Magic Theatre
Fort Mason Center
2 Marina Boulevard, Building D
San Francisco, CA 94123
WINNER OF THE BEST PLAY AWARD
FROM THE AMERICAN THEATRE CRITIC AND NEW YORK DRAMA CRITICS' CIRCLE
Wearing her heart on her sleeve while sewing intimates for her clientele, Esther is the talented, proud, but shy Black seamstress in turn-of-the-century New York 1905. She has built savings for herself making beautiful undergarments for both posh Fifth Avenue boudoirs and questionable bordellos. Esther earnestly daydreams of new beginnings and romantic possibilities. She plans to open a beauty parlor where Black women will be treated like royalty. She embarks on a journey to find love, discovering unexpected friendships that defy race, class, and religion. But when an egregious deception cuts short her heartfelt desires, can class, culture and circumstance outmatch the strength of the human spirit? Inspired by a true story, Intimate Apparel is a heart-rending contemporary work in the style of an enduring classic—from Lynn Nottage, the first female playwright to win two Pulitzers.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Lynn Nottage is a playwright and a screenwriter. She is the first and remains the only woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and worldwide. Most recently, Nottage premiered MJ the Musical, directed by Christopher Wheeldon and featuring the music of Michael Jackson, at the Neil Simon Theater on Broadway; Clyde's directed by Kate Whoriskey at Second Stage Theater on Broadway; and an opera adaptation of her play Intimate Apparel composed by Ricky Ian Gordon, commissioned by The Met/Lincoln Center Theater. Her other work includes Floyd's (retitled- Clyde's) (Guthrie Theater); the musical adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's novel The Secret Life of Bees, with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead (The Atlantic Theater); Mlima’s Tale (Public Theater); By The Way, Meet Vera Stark (Lilly Award, Drama Desk Nomination); Ruined (Pulitzer Prize, OBIE, Lucille Lortel, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Audelco, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award); Intimate Apparel (American Theatre Critics and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Play); Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine (OBIE Award); Crumbs from the Table of Joy; Las Meninas; Mud, River, Stone; Por’knockers; and POOF! Her play Sweat (Pulitzer Prize, Evening Standard Award, Obie Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Tony Nomination, Drama Desk Nomination) moved to Broadway after a sold-out run at The Public Theater. It premiered and was commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival American Revolutions History Cycle/Arena Stage. Inspired by her research on Sweat, Nottage developed This is Reading, a performance installation based on two years of interviews, at the Franklin Street, Reading Railroad Station in Reading, PA, in July 2017.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR AND CAST
Jan Hunter (Director) is an actress, director and retired theatre educator of 40 years. She was the Performing Arts Director at Skyline High School for 24 years directing and producing 4 productions a year. She directed The Vagina Monologues for BAWAR in 2018. She recently performed in African American Shakespeare Theatre's productions of Cinderella, Streetcar Named Desire and For Colored Girls, nominated for Outstanding Ensemble performance by Theatre Bay Area. She’s performed in Oedipus, School for Scandal, and Pygmalion. Jan is a Board of Directors member of the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. She holds a B.A. in Drama, M.A. in Education and M.A. in Teacher of the Arts.
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Jeunée Simon* (Esther) is an actor and director in the Bay Area. Recent credits include: La Ronde (Cutting Ball Theater), Men On Boats u/s (American Conservatory Theater), HeLa (TheatreFIRST) The Daughters (SF Playhouse), Bamboozled and Roan at the Gates (Central Works). Simon is a proud recipient of the 2017 RHE Artistic Fellowship and a 2019 Directing Apprentice with PlayGround. She is delighted to be part of this Bay Area community and humbled by the talent of those around her. (*Member of Actors' Equity Association)
Marjorie Crump Shears* (Mrs. Dickson) is enjoying an “encore career” as a professional, working actor having retired from education after 33 years in 1999. She has been privileged to work in many theaters in the Greater Bay Area, and in Sonoma County where she resides. The roles she has played have been varied and cover plays in most genres, including the classics, modern drama and comedy and musical. In addition to stage work, her acting career has expanded to include TV, screen, internet, and medical training schools (Standardized Patient). She is an AEA member and a member of SAG/AFTRA. She is a proud and longtime member of Theater Bay Area. (*Member of Actors' Equity Association)
Jasmine Milan Williams (Mayme) is a multidisciplinary artist and actor who uses art as a vessel for change, collaborating with BIPOC artist and organizations to tell bold stories and shine light on Black and queer liberations. She’s so excited to be revisiting this story with these wonderful artists. Mayme holds a special place in her heart and has kept her strong throughout this two year worldly shift. She’s recently had the privilege to tell these stories: Passing Strange by Stew (Shotgun Theatre Company,( Costume Designer ‘22), Ain’t MisBehaviń at Hillbarn Theater, (Costume Designer ‘22) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison adapted by Lydia R. Diamond (Aurora Theatre 21’), and more. Companies she has collaborated with include: CampoSanto (Family/Company Member), Shotgun Theatre Company, Hillbarn Theater,, and New Conservatory Theater Company. She thanks her family and friends for always encouraging her to follow her dreams and standing behind an artist that works to change the world through her art!
Next up she will be costuming: The Incrementalist at Aurora Theatre Company, and Continuing to Spread Positivity on her website is jasminemilan.com and her Instagram is @positivitea_breedspositivity.
Kim Saunders (Mrs. Van Buren - April 1-3 performances) is thrilled to be working with the LHT. She holds a BA in Theatre from Marymount Manhattan College. In New York she worked with The Nat Horne Theatre, Neighborhood Playhouse, Academy Arts Theatre Company and ABT at Lincoln Center. She also performed with The Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 6 years. In California, she's performed with: San Jose Repertory Theatre, San Jose Stage, African American Shakespeare Company and others. Kim is a company member of Custom Made Theatre and Left Coast Theatre. She was nominated twice by BATCC for best female principal as well as choreography and a nomination from TBA for choreography. Kim is a professional director/choreographer and works as a teaching artist in high schools supporting teachers and students.
Miriam Ani* (Mrs. Van Buren - April 8-16 performances) is a Bay Area based theatre artist delighted to be returning to LHT. Past company member of Hedgerow Theatre, credits include Ariel in The Tempest across from Robert Lanchester’s Prospero and Rose in A Hotel on Marvin Gardens (dir. Nagle Jackson). She originated the lead in the West Coast Premiere of Jim Knable's Green Man (STAGES Theatre, LA), distinguished as original cast member in the Samuel French version of the playscript. Since relocating to the Bay Area she has worked with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (The Urban Retreat, West Coast Premiere), San Francisco Shakespeare (Comedy of Errors On Tour), Cal Shakes (Queen Margaret u/s, War of the Roses) and appeared as the title role in The Heiress at Lucie Stern Theatre, Irina in Three Sisters at DMT, Sébastienne in Livermore Shakes’ Tempest, Lady Macbeth for Half Moon Bay Shakes, and as Karen in August Osage County (NTC) among others. Miriam has taught with Berkeley Rep, SF Shakes, CSU East Bay, Sac State, and currently teaches for the Actors Conservatory at Las Positas College. Proud member of AEA. MFA, CUNY Brooklyn College.
Khary L. Moye* (George) was last seen in the streaming production of [hieroglyph] for S.F Playhouse. He also was the voice of Brooke for the Audio Drama The Flats with Aurora Theatre Company. He understudied the roles of Stretch, King and Woody for the production of Toni Stone at A.C.T. Other Bay Area Credits include A Streetcar Named Desire with African American Shakespeare Company, Six Degrees Of Separation at Custom Made Theatre Company and Clybourne Park with Altarena Playhouse. Film/Television credits include "The Dave Chappelle Show" and "Sense 8." (*Member of Actors' Equity Association)
Samuel Vegas (Mr. Marks) has been performing in plays, films and commercials in the bay area since 2003, last appearing in the stage production of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya as Vanya (2021).
DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM
Production Manager and Graphic Designer: Julius Rea
Stage Manager: Vanessa Hill
Lighting and Projections Designer: Kevin Myrick
Sound Designer: Anton Doty
Set Piece Designer & Builder: Tom Hird
Set Builder: Jon Gourdine
Assistant Costume and Prop Designer: Lynette Parker
Sound & Board Operator: Ray Archie
Dialect Coach: Lisa Porter
We are a not-for-profit theatre. DONATIONS and support are always appreciated.