Tickets Now On Sale For WAM Theatre's CADILLAC CREW

WAM Theatre will present Cadillac Crew by Tori Sampson (If Pretty Hurts Ugly Must be a Muhfucka, Playwrights Horizons; This Land Was Made), directed by Taneisha Duggan (Jesus Hopped the "A" Train, University of Hartford; Blue Door, Juilliard), featuring returning WAM actors Cate Alston, MaConnia Chesser, and Alicia M.P. Nelson; and debuting Kyra Davis on the WAM stage. Live performances will be presented at Shakespeare & Company's Tina Packer Playhouse in Lenox, MA, from October 13-29. An online version of the production will also be available in the final weekend. Tickets are on sale now.

The play opens with four female activists working in a Virgina civil rights office on the day of a much anticipated speech by Rosa Parks. From the Civil Rights Movement to the present day, Cadillac Crew illuminates forgotten leaders who blazed the trail for desegregation and women's rights. With remarkable insight, explosive storytelling and unexpected humor, the play asks, what happens when Black women refuse to be written out of history?

"Cadillac Crew provides the perfect centerpiece for our 2022 Season," states Associate Artistic Director Talya Kingston. "All season we have gathered amazing ensembles of artists around stories of women stepping out of narratives that have been set for them and into their own power. This dynamic play explodes the existing historical narratives about who led the Civil Rights Movement and propels us into questioning how far we are willing to go in our own activism."

WAM is honored to be presenting the second professional production of this fast-paced extraordinary play that the Hartford Courant called: "Brilliant... it accesses history, namechecks African-American icons, chronicles challenging relationships, evokes harsh realities of urban life, breaks into strident proclamations... Strap in for a wild, mind-expanding ride."

"Our production of Cadillac Crew looks to the women of the past, present, and future," said Director Taneisha Duggan. "We honor the groundwork laid and lift up the collective power of the femme-indentifying body. The idea of a 'Cadillac Crew' as a thoughtful multiracial cohort of women with the purpose of having living room conversations with other women around the country is inspiring to me. It made the term 'mobilize' literal. I wonder what the country would look like if there were more living room chats about the things that ail us?"

Director Taneisha Duggan has produced NY Times Critic picks WALDEN by Amy Berryman and RUSSIAN TROLL FARM by Sarah Gancher; and directed at Juilliard (Blue Door, Jesus Hopped the "A" Train) and TheaterWorks Hartford (Actually). The cast features returning WAM actors Cate Alston (WAM's ROE) as Abby, MaConnia Chesser (WAM's ROE, The Virgin Trial; Ancram Opera House & Shakespeare & Company An Iliad) as Dee, and Alicia M.P. Nelson (WAM's The Last Wife and The Virgin Trial) as Sarah. They are joined by WAM newcomer Kyra Davis (Jitney, Nashville Shakespeare; Intimate Apparel, University of Alabama) as Rachel.

A robust team of creatives is working behind the scenes of Cadillac Crew, including many returning artists to WAM, led by Stage Manager Hope Rose Kelly, who has worked extensively with WAM Theatre and Shakespeare & Company, assisted by Rose Biggerstaff a regular at Capital Repertory Theatre making her WAM debut. Sets are designed by WAM's Production Manager, Juliana von Haubrich, who has also designed regionally for WAM, Shakespeare & Company, and Chester Theatre Company. Returning WAM artist Calypso Michelet is the Costume Designer, while WAM newcomer Ericka N. Hanger brings her film-experience to WAM as the Hair and Make-up Designer, and ym is the Sound Designer. Samuel J. Biondolillo is the Lighting & Projection Designer, assisted by Kelly Daigneault, and Master Electrician Lydia Jung. Hannah Trobaugh is the Technical Director and Properties Master, and Kathleen H. Soltan is the Backstage Hand.


"WAM could not be more excited to have gathered this incredible cast and creative team to bring Tori Sampson's extraordinary play to life " exclaimed WAM Producing Artistic Director Kristen Van Ginhoven. "We continue to be thrilled witnessing the imaginative work the creative team is putting into this production. Audiences are in for a treat!"


For tickets to the live performance or digital performance of Cadilliac Crew please call (413) 637-3353 or visit WAM online here. WAM is proud to offer equitable seating for all, and encourages patrons to select the ticket price that best fits their needs. Tickets range from $25-$100 for live performances, and $15-$75 for digital performances. WAM invites audience members to choose from one of the suggested price levels, while keeping in mind that the higher ticket price you are able to select, the more we will be able to donate to our recipients (who will be named later this month). WAM Theatre also offers group tickets (for groups of ten or more) and $5 for EBT card holders.

In order to better facilitate parents and guardians to attend WAM Theatre's Fall production of Cadillac Crew, we are offering two options for free child care. On-site care will be available for children ages 5-12 at onsite at Shakespeare & Company during the matinee performance on Sunday October 23. For younger children, WAM is offering a limited number of home babysitting care subsidies for any Cadillac Crew Performance. More information about Child Care and an application form can be found here.

"In line with WAM's mission, we are thrilled to offer child care for parents and caregivers," said Managing Director Molly Merrihew. "As a new parent, I know so well the juggling act of making time for ourselves and our children. This year, WAM is excited to remove another barrier to our audiences- childcare costs, as well as the time it takes to organize care. WAM continues to strive to make our performances accessible to all, and accessible child care is part of that work. We are grateful to partner with Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to make it possible."

WAM is proud to be partnering with Women's Fund as Western Massachusetts as the lead sponsor of Cadillac Crew in honor of their 25-Anniversary. Together we help fuel progress toward gender equity in Massachusetts and elevate the collective power of women and girls here in the Berkshires and beyond.

"We are thrilled to celebrate our 25th anniversary with WAM Theatre," said Donna Haghighat, Women's Fund Chief Executive Officer. "As a public foundation that is 25 years Bold, we wanted to organize a special event that honors our past and looks toward the future of gender and racial equity. WAM Theatre's production of the Cadillac Crew accomplishes all of those goals."

WAM Theatre is offering a host of free Community Engagement activities in connection to Cadillac Crew. These include: a downloadable study guide to the production for students; three videos with WAM's creative team; and stories of Black and Indigenous Civil Rights from Local Community Leaders (see full list at wamtheate.com/engage). In addition to these, we are offering an online course on the Black Theatre Aesthetic with WAM Teaching Artist Tatiana Godfrey, and a free conversation series in the lead up to Cadillac Crew with scholars, storytellers, and community activists in libraries throughout Berkshire County during Banned Books week (Sept 18-24). More information about WAM's Community Engagement programming can be found here.

For more information about the 2022 Season and WAM Theatre's programs, events, and artists, please visit wamtheatreTheatre.com.

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