a meal. Food heals. Life will happen and no matter how it ends – family can always come together, sit down at the table and try to figure it out. That experience and focus on family is front and center in STEW – and is a theme that is accessible to everyone. At Common Ground Theatre, we want people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds to participate, interact and connect. It is a goal we share with Scripps Ranch Theatre. STEW examines a multi generational family doing just that. Come on into our kitchen and find out what happens when family secrets bubble to the top.”
Scripps Ranch Theatre * 9783 Avenue of Nations, San Diego, CA 92131 * 858-578-7728
www.scrippsranchheatre.org
STEW (2021 Pulitzer Prize Finalist) by Zora Howard with San Diego. Like the three generations of black
women in STEW, food and community play a big role in my life and are an inherent part of the Black
Family Experience. When things go wrong in your life – you can always go home and share a meal. Food
heals. Life will happen and no matter how it ends – family can always come together, sit down at the
table and try to figure it out. That experience and focus on family is front and center in STEW – and is a
theme that is accessible to everyone. At Common Ground Theatre, we want people of all ages, cultures
and backgrounds to participate, interact and connect. It is a goal we share with Scripps Ranch Theatre.
STEW examines a multi generational family doing just that. Come on into our kitchen and find out what
happens when family secrets bubble to the top.”
Yolanda Franklin’s talented production team includes the following.
Stage Manager Charmaine Reed
Producing Director Barbara Barber
Set Design/Builder John Spafford
Props Design/Set Dressing Duane McGregor
Lighting Design Kate Reynolds
Sound Design Andrew Buck
Costume Design Cassandra Crawford
Yolanda Franklin (Director) Yolanda Marie Franklin is the Executive Artistic Director for Common Ground
Theatre, a local theatre company in San Diego which stands as one of the first and longest running black
theatre companies in America. Yolanda has heart, dedication, skill, talent, community relations and vision. For almost 20 years Yolanda has been a very loyal and dedicated member of our San Diego theatre community. In that time she has had the privilege and good fortune of working with almost all of our theatre companies as either actor, writer, director or producer. Yolanda is also a multi-faceted award winning actress and director capable of many disciplines and has been the recipient of three Craig Noel Critics Circle Awards for her production of The Ballad of Emmet Till. Under her direction, the show won the award for Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Dramatic Production, and Outstanding Direction. In 2020, Yolanda was appointed Executive Artistic Director of Common Ground Theatre, and has given the company a resurgence within the community, while restoring this theatre community with the gift of producing works primarily for, by and about African American people. Yolanda has what it takes to get the job done and loves what she does in the arts serving and advocating for the equity of the unheard and unseen in her community and beyond.
ALYCE SMITH COOPER (Mama) has performed locally as Storyteller and Poet at The Balboa Park Museum of Man, The Children’s Museum, Jacobs Symphony Hall, The Educational Cultural Complex, The Veteran’s
Museum, The LaJolla Playhouse, The Old Globe Theater, The Roustabout Theater and The Lyceum Theater. She has performed on film for The Vanguard Production “History of Joy” in 2021 and 3 music videos for The LaJolla Playhouse WOW Festival 2021 “Spittin Truth To Power”. Most recently she was seen in a featured role in the Scripps Ranch Theater Festival “ Out on a Limb” in the play “Go Fish”, and in the San Diego Black Artists Collective Black Lady Showcase at The Old Globe Theatre..
DANIELLE BUNCH (Lillian) is a Houston-native with a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of
Houston and MS in Arts Administration from Drexel University. Her favorite roles of the last decade include Suzanna in Becky Shaw (Firecracker Productions), Carol in Feathers & Teeth (Mildred’s Umbrella Theatre), A Black Lady Showcase (Black Artist Collective residency at The Old Globe), Billie in Harlem Duet (Coronado Playhouse), and Der Ring des Nibelungen (Houston Grand Opera). Off stage, Danielle is an arts education advocate in her roles as Communications Manager for Create CA and new board member of San Diego Regional Arts & Culture Coalition.
JAMAELYA HINES (Lil’ Mama) has been performing as a dancer for most of her life in theaters on the East and West coasts. Her most recent credits include 42nd Street and Jesus Christ Superstar (Moonlight Amphitheater), In the Heights (San Diego Musical Theater) and Footloose (Norwegian Cruise Line). She is excited to be making her acting debut at SRT and showing off her acting ability in Stew. jamaelyahines.com
Jodi Marks (Nelly) Credits: Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Laguna Playhouse), Once On This Island, Ragtime, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tarzan (Moonlight), In the Heights, Sound of Music (La Mirada), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (CCAE). Jodi is thrilled to be making her Scripps Ranch Theatre debut. Most of all she would love to thank her agents at FSE, her family and her friends for their continuous support and love. www.jodi-marks.com IG: @jodimarks
About Scripps Ranch Theatre
Scripps Ranch Theatre (SRT) is a professional theatre company located on the campus of Alliant International University and is celebrating its 44th Season. Helmed by Artistic Director, Jill Drexler, Scripps Ranch Theatre produces a mainstage season in their intimate 118 seat space. SRT strives to share stories that engage the heart and mind. To learn more, visit www.scrippsranchtheatre.org
About Common Ground Theatre
Helmed by Artistic Director, Yolanda Marie Franklin, Common Ground Theatre’s mission is to produce classics and new works by and about people of African descent that entertain, educate, and connect with audiences of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. Our aim is to produce high quality theatrical productions that provide a “common ground” for people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds to participate, interact, connect and share their love of theatre. To learn more, visit https://www.commongroundtheatre.com