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October 24 - November 16, 2014 , Outcalt Theatre

How We Got On

written by Idris Goodwin
directed by Jaime CastaƱeda

Run time: 85 minutes; no intermission
Advisory: Recommended for ages 12+. Play contains a few instances of profanity.

It’s 1988 in an upper-class Midwest suburb. Teens Hank and Julian live and breathe hip-hop while their peers would rather rock. Determined to create the ultimate suburban rap song, the duo forges ahead through unconvinced parents and the highs and lows of friendship. With a ‘theatre DJ’ looping, spinning and remixing the action on stage, How We Got On takes us on an uplifting lyrical journey of dreaming big and discovering your voice.

Photos & Videos Download Hi Res Photos

Left to right: Eric Lockley (Hank), Portia (Selector), and Cyndii Johnson (Luann). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Portia (Selector) and Cyndii Johnson (Luann). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Portia (Selector). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Kim Fischer (Julian), Portia (Selector) and Cyndii Johnson (Luann) Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Kim Fischer (Julian) and Eric Lockley (Hank). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Eric Lockley (Hank), Kim Fischer (Julian) and Portia (Selector). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Cyndii Johnson (Luann). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Kim Fischer (Julian), Portia (Selector) and Eric Lockley (Hank). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Portia (Selector). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Kim Fischer (Julian) and Portia (Selector). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Kim Fischer (Julian). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Eric Lockley (Hank) and Portia (Selector). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Kim Fischer (Julian). Photo credit Roger Mastroianni.

Artists

Portia

Portia

(Selector) theater credits include Fences, McCarter Theater and Long Wharf Theater co-production; Our Town, Ford’s Theatre; Pulitzer Prize winning play Ruined, Manhattan Theatre Club, Intiman Theater and The Geffen Playhouse; andIn Arabia We'd All Be Kings, Our Lady Of 121st Street, Guinea Pig Solo, Dutch Heart of Man, Labyrinth more(Selector) theater credits include Fences, McCarter Theater and Long Wharf Theater co-production; Our Town, Ford’s Theatre; Pulitzer Prize winning play Ruined, Manhattan Theatre Club, Intiman Theater and The Geffen Playhouse; andIn Arabia We'd All Be Kings, Our Lady Of 121st Street, Guinea Pig Solo, Dutch Heart of Man, Labyrinth Theater Company. Television and Film Credits include Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List, The Messenger, Please Give, The Greatest, Freedomland,CSI, Hart of Dixie, Good Luck Charlie, Law & Order, 30 Rock, and Ugly Betty. Portia is a member of AEA and Labyrinth Theater Company.

Kim Fischer

Kim Fischer

(Julian) is thrilled to be making his regional debut at Cleveland Play House. He has been performing in the immersive off-Broadway dance show Fuerza Bruta for the past year. Other New York credits include Untitled Biopic Project, The New Ohio; and Skin in the Game, a workshop with New more(Julian) is thrilled to be making his regional debut at Cleveland Play House. He has been performing in the immersive off-Broadway dance show Fuerza Bruta for the past year. Other New York credits include Untitled Biopic Project, The New Ohio; and Skin in the Game, a workshop with New Dramatists. He was an acting apprentice during the 2012/13 season with Actors Theatre of Louisville, where he performed in Romeo and Juliet and new plays by Lucas Hnath and Rinne Groff. Television credits include One Bad Choice, MTV. Playwriting credits include Wake Up!, a play about an Asian boy who wants to be Black, which recently made its New York City debut at the New York Fringe Festival and was a critic’s pick at the New Orleans Fringe Festival. Kim is an alumnus of NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Cyndii Johnson

Cyndii Johnson

(Luann) regional credits include Remix 38and The Christians, The Humana Festival; and Our Town andThe Tens: Urban Legend, Actors Theatre of Louisville. She was also part of the Papermill Theatre’s Touring Children’s Company. In 2009, she was part of PlayhouseSquare’s Slam U slam poetry series, which led to her more(Luann) regional credits include Remix 38and The Christians, The Humana Festival; and Our Town andThe Tens: Urban Legend, Actors Theatre of Louisville. She was also part of the Papermill Theatre’s Touring Children’s Company. In 2009, she was part of PlayhouseSquare’s Slam U slam poetry series, which led to her inclusion in the Brave New Voices competition. Cyndii is an alumnus of Cleveland School of the Arts and received her BFA in acting from Wright State University.

Eric Lockley

Eric Lockley

(Hank) is an OBIE award-winning actor, comedian, writer, producer. Stage: #DateMe, Choir Boy Screen: First Reformed, Luke Cage Eric’s comedic web series Blacker is featured on “Best Web Series” lists and his short film, The Jump is available on Amazon. Eric’s plays including Blacken the Bubble and Without more(Hank) is an OBIE award-winning actor, comedian, writer, producer. Stage: #DateMe, Choir Boy Screen: First Reformed, Luke Cage Eric’s comedic web series Blacker is featured on “Best Web Series” lists and his short film, The Jump is available on Amazon. Eric’s plays including Blacken the Bubble and Without Trace have been seen on stages in DC, NY and Chicago. Lockley's solo shows Last Laugh and Asking For More reached audiences at LaMaMa, The Apollo, and students around NYC. Lockley does sketch comedy and musical improv and is a featured cast member of The Homemade Sketch Show (on TubiTV). He was head writer for the inaugural awards ceremony, The Antonyos, celebrating Black Theater. Eric's inspirational podcast, "The 180" is out now featuring guests of many industries discussing a a moment when they turned their lives around. Lockley also produces with Harlem-based orgs, The Movement Theatre Company & Harlem9 creating opportunities for artists of color.

Brian Sidney Bembridge

(Lighting Designer) is a multi award-winning designer based in Chicago. Off Broadway credits include The Public Theatre, Second Stage, Jean Cocteau Repertory, Firework Theater Company, and Theatre at St Clement’s. Brian has also worked as a designer around the world including theatres in London, Galway and Australia. Brian's extensive more(Lighting Designer) is a multi award-winning designer based in Chicago. Off Broadway credits include The Public Theatre, Second Stage, Jean Cocteau Repertory, Firework Theater Company, and Theatre at St Clement’s. Brian has also worked as a designer around the world including theatres in London, Galway and Australia. Brian's extensive regional credits include the Guthrie Theatre, The Children’s Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Second City, The Geffen Play House, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alliance Theatre and many others. Brian has been honored with multiple Joseph Jefferson, LA Drama Critics, Garland, After Dark and LA Weekly Awards and an LA Ovation. He has been named one of the "Most Prolific Theater Artists of the Decade" byTime Out Chicago magazine and one of the "Top 50 Players in Chicago Theatre” by New City Magazine. Film credits include Marie and Bruce, Holding Out, Stray Dogs, Late for Church and Muppets from Space.

Jaime CastaƱeda

(Director) regional credits include The Royal Society of Antarctica, Portland Center Stage, JAW festival; Tiger Style!, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center; The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Dallas Theater Center; Chimichangas and Zoloft Atlantic Theater Company; The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Kitchen Dog Theater; Welcome to Arroyo’s, The Old Globe, more(Director) regional credits include The Royal Society of Antarctica, Portland Center Stage, JAW festival; Tiger Style!, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center; The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Dallas Theater Center; Chimichangas and Zoloft Atlantic Theater Company; The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Kitchen Dog Theater; Welcome to Arroyo’s, The Old Globe, American Theater Company, Summer Play Festival; Red Light Winter, Perseverance Theatre; A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Harold Clurman Lab; Biggest A**hole Ever Born, INTAR Theatre; Timberbrit, Ontological-Hysteric Theater; One for the Road, Directorfest; This Is How It Goes, Amphibian Stage Productions; and Blue/Orange and Sonnets for an Old Century, FireStarter Productions. Jaime is a Drama League fellow and has received the Princess Grace Award and the TCG New Generations Grant. Jaime is an ensemble member at American Theater Company in Chicago and spent five seasons as the Artistic Associate with the Atlantic Theater Company. He received his M.F.A. in Directing at the University of Texas at Austin.

Shammy Dee

(Musical Director) is a Los Angeles-based multi-faceted talent in entertainment. He has had success as a DJ, performer and actor. He's been the DJ for some of the world's top brands such as Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo and Burberry as well as recognized celebrities such as Michael Bublé, the more(Musical Director) is a Los Angeles-based multi-faceted talent in entertainment. He has had success as a DJ, performer and actor. He's been the DJ for some of the world's top brands such as Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo and Burberry as well as recognized celebrities such as Michael Bublé, the Kardashians and 50 Cent. He has also played around the nation as a touring DJ. His original music charted three number one singles off his debut album,Transcripted Thoughts. Television credits include the “Bad Game” Gamefly commercial and How I Met Your Mother. Musical direction credits include Kristoffer Diaz’s Welcome To Arroyo’s, The Old Globe. Sound design credits include Will Power’s The Seven, Occidental College. He is excited to work at Cleveland Play House for How We Got On.

Mikhail Fiskel

(Sound Designer) is a DJ, composer and designer based in NYC and Chicago. Recent credits include The Old Man and The Old Moon, New Victory and Williamstown Theatre Festival; My Mañana Comes, Playwrights Realm; World of Extreme Happiness, Goodman Theatre; andDeath and The Maiden, Victory Gardens. Other recent endeavors more(Sound Designer) is a DJ, composer and designer based in NYC and Chicago. Recent credits include The Old Man and The Old Moon, New Victory and Williamstown Theatre Festival; My Mañana Comes, Playwrights Realm; World of Extreme Happiness, Goodman Theatre; andDeath and The Maiden, Victory Gardens. Other recent endeavors include projects with The Old Globe Theatre, PlayCompany, Long Wharf Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Geffen Playhouse, Second Stage Theatre, Writers Theatre, Timeline, The Seldoms, Lucky Plush, The Hypocrites and Redmoon Theatre. Recent film work includes scores for feature films Glitch, The Wise Kids and In Memoriam. He has received several Joseph Jefferson Awards, a Lucille Lortel Award and the Michael Maggio Emerging Designer Award. Mikhail is an Artistic Associate with Timeline Theatre, Teatro Vista and Redmoon. He is also on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago and University of Chicago.

Jessica Ford

(Costume Designer) regional theatre credits include These Paper Bullets!, Yale Repertory Theatre; The Glass Menagerie, Syracuse Stage;The Jammer, Atlantic Theatre Company; Other Desert Cities and Red, Alley Theatre; and premieres of Kenneth Lin's Fallow and Bess Wohl’s Barcelona, The People's Light and Theatre Company. New York City credits include more(Costume Designer) regional theatre credits include These Paper Bullets!, Yale Repertory Theatre; The Glass Menagerie, Syracuse Stage;The Jammer, Atlantic Theatre Company; Other Desert Cities and Red, Alley Theatre; and premieres of Kenneth Lin's Fallow and Bess Wohl’s Barcelona, The People's Light and Theatre Company. New York City credits include Rattlestick Playwright's Theatre, P73, The Play Company, The Public Theatre and Second Stage. She works frequently at Long Wharf Theatre where she designed the world premier of Athol Fugard's Coming Home, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Fantasticks, A Doll's House, The Price, and sets for The Santaland Diaries. Other regional credits include South Coast Rep, Arena Stage, Dallas Theatre Center, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage and Portland Center Stage, among others. Jessica received the 2014 Connecticut Critics Circle Award for These Paper Bullets! Jessica is also currently working on Jacuzzi with The Debate Society at Ars Nova Theatre in New York City.

John Godbout

(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. "Most recently, John stage managed A New Brain at Barrington Stage Company. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The more(Stage Manager) was Cleveland Play House's resident stage manager from 2001 to 2008 and returned to CPH in the fall of 2011. "Most recently, John stage managed A New Brain at Barrington Stage Company. John has also stage managed at North Shore Music Theatre, Capital Repertory Theatre, The Weston Playhouse, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Northern Stage, Seaside Music Theatre, and Porthouse Theatre.

Idris Goodwin

(Playwright) has forged an impactful career as a multiple award-winning playwright, breakbeat poet, director, educator, and organizer across two decades. Passionate about cultivating new audiences in the arts, Goodwin is the Director of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, the first Black man to hold the more(Playwright) has forged an impactful career as a multiple award-winning playwright, breakbeat poet, director, educator, and organizer across two decades. Passionate about cultivating new audiences in the arts, Goodwin is the Director of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, the first Black man to hold the position in its 100-year history. Prior to this, Goodwin served two seasons as Producing Artistic Director at StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky. He actively serves on both the advisory boards of Theatre for Young Audiences USA and Children's Theatre Foundation Association. Goodwin is the author of over 50 original plays ranging from his hip hop inspired breakbeat series to historical dramas to works for young audiences. CPH produced Goodwin’s breakbeat play How We Got On in 2014 and in 2019 commissioned Goodwin to pen JACKED!, inspired by the classic tale “Jack and the Beanstalk.” Works like And In This Corner: Cassius Clay, How We Got On, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play and the groundbreaking Free Play: open-source scripts for an antiracist tomorrow, are widely produced across the country by a diverse mix of professional theaters, academic environments, and non-traditional spaces alike. Other works include the poetry books: Can I Kick It?, Human Highlight: Ode To Dominique Wilkins, and the play This Is Modern Art. Goodwin has appeared on HBO’s Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, BBC Radio, and the Discovery Channel. He is a 2021 United States Artist Fellow, recognized as a culture bearer who celebrates community values and cultivates histories with care. Supported by prestigious institutions like The Kennedy Center, The Eugene O’Neill Conference, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, and The Playwrights’ Center Goodwin uses his full creative powers to galvanize people to the community square to sculpt better tomorrows.

Lauren Helpern

(Scenic Designer) has designed scenery for numerous critically acclaimed productions including 4000 Miles, Lincoln Center Theater (Lortel Award); Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced, LCT3; The Model Apartment, Primary Stages (Time Magazine’s and The New York Times’ Best of 2013 theater lists); Bad Jews, Roundabout Theater Company (AM New York’s more(Scenic Designer) has designed scenery for numerous critically acclaimed productions including 4000 Miles, Lincoln Center Theater (Lortel Award); Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced, LCT3; The Model Apartment, Primary Stages (Time Magazine’s and The New York Times’ Best of 2013 theater lists); Bad Jews, Roundabout Theater Company (AM New York’s 2013 top 10 list); and BUG, Barrow Street (Obie Award). Recent credits include Poor Behavior, Primary Stages; The May Queen, Chautauqua Theatre Company; and Chapter Two and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bucks County Playhouse. In New York City, she has also designed at Playwrights Horizons, Atlantic Theater Company (with director Jaime Castañeda), Manhattan Theater Club and La Mama ETC, among others. Regionally she designed several productions of Blue Man Group and at The Old Globe, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Syracuse Stage, Portland Center Stage and the Anchorage Opera. Lauren teaches design at Pace University.

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