Stick Fly

Content Disclosure: Mild sexual content, discussions of sexual topics.

Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the tip of Massachusetts is known as the playground for the elite class of African Americans in the Northeast. Beginning in the early 1800’s African Americans living in parts of Massachusetts, and Rhodes island started to vacation on the “Vineyard” where they found an escape from the sting of Jim Crow and a place where families could relax and enjoy the summer months. Over the next decades between the 1930’s -1940’s, the first generation of African American professionals from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York would create an intergenerational legacy of home ownership in the town of Oak Bluffs and make famous the town’s beach known today as “The Inkwell”. The Kennedys, Clintons and Obamas brought an influx of artisans, politicians and professionals which continues to this day.

Lydia Diamond’s “Stick Fly”, is a portrayal of a family that transcends class and race. In many African American households there are secrets that shape familial dynamics. This is a story of an under-represented and often hidden aspect of universal realities.

CAST

Jade Cook is so excited to start a new season of shows with the BFA Acting conservatory. Jade has been in The Good Doctor with Purchase, as well as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Metamorphoses with another performance group. Jade would like to thank her wonderful family and her extraordinary company. 

Noël Harris 

Nora Nilsen-Healy is a third year BFA actor from Los Angeles, California. Purchase Rep credits include The Good Doctor (Drowned Man and Wife).

Tachynel Merveille

Nnamdi Uzobuife

Ed Ventura

PRODUCTION & CREATIVE:

Shira Barnir

Nolan Belcher is a fourth year BFA Lighting Designer. His previous Purchase Rep credits include Angels In America Pt.1 (ALD), Heroes of the Fourth Turning (ALD), F*cking A (ALD). Other credits include Purchase Dance Company 2024 (Assoc. LD). Special thanks to his team, and his family for their endless support.

Jack Bombard is a fourth year BFA lighting & sound designer from Massachusetts. Purchase design credits include Luna Gale, Intimate Apparel, Socrates (Asst. Lighting Design), F*cking A, Heroes of the Fourth Turning, Orpheus Descending (Assoc. Sound Design). Thank you for coming to our show and supporting the arts.

Ethan Chichester

Leo Griffin

Jeison Lenis Lopez is a fourth year BFA scenic designer. His past credits are Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus (Assistant scenic designer), Heroes of the fourth turning, Fucking A (Scenic charge) and The Attic (Props charge.) Special thanks to all his friends and families support!  

Laura Sternbach  is a fourth year BFA costume designer from Brooklyn, NY.
Past work includes: Costume designer for Intimate Apparel, Assistant Designer for Fucking A, Good Goods, and Conduct of life. She would like to thank the amazing production team for their collaboration on the show.

A. Dean Irby is a New York City–based director, actor, and educator. In his distinguished career, which spans more than three decades, he has acted and directed on Broadway and Off Broadway, for the New York Shakespeare Festival, Negro Ensemble Company, Arena Stage, New Federal Theatre, and Crossroads Theatre, and at numerous regional and university theatres. He is the recipient of two Audelco Awards for his direction of the original production of Home for the Negro Ensemble Company and Boogie Woogie and Booker T. for the New Federal Theatre. Irby is also the former acting coach for The Cosby Show and has appeared in more than 30 television commercials.

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College.