NEW ROOTS THEATRE FESTIVAL 2022

The Day the Sky Turned Orange is a theatrical concept album that examines the events of September 9th, 2020, when the sky across Northern California appeared a troubling shade of amber. Conceived by SFBATCO Artistic Director Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., this piece features the music and lyrics of writing partners Olivia Kuper Harris and David Michael Ott.

Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. / Creative Director
Olivia Kuper Harris / Music Director, Songwriter, Performer
David Michael Ott / Composer
Jon Gallo / Associate Music Director
Nasha Harris Santiago / Choreographer, Performer
Vince Chan / Associate Choreographer, Performer
Jenna Stein-Corman / Stage Manager

Performers: Vince Chan, Rocky James Concepcion, Nasha Harris Santiago, Orion Harris Santiago, Ahja Henry, Amarech Mendez, Zuri "Iruz" Montgomery, Naté the Soulsanger

Every Saturday Night takes audiences on a trip back to San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the 1950s, where Ardella runs the neighborhood’s hottest after-hours club out of her basement. Inspired by true events, acclaimed Bay Area Composer and Director Danny Duncan’s new musical offers a boisterous and heartfelt glimpse into the “Harlem of the West” that once was.

Danny Duncan / Playwright
Adam Maggio / Associate Director
Stefano Flavoni / Music Director & Arranger
April Ballesteros / Stage Manager

Performers: Andrea Brembry, Michael Brown, Janel Chanté, Markaila Dyson, Camille Geeter, Adam Green, Anthone Jackson, Michelle Jordan, Royal Mickens, Rob Robinson, Joshua Sivad, Jocelyn Thompson-Jordan

Sign My Name to Freedom: The Unheard Songs of Betty Reid Soskin explores the life and music of Bay Area legend and America’s oldest living park ranger Betty Reid Soskin.

Based upon the life, music, and writing of Betty Reid Soskin.
Concept and Additional Music by Jamie Zimmer.
Book by Michael Gene Sullivan.

Based upon the life, music, and writing of Betty Reid Soskin
Concept and Additional Music by Jamie Zimmer
Book by Michael Gene Sullivan
Aidaa Peerzada / Dramaturg & Co-Director
Rodney Earl Jackson Jr. / Co-Director
Carla Pantoja / Fight Choreographer
Alyx Enanoria / Stage Manager

Performers: Pam Drummer-Williams, Anisa Henry, Monique Hightower-Gaskin, Christian Jimenez

Dimensions Dance Theater will be presenting an excerpt of ruminations. [re]visited. which features original choreography by laura e. ellis, in collaboration with members of Dimensions. Original text written and performed by Jordon E. Dabney and Atiya Ziyad. Costumes designed by visual artist, Tiersa Nureyev. ruminations. [re]visited. traverses moments in time, in body memory, in fever dreams: resilience, grief, loss, and hope in being...black, woman, mother, child.

laura elaine ellis / Concept Creator & Artistic Director
Atiya Ziyad / Writer & Spoken Word Artist
Jordon E. Dabney / Writer & Spoken Word Artist
Chi Chi Okonmah / Stage Manager

Performers: Katrina Deans, Shawn Hawkins, Marianna Hester, Erik Lee, Valrie Saunders, Justin Sharlman, Denice Simpson-Braga, Dorcas Sims, Phylicia Stroud, Latanya d. Tigner

In their performance of Reflections n Black 2022, ensemble members of SF Recovery Theatre will explore scenes and stories that reveal the real causes and harsh impact of the exodus of African Americans from San Francisco over the past five decades.

Geoffrey Grier / Playwright, Director

Performers: Vernon Medearis, Eric Ward

African Arts Academy Artistic Director Fely Tchaco will be performing an excerpt of The Legend of Zaouli, a performance, based on an oral history that traces the story of a beautiful dancer whose spirit becomes the embodiment of excellence and mastery in traditional West African traditional dance.

Fely Tchaco / Director, Choreographer, Dancer
Éric Bli Bi / Drummer
Fanzy Monguehi / Stage Manager, Choreographer, Drummer

Crowded Fire Theater will be presenting a staged reading of a work from their Resilience and Development Playwriting Lab. Tinged with humor and nostalgia, Kaleidoscope by Julius Rea follows the story of an industrious engineer, Ervin, who creates a machine that lets him relive his memories of growing up among a found family that is queer, brown, and unabashedly resilient.

Julius Rea / Playwright
Leigh Rondon-Davis / Director
Caro Asercion / Dramaturg

Performers: Rezan Asfaw, Devin Cunningham, ​​Nailah Unole didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux, Lilia Houshmand, Salim Razawi

Lorraine Hansberry Theatre will be presenting an excerpt from Halie, an upcoming new musical whose world premiere is anticipated December 2022. Directed by Darryl V. Jones, Halie, explores the life and times of Mahalia Jackson, Queen of gospel song and civil rights activist.

Darryl V Jones / Co-writer, Editor, Director, Performer
Wendy E. Taylor / Writer
Andrew Jamieson / Musical Director & Piano Accompanist
Julius Rea / Production Manager

Performer: Jeannine Anderson