A Company of Strangers
A Company of Strangers is the Theatre Ministry of Ecumenicon Fellowship, creating and presenting stories of inspiration from many traditions.
HOT FLASH: We have just been accepted as Student Learning Public Service Activity by Prince George’s County public schools. Kids (11-18) may obtain volunteer service hours required for graduation through participation in this play. Call Charles Butler at 240-764-5748.
According to Us (a parabolic musical), was written during a blizzard in 1997 and has been presented about 40 times since, primarily in fundraising for the homeless and other ministries. Charles Butler is the playwright, composer, and current director. Rosanna Tufts is the arranger. We just finished our first stage production at Greenbelt Arts Center in Greenbelt, MD; and Artomatic in Washington, DC; and are now in preparation for Joe’s Movement Emporium. Press for pictures and how you can help.
Press HERE for TICKETS to the upcoming show at Joe’s Movement Emporium (DETAILS BELOW).
If the Joe’s Button TICKET button does not work, use
All moneys for ticket sales are being donated to the Family Crisis Center.
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 Benefiting The Family Crisis Center, Inc. of Prince George’s County SPONSORS Sponsors enable us to produce our show and pass through ticket sales to homeless and social service outreaches. Please help with your generosity. Sponsors will be linked to this website upon request. (Note our church treasurer is Kathleen Egbert who runs the PayPal site for Ecumenicon Fellowship-All contributions sent to these buttons are fully tax deductible) 2009 Show at Greenbelt Arts Center
| Archangel - Underwriter - $500
2010 2009 Fancy P. Kline Angel (Full-Page) Sponsor - $100 2010 2009 Aref Dajani 1/2 page Sponsor - $50 2009 Butler Design Services Rehearsal Sponsor - $40 2010 Carol Berman Supporting Sponsor (1/4 page) - $25 2010 Nisey’s Boutique LLC 2009 All Good Foods |
CURRENT PERFORMANCE
Joe’s Movement Emporium May 2009 St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church First Unitarian Church> Ecumenicon Fellowship Silver Spring Presbyterian Church |
Passion of Persephone (A Rock Opera), is a recasting of the Persephone myth as a story of passion, redemption, and renewal. Leather and lace never sounded so good. Rosanna Tufts is the playwright and composer. The story was presented at the Capitol Fringe Festival in 2008 as a work in progress. Go HERE for more information. This is an adult-themed opera.
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| 2010 | Joe’s Movement Emporium | 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD |
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Charles Butler Neto | (Playwright/Director/Composer) is a pastor, a singer and songwriter. He performed supporting roles with the University of Michigan theatre departments, and though he had no speaking lines, he was hooked. On the pastoral side, he has written a series of midrash performance poetry (Strangers at the Gate). On the lighter side, he performed the role of the Fairy Queen (Alto) in Iolanthe. He wrote According to Us during a blizzard, and performed the role of Nick for its first performances. He has been both a church and community chorus soloist, including opera chorus with the Bel Canto Singers, and currently with the Rock Creek Singers (Tenor/Counter-Tenor) of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington. |
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Rosanna Tufts | (Composer/Arranger) for According to Us holds a Master’s degree in Music History from Peabody Conservatory (see below for full bio). |
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Carrie A. Brown | (Nun) is in her first production of According To Us. She has written and directed plays for educational and religious organizations. For many years, she has been a stage mother (Ama) and grandmother (Ayana Marie). She would like to thank Charles for his insightful script and for letting her have so much fun. Thanks to her family and friends for their support of this production. |
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Ryan Dodson | (Simon) is in his first production of According to Us. He has acted in other plays with other companies, but this is the first singing role. |
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Ama Brown-Fenton | (The Rector) was last seen as the Understudy to Girale Takahashi at the Art-O-Matic performance of According to Us. This time, Ama has made the transition from Ayana’s stage mom to The Rector. She is no stranger to the church nor the stage, having acted earlier in school productions of Lil’ Abner and Big River. In addition, Ama has performed with the Christ Church Khoir Kids and was a featured soloist for the Concert Choir at Glenelg High School . As the Convention Planning Team’s Exhibits Coordinator, Ama is excited to share A Company of Strangers with all of her Diocese of Maryland of the Episcopal Church friends. |
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Ayana Fenton | (Nick’s Granddaughter) Ayana Fenton- Reprises her role as the child who watches everything. In addition to performing as Nick’s Granddaughter at the Art-O-Matic DC and Greenbelt Arts Center last season, Ayana has also performed with A Company of Strangers in The Passion of Persephone (Tufts) as Eros. Ayana was last seen as Emily Best in The Best Little Theater in Town. Ayana is a member of the Maryland Singers, one of three Maryland Sings ensembles. In her spare time, Ayana enjoys composing, swimming, and Junior Girl Scouting. |
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Frank Leonard | (Nick) in According to Us is from a high school performance as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in Ohio, and understudy in summer stock for Tevya from Fiddler on the Roof, Frank brings a rye wit as an old professor. He worked in lights in Ohio, now he is under them. He is a Tenor with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and the Prince George’s Community Society, and Ms. Fancy P. Cline in the Awards Club of Washington. He is receiving vocal instruction from Ron Freeman. |
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Sabrea Lawrence | (Maggie the Younger) in According to Us is in her first production with A Company of Strangers. |
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Maia | (Maggie the Elder) in According to Us is in her first production with A Company of Strangers. |
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Lex | (Homeless Man) in According to Us |
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Judy Lawson | (Nurse) in According to Us is an Alto with the Prince George’s Community Society. |
| Michelle Mullany | (Homeless Child) is an experienced actor in area productions. She is a veteran of A Company of Strangers, performing in The Passion of Persephone (Tufts) at the Capitol Fringe Festival in 2008. She has appeared in numerous other stage productions including, Honk Jr., Seussical Jr., Willy Wonka Jr., A Christmas Carol, and the lead roles of Kate Shelley in The Legend of Kate Shelley and Sadako Sasaski in A Thousand Cranes. Her credit includes Local TV, Film and Voice Over. Besides acting, Michelle enjoys dancing, playing the piano, violin and cello. |
| 2009 | Greenbelt Arts Center | 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD |
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Rosanna Tufts, Greenbelt 2009 (and all prior productions) | (Playwright/Director/Composer/Arranger) (The Rector-2009) in According to Us, (Persephone) in The Passion of Persephone /Playwright, Composer, Musical Director, Arranger) has a Master’s degree in Music History from Peabody Conservatory, having been taught by Frederick Petrich, George Woodhead, and Barry Knower. A soprano, she’s had a long career in classical music and musical theatre, appearing with Concert Artists of Baltimore, the Young Victorian Theatre, Municipal Opera, and several Baltimore-area churches. Past roles include Cunegonde (Candide), Celia (Iolanthe), Josephine (HMS Pinafore), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Papagena (The Magic Flute), Lalume (Kismet), Amahl (Amahl and the Night Visitors), and the Rector (creating the role in the first production of According To Us). She composed both music and lyrics for The Passion of Persephone, “the world’s first Bondage-and-Discipline Rock Opera,” which had a work-in-progress premiere at the 2008 Capital Fringe Festival. Musical and video excerpts are available at www.myspace.com/passionofpersephonerockopera. |
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Elicia Moran | (Maggie) in According to Us, Aphrodite in The Passion of Persephone has been acting for a while both in the theatre and on film. She has done a commercial in the area and various shows. Some of her favorite performances include Barbara Pitts in The Laramie Project, Ms. Bedwin in Oliver and Leila in Iolanthe. Elicia also teaches children acting classes with InterAct Story Theatre’s “Creative Kids” which she greatly enjoys. |
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| Michelle Mullany | (Homeless Child) (See Joe’s Movement Emporium Above) |
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Frank Leonard | (Nick) (see Joe’s Movement Emporium above). |
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Aref Dajani | (Simon) (Bass) in According to Us, and Dionysus (Baritone) in The Passion of Persephone studies voice with Ana Castrello. He performed as Monostatos (Tenor) in The Magic Flute (Mozart) with the In Series of Washington. He performed as Don Octave (Countertenor) in The Stoned Guest (P.D.Q. Bach) with the Forgotten Opera Company of Bethesda. |
| Ayana Fenton | (Nick’s Granddaughter) (see Joe’s Movement Emporium above). |
| Girale Takahashi | (Nun, Simon’s Mother, Nick’s Granddaughter) has performed with the Prince George’s Choral Society (with Director Ron Freeman) at the White House in celebration of the holidays. She was a part of the Morgan University Choir under the late Dr. Nathan Carter with performances at Lincoln Center in New York City, and the Kennedy Center. Girale is a sololist in the Washington Music Makers performing classical arias, sacred music, and spirituals. She is a member of the choir and soloist with the Unity Center of Light (Bowie, MD) directed by Dimitar Nikolov. Girale studied voice with Jerome Barry, Director of the Embassy Series. She is currently working with her repertoire coach George Peachy to prepare for her debut recital to be held in late 2009. |
| Christopher Zito | (Jesus/Leper/Homeless Father) is a graduate of the Catholic University of America’s drama department. Favorite roles include Gilgamesh in Gilgamesh who saw the deep (Ivan Karamazov); Ivan and Adolf in The Last Man in Hell; Hunter in Hunter’s Rising, and Harry Padington in Beggar’s Opera. |
