Meet the Creatives, Cast And Crew of ‘Out of the Vineyard’

William G. Thomas III, author

William G. Thomas III is the Angle Chair in the Humanities and Professor of History at the University of Nebraska. He served as Chair of the Department of History from 2010 to 2016. He has been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Lincoln Prize Finalist.

He is the author of A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War (November 2020, Yale University Press), about enslaved families in Maryland who sued for their freedom in the decades after the American Revolution. A Question of Freedom received the 2021 Mark Lynton History Prize. A Question of Freedom has been adapted for the stage in 2023 entitled Out Of The Vineyard.

He served as the co-founder and Director of the Virginia Center for Digital History at the University of Virginia, where he was an Assistant and Associate Professor of History in the Corcoran Department of History. He was a co-editor the award-winning digital project, Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War. With Edward L. Ayers, he co-authored “The Differences Slavery Made: A Close Analysis of Two American Communities,” one of the first pieces of digital scholarship published in the American Historical Review.

Thomas has published essays in Civil War History, The Journal of Historical Geography, The New York Times, The Washington Post, EDUCAUSE Review, and Inside Higher Education. He is a graduate of Trinity College (Connecticut) and received his M.A. and Ph.D. in History from the University of Virginia.

**Author William G. Thomas III. PHOTO BY RAOUL DENNIS**

Psalmayene 24

Psalmayene 24 is an award-winning playwright, director, and actor. He is currently the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence at Mosaic Theater Company.

Playwriting credits include Monumental Travesties, Dear Mapel, and Les Deux Noirs at Mosaic Theater Company; Free Jujube Brown! at The African Continuum Theater Company; and Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth at Imagination Stage.

Directing credits include Good Bones, Flow, and Pass Over at Studio Theatre; Necessary Sacrifices: A Radio Play at Ford’s Theatre; Native Son at Mosaic Theater Company; Word Becomes Flesh at Theater Alliance; Cinderella: The Remix at Imagination Stage; and Not Enuf Lifetimes at The Welders.

His play, Les Deux Noirs, is published by TRW Plays. Acting credits include Ruined at Arena Stage, Dear Mapel at Mosaic Theater Company, and HBO’s The Wire.

Psalm, as his colleagues call him, is the writer/director of the short film, The Freewheelin’ Insurgents, presented by Arena Stage. He is the recipient of a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play and has received the Imagination Award from Imagination Stage. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and Actors’ Equity Association. On social media at @psalmayene24 (Instagram).

**Psalmayene 24. PHOTO BY RAOUL DENNIS**

Tony Thomas- Director/Choreographer

With a career spanning over 40 years, Tony has toured, performed, and worked as a professional artist, scoping a range of television, film, stage, concert dance, and design work. Growing up within an entertainment-based family, his international travels and residencies through Europe, Australia, Japan, and the U.S., have exposed him to intriguing cultural practices and art forms, cultivating the performing artist and designer we see today. Triple-Threat trained and an award nominated artist – Tony delivers innovation to acting, singing, and dance; while connecting his core strengths in Ballet, Modern, Latin, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre. His directing technique involves movement, gesture-work, creative staging, and detailed physical character development - ultimately driving the story through visual interest. Always aiming to redefine the wisdom and artistry of the legends, Tony’s expressive style and pedagogy enforces focus, fluidity, innovation, and precision in the arts and entertainment industry. A few directing and choreography credits include P. Nokio - A Hip-Hop Musical, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown (2019 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Production - TYA) at Imagination Stage; People Places and Things, White Noise, Flow, Passover, and P.Y.G. (Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Outstanding Choreography in 2019) at Studio Theatre, and Word Becomes Flesh (Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Outstanding Choreography in 2017) at Theatre Alliance. As an Interior Architect, Tony Thomas Designs was developed in 2004; specializing in residential and commercial designs.

Adrienne Nelson

Adrienne Nelson (JULIA) www.adrienne-nelson.com played HELEN in Marja-Lewis Ryan’s One in the Chamber, HELENA in Occupied Territories (Theater Alliance & Martha’s Vineyard prods. Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Ensemble), EMMA in The God of Hell, MEPHISTOPHELES in Faustus, ADRIENNE in Swampoodle with Dublin’s Performance Corporation/Solas Nua directed by Jo Mangan, BETSY in Jacqueline E. Lawton’s Anna K directed by Shirley Serotsky, HESTHER SALOMON in Equus directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner, and CARLA CARLA in Swimming in the Shallows with Catalyst Theater. With Catalyst she also enjoyed a Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Choreography with her cast and dir Kathleen Akerley for shkspr prjct. Adrienne played LURLEEN WALLACE, MURIEL HUMPHREY and others in “All the Way” at Arena Stage directed by Kyle Donnelly and coached the Russian dialects for PETROV/ Lars Mikkelsen in S 3, 4, 5 & 6 of ”House of Cards, ” coached the accent adjustments for Alex Sokovikov for 5 eps and co-starred in Chapter 29 as MS. BLINSKY. She also played John Malkovich’s Russian X on 2 episodes of “BILLIONS” Recently she coached the Russian dialects for “The Last Match” at 1st Stage. AEA/SAG-AFTRA # union strong

She’s also worked with SCENA, Washington Shakespeare Company, Source, forum, Folger, and toured with Bridgework Theater. SAG-AFTRA, AEA Love and thanks to Tony, Psalm, Kate, Brooke and Ian.

Jacqueline Youm

Jacqueline Youm (April | Ellen Jean) is honored to be a part of Psalmayene 24’s Out of the Vineyard. She is a Senegalese American actor, lawyer, and teacher. Some of her favorite theatre credits include Clarice Lyle in George Boyd’s Consecrated Ground (Laurel Mill Playhouse); Stool Pigeon in August Wilson’s King Hedley II (Dominion Stage); Adenikeh in Jocelyn Bioh’s Nollywood Dreams (Round House Theatre); Marianne Angelle in Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists (Globe Openstage); Nora in Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House Part II (Silver Spring Stage); Mrs. Cheveley in Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband (Sandy Spring Theatre Group)... You can find many of her virtual productions on Youtube (Cestjackie): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvd4LWK9h1msuj9oeFXHtng

Frank Britton

Frank Britton (Jeff/Chace) most recently appeared as the Belize/Roy Cohn understudy in Arena Stage’s “Angels In America, Part One: Millennium Approaches”. A native Washingtonian and 21-year veteran of the DC theatre and regional scene, other most recent credits include: Our Town” at Baltimore Center Stage, “Major Barbara” at Washington Stage Guild, and “P. Nokio: A Hip Hop Musical” at Imagination Stage. Other local theatre appearances include Arena Stage, Studio Theatre, Round House Theatre, Avant Bard Theatre (company member), and Adventure Theatre, among many others, and regionally including La MaMa ETC (off-off Broadway), Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. In 2018, he earned the Helen Hayes Award (The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play—Helen) for his performance in “Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train” at 1st Stage. Many, many thanks to Tony, Psalm, Kate, Brooke, the Cast and Crew, and the Joe’s family.

Frank Britton (He/Him/His)

AEA / IATSE

Acting Company Member—Avant Bard Theatre

Resident Company Member—Rorschach Theatre

2018 Helen Hayes Award winner—The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play-Helen

Scott Abernethy

Scott Ward Abernethy (he/they)*: Scott is completely humbled to join this production. LOCAL: Mosaic Theatre: The Till Trilogy; Kennedy Center: Second City’s Love Factually; Constellation Theatre: Little Shop of Horrors (Helen Hayes nom), Caucasian Chalk Circle (Helen Hayes nom), Master and Margarita; 4615: Measure of Cruelty, Venus in Fur; Rep Stage: The Other Place; 1st Stage: Broadway Bound, When the Rain Stops Falling; Keegan Theatre: Next to Normal (Helen Hayes award) REGIONAL: ACT: Christmas Carol; Seattle Shakespeare Co: Measure for Measure, King Lear, Love’s Labours' Lost; Book-it Rep: Jesus' Son, Anna Karenina; Sound Theatre: Indian Ink (Gypsy award). Scott is a founding member of prize winning sketch comedy group @ShowburgerComedy. They received their MFA in acting from the University of Washington, and is a proud member of AEA.

Jeanette Christensen

Jeannette Christensen (Costume Designer) Is a Helen Hayes winning costume designer, illustrator, and fashion stylist based in Baltimore, MD. She has most notably designed costumes for the Broadway national tour of On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan 2022-2023 and the national tour/world premiere of Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! 2019. She has designed for many theaters including The Kennedy Center, American Players Theater, Oklahoma City Rep, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Theatre Festival, Folger Theater, Gala Hispanic Theatre, and Olney Theater Center. She has been an associate designer with The Muny, Roundhouse Theatre, Wolf Trap Opera, and Studio Theater. Find more of her work at jchristensendesign.com.

Shartoya Jn. Baptiste

Shartoya Jn. Baptiste is a current MFA Candidate in Scenic Design at the University of Maryland (UMD). Credits include The Book Club Plau (UMD), By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (UMD), Sense and Sensibility (American University), P.Nokio (Imagination Stage), Beastgirl (The Kennedy Centre) with Misha Kachman, Antigone (Towson University) and Sweat (Towson University). When Shartoya is not in the studio designing, she can be found teaching or participating in a dance class.

Luis Garcia

Luis Garcia is a Peruvian-American lighting and media designer who is going into his 3rd and final year as an M.F.A. lighting and media candidate at the University of Maryland, College Park! Some of his select works include Los Empeños de una Casa (projections) at Repertorio Español, Kumanana! An Afro-Peruvian Musical Revue (lighting)at GALA Hispanic Theatre, and Mojada (lighting) at 1st Stage.

Marianne Meadows

MARIANNE MEADOWS (Lighting Designer) is delighted to be part of this inaugural production here at JME. She is a resident designer for Solas Nua (Johnny Meister and the Stitch, The Smuggler), Open Circle Theatre (where she also serves as a board member), Washington Stage Guild, Scena Theatre, Theatre Lab, and Histrio. Previous productions include Eleanor, The Blackguards (Fords Theatre), Quills (Helen Hayes nomination), The Dead Monkey (Woolly Mammoth). Old Wicked Songs (Helen Hayes nomination), Desk Set (Studio Theatre). The Chosen (Theatre J, Helen Hayes nomination). The Adding Machine (Helen Hayes nomination, Washington Jewish Theatre). The Magical Musical Holiday Step Show, DrumFolk (Step Afrika! National Tour: Lighting Designer,Production Manager, Stage Manager).

Marianne is a member of United Scenic Artists Local #829. BA Sarah Lawrence College, MFA

University of Washington. Additional training at Lester Polakovs Studio and Forum of Stage

Design, NYC. Recipient of Theatre Lobby’s Mary Goldwater Award, 2004.

Kate Kilbane

Kate Kilbane (Stage Manager) Her previous Stage Manager credits include Our Verse in Time to Come, Amadeus and Henry IV, Part 1 at Folger Theatre; Jump and Sense and Sensibility (ASM) at Everyman Theatre; Corduroy, Zomo the Rabbit: A Hip-Hop Creation Myth, and Thumbelina at Imagination Stage and 15 productions at Theater J. Assistant Stage Manager credits include The Overview Effect at the Contemporary American Theater Festival; The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 in the Family Theatre at The Kennedy Center; First You Dream, Follies, The Lisbon Traviata, and Ragtime at The Kennedy Center; The Tempest Free for All at the Shakespeare Theatre Company; 13 productions at Ford’s Theatre.