Royal Family Productions Presents SEE HER by Iman Schuk

Royal Family Productions has announced the kick-off of their second annual Female+ Forward Festival with See Her, a new cinematic theatrical piece written by one of last year's FFF playwrights, Iman Schuk (This Open Earth). This event, the first content from Royal Family in 2021, will premiere on MLK Day with a conversation with the creative team and stream through the end of February. It will commemorate this incredible moment in history as a Black woman is inaugurated as America's next Vice President. This collaboration recognizes the voice of Black women as an unwavering strength and the drivers of change. The story will be told through spoken word, song, and dance and will be streamed for free on Royal Family's YouTube channel. The event is FREE. For more information and to sign up to receive a direct link to the event go to www.RoyalFamilyProductions.org.

See Her will feature principal dancer Gabrielle Spauve, along with Spoken Word Artist Kenita Miller. The creative team includes director/choreographer Lorna Ventura, writer Iman Shuck, music by Kenita Miller and Justin Hicks, cinematography by Angelo Vasta, with editing by Jay Stern. Kei Tsuruharatani is the Associate Choreographer/Production Assistant.

Kenita Miller-Hicks is a Drama Desk Award-winning actor and vocalist who has performed in such notable Broadway productions as The Color Purple , Xanadu , Tony Award-winning, Grammy-nominated Once on This Island , and Come From Away . Her regional work includes an AUDELCO Award-winning portrayal of Zora Neale Hurston in Urban Stages' Langston in Harlem and many others. She is also a member of the band The Hawtplates with her husband Justin Hicks and her Sister In law Jade Hicks. Kenita was born and raised in Rochester, NY, and currently lives and works in The Bronx, NY.

Gabrielle Sprauve was born in Queens, NY and raised in Savannah,GA. She trained at Savannah Arts Academy, the Ailey School, the Martha Graham School, and Marymount Manhattan College, graduating in 2017. She has performed works by Larry Keigwin, Alexandra Damiani, Norbert De La Cruz, Paul Taylor, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Adam Barruch, and Jo Strømgren. Gabrielle is a current member of Ballet Hispanico, joining in 2017, where she has had the pleasure of working with choreographers such as Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Michelle Manzanales, Bennyroyce Royon, Eduardo Vilaro, Andrea Miller, Edwaard Liang, and Gustavo Ramirez Sansano. In addition to her work with Ballet Hispanico, Gabrielle has had the pleasure of freelancing with Traverse City Dance Project to create an original dance film as part of their No Distance Dance Festival 2020 and is a cast member of PARA.MAR Dance Theater.

Iman Schuk is an actress, model and playwright who has appeared in multiple stage and film productions and whose written works have been produced and performed in New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. A student of the human experience, Iman uses her writing to highlight the compelling richness and complexity of everyday people living their everyday lives. She dedicates this work to the honor of her father Sam Smith, who told her to have the courage to follow her own pen wherever it should take her.

Lorna Ventura (Director/Choreographer) is a director/choreographer with a long list of credits, from Broadway to film and television.a?? Her passion and inclination for visual storytelling has been fostered for many years.a??After a long career as a performer, Lorna was drawn to the development side of her work. This allowed her to collaborate and work alongside impressive directors, as she honed her craft and transitioned with grace into the director's seat. Some of her choreography credits include working alongside impressive directors such as James Mangold in Kate And Leopold and Fred Schepisi in It Runs In The Family and in-house choreographer for seasons 1-4 of "Gossip Girl" including "Valley Girls," "In The Realm Of Bases," "It's A Wonderful Lie," "Hi Society" and "Disco Stick," as well as the pilot and season 1 & 2 for "Carries Diaries." These opportunities allowed Lorna to work directly with celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Meg Ryan, Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford, and Anna Sophia Robb to name a few. Some of her favorite theater directors who have served as mentors and teachers are George C. Wolfe, Joe Mantello, and Kathleen Marshall. Favorite Broadway credits include Wicked, (performer original Broadway company), Grease (performer original Broadway company), All Shook Up (Associate Choreographer), Nice Work If You Can Get It (SDC observer and assistant to Kathleen Marshall). Ventura is the Creative Director at Royal Family Productions.

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