SOAPM Meet the Cast: Cathy Simpson as "Stella Barnes"

CATHY SIMPSON, has been a company member of the People’s Light  Theatre Co. since 1994.  She is also a member of the “Freedom Rising” Company at the National Constitution Center, and the American Historical Theatre Company, Philadelphia. Her work in local theatres include InterAct Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Philly Shakes, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Hedgerow Theatre, Theatre Catalyst, the Arden and the Wilma. Regional theater credits include, Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, The National Theatre, Studio Theatre, Source Theatre, Wooly Mammoth, Olney Theatre Center, St. Louis Black Rep, St. Louis Rep., Indiana Rep., Big Arts.\Fla. and Florida Rep.

Film and TV credits include the award winning PBS, Maple Ave. Outreach Film, “PS I Love you”, numerous industrials and commercials for local Fox TV. A three, time Barrymore nominee and a winner for the Freedom Theatre production of The Old Settler, and a Kevin Kline Award winner for St. Louis Black Rep’s production of, A Song for Coretta.  She has also been nominated twice for the Helen Hayes Awards in Washington D.C. and won the Best Performer Award in Toyama, Japan.

"Stella Barnes" is Junior's mother, and while she means well, she is a source of confusion for our main character. The matriarch of the family, she seams to be the last to know about two very important things in the play.

Son Of A Preacher Man follows the relationship between a preacher’s son with a not so conventional lifestyle and a preacher who allows the secular to take over his spirituality.This play will make you laugh out loud, shout, cry and most of all think about the consequences of super-human expectations and ridiculous judgements.


Show dates/times:
Friday November 25, 7:30PM
Saturday November 26, 3PM and 7:30PM
Sunday November 27, 4PM
Friday December 2, 7:30PM
Saturday December 3, 3PM and 7:30pm
Sunday December 4, 4PM

Tickets:
$15 in advance / $20 at the door
Students/Seniors $10

Purchase tickets online: http://brownpapertickets.com/event/208148

Location:
Christ Church Neighborhood House - 20 N. American st. Philadelphia, PA, 19106

SOAPM Meet the Cast: Walter DeShields as "Dr. Bundt"

Walter  DeShields has performed as Rich in VI Degrees and Tracy in More than one Way to Skin A Dog. Walter has performed in the greater Philadelphia and New York City areas on stage most recently as Walter Lee in “Raisin in the Sun” ;  as Trent In Bryana Cannon’s “Gentle Cycle of Dirty Laundry” and as Guy Pearl Cleage’s in “Blues for an Alabama Sky”. Walter is starring in several released and upcoming film projects including “Cant Judge a Book”, "Coochie Wars" “The Playstation Killed the Puppet”; and  “Happy Holidaze”; Walter is a proud Penn State graduate with a BA in English and Theater. Walter acknowledges and thanks his company and cast mates for their support and encouragement. 

Walter plays the character of "Dr. Bundt." As "Junior's" psychiatrist, "Dr. Bundt" is the sounding board for all that is swirling around in "Junior's" mind, both real, and imagined.

Son Of A Preacher Man follows the relationship between a preacher’s son with a not so conventional lifestyle and a preacher who allows the secular to take over his spirituality.This play will make you laugh out loud, shout, cry and most of all think about the consequences of super-human expectations and ridiculous judgements.


Show dates/times:
Friday November 25, 7:30PM
Saturday November 26, 3PM and 7:30PM
Sunday November 27, 4PM
Friday December 2, 7:30PM
Saturday December 3, 3PM and 7:30pm
Sunday December 4, 4PM

Tickets:
$15 in advance / $20 at the door
Students/Seniors $10

Purchase tickets online: http://brownpapertickets.com/event/208148

Location:
Christ Church Neighborhood House - 20 N. American st. Philadelphia, PA, 19106

SOAPM Meet the Cast: Aaron C. Thornton - "Christian"

Aaron C. Thornton is a member of the acting company GoKash Productions. He started acting in middle school and immediately fell in love with it. He has been in shows including Baltimo Jawja,  My Son My Brother My Friend, His Child Too, Six Degrees, and Girl He Loves me. He is best known for his role in The Nigga Files that placed 2^nd in The Philadelphia Urban Theatre Festival in 2009 and his role in Ambie Dickerson that tied for 1^st place in the festival in 2010. He lives by the quote “If I never existed, have I given something, that if taken away you’d miss it.”

Aaron plays "Christian" in Son of a Preacher Man. Though a well meaning friend of character "Junior," "Christian" adds to the mayhem in our lead's mind, and contributes to what is a powerful climax in the play.

Son Of A Preacher Man follows the relationship between a preacher’s son with a not so conventional lifestyle and a preacher who allows the secular to take over his spirituality.This play will make you laugh out loud, shout, cry and most of all think about the consequences of super-human expectations and ridiculous judgements.


Show dates/times:
Friday November 25, 7:30PM
Saturday November 26, 3PM and 7:30PM
Sunday November 27, 4PM
Friday December 2, 7:30PM
Saturday December 3, 3PM and 7:30pm
Sunday December 4, 4PM

Tickets:
$15 in advance / $20 at the door
Students/Seniors $10

Purchase tickets online: http://brownpapertickets.com/event/208148

Location:
Christ Church Neighborhood House - 20 N. American st. Philadelphia, PA, 19106

SOAPM Meet the Cast: Andre Brown "Junior Barnes"

Co-Founder of ...AND Company Theatre and a proud high school drama teacher, Andre Brown has been performing for several years. Some of his favorite roles include, Man in "Crowns", Jackie Robinson in "Play to Win", Papa Ge in "Once on This Island", The Wiz in "The Wiz", and Andre in "Ain't Misbehavin'" to name a few. Andre has studied theatre professionally at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, CA and Film & Broadcasting at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. It his ultimate desire to present the "truth" of the human experience on stage both professionally and artistically.

Andre plays the character of "Junior Barnes." The lead character in Son of a Preacher Man, audiences can expect to see "Junior" go on a turbulent ride from beginning to end as he navigates the expectations and judgements of his family, as well as the congregation at large.

Son Of A Preacher Man follows the relationship between a preacher’s son with a not so conventional lifestyle and a preacher who allows the secular to take over his spirituality.This play will make you laugh out loud, shout, cry and most of all think about the consequences of super-human expectations and ridiculous judgements.


Show dates/times:
Friday November 25, 7:30PM
Saturday November 26, 3PM and 7:30PM
Sunday November 27, 4PM
Friday December 2, 7:30PM
Saturday December 3, 3PM and 7:30pm
Sunday December 4, 4PM

Tickets:
$15 in advance / $20 at the door
Students/Seniors $10

Purchase tickets online: http://brownpapertickets.com/event/208148

Location:
Christ Church Neighborhood House - 20 N. American st. Philadelphia, PA, 19106

Mission Statement

...AND Company Theatre was founded by Andre Brown and Israel Atkins in late 2010 with the belief that theatre is an art form with unique power to illuminate the human experience.  

...AND Company Theatre produces live theatre entertainment that excites the imagination and nourishes a lifelong passion for theatre arts.

Our mission is supported by the following objectives:

• To engage audiences of diverse ages, cultures and economic background;
• To nurture daring young artists to build dynamic growing professional careers;
• To be a community gathering place for active exchange about culture and the power of creativity;
• To create world-class theatrical experiences while maximizing and responsibly managing available resources;
• To provide a working environment that fosters leadership, collaboration and mutual respect, recognizes effort that sustains excellence, rewards innovation and encourages honest dialogue.

 …AND Company Theatre is a Non-Profit Theatre along side, DLB Media Works Inc. aimed at educating young people in performing and media arts. DLB Media Works Inc., promotes premier arts training in Television, Film and Theatre. Highlighting successful programs like Dream TV Summer Camp and ACT After School Series. DLB Media Works Inc., mission is a non-profit full service Media Education Agency specializing in Arts, Entertainment and Community Leadership Initiatives. For more information on this and other projects log onto: www.dlbworks.com, www.andcompanytheatre.org, www.varietypraiseshow.com or call 609.891.7555. 

Son of a Preacher Man: Official Press Release

Press Contact:
LaNeshe Miller-White
fortheloveoftheater@gmail.com



 For immediate release: 

…AND Company Theatre tackles the destructive nature of judgment in the premiere of a new stage play -  SON OF A PREACHER MAN

Philadelphia, PA -  Philadelphia based theater company …AND Company Theatre presents its sophomore production, Son of a Preacher Man. Written  by Vascola Stoney, musically directed by Kellie Turner, and directed by Dominique Denman, Son of a Preacher Man follows the relationship between a preacher’s son with a not so conventional lifestyle and a preacher who allows the secular to take over his spirituality. An ensemble driven play, Son of a Preacher Man runs November 25 through November 27, and December 2 through December 4 at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Topics that church congregations around the country are tight-lipped about – homosexuality, and infidelity in the pulpit- are brought to light in a play that will have audiences laughing out loud, shouting, crying, and thinking critically about judgment and the expectations society places on everyone’s lives. Company founder/ Artistic Director and lead actor Andre Brown stated “Having been a son of a preacher man/pastor myself - I get it. Having people stare at you Sunday after Sunday - expecting you to be perfect and live up to an unbelievably high standard of holiness or righteousness is beyond burdensome, it’s impossible. I think Vascola Stoney has done a tremendous job of highlighting the real life struggles of what preacher’s children, and people at large, go through. This play will speak not only to Christian believers but to all people who yearn to be free, all of us who desire to live authentically in this world.” 

Son  of a Preacher Man is the second show of four in …And Company Theatre’s 2011-2012 season  and is  produced by …AND Company's Managing Director, Israel Atkins.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $10 for students and seniors with valid I.D.  Tickets can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com/event/208148 and over the phone at 609-891-7555. 

Run dates/times:

·         Friday, November 25 at 7:30PM

·         Saturday, November 26 at 3PM

·         Saturday, November 26 at  7:30PM

·         Sunday, November 27 at 4PM

·         Friday, December 2 at 7:30PM

·         Saturday, December 3 at 3PM

·         Saturday, December 3 at 7:30pm

·         Sunday, December 4 at 4PM.

Full cast:

Andre G. Brown, Eric Banks, Brett Gray, Cathy Simpson, Carlene Pochette, Tanya O'Neill, Liz Priestly, Kiyanna Cox-Jones, Kenyon Wicks, Daniel Armella, Walter DeShields, LaNeshe Miller-White, Franklin M. Scurry, Aaron Thornton, Nicole Lockley, and Kyle Paul Dandridge.

ABOUT…AND COMPANY THEATRE

…AND Company Theatre was founded by Equity Actor Andre G. Brown in late 2010. Boasting the tagline “Ensemble theater at its best,”   it was founded on the premise of creating strong ensemble work.   Often, stage shows are marketed as being performed by a big name talent, “and company.”  Yet, “the company” works just as hard as the lead actor.  …AND Company Theatre seeks to showcase the work of all actors in a production, which spawned the name “…AND Company Theatre.”

…AND Company Theatre offers audiences the opportunity to experience new theatre and new stories.  Their shows highlight the work of new playwrights, and present them with an innovative format, employing multi-media techniques and exploring  the fusion of the world of television and the world of theatre.