Michigan Premiere of LOVEBIRD JAMBOREE Comes to Planet Ant

Planet Ant will present the Michigan Premiere of “LOVEBIRD JAMBOREE: Love Stories From The LGBTQ Community” by local Sarah Elisabeth Brown, just in time for Valentine's Day. Performances are February 9-24, Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm, and a special Valentine's Day Performance February 14th at 8pm at the Planet Ant Black Box Theatre (2357 Caniff St., Hamtramck). You can purchase tickets at the door for $25, or online for $20.

Based on a series of interviews from people in the LGBTQI community, eight very different characters present their defining love stories. Gym junkies, sex workers, academics, softball jocks, and wannabe Jell-O salad aficionados – all get their say in this heartfelt, funny set of monologues. Supported by a story-collecting grant from the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the work premiered at Theaterwork in New Mexico in 2000. The 2019 production of “Lovebird Jamboree'' was awarded the “Fresh Fruit Spirit Award” for fostering LGBTQI pride, survival, history and progress.

Directed by Shelby R. Seeley, “Lovebird Jamboree” by Sarah Elisabeth Brown features David Moy, Linda Rabin Hammell, Michele Harte, Henry Ballesteros, Celah Convis, Aisha Scott, Isaac Coenca and Marie Muhammad. The production team includes stage manager Matthew Morley, set and props designer Tim Pollack, and producer Andy Reid. 

Biographies

Sarah Elisabeth Brown (Playwright)

Sarah (she/her) she/her) is an award-winning playwright/screenwriter/memoirist working out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. She's previously worked as a member of Workshop Theater in New York City, of Theater Oobleck in Chicago, as Playwright-in-Residence for Theaterwork in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and performed her original monologues all over San Francisco in the early 90s. The first version of her play “Sassafras and the Captain” was performed at Theater Rhinoceros in San Francisco, and was later made into the film, “Mango Kiss” distributed by Wolfe Video. 

Shelby R. Seeley (Director)

Shelby R. Seeley (she/her) is a Yale-certified director and new work developer from "Downriver" Michigan. She has recently directed for the Flint Repertory Theatre, Open Book Theatre Company, The Penny Seats Theatre Company, and Renaissance City Repertory Theatre. Shelby won Outstanding Production of 2022 at the Fresh Fruit Festival in NYC for Producing Sassafras and the Captain. She has professional acting (University of Michigan's CRLT Players, Michigan Shakespeare Festival Interstate Touring Company, The Call of the Void Podcast) and teaching experience (Director of Theatre, P.H. Middle School, 2017-2023). Currently, she is serving as Associate Artistic Director & Literary Manager at Theatre Nova in Ann Arbor, MI. She is thankful to this cast for their trust, the crew and Planet Ant for their support, Sarah for her mentorship, her family, friends, and partner Ian. @shelbyrseeley, website: shelbyrseeley.com 

Matthew Morley (Stage Manager)

Matthew Morley (he/him) is a queer metro Detroit-based actor, stage manager, instructor, and photographer that has been involved in the Planet Ant community since 2016. Matthew is a firm believer that through rediscovering the power of play and imagination through acting and improv one can overcome anxiety and find a sense of community as an adult. His work can be found at www.matthewjmorley.com

Andy Reid (Producer) 

Andy is the managing director of Planet Ant Theatre. He has been improvising for more than a decade — after taking his first class at Planet Ant — and has appeared in dozens of plays, shows and productions in and around Detroit. He is a teaching artist for Detroit Creativity Project, spreading art, improv, poetry and joy to Detroit Public Schools Community District kids. He also throws parties with Good Ground Records. Find him @andy_enthusiast 

Tim Pollack (Set/Props)

Tim Pollack is a theatre artist based in south eastern Michigan. He earned an Associates in Theatre from Henry Ford Community College before going on to get his BA in Acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Tim has served as the artistic and technical director at the Cabrini Monarch Theatre Troupe for seven years, selecting, directing, producing, and designing lights, set, costumes, sound, and props for 13 productions. Recently, you may have seen Tim's work as a designer in “First Snow” at Penny Seats Theatre Company. Tim worked as constructionist on the feature film “9 Parts of Desire, as well as Prop Department Head on the feature films “A Girl Like Him” and “House of Ka.” 

David Moy (Arlin)

This is my first time working with Planet Ant. I am a graduate of Central Michigan University with a degree in Acting. I made my professional debut last year at the Detroit Repertory Theatre. I am a middle school drama teacher in Redford, MI. I love acting and look forward to continuing growing my skill set. I live in Detroit with my wife, Sarah.

Linda Rabin-Hammell (Sadie)

Since the 1960s, Linda has played character parts – ape, crone, forest sprite, what have you – on stages in Philly, Cambridge, NYC, and Michigan. She last appeared at the Ant in Sam Shepard's Buried Child and Jacquelyn Priskorn's Sex Lives Of Circus Freaks. Thank you Shelby, Sarah, cast-&-crew-mates, and the Ant for bringing Sarah's delightful piece to life in the D.

Michele Harte (Plum)

Michele Harte is an actress and stand up comedian from metro Detroit. She is the most powerful gamer in the Detroit comedy scene.

Henry Ballesteros (Monty)

Attended Southern Utah University (B.F.A. in Classical Acting.), Henry has had the pleasure of working with The Michigan Shakespeare Education Tour(MiSFITS), The Utah Shakespeare Festival (Twelfth Night 2014) and with the SimonFest Theatre Co. (2015-2019). After moving to Michigan Henry has worked with The Penny Seats Theatre Company (The Return To The Forbidden Planet) and Open Book Theatre Co. (Grand Concourse, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley). For Bryan, B, R & A.

Celah Convis (Eden)

Celah Convis is excited to return to the Planet Ant Black Box stage in "Lovebird Jamboree." Celah has previously appeared in Planet Ant's "Sherlock Holmes and the White City" as well as their web series "Theatre Will Never Die." Recently, Celah has also appeared as Catherine in "Proof" at A Wilde Theatre, Margaret in "Much Ado About Nothing" at Shakespeare in the Arb, Nora in "First Snow" at The Penny Seats Theatre Company, and Molly in "Blood Moon" at Bug Pit Collaborative arts, for which she was nominated for Best Performer at the Broadway World Audience Choice Awards. 

Aisha Scott (Abby)

Currently living in Detroit, Aisha Scott performs improv Monday nights on Planet Ant's Farm Team. “Lovebird Jamboree” is her dramatic theatrical debut.

Isaac Coenca (Steve)

Isaac Coenca is an Afro-Brazilian artist living in metro Detroit interested in exploring identity and marginalization in his work.

Marie Muhammad (Leslie)

Marie (she/her) is excited to bring such a relatable and sincere story to Planet Ant Theatre. She has been seen in Lovebird Jamboree (Planet Ant Theatre), Cadillac Crew (Inspired Acting Company), Mlima's Tale (Theatre NOVA), Sanctuary City (Theatre NOVA), Death of a Salesman (Flint Repertory Theatre), Plot Points in Our Sexual Development (The Ringwald Theatre), Dreamgirls (The DATC), The Odd Couple (Park Players Detroit). Some of her film credits include: Stealing Jokes (Mike Young), Affliction (Charles A. Kennedy, Jr.), and Ovid and the Art of Love (Esmé von Hoffman) starring Corbin Bleu. As a voiceover artist, commercial actor, and print model, she is immensely thankful to her biggest cheerleaders, her loved ones. @riemixx4693

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