MOMMA THE SUPER ACTION HERO By Kenthedo Robinson to be Presented at The JOCUNDA FESTIVAL

The JOCUNDA FESTIVAL will present MY MOMMA THE SUPER ACTION HERO by Kenthedo Robinson and directed by Van Dirk Fisher, on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at 8PM ET and 5PM PT on Zoom.

To obtain tickets in advance go to:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uIIMWOcjTz2tiaHTPUbvEQ

Tickets are $25.00 to benefit the Riant Theatre. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. The reading will be followed by a TALK BACK with the artists moderated by Van Dirk Fisher, Founder and Artistic Director of the Riant Theatre and producer of the Jocunda Festival.

MY MOMMA THE SUPER ACTION HERO:

A mother goes as far as putting her son's life in danger to inspire him. Can she save him? Can she be his Super Action Hero?

The Cast and Creative Team includes:

Michael Burgess (Jerome) is a veteran actor with many stage, film, and television credits. His roles on stage include Albert/Kevin in Clybourne Park, produced by Coastal Stages, Simon in The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez at the Woolfe Street Playhouse in Charleston, SC for the Village Reparatory. Previously, Burgess worked with the Village Reparatory playing Capt. Lee King in Defiance by John Patrick Shanley. His other stage credits include: Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson by August Wilson; Charlie in Split Second by Dennis McIntyre; Cory in Fences by August Wilson, and more. On film, Michael Burgess has appeared in Forrest Gump, Death Sentence, Who's Your Caddy, My Cousin Vinny, and Days of Thunder, and Blood Done Sign My Name among others. His television work includes: Dynasty, Stargirl, Cobra Kai, Drop Dead Diva, House of Payne, Army Wives, One Tree Hill, All My Children, American Gothic, In the Heat of the Night, and more. You can view his profile at www.imdb.com.

Almeria Campbell (Lourita) grew up in Texas, where she began acting - first in high school, and then at Texas Christian University. After attending Mason Gross School of Performing Arts, Rutgers University, Campbell made her TV debut on Law & Order Criminal Intent. Most recently she guest starred on New Amsterdam. Her film work includes Baby Mama and she recently made her directorial debut with Black and Kinda Republican. Check out her website almericampbell.com

ELIZABETH FLAX'S (Momma Benjamin) experience covers theater, voice over, film and television (where she spent ten seasons as a recurring ER Nurse on Law&Order: SVU). Her recent credits include: Jacob Marley's Ghost in A Christmas Carol and Dr. Bonnie Lee Abernathy in 2 Wolves and A Lamb at Triad Stage, as well as director for Emily Mann's Having Our Say at the Hanesbrands Theatre and Mary P Burrill's They That Sit in Darkness for Triad's #BlowingUpTheCanon series.

NATHANIEL J. RYAN (Tyrone) recently played the role of 'Lyons Maxson' in August Wilson's Fences produced by JAG Theatre Productions. Ryan has tackled roles in Othello: The Panther, The Crucible, and No Sex Please, We're British. In addition to his body of work on stage, Ryan recently won the Ocktober Film Festival Best Act or award in 2017 for his role in Blind Faith, a short film. Other credits include Blue Bloods, The Blacklist and And There Were 4, an independent film available to watch on Amazon Prime.

CHAUNICE CHAPMAN (Narrator) had appeared in several live theatrical productions prior to the great slowdown, most recently Troilus and Cressida with the Hip to Hip theater company and Ridin' Shotgun, winner of best play in the Downtown Urban Arts festival. She has also had the pleasure of taking part in many readings in this digital era, showcasing both classic and new original works.

KENTHEDO ROBINSON (Playwright) has taught English and Theatre in the New York School system for 25 years. He was an adjunct professor of creative writing at the College of New Rochelle and Empire State College. He completed a B.A. Degree in Communications Arts at Park University in Missouri and holds two Master Degrees in Education and a M.A. Degree in Theatre (Playwrighting and Directing) from Hunter College (City University of New York). Mr. Robinson was also awarded two scholarships to study the works of William Shakespeare at Columbia, University. His plays have been selected for staged readings at The National Black Theatre Festival and produced Off Broadway and in The Harlem Fringe Theatre Festivals, The Women of Color Theatre Festival and Provocative Playwrights Festival.

Van Dirk Fisher (Director) is the Founder & Artistic Director of the Riant Theatre a.k.a. Black Experimental Theatre, a non-profit 501(3)(c) organization, of which he is the CEO. He is the producer of the JOCUNDA MUSIC, FILM & THEATRE FESTIVAL and the acclaimed Strawberry One-Act Festival, which the NY Daily News said, "It's like the American Idol for Playwrights." Since 1995, Mr. Fisher has produced over 1,500 one-act plays in The Strawberry One-Act Festival. This biannual theatre competition celebrated its 33rd season in February 2020. Under Fisher's direction, he has published eight anthologies of The Best Plays from the Strawberry One-Act Festival. As an actor, Fisher has appeared in several plays, commercials and voiceovers. He has directed and written several musicals including: Rock-A My Soul, No Name In The Street - The Biblical Story of Job, Somebody's Calling My Name; Sweet Blessings; Tracks; Loving That Man Of Mine, Revelations and Dream Babies, The Musical about Teens Living in Foster Care. His dramas, which are inspired by real life news stories, include: A Sin Between Friends; The Banjo Lesson; Mixed Blessings; Hotel Paradise and The Atlanta Affair. His play Code of Silence been compared to works by John Grisham and was pitched as a television series. His novel, Loving You, is sold on Amazon.com. For his accomplishments with the Riant Theatre, he earned the prestigious 2009 AUDELCO Special Achievement Award.

ISAAC WINSTON (Stage Manager) is a native New Yorker and community-based stage manager, lighting designer, and technical director. He is currently a technical consultant and Lighting designer/Sound engineer for ArtsConnection Broadway Jr. Musicals, freelance Lighting designer and Stage manager. He is currently working as the Stage manager for the stage reading of Nero by Kyoung H. Park and working on its world premiere (2022). A few of his past credits for Lighting Design Includes: (Crystal Image Performing Arts Company), Dreamgirls, Fame, A Raisin in The Sun, Fences, (ArtsConnection), The Jungle Book" (Broadway Jr.), Willy Wonka (Broadway Jr.), Seussical (Broadway Jr.), (Maria Fusté Assistant lighting designer), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Madame Butterfly, In the Heights, Abigail, and Newsies. He received his B.F.A. in technical theater and production with a concentration in Lighting design from Brooklyn College.

To learn more about the JOCUNDA FESTIVAL'S Virtual Play Reading Series Click Here.

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