FIRSt Friday June, 2nd

Welcome to First Friday! ! Join us for four  LGBTQIA+ original plays by Seed Art Share playwrights. Curated to kick-off Raleigh's Pride celebration,  the series tells distinct stories of love; first love, sacrificial love, learning to love oneself, and the all important love of friends and community. 

Admission to all plays is FREE. Look for signs to gather around the acting areas.  Plays #1-3 take place at VAE, The COR Museum, and The Original Selfie Museum. Plays run 7-10 minutes each and may be viewed in any order.  Play #4 begins across the street  at 6:50 in Market Plaza.

*To visit The Original Selfie Museum before or after Unfiltered:Imago Dei, visit www.originalselfiemuseum.com and enter code “PRISM” to purchase discounted museum tickets for June 2nd. 

Directed by Mikki Marvel

Mikki Marvel (they/them) is an absurdist artist based in Durham, NC. Upcoming Projects: Corpus Christi by Terrence McNally (June 1-10, Props Designer), The Uproar a sketch comedy show (June 8-11, Director), National Women's Theatre Festival (June 21-July 2, Technical Director), The Uproar @ WTF (June 30 & July 1, Director), PlaySlam: Sketch-tacular (July 29, Co-Producer), Stream Raleigh (September 16, Creative Producer), Figurative, a 24 Hour Drawing Marathon (November 4, Producer). Instagram: @mikkimarvel

Riley Yates (Cameron)

 Riley is a teaching artist currently based in Raleigh NC. Riley recently received their BFA in musical theatre from East Carolina University. They will receive their BFA in Theatre Education in December. Riley is also a director and playwright who recently won best play in an Equity Theatre Library 10-minute play competition. Riley is beyond excited to participate in this event. 

Kim Furlow

 Kim Furlow (they/them) - Kim is a second career minister entering their final year of the Master of Divinity program at Emory University's Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, GA. While a full-time student, Kim also works in Candler’s Office of Student Life as a Community and Spiritual Coordinator. Kim has completed two internships, one at a non-profit that provides services for unhoused persons and the other as a church-based pastoral resident for adult education. Kim also serves as chaplain for Candler’s Sacred Worth, an organization for queer and allied seminarians, and as a volunteer for Parent Connect, an Atlanta based organization for parents of LGBTQIA+ children. Kim’s professional resume includes experience in the fields of education, non-profit development and volunteer coordination, and real estate and property management.
A longtime supporter of the work and mission of Seed Art Share, Kim was thrilled to participate in this project as a novice playwright for Unfiltered – Imago Dei. Kim is passionate about creating spaces of faith that are radically inclusive as they authentically and unapologetically into their identity as a queer person of faith. In their free time, Kim enjoys traveling, writing, visiting museums and botanical gardens, and time spent with family and friends. 

The Original Selfie Museum 

208 Fayetteville St. 

 5, 5:30, 6pm

Directed by Rebecca Blum 

Rebecca C. Blum (Director) is excited to dust off her director’s hat and help the wonderful folks at Seed Art Share tell this lovely story. Previous directing credits include: The Marowitz Hamlet and On the Verge: or the Geography of Yearning (hiSTORYstage); Macbeth and Love Letters (Bare Theatre); Measure for Measure (Raleigh Little Theatre). Thanks to Seth and the kids, always. 

Davi Cunningham (Meg)

Davi Cunningham is a young queer actor and poet new to the Raleigh area. They are a rising sophomore at Meredith College studying Musical Theatre and English. They have been in many shows recently, OhKay!, The Wolves, and Carrie, to name a few at Meredith. They are so happy to be apart of this production team and they hope you enjoy the shows! Their social media handle is @queenangelyls for all socials. 

Roni Nicole (Meghan)

Roni Nicole is a professional wrestler, author, activist, model, actress, dancer and choreographer. Her passion for the arts began at a very early age and has since blossomed into a successful and fulfilling international entertainment career. Born in Houston, Texas, Roni refers to herself as ‘Houston born but Carolina bred’ and her love for the South is only matched by her endeavors to improve its conditions through her arts, poetry, prose, and activism. Her role as 'Carla' in 2022  In The Heights at Raleigh Little Theater under the direction of Patrick Torres is one of her favorite roles to date.
 

Sky Symonds (Alli)

Sky Symonds is an upcoming senior at Meredith College majoring in Theatre with a Musical Theatre Concentration. She has recently been featured as Carrie White in Carrie: The Musical and Ronda, Holly, and others in Roe at Meredith College. This is her first time working with Seed Art Share and she is incredibly excited to help bring one of these pieces to life! She would like to thank her support network of friends, family, and mentors for their unconditional support. Choose peace. Choose love. 

Andrea Twiss (Allison)

Most recently was seen playing multiple characters in Theatre In The Park's Sold out production of 'Forbidden Broadway'. Before that she was the standby for Evan Rachel Wood in 'The Father' also at TIP. Other Theatre In The Park credits include, Jess in Of Good Stock, Sara Jane Moore in Assassins, Chelsea in On Golden Pond, Harper in Angels in America Parts I & II and Honey in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Additional local credits include Tracey in SWEAT with The Justice Theatre Project, Maureen in Rent (NRACT) and the Mom in A Christmas Story (North Carolina Theatre) 

Ian Finley

 Ian Finley holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from the Tisch School at New York University, where he received the Harry Kondoleon Award for playwriting. He served as Resident Playwright for Burning Coal Theatre Company, from 2004 through 2012, and regularly writes for other Triangle theaters. In 2012 he was named the Piedmont Laureate in the field of Playwriting and Screenwriting by the arts councils of central North Carolina. He is the author of The Nature of the Nautilus (winner of the Kennedy Center’s 2002 Jean Kennedy Smith Award), Native (recently adapted into the film The Problem of the Hero), The Greeks, 1960, Jude the Obscure, Up from the Ground and the Our Histories cycle of site-specific plays. 

The City of Raleigh Museum

220 Fayetteville St.

5,5:30,6 pm

Directed by Hayley Philippart

Hayley Philippart is thrilled to do her first show with SEED ART SHARE! She recently moved to the RTP area and is excited to get involved in the theatre community. She has recently stage-managed for Sweet Tea Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET and directed EMMA with Sweet Tea Shakespeare. She thanks her incredibly supportive partner, friends and family for supporting the arts and hopes they enjoy the show! 

Griffin James (Beck)

Griffin is excited to be a part of this celebratory event for Pride and to share this story with you! In addition to writing/performing, Griffin has worked as a dramaturg, director, and stage manager for various projects in the triangle area. When not writing or making theatre, Griffin can be found watching horror movies with their cat Mr. Mocha Latte. Griffin would like to dedicate this script to Shane and to thank Ian, Hayley, and Renee for their work and support.  

Shane de Leon (Isaac)

Shane de León (he/him) is a singer and actor from New York’s Capital Region. He featured in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (Billy Bibbit) with LGB Productions last fall, and has been a recurring presence at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre since 2018. Shane has dabbled in musical theatre, but his heart is firmly in Jazz and the Great American Songbook. He would like to thank his partner, Griffin James, for trusting him with their script. Happy Pride! 

Visual Art Exchange

 228 Fayetteville St. 

5, 5:30, 6pm   

Directed by Hunter Taylor

Hunter Taylor is a Raleigh-based theatrical practitioner, with experience as a performer, educator, and creative team member, working on productions across the state of North Carolina. He holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Carolina University, and is thrilled to be making his Seed Art Share directorial debut. He would like to thank his wonderful cast, playwright Ryan Vasconcellos, and the rest of the wonderful team that made tonight’s performances come to life. 

Taylor Hamlet (Brit)

Taylor is honored to be playing Brit in Date Night as part of Seed Art Share’s Our Prism. She has been seen in Raleigh as Panacea in NRACT’s 2022 production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She also has had the pleasure of playing Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, Amy in Company, and Johanna in Sweeney Todd. Taylor is so grateful for her Date Night castmates, production staff, and writer Ryan Vasconcellos for their support and camaraderie. Happy Pride! 

Dani Coan (Jules)

Dani Coan is excited to be a part of this production and represent bisexual POCs in the Raleigh community. Dani works as a researcher at Duke on PrEP and HIV, and works as an actress and Disney princess (Tiana) in her spare time. Thank you to everyone for supporting this show and supporting us as queer artists! 

Carl Staub (Zach)

Carl Staub is a NC State graduate (c.o. 2020) working for the Wake County School System in a high school Media Center. This is his first time working with Seed Art Share. He recently appeared as Stokes in Carrie: The Musical (Meredith College) and Charles Bingley/Mary Bennett in the Kate Hamill adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (Raleigh Little Theatre). He would like to thank his family, his friends, his costars, and the production team for their support and for making this show possible. 

Ryan Vasconcellos  

Ryan is excited to work with Seed Art Share for the first time for a first Friday event! He is also excited to have his work as a playwright shared to the public for Pride! Thanks to everyone at Seed Art Share and my wonderful cast and director. 

Market Plaza

219 Fayetteville St. 

6:50 pm

Producer - Renee Wimberley

Renee is a Triangle-based actor, director, caregiver-artist advocate, and educator specializing in arts integration. She has over 30 years of experience teaching theatre arts programs in Wake County Schools, homeschool coops, various outreach and summer programs such as Raleigh Little Theatre and Applause Youth Theatre. She has worked with students at Meredith College, NC State, and William Peace University and on tour with The Missoula Children’s Theatre. She received her BA in Theatre Arts Education from UNC-Greensboro. In 2020, she was nominated for Broadway World Regional’s Theatre Arts Educator of the Decade.  Favorite local roles include Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (The Justice Theater Project),  Joyce in The Sum of Us (Honest Pint Theatre), Smitty in  How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (RLT),  and most recently The Duchess of York in Richard III (Sweet Tea Shakespeare). As founder and Executive Director of Seed Art Share, she is passionate about supporting caregivers in the arts and exploring community spaces through site-specific productions. Her favorite humans are her husband Joe and kiddos Max, Cana, and Stella.  

Production Manager - Rae Hedges (Production Manager) is honored to join this wonderful team on her first production with Seed Art Share. Many thanks to her partners for their enduring support, her little boys for always keeping a smile on her face, and to the fellow LGBT+ individuals and allies who support this crucial cause for the freedom of body, mind, and spirit. These performances are dedicated those who blend into every crowd, those who are unsure of their next step, and those who dare to color outside the lines. Enjoy "Our Prism"; we strive to see you through the clearest lens - your own.