The Mountaintop
Written by Katori Hall
Directed by Kandace Crystal
Featuring Caiel Noble & Ashley Graham
About
The American History Theater, The Roustabouts Theatre Co., & Teenage Youth Performing Arts Theatre Company (TYPA) present The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, a gripping reimagination of events the night before the assassination of the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On April 3, 1968, after delivering one of his most memorable speeches, an exhausted Dr. King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious stranger arrives with some surprising news, King is forced to confront his destiny and his legacy to his people.
Cast
Caiel Noble
Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
Caiel is proud to be making his professional theatre debut in a leading role. This is his first production with American History Theater, The Roustabouts Theatre Co., and TYPA Theatre Company. He most recently appeared as Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird, and as Bobo in A Raisin in the Sun. In his years at the University of Kansas, he studied theatre performance and film. He has also trained at The William Esper Studio in New York and at Anthony Meindl's Actor Workshop in Los Angeles.
Ashley Graham
Camae
Ashley is an actor/instructor from South Carolina. She attained her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of South Carolina in 2017 then began her journey in San Diego in 2018. Some of her favorite appearances have been in productions at the University of South Carolina, the Coronado Playhouse, and Trinity Theatre. She is excited to work alongside this wonderful team for the first time and looks forward to portraying the important and breathtaking story that is The Mountaintop.
Creative
Kandace Crystal
Director
Kandace is an Actor, Director, Producer, & Florida State alum from Miami, FL. Her directorial credits include productions at the Coronado Playhouse, Scripps Ranch Theatre, and Trinity Theatre Company. As Artistic Director of American History Theatre and Associate Artistic Director of Trinity Theatre Company, Kandace hopes to continue using her art to tell the stories of oppressed and marginalized communities; even developing a Podcast/Oral Documentary with Cloudcast Media entitled 8:46 - The Catalyst for Change.
Zack King
Stage Manager
Zack is a dancer, actor, and video artist. He strives to cultivate empathy and curiosity by making work that is personal and socially relevant. He hopes this will inspire people to find out more about themselves and through that, connect more with others. Zack is new to stage managing and is excited to support the production from behind the scenes.
Imahni King-Murillo
Assistant Stage Manager
Imahni is thrilled to be working with The Roustabouts Theatre Co. again! His last appearance with the group was as Cory Maxson in a staged reading of Fences. As the Artistic Director of TYPA Theatre Company, Imahni is happy to be assisting with this production of The Mountaintop as part of TYPA’s first collaboration with a neighboring theatre company!
Reiko Huffman
Set Designer
Reiko is a freelance Scenic Designer seeking to change and impact the field with emotionally propelled design. Having worked in small theatres throughout Seattle such as Theater Schmeater, Washington Ensemble Theatre, ArtsWest, New Century Theatre Company, Freehold Theatre, and Book-It Repertory Theatre, she continues to seek out opportunities to design that break tradition and bring in new and wider perspectives into the design process. Reiko's journey involves incorporating emotion and critical awareness into her design process in order to authentically interweave the emotions that motivate our design choices. She elects to explore the unknown, pursue daring designs, and take on challenging narratives in order to truly grasp what genuine visual storytelling means.
Mashun Tucker
Lighting Designer
Mashun Tucker is an Artist based in San Diego. He has worked with multiple theatre companies in the area including San Diego Rep, New Village Arts, & The Old Globe. He is glad to have the opportunity of working with the team on bringing this piece to life on the screen. Mashun has credits on and offstage and is very excited to be able to share his craft with you all during these times.
Marc Akiyama
Sound Designer
Marc is a composer for film and theatre, and the co-founder of Akiyama Music, a film scoring and production studio based in San Diego. An alumnus of New York University’s Percussion Performance Program, Marc is the resident sound designer for Trinity Theatre Company, Coronado Playhouse, and performs with orchestral pits for many of San Diego’s professional theaters. He scores a wide array of films from animation to original musicals, including Brush with Disney Animator, Garrett Lewis, while spanning multiple genres from jazz to orchestral. Marc co-hosts The Akiyama Brothers’ Song to Screen Podcast, which explores the storytelling techniques of film and theatre music. He and his brother produce a variety of creative content for their studio, including original films, tutorial videos, and music.
Beonica Bullard
Costume Design
Beonica's past shows include
Quality of Life
(Intrepid Shakespeare Company),
Black Pearl Sings (San Diego Rep), The Niceties (MOXIE Theatre), and
Uplifting Black Voice
(Common Ground). She has a Bachelor of Arts in Theater with an emphasis in Stage Management from SDSU. Previously she had a fellowship at San Diego Repertory Theater and is currently the resident Stage Manager at JCompany Youth Theater. She was awarded a Certificate of Recognition in Artistic Achievement from the California Legislature Assembly.
Kimberly King
Dramaturge
Kimberly is very pleased to be collaborating with AHT and The Roustabouts on such a worthy work. A native San Diegan, Ms. King is a public school teacher of 25 years, mother of 3 local artists, arts advocate, and Co-founder of Teenage Youth Performing Arts Theatre Company. "Dramaturgy, as a deep dive into the world of a play, is the ultimate theatre nerd-out and it gives me so much life- I love it." Kimberly has a Master of Arts in Theatre Arts.
Michael Brueggemeyer
Videographer/Editor
Michael is a seven-time EMMY recipient in the Pacific Southwest region. He’s an accomplished Director. His films have won Best Film in 48 Hour Film Project events in six out of twelve attempts, including three films which were selected in the top 20 worldwide, out of over 3000 films. He makes his living doing corporate projects, usually working as a one-man band, doing lighting, sound, camera, and sometimes makeup. Both his writing and editing have won awards. A former Director of Photography in International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 600, Mike has taught seminars on AfterEffects compositing, lighting for green screen, acting for the camera, and the business of the film business.
Presenters
The Roustabouts Theatre Co.
Bringing together notable local actors, directors, and playwrights, The Roustabouts Theatre Co. (TRTC) is a non-profit San Diego theatre company dedicated to entertaining, educating, and inspiring audiences in Southern California by producing fresh visions of classics, well-known contemporary plays, and new works. TRTC celebrates the artist and honors the creative impulse by drawing from the rich, diverse talents of actors, directors, designers, and playwrights who live in the San Diego region. TRTC believes the new works they produce have an important impact and deserves a prominent place on the American stage. The Roustabouts are committed to bringing passion, excitement, and dedication to making great theatre and sharing with the young and old residents of So. Cal and beyond.
American History Theater Company
The American History Theater is a San Diego-based nonprofit that seeks to educate, inspire and raise social awareness through historical theatre while advocating for our community's veterans through creative healing workshops and special events.
Teenage Youth Performing Arts Theatre Company (TYPA)
Teenage Youth Performing Arts (TYPA) Theatre Company is more than a community theatre for teens. We are a movement. We are a family of artists that all believe in the rigorous study and production of theatrics for free. We believe that high-quality production is for everyone to be a part of, not just those who pay or get paid to perform. Theatre, as a whole, is a community and in a community there are many kinds of people. We are simply expanding upon the community and creating another performance outlet for teens to move towards and grow within.
Additional Credits
Original Broadway production produced by Jean Doumanian, Sonia Friedman Productions, Ambassador Theatre Group, Raise the Roof 7, Ted Snowdon, Alhadeff Productions/Lauren Doll, B Square + 4 Productions/Broadway Across America, Jacki Barlia Florin/Cooper Federman, Ronnie Planalp/Moellenberg Taylor and Marla Rubin Productions/Blumenthal Performing Arts, in association with Scott Delman.
The Mountaintop was developed at the Lark Play Development Center, New York City, and was first produced by Theatre 503 in June 2009 and further produced at Trafalgar Studio One in July 2009 by Sonia Friedman Productions and Jean Doumanian, Tali Pelman for Ambassador Theatre Group, Bob Bartner, Freddy DeMann, Jerry Frankel, Ted Snowdon and Marla Rubin Productions Ltd.
The Mountaintop was developed at the 2008 Bay Area Playwrights Festival, a program of the Playwrights Foundation (Amy L. Mueller, Artistic Director).
Reviews
Pam Kragen - San Diego Union-Tribune
"Kandace Crystal, artistic director of American History Theater, directs the production with confidence, honesty and a propulsive energy that keeps you riveted all the way to the moving and time-bending finale. Caiel Noble is so powerful and heartbreaking in the role of King; he’s thoroughly believable as a near-broken man, so haunted by death threats that every peal of thunder outside the motel causes a panic attack. Ashley Graham, who plays Camae, is a delight to watch in the mercurial role as she shocks, amuses and infuriates King with her curse words, whiskey bottle and unexpected revelations. The two actors have good chemistry, and they’re both fully invested in their roles."
Pat Launer - Times of San Diego
"The play is a fantasy, a highly effective and enlightening one, wherein King gets a glimpse of the future of the civil rights movement and the plight of Blacks in America...Not only is this an ideal time to revisit the play, but it’s being produced in a highly appropriate way: as a collaboration among three theaters — one more established (The Roustabouts) and two younger companies it’s mentoring through the process (The American History Theater and the Teenage Youth Performing Arts Theatre Company)."
Julia Dixon Evans - KPBS Arts
"In reading playwright Katori Hall's Olivier award-winning script, (Director Kandace) Crystal gained a deeper respect for Dr. King. Crystal said she identifies with characters because of their flaws, not because they are perfect....Actor Caiel Noble tackles Dr. King with wit, charm, trauma and impatience. (Ashley) Graham's performance is impeccable, piercing and funny."
EM Reiter - BroadwayWorld San Diego
"Noble’s King is a compelling balancing act of the man behind the legend. His King is powerful, charming, and charismatic, while also impatient, has moments of vanity, and flirts with the hotel maid just after calling home to his wife and kids. Noble smartly doesn’t do an impersonation but finds and accentuates King’s characteristics. Graham’s Camae is provoking, funny, and ferocious. Directed by Kandace Crystal the play is a delicate balance of comedy and drama, all while keeping a steady momentum, with an ever-increasing sense of tension. Her choice in staging the final moments, integrated with video is especially moving."
Kathy Carpenter - SplashMagazines.com
"Kandace Crystal directed two remarkable actors, who mastered the play. Caiel Nobel, and Ashley Graham. They both had outstanding performances, and the play is a must see for American History fans."
