Announcing the Cast and Creative Team for the World Premiere of "The Day the Sky Turned Orange"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kevin Kopjak | Prismatic Communications | kevin@prismaticcommunications.com
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Directed by Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., The Day the Sky Turned Orange is a bold new musical inspired by the haunting true event that stopped the San Francisco Bay Area in its tracks
Z SPACE
*** September 5 – October 5, 2025 ***
SAN FRANCISCO (June 23, 2025)—Today, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO) and Z Space announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of The Day the Sky Turned Orange—a bold new musical inspired by the haunting true event that stopped the San Francisco Bay Area in its tracks.
The Day the Sky Turned Orange will perform at San Francisco’s Z Space (450 Florida St.) beginning Friday, September 5 and running through Sunday, October 5, 2025. Press night will be held on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets ($25–$69) are on sale now and can be purchased online at sfbatco.org/orange-tickets. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.
September 2020. San Francisco. An ominous sky.
High school science teacher Amari must let go of her grief while starting a new relationship; her brother, QC, grapples with the realities of long-COVID and his future as an artist; and her student, Alé, is just trying to pay for remote therapy.
Painted with the background of the ongoing pandemic, Black Lives Matters uprisings, and an upcoming election, these interconnected San Franciscans face yet another sobering moment: the day the sky turned orange.
Directed by Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. (SFBATCO) and associate directed by Nikki Meñez (Z Space), this R&B and hip-hop musical from Julius Ernesto Rea, Olivia Kuper Harris, and David Michael Ott is a testament to living through the trials of 2020 as well as a compassionate reminder of the importance of caring for our planet, our communities, and ourselves.
“The Day the Sky Turned Orange is a symbol of the times, born from fire, smoke, and necessity,” said SFBATCO Artistic Director and The Day the Sky Turned Orange Director Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. “What began as a kind of musical TED Talk meets concept album, has evolved over 3.5 years into a two-act world premiere for, of, and by the San Francisco Bay Area. Inspired by Orange Skies Day—September 9, 2020—when wildfires turned the Bay Area sky an ominous orange, the show has evolved through music workshops, script readings, and early public presentations, beginning with its first staged musical reading at SFBATCO’s New Roots Theatre Festival two years ago. Audiences will now witness the musical brilliance of composer-lyricists Olivia Kuper Harris and David Michael Ott, be slammed by the explosive choreography of Vince Chan, and get swept away by playwright Julius Rea’s intricately woven love letter to San Francisco, a city holding its breath during a terrifying, yet deeply unifying, chapter in our lives.”
“When Rodney and SFBATCO first approached me in 2021, I was thrilled by the opportunity—and challenge—of writing my first musical,” adds composer & lyricist Olivia Kuper Harris. “The Day the Sky Turned Orange doesn’t follow the mold of a traditional musical. The crux of the story is deeply existential, and I was inspired by that, and we tried to support that with the score. The music is atmospheric and cross-genre; there are elements of R&B, soul, pop and even house music, as we brought ourselves and our musical backgrounds to this. My co-writer, David Michael Ott and I spent time walking through San Francisco, absorbing the city’s colors, sounds, and people. What emerged was music inspired by the city's vibrancy—music that reflects just how special this place truly is.”
“Z Space is delighted to partner with SFBATCO to co-produce the world premiere of The Day the Sky Turned Orange,” said Z Space Curatorial Director and The Day the Sky Turned Orange Associate Director Nikki Meñez. “Z Space has a long history of nurturing bold, new musicals - from Hundred Days, to Weightless, to The Red Shades. We know that music that resonates with us, and stories that reflect us, can and will inspire change. We know, too, that SFBATCO and Z Space share these values and, through this soulful R&B and hip-hop musical rooted in SF Bay Area culture, we have a collaborative testament to the importance of caring for our natural world, ourselves, and each other.”
The cast of The Day the Sky Turned Orange includes (in alphabetical order): Sleiman Alahmadieh (Ensemble, QC U/S), Audrey Degon (Alé), Markaila Dyson* (Ensemble, Alé U/S), Janelle LaSalle* (U/S Amari, U/S Principal), Roeen Nooran* (Rayan), Nina-Sophia Pacheco (Amari), Alexis-Nichole Pineda (Dancer), Sidney Matthew Román (Marcus, Ensemble, Rayan U/S), William I. Schmidt* (Quincy Charles [QC]), Phaedra Tillery-Boughton* (Principal, Ensemble), Sam Yoshikawa (Dancer, Dance Captain), and Rae Yuen* (Momo, Ensemble).
The creative team for The Day the Sky Turned Orange includes: Olivia Kuper Harris & David Michael Ott (Composers & Lyricists), Julius Ernesto Rea (Playwright), Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. (Director), Nikki Meñez (Associate Director), Vince Chan (Choreographer), Matt Fukui Grandy (Musical Director), Aidaa Peerzada (Dramaturg), Carlos-Antonio Aceves (Scenic Designer), Claudio Andres Restrepo Silva (Lighting Designer), Michael Creason (Sound Designer), Nolan Miranda (Costume Designer), Peyton Whiteside (Props Designer), Jack Dobens (Associate Props Designer), Sarah Phykitt** (Production Manager & Video Designer), Trinity Wicklund* (Stage Manager), and Morgan Bright* (Assistant Stage Manager).
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Member, United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829
The Day the Sky Turned Orange is made possible by the generous support of The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, Dream Keeper Initiative, Grants for the Arts, San Francisco Arts Commission, California Arts Council, San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and Zellerbach Family Foundation, with media sponsorship by KQED.
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ABOUT SFBATCO
The San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO) unites artists and audiences through live theatre that is reflective of the authentic perspective and history of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our non-profit organization supports artists through creative development, full productions, and mentorship that aspire to engage a new generation of live theatre supporters.
SFBATCO produces compelling theater that builds community, fosters cross-cultural dialogue, promotes social justice and authentically reflects the experiences of communities of color and LGBTQIA+ people. Our theatrical productions address social justice issues from an intersectional perspective and present affirmative non-stereotypical representations of individuals and communities who are feared or ostracized for their gender, race, religion, sexual preference, socio-economic or immigration status.
ABOUT Z SPACE
Z Space is a non-profit theater company located in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District. Our mission is to empower artistic risk, collaboration, and camaraderie in the service of creating and presenting new work. We produce our own original works, foster and subsidize the development of other creative artists, and serve as a presenting home to a wide array of diverse performing arts organizations through our curated rental program. Operating out of an old can-making factory, we activate two performance venues, an 83-seat intimate theater (Z Below) and a 236-seat flexible performance space (The Steindler Stage), with a warehouse aesthetic and an adventurous edge. Z Space is also home to Word for Word, our resident theater company that brings works of fiction to the stage in their own unique style.
CAST BIOS
Nina-Sophia Pacheco (Amari) is joyed to return to SFBATCO with The Day the Sky Turned Orange. Credits include: Desperate Measures at Constellation, D.C.; WHICH WAY TO THE STAGE at Signature Theatre, VA; Hot Little Slice at Round House Theatre, MD; Once on This Island at Constellation Theatre, D.C. Other credits include: Playing Juliet/Casting Othello with Providence Players, VA; Film and television credits include: Artisan Air (self), Marvelous Miss Maisel, Madam Secretary. On and off stage fills many roles: singer-songwriter, podcast host, model, activist, wife, actress, performer and the occasional marketer. Nina serves as an active duty vocalist in the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West. Big thanks always to her family and friends for their support and the teams that made this project a success. Connect on Instagram and TikTok: @sloanrex.
William I. Schmidt (QC) is a multi-disciplinary theatre and performing artist. They grew up singing, starting at age eight, and went on to study theatre at CSU Sacramento. William has worked and performed throughout California. When not performing, they teach acting and music to all ages of youth for multiple programs, In addition to directing. Recent performing credits include Pharus in Choir Boy (Shotgun Players) and Tock the Croc in Peter Pan the Panto (Presidio Theatre) And understudied Juicy for Fat Ham (SF Playhouse) . Other credits include Horton in Seussical, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, and Lou in Spell #7. They thank their loved ones for their unending support.
Audrey Degon (Alé) is delighted to be making her SFBATCO debut! Recent credits include: Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Skyline College), Carrie White in Carrie: The Musical (Skyline College), and Chava in Fiddler on the Roof (Pacifica Spindrift Players). She recently graduated from San Francisco State University, School of Theatre & Dance, and works with Spindrift School of Performing Arts to bring music, dance, and theater to the youth of Pacifica. See more @audreyyjenna on instagram!
Roeen Nooran (Rayan) is so thankful to participate in this incredibly beautiful story with SFBATCO. Notable credits include Next to Normal (Gabe) with Ray of Light Theatre, Nobody Loves You (Swing) with American Conservatory Theatre, and Octet (swing) with Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He hopes you are as deeply impacted by this story as the team who put it together. IG: @roeennooran
Sidney Matthew Román (Marcus, Ensemble, Rayan U/S) is ecstatic to make his SFBATCO (and SF) debuts with DSTO! Recent credits include The Last 5 Years (Jamie) with The Pear, Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon, u/s Jesus) with SCP. While he hopes to pursue theatre full-time eventually, for now, he's a SWE with YouTube Trust and Safety. Outside of that, he is a passionate ocean conservationist and volunteer scientific diver. He thanks his parents and partner Kamilah for their support, encouragement, and love through it all!
Rae Yuen (Momo, Ensemble) is an actor, vocalist, and illustrator from the San Francisco Bay Area. They have performed in beloved live Bay Area spaces such as Bindlestiff Studio, Zellerbach Hall, Z Space, Potrero Stage, Counterpulse, and Theatre Rhinoceros. They are thrilled to join the amazing DSTO Cast on this musical adventure.
Phaedra Tillery-Boughton (Principal, Ensemble) is a passionate creative artist dedicated to theatre, production, and community advocacy. She serves as associate producer and casting manager at SFBATCO and co-hosts Creatively Shaded, a podcast amplifying Black theatre voices in the Bay Area. A teaching artist with SFArtsEd, Berkeley Rep, A.C.T., and Pacific Singers & Actors, she recently played Rabby in Fat Ham at SF Playhouse and was named a 2025–26 Lorraine Hansberry New Black Voices Mentee. A 2024–25 Black Futures Awardee, her credits include The Color Purple, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and directing Legally Blonde. @phaedratboughton
Sleiman Alahmadieh (Ensemble, QC U/S) is a Lebanese American performer in the Bay Area. He is so excited to make his SFBATCO debut with this show! He’s grown up in the Bay Area his whole life and is soon to be moving out for the first time and what better show to celebrate his forever home than this one! Recent credits include Understudy Bryon, Dominic/Evan, and Dance Captain in Nobody Loves You at ACT directed by Pam McKinnon, Micheal Darling in Peter Pan at the Presidio Theatre Directed by Liam Vincent, and George in the Sondheim Revue Being Alive at Theatre Works directed by Robert Kelly. He would like to thank his family, friends and Bay Area community for always uplifting and supporting him to be the artist he is today! Special thanks for my parents for picking the bay to immigrate to! They had no idea that it would turn out to be the best place to be!
Markaila Dyson (Ensemble, Alé U/S) is beyond grateful to be a part of the debut of The Day the Sky Turned Orange. Their most recent productions include Fly By Night (Miriam) at Hillbarn, Kinky Boots (Ensemble/US Lauren) at Berkeley Playhouse, Sign My Name to Freedom (dancer) with SFBATCO, as well as Caroline or Change (Emmie), Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Becca) and Legally Blonde (Pilar) with Ray of Light. Markaila is grateful to have been raised amid the rich and vibrant culture of San Francisco and thanks every single person that invested in their artistry from a very young age!
Janelle LaSalle (U/S Amari, U/S Principal) is delighted to be making her debut at SFBATCO in The Day the Sky Turned Orange. Film/TV credits include Twenty Something (Nicole) with Pixar Animation Studios and feature roles in commercials for Cache Creek and Raley's. Stage credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus) with Ray of Light Theatre (TBA and SFBATCC Best Actress Nominee), Beauty and the Beast (Belle) with Berkeley Playhouse, Chicago (Velma Kelly) with Palo Alto Players, Dreamgirls (Deena Jones) with Broadway by the Bay, Avenue Q (Gary Coleman) with New Conservatory Theatre Center, and Memphis (Felicia) with The Tabard Theatre (TBA Best Actress Nominee). As a professional recording artist, Janelle has produced two original albums, and her music has been featured on national radio and television. She continues to perform throughout the bay area. This performance is dedicated to her favorite co-star, her daughter, Camilla; and Cartlon Charles - “I hope I always make you proud, daddy.”
Sam Yoshikawa (Dancer, Dance Captain) is an artist, choreographer, and mentor in his first official SFBATCO production. His dance experience ranges from teaching in various parts of the country as well as participating on teams in the Bay Area, including dancing on The Company and directing Training Ground, both based in Daly City CA. Sam is elated to share the stage with the DSTO cast and hopes you enjoy the production.
Alexis-Nichole Pineda (Dancer) is a dancer and choreographer based in the Bay Area, CA. She is a former student turned teacher at the Westlake School for the Performing Arts in Daly City where she is dedicated to nurturing the future of young artists and creating meaningful work. Alexis has a strong foundation in dance forms such as contemporary, jazz, and ballet, and hopes to captivate audiences with storytelling through her movement. Alexis is excited to take the stage for the first time with SFBATCO.