POWER TO THE QUEENDOM
FEBRUARY 25 - MARCH 1
by SHAWANNA RENEE RIVON
directed by RACHEL DICKSON
OVERVIEW
When freedom and the power to determine the destiny of the community rest in the hands of four female members of The Black Panther Party...it’s the most powerful ride you’ll ever see. Power to the Queendom is an action-packed journey through the comedy, drama, and immediate need of a 1970s Houston community. Power to the Queendom follows four women and their love for their community, and its people—caught in a room with an HPD Officer held hostage. In this story, inspired by true Houston-American characters and events, these four women of the Houston chapter of The Black Panther Party (The People’s Party II) standoff in negotiations with the Houston Police Department in the hopes to bargain for the life of their leader (Carl Hampton) and for the future of their organization. A clever and driven journey of powerful women, caught in a terminal situation, standing for many of the same community values and societal challenges that would still be recognized today.
CAST
DERRICK BRENT II - Bobby
NATOYA DANIELLE - Ada
CAPRICE CARTER - Rebbie
SAM WEST - Carolyn
JENNIFER BARRETT - Dee Jay
JAYCE JOHNSON - Officer Howard
Playwright Bio
SHAWANNA RENEE RIVON (she/her/hers) is an award winning, and nationally renowned Playwright and Producer. With her first writing premiere in Los Angeles with Deal Breakers, the NAACP nominated production, co-produced with Lisa Nicole Bell, this creative journey began taking its flight. Her early writing experience was first nurtured in the urban play market with romantic comedies. ShaWanna’s success grew to more popularly featured productions such as Cheaper to Keep Her and Marriage Material, which starred Vivica Fox, Brian McKnight, and Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins (of “TLC”), both of which toured nationally. As an Actor, ShaWanna starred as a series regular on cartoon shows such as Strawberry Shortcake (as Raspberry Torte), The Bratz (as Sasha), and The Care Bears (as Cheer Bear). Upon returning home to Houston ShaWanna elected to fulfill her tenacity for arts training, earning her BFA in Playwriting and Dramaturgy from the University of Houston, all while continuing to write and produce professionally in the local Houston market. As a developing creative, ShaWanna discovered her niche and artists mission: To create period-piece comedies, centered around the lives of Black women, and their obstacles, past and present. In this, she has begun the development of her 6-Play Cycle. The first of which, being Old Black and White Hollywood, about a 1950’s Black woman comic who strongly desires to become the first Black star on screen, all without the tropes of playing a maid. Old Black & White Hollywood was part of the University of Houston’s 2019-2020 season, was developed with Suzan Lori Parks and Theresa Rebeck, and won ShaWanna The Edward Albee Playwriting Award. The latest of productions in her 6-Play Cycle, Power to the Queendom, was developed with the Rec Room Writers. The script is loosely based on a true story in Houston’s past in 1970, about a group of female Black Panthers forced to protect their community amidst urgent racial and revolutionary events and circumstances. The third play installment into ShaWanna’s 6-Play Cycle, Miss Culture, 1983, is currently in development through her artists-residency with Rec Room Theatre.
CREATIVE TEAM
RACHEL DICKSON - Director (she/her/hers) is excited to work with Rec Room for the first time (and until next time—hint hint)! Rachel has functioned as a professional artist for over 20 years in the Houston Community. She has worked as an actor, director, playwright, dramaturg, educator, producer, technical staff and artistic consultant. While she calls The Ensemble Theatre home and currently serves there as an Artistic Associate, she has worked with various theatres throughout the Houston community, , including: The Alley Theatre, Main Street Theatre, Stages Repertory Theatre, Landing Theatre Company, Interactive Theatre Company, Wordsmyth Theatre and Driven Theater Company where she is the founding Artistic Director. Rachel is the current president of Scriptwriters Houston and is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
GAGE BAKER - Audio Producer is a BFA undergrad sound designer in his final semester at UH. Favorite productions include Quixote Nuevo, Murder on the Orient Express, Alley All New Fest, and The Three Musketeers at the Alley Theatre, mixing The Fantasticks at Stages, designing The Children at Rec Room, and Spirits to Enforce at UH. Other favorites include concerts with Tony Bennett, WAR, America, Brian Wilson, Colbie Caillat, and Hans Zimmer, and building a smoke-spewing art car for a Vice news documentary. Up next: designing Romeo and Juliet at UH. Thanks to Pierre, Brad, Tom, Bob, Redford, Michael, Peachey, and Haniel. gagebaker.com
TOMMY TRUELSEN - Sound Designer is a sound designer, composer, and musician currently based out of Cedar Falls, IA. He holds his BA in Music Technology from the University of Northern Iowa. He also has completed a sound design fellowship at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York. Tommy is a classically trained pianist and vocalist and very much enjoys incorporating his musical background into his designs. Recent credits include The Humans (Theatre Cedar Rapids), Dracula (Theatre Cedar Rapids), You Can’t Take it With You (TheatreUNI), The Thing I Hold (Hangar Theatre), and Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (Hangar Theatre).
ALLISON VIERA - Lead Stage Manager is a stage management graduate from University of Houston’s School of Theatre & Dance. She is resident stage manager and company manager with Rec Room Arts. Stage management credits include: Bach at Leipzig, The Servant of Two Masters, and SAC’s 90th Showcase at San Antonio College, Christmas Carol at Clear Creek Community Theatre, UH’s 2018 10-Minute Play Festival, Oleanna with The Landing Theatre, Hedda Gabler with Rec Room’s Artist Residency program, The Children, Woyzeck, On The Exhale, Hansel & Gretel and Exit Strategy with Rec Room Arts, and Horse Head Theatre Co.’s staged reading of Advance Man. She has worked as the assistant stage manager for Houston’s Playing On Purpose with ACTing Up Studios’ In All Thy Getting, Rec Room’s The Royale, and the world premieres of UH’s Thicker Than Honey, UH’s 2017 10-Minute Play Festival, and Wanda, Daisy, and the Great Rapture with The Landing Theatre and Obsidian Theatre. She recently stage managed The Landing Theatre’s New American Voices online reading of Queen of Sad Mischance. She’s thankful to have the opportunity to continue working with Rec Room and Rec Room Writers on these projects.
MEAGAN SMALLWOOD - Stage Manager was a production assistant for The Children at Rec Room last fall. Additional plays include: The Miracle Worker, Cats, and Peter and The Starcatcher. She also stage managed the She Loves Me and Into The Woods musicals with a local theatre company, OpertivoHouston, at the MatchBox theater. She recently worked as an Assistant Stage Manager on The Nest at the University of Houston where she is a stage management student.
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