Dixon Place & In Full Color Present: Death in the Family Written by Kendra Augustin, Directed by Benjamin Ernest Abraham and Produced by Summer Dawn

About This Show

Death in the Family is a series of five darkly (comedic) whimsical two-hander vignettes about the effects of death, grief, and trauma: whether it’s two preteens pondering the ramifications of being born, brothers who wonder if anyone else is as lonely, if and when revenge is justified, what happens to the people left behind after violence, or how older and younger siblings experience parents in different ways, Death in the Family let’s us in on the conversations we may never get to have. 

Content warning: violence (depictions), suicide (mentioned), sexual violence (mentioned), abuse (mentioned), pedophilia (mentioned).

This Dixon Place production of Death in the Family is made possible, in part, with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts w/the support of the Office of the Governor & the NY State Legislature, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, and the Shubert Foundation.

ABOUT IN FULL COLOR 

In Full Color is an award-winning organization that empowers women of color and other BIPOC of marginalized genders through education and the arts. We lead a storytelling revolution called Authentic Representation in theater, visual art, comedy, music, dance and other media. We empower BIPOC to be their best selves. We also educate, entertain and engage audiences of all colors and genders about diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

We were previously known as Thinking In Full Color. IFC is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. For more information, visit http://www.InFullColor.org

Meet the Cast

B. Bastian (Noah, Tabitha, Raquel | she/her) is an ace Indonesian-American performer based in Brooklyn. When not acting on the stage or screen, she’s performing traditional Indonesian dance with Saung Budaya, singing in the alto section of the National Asian Artists Project’s Broadway Community Chorus, or rollerskating wherever there’s space and a smooth floor.

Duane Chivon Ferguson (Micah, Isaac, Man | he/him) is an actor, director, cinematographer, producer, writer, husband and father who has been a part of the NYC art scene for at least 3 decades. He has toured and performed on a variety of local and international stages and is absolutely comfortable being artsy. Educated in Trinidad and Tobago and CUNY, he appreciates his diverse artistic influences. 

Natasha Hakata (Owen, Ida, Jasmine | she/her) is a Zimbabwean-American NYC-based performer from Texas. Select credits: NYC premiere of Charly Evon Simpson’s Jump (APAC); American Arcana (APAC); Black Woman with Fried Drumstick in Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World (Lenfest Center); Sophie in Ruined (Heights Players); Sigmund Freud in Lou (Theatre 4the People); Emmaline in Color Struck (Boyd Vance Theatre); The Year of the Solar Eclipse (Planet Connections Festivity); Ground Chuck (Samuel French OOB Short Play Festival). She has trained at the Atlantic Acting School, holds a BS in Psychology (UT Austin) and an MS in Occupational Therapy (NYU). natashahakata.com

Alex Mooteelall (Jonah, Jeremiah | he/him) is an actor based in NYC, who studied at Hunter College. While there he took an Acting I class by accident, and became passionate about the craft. He completed his degree in Theatre/Bio. His acting credits include SHARUM Off-Broadway (Player’s Theatre) and Diasporic Dreams (Rogue Theatre Festival) along with a handful short films. When he isn’t acting, he works in Physical Therapy. He enjoys the challenges they both present him. Alex is grateful to his close friends and family who always support him.

Meet the Creative Team

Kendra Augustin (Playwright | she/her) is a Florida-born and -bred, New York-based, multi-hyphenate. She has written several short plays including DYING IS AN ART (InspiraTO Festival, 365 Women A Year) , BLACK STAR (LIC One Act Play Festival), SISTERHOOD IN THE TIME OF THE APOCALYPSE (The Fire This Time Festival), LIVING CREATURES ( The Midsummer All-Nighter, Iowa State University’s Student Showcase, Valencia College’s BIPOC Playwright Festival), THE ASTONISHING AND THE LILY (NOplays) and STRANGER which won Best Play, Best Lead Actress (Ilana Walker) and Best Director (Daphnie Sicre) at the Stage Black Festival in 2014. In 2015, she and Patricia Cardona launched The Leela NYC Theatre Festival: a two day short play festival that featured seven 10 minute plays, including one by Mario Fratti, at Centro Español de Queens.  She has been part of the sketch comedy collective Boogiemanja since 2017. She is currently the inaugural resident playwright of The Bechdel Group’s 2021-2022 “The Bechdel Test- it’s a damn low bar” residency. Kendraaugustin.com

Benjamin Ernest Abraham (Director | he/him) is an Asian-American director/producer/playwright based in New York whose works investigates our collective and individual memories to build community. Ben’s work has been seen at the Cherry Lane Theater, The Tank NYC, the Kraine Theater, the Dixon Place and online. Previously, Ben was an assistant director at Asolo Repertory Theatre. As part of his online immersive theatre company, the Scattered Players, Ben directed the sci-fi themed Shattered Space and most recently finished producing the Scattered Players’ second production, The Battle of Broken Mirrors. Ben is part of The Scattered Players and Step1 Theatre Project. Benjaminernestabraham.com

Summer Dawn (Producer | she/her) is an Asian/Hispanic artist based in Jersey City. Her organization In Full Color, which empowers artists of color through education and the arts, has received two commendations from the New Jersey State Assembly and the Jersey City Arts Council’s Performing Arts Award. She’s also won the N.J. Governor’s Award in Arts Education, served as a theater grants panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts in 2021 and is a teaching artist for Young Audiences of NJ & Eastern PA. She’s also an events coordinator, arts journalist, writer, actor and activist. Visit InFullColor.org or follow her @infullcolorus_

Sara Minisquero (Stage Manager | they/she) is a stage critter of multiple talents — acting, crooning, crafting, stage management, and production design. They put on every hat plus the community Contessa apron for over 15 years. Formerly Stage Managed the hybrid immersive company FutureProof and was the SM in residence for Funhouse Philosophers at Coney Island USA. Pandemic catastrophe halted a very promising start to Marshmallow Minxes Presents: a performance art production company founded with their counterpart Celia Foxglove and “Boodoir”: A monthly variety show. Since then, Sara has ported their talents on the web, hosting mixed medium shorts at www.SongsofSaranalia.com . Sara would love to extend deepest thanks to Ben and Summer for bringing them on board for such a beautiful piece. 

Liliane Wolf (Fight Coordinator, they/she) is an indigenous Zapotec artist from Mexico. She is a member of the Artistic Council for ReThink Theatrical and a co-founder of 68 Productions, a theater company for people of color. An alumna of the Governor’s School of the Arts for Theater, she made her Off-Broadway debut with Keen Company while attending Jersey City Arts High School.  Liliane has directed/ performed in various productions throughout NY, NJ, and CT; she is a writer, a fight coordinator for stage/ film, and has over a decade of experience with tightlacing and corsetry. Find her on Instagram/ Twitter: @LilianeWolf

Patrícia Marjorie (Prop and Set Design | she/her) is a Brazilian Multidisciplinary Artist based in NYC with experience on different types and scopes of projects in theater. Director, Performer, Designer and Craft Master, Patrícia moved to NYC after 19 years of extensive work in theater productions in Brazil, where she got her Bachelors in Performing Arts by Universidade de Brasília (UnB). Experienced executing measurable creative solutions in Arts, Design and interactive marketing for theatre, Patrícia’s theatrical credits have included performing in classical plays like Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (Brasilia 2014), directing modern adaptations as Heiner Muller’s “Hamlet- Machine” (Brasilia 2001), and new works as “On How to be a Monster” by Maria Luiza Muller with At Alia Theatre Company in December 2019 and her own work as a playwright  “A Song to Keep the Wolves Awake” (Nov 2019) at The Tank NYC.

Madeline Parks (Projection Design | she/her) is an actor, writer, sound and projections designer. Some highlights of her career at NYU include Marc Antony in “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”, the original role of Marlowe in “how-to”, and her premiere as a writer with the play “Pea & Nut”. She has most recently worked as an actor on the web-series “Violet”, projections design on the original musical “RATS”, and is currently producing the podcast “Confessions of a [Former] Fangirl”. She is excited to work on this play to help bring the emotional and visual world to life!

Jules Peiperl (Costume Design | they/them) is a nonbinary costumer based in Brooklyn. Their studio work can be seen on Broadway in Mean Girls, Pretty Woman, and King Kong. Their design credits include Grind Arts Company, NYU/Tisch, and the National Queer Theater. www.julespeiperl.com

A.J. Avivah (Makeup Artist | she/her) is a NYC based makeup artist and stylist. She received her certification from The Makeup Academy of NYC, and her BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. While at Tisch, she took courses in special effects makeup and costuming. She has worked as a makeup designer for a number of theatrical productions and independent films, and freelances as a headshot and wedding/event makeup artist. Outside of makeup, A.J. is a playwright, costume designer, accessibility coordinator, and co-founder of the Tisch Drama Coalition for Disabled Artists.

Joe Velez (Sound Design | he/him) is a sound designer, photographer, painter, visual artist and musician based in Jersey City, NJ. While most of his artistic work is done through a camera lens or on a canvas, Joe also creates soundscapes using both traditional and experimental sounds. Previous sound design credits include The V. Lucas Cycle, Mother Leeds and Blackout. As a photographer, Joe’s work is diverse ranging from intimate portraits to slick editorials. As a painter, he creates classically inspired work with dramatic tension and an implied narrative. acidtestphoto.com | joevelezart.com

Clementine Martinez (Graphic Illustration | she/her) is an illustrator and writer based in Brooklyn, NY. She has created several public art projects, including a Sing For Hope Piano, and will soon publish a children’s book in collaboration with the THANC foundation. She continues her studies in printmaking at the Art Students League of New York. 

Doug Stoveken (Videographer | he/him) is a long-time supporter of In Full Color and has shot video for most seasons of In Full Color as well as several special events.

COVID-19 Restrictions

  • Upon entering Dixon Place, patrons are required to show: proof of vaccination (CDC card or NYC Excelsior Pass), wear a mask, and practice safe social distancing at all times.
  • If you feel sick, please stay home! For refund: mike@dixonplace.org

Past Production
October 2021

General Admission
$17 in advance
$20 at the door

 Students/Seniors
$15 in advance
$17 at the door

Estimated Runtime
100 min

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Credits

Cast
B Bastian
Duane Chivon Ferguson
Natasha Hakata
Alex Mooteelall

MUA
A.J. Avivah

Prop/Set
Patricia Marjorie

Graphic Art
Clementine Martinez

Projections
Madeline Parks

Costumes
Jules Peiperl

Sound Design
Joe Velez

Fight Coordinator
Liliane Wolf

Stage Manager
Sara Minisquero

Links