 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |
The Promised Land Gallery
Photos by Sean McCullough
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |
Behind the Scenes
 |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
Cast
Rodger Jackson/Reed Lawson
As
Abraham
A musician, actor, and teacher. Lawson has performed in Michigan, upstate New York, Oregon, and New Jersey. He also was part of an international tour bringing Desire Under the Elms to Delphi and Athens Greece, where he played Ephraim. He played Iordanis in the American Premier of Courtyard of Miracles, starred in the 2018 independent film Another Time and was Prospero in Stockton University's Production of The Tempest.
Gayle Carney
As
Ester
Gayle Carney, a regular sight on stage and film, is glad to be making her New York debut. She most recently stared at Highwood Theatre's The Dog Must Die. Other roles include Alma in Painted, Medea in Deranged Durang and Rose in Fences.  She brings a wealth of experience and professionalism to Dunvegan-Productions The Promised Land.
Simone Les
As
Rebecca
Simone Les, world traveler, and performer. Simone brings her talent and skill to The Promised Land.  She is a graduate of Emerson College and the Upright Citizens Brigade. Some of her favorite roles include the diabolical Mephistopheles in Faust and Helen in The Donkey Show. She is also capable of reciting the alphabet backward in English and French no matter her mental state.
Tyler Riley
as
Elliot
Actor, Producer, and Mentor. Tyler Riley brings his individual style and elegance to The Promised Land. His most recent credits include Sebastian in The Tempest, Mark in The Shadow Box, and the title role in Ajax, which toured Greece. Tyler Riley is a welcome addition to the Dunvegan family. He also works with TDF (Theatre Development Fund) to bring theatre to the next generation.
Design Team
Sanja Manakoski
Costume Design
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Costume and Fashion Design from University of Applied Arts and Design in Belgrade, and her Master of Fine Arts in Stage Design from Northwestern University. Sanja has worked on several theatre and movie productions in Europe such as November Man, In Secret, Chernobyl Diaries, Panama. Sanja teaches costume and makeup design at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Craig Tropp
Set Designer
Craig earned his undergraduate at Stockton University. While there he was nominated by the Kennedy Center for both his scenic and lighting designs. Since his graduation, he has worked as a freelance technician, carpenter, and designer. He also works with Starlight LLC. His favorite designs include Seussical with at Limelight Theatre, Charlotte's Web and his work with Chrysalis Staging.
Sean McCullough
Light Designer
Sean McCullough is a graduate of Stockton University in theatre production. He works as a stage manager, performer, designer, and actor. The lighting designer of Matt and Benn, and various dance productions he was also the assistant scenic designer for The Real Inspector Hound. Sean's helped launch the premiere of AHAB: A Musical Odyssey as their original stage manager.
Ashley Robyn Patten
Graphic Designer/Publicity
Ashley Robyn Patten is a graduate of the BFA Acting program at Marymount Manhattan College and the BADA program of Oxford University. She is a working artist and actress out of Brooklyn. You can see Ashley’s artwork on Instagram (@redhandedrobyn) and she can be seen at the Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival’s upcoming production of Much Ado About Nothing starring as Hero.
Amanda Tropp
Videographer
A graduate of the Rowan University program for film and radio studies. Amanda has worked in the South Jersey and Philadelphia area. Currently, a videographer at Thomas Jefferson University she is happy to bring her talents to Dunvegan Production’s The Promised Land.
Natalie Jones
Dialect Coach for Mr. Riley
Natalie Jones is a freelance Kennedy Center-recognized performer, director, teaching artist, stage manager, and dialect coach based in Queens, New York. In addition to her private coaching work, Natalie has served as the dialect coach on theatrical productions of Me and My Girl, Oklahoma!, The Boy Friend, and Beauty and the Beast, among others. She’s happy to now add Promised Land to that list! Contact her for film, stage, audition, and other dialect coaching at nataliejtheatre@yahoo.com. Thanks to Mom, Dad, Zach, and her friends for their continued support and encouragement. She’d also like to thank Lane and Tyler for the opportunity to be a small part of this show and keep the Stockton pride alive! Ephesians 6:7.
Director's Notes
Question: Why don’t more movies and plays deal with climate change?
Answer: It’s too late. We’re already dead.
No, that can’t be right. Or at least I hope it’s not. When we think about climate change we find it hard to articulate what we actually mean. Discussions on regional climate differences, local ecology, and air flow shifts on colored charts hardly indicate the end of the world. But we do understand Revelation. Religion has the language to proclaim what scientists have been trying to scream. The rapture has approached, bring out your dead, the flood has arrived.
Now, this is not preordained. Humanity has the power to stop this ending. But we aren’t. Instead, we debate basic science. Instead, we delay personal responsibility or legislation that could help. Instead of something, we do nothing.
I think this will change. That we’ll finally take the steps needed to move forward and stop hurting ourselves. I am an optimist.
The play thinks I’m wrong.
Lane McLeod Jackson