Keely and Du | Actors Studio 66

Keely and du

Director's Notes

Keely and Du may be more relevant today than it was when first produced nearly 30 years ago. But it’s too simple to say this play is ‘about abortion.’ To be sure, that difficult, emotional, and divisive topic is front and center throughout the play. But the heart of this drama is the relationship between its two main characters. Under horrific circumstances, their lives intersect and over the course of their weeks together, they examine the life choices that brought them to this point; an unlikely bond forms and they discover their shared humanity. At its best, theatre helps us do the same. - Herman

"This play includes graphic descriptions and/or depictions of domestic abuse, sexual abuse and abortion."

- Discretion Advised.

Keely and Du, a 1994 Nominee for the Pulitzer Prize, deals with abortion rights. Du is a right-to-life activist, and Keely a pregnant rape victim confined to keep her from having an abortion. Throughout the play the women transcend their circumstances and the ideological issues that separate them.

about the playwright

Jane Martin is the pen name of a playwright that has been active from 1981 to the present, whose real identity remains unknown. Martin's plays include Anton in Show Business, Back Story, Beauty, Coup/Clucks, Cementville, Criminal Hearts, Flaming Guns of the Purple Sage, Vital Signs, Keely and Du and Talking With...

Performances thru Jul 10

Thu – Sat 7:30 pm/Sun 2 pm

cast

Alexandra Empey- Keely

Alexandra graduated with a Bachelors degree in Theatre and Drama and moved to Albuquerque to begin her professional journey about two years ago. She has since been making her way around the theatre scene both on and off stage as actor, scenic painter and set designer. Recent acting credits include “Lucy” in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, and “Elinor” in Sense and Sensibility. She is beyond excited for her debut performance with Actors Studio 66 and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity. She is a lover and creator of many art forms and a huge believer in the power of human connection, specifically through art.

Ramona King - Du

Ramona King is a film/tv actor and solo stage performer. For her solo shows she goes by the tagline, The Maternal Dreamer, dealing with issues of the overwhelmed life, reclaiming what's yours and self-care over fear in Motherhood. She is a self-proclaimed Griot; celebrating stories in the West African tradition of community gatherings. She's performed in the following venues in her 30 year career: The White House, The African American Performing Arts Center, Outpost Performance Space, The National Hispanic Cultural Center, universities, festivals, conferences and public schools nationwide. She's also the former host of NPR affiliate KUNM's Spoken Word Hour. www.IMDb.me/RamonaKing Say yes to no | Ramona King | TEDxABQWomen

Ramona King - Searching.

Andy Wickham-Walter

Andy Wickham is excited to be a part of Actors Studio 66’s very first season with a role in this challenging and complex play. Andy’s most recent theatre credits include a novelist whose dying wife learns he had an affair in FICTION, and an Iraqi videographer haunted by the American whose death he filmed in HEAD. Other roles include Zorro and Hook in musical-comedy versions of ZORRO and PETER PAN, and a lot of supporting roles in great plays with fantastic casts as an ensemble member of L.A.’s Pacific Resident Theatre. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA and represented by Presley Talent. www.AndyWickham.com

Jeff Dolecek-Cole

Jeff Dolecek is thrilled to debut with Actors Studio 66 in its inaugural season. He has been on numerous NM stages including: Albuquerque Little Theater, Vortex, The Adobe, Aux Dog, American Southwest Theater Company, and the New Mexico Actors Lab. Jeff began his career in Chicago on countless stages and church basements after being degreed in theater from Valparaiso University. Jeff’s next show will be in the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival’s production of As You Like It.

gurudarshan-DU Understudy

Gurudarshan holds a bachelor's degree in theatre, and has acted in commercials, TV, and film. She recently returned to live theatre in the Actors Studio 66 production of Shout!. She loves acting and all the arts, New Mexico, gardening; kindness, wonder, and the unending potential for creativity and evolution in humanity.

Jeff as Cole

Herman Johansen-director

Herman Johansen is an actor, director and writer based in New Mexico. TV credits include Big Sky and MadTV, film credits include Dead for a Dollar and Surrounded. Theatre credits include The Odd Couple (with George Wendt), The Front Page, Omnium Gatherum, Fiddler on the Roof, The Master Builder, Copenhagen, American Buffalo, Free Man of Color, The Boys Next Door and Brighton Beach Memoirs, Dial M for Murder, Noises Off, Of Mice and Men, Moon Over Buffalo, Arsenic and Old Lace, Harvey and Leading Ladies. Directing credits include Man of La Mancha, Our Town, Caldwell’s Bomb and Agnes of God. His full-length drama, Fading Light, was produced in the 2015 The New York Int’l Fringe Festival.

Member: AEA, SAG-AFTRA. www.hermanjohansen.com

crew

ricky fox - stage manager

Ricky is new to the theatre scene and has only done a couple shows as a stage manager. He is thankful to have this opportunity working on Keely and Du and looks forward to more shows in the future.

Shaina Hovrud - costumes

Shaina is originally from Bismarck, North Dakota and has costumed numerous

productions including Spamalot, Oklahoma, James and the Giant Peach and more! In addition to costuming, she has worn many hats in the theater as a director, actor, and lighting/sound board operator. Two years ago, she was recognized as Dakota Stage Ltd.'s Volunteer of the Year

casey Mráz- sound

Casey is a Musician, Composer, Playwright, Designer, Teaching Artist and Father. He graduated from UNM in 2009 with an M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing and is currently the Music/Teacher at Escuela del Sol Montessori School in Albuquerque, NM. He was Resident Composer and Sound Designer for Tricklock Theatre Co (Abq, NM 2006 - 2016) and Buran Theatre Co (NYC 2011 - 2015). He most recently designed sound and composed music for a production of 26 MILES at Teatro Paraguas in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the fall of 2021. He also recently designed sound and music for the Linnell Festival of New Plays at the University of New Mexico in February of 2022.

tim wilkins - lights

Over the course of Tim's theatrical career he has participated in all phases of a production. Starting as an actor he progressed to the technical side early on and has since taken out national and international tours and worked in award winning theaters in Minneapolis, South Florida, New York and California and now here in Albuquerque. He is extremely proud to be a Founding Board member of Actors Studio 66.

linda wilson - set & props

Linda Wilson moved to Abq from the East Coast in 2009 and stumbled into the theater world here via the Adobe Theater in 2011. Since then she has worked as a scenic painter, props person, designer and even an actor in well over 60 productions. She is thrilled to be a part of Keely and Du and to work with Actors Studio 66 on this socially relevant play.

jeff jung - running crew

Originally from Bismarck, North Dakota, Jeff was very excited to make his ABQ theatrical debut in the Actors Studio 66 of Shout! With a love of performing and some quick wit, Jeff has quickly been able to find some familiarity in the theatre scene around his new city and couldn’t be happier. Some theatre credits include Krogstad in A Doll's House (Capital Shakes), Gary/Roger in Noises Off (Dakota Stage), The Dogman in The Shining (Fargo-Moorhead Theatre), and Amos Hart in Chicago (Sleepy Hollow Theatre).

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