PACKAGES O’ THE THINGS WE DELIVER

National Black Theatre & Chelsea Factory Present

Packages O’ The Things We Deliver

Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 7:30PM

Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 7:30PM

Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30PM

Saturday, March 30, 2024 at 3:00PM & 7:30PM

Sunday, March 31, 2024 at 3:00PM

$25

85 minutes

Playwright | Created by Sxr Oya Mae Dxtchxss-Davis

Director | Daniel Boisrond

Lighting Designer | John Alexander

Costume Designer | Jason A. Goodwin

Projections Designer | Zavier Taylor

Set Designer | lucas a degirolamo

Sound Design | Chris Darbassie

Props Designer | Belynda M’Baye

Production Stage Manager | Belynda M'Baye

Associate Director | Wesley McIntyre

LED Specialist | Romo Hallahan

LED Support | Liam Corley

Technical Director | Daniel Brothers

Fabrication / TD Support | Jessica Kaplan (Sightline Fabrication)

Intimacy Coordinator | Amaal Saifudeen (Unkle Dave’s Fight House)

Assistant Stage Manager | Meikayla Thomany

Production Assistant | Maria Hernandez

Production Management | Support Rachael Harris

Casting Director | Sujotta Pace, Sujotta Casting

Cast:
Kash | Travis Raeburn

Tino | Sequoiia 

Cortez | Drew Drake

Mother/Shaggy | Cherene Snow

Cellz | Arewà Basit

About the Play:
After a murder, three brothers trapped in urban Minneapolis are haunted by their past, and channel their energy and rhythmic flow to save their family from the threat of police violence. Yet, quickly they realize the only way to disentangle the intergenerational connections between their family members is by delivering packages. This perilous journey to the ancestral world, OKO, asks them to forgive and empathize in the midst of trauma to liberate the souls of their family.

About National Black Theatre’s I AM SOUL Playwrights Residency Program:
SOUL Series LAB (Liberating Artistic Bravery) is a contemporary laboratory for accelerating and creating innovative new work by cutting-edge artists rooted in NBT’s pedagogy. The LAB explores three core disciplines: Playwright, Directing and Producing.

The I AM SOUL - Playwrights Residency, launched in 2012, is one of the signature programs for the LAB. The I AM SOUL - Playwrights Residency is the only commissioning program in the country with a commitment from page to stage, dedicated to the production of Black playwrights new work. The artist selected for this program have to demonstrate exceptional artistic merit and excellence in the theatrical field. Coined as a dream MFA program, this residency also seeks to unleash the soul of a playwright so that they can develop, hone, and explore new ways of artistic expression in a safe, supportive, and transformative environment. The process of the residency that spans a minimum of 18 months, culminates with a Public Presentation of the newly commissioned work where we invite audiences into the development process to help continue to hone and grow the work with live, genuine, and critical feedback to inspire.

With I AM SOUL, NBT seeks to deepen the artistic relationship between Black theatrical institutions and Black playwrights in order to re-establish Black theatrical institutions as the foremost supporters and producers of new works created by Black playwrights.

About Oya Mae Dxtchxss-Davis (Playwright):
Sxr Oya Mae Duchess-Davis is a multi-souled pansexual, disabled (MS) playwright and Santeria practitioner from Minneapolis, MN. Her various intersecting identities are the main inspirations for her writing. Her artistic aim is to create stories so black youth can see characters on stage who not only look like them but are dealing with some of the extreme circumstances that they may be dealing with. Oya was a 2016 Many voices Mentee. Her play Skin was a part of the 2017 Twin Cities Horror Festival and her play Lunch will be a part of the 2020 Twin cities horror festival. Oya was a finalist for The Apothetae Playwriting Fellowship through the Lark Theatre in New York City and The Many Voices Fellowship through The Playwright’s Center. She is excited to be a part of this residency and is enthusiastic to explore her future conjurations.

About Daniel Boisrond (Director):
Daniel Boisrond is a multifaceted artist whose vision transcends mediums. He wears multiple hats with finesse - a Director, Actor, Brand strategist and an entrepreneur as the founder (Ceo) of 3:5Creative[s], a creative agency. With a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Art and with a decade-spanning career in the industry he has worked on projects such as MTV's "Eye Candy" (Ethan), Quicken Loans Rocket Mortgage Super Bowl Commercial featuring Michael Keegan-Key, idigress (Caleb) and Skeleton Crew (Dez) at Premiere Stages at Kean University. Directing credits include ShopTalk (ArtYard), Roots (Dixon Place & La MAMA), For Colored Girls..(Breakthrough Theater of Winter Park). Daniel's journey is one fueled by partnerships and trust, notably appreciative of the foundations laid by NBT, the collaborative spirit of Jonathan and Sáde, and the shared vision of making space for these so vital narratives. A heartfelt thank you to his family (Monica & Sahali) and friends, whose unwavering support is the lifeblood of his creative spirit. IG: @danielboisrond @35creatives

About National Black Theatre:
National Black Theatre (NBT) is a Tony and Emmy Award-nominated institution founded in 1968 by Dr. Barbara Ann Teer. NBT is the longest-running Black theatre in NYC founded and consistently operated by a woman of color. NBT uses theatre arts as a means to educate, empower, and inform the national conscience around social issues impacting Black communities. NBT’s multidisciplinary approach to theatre builds upon Black liberation, art, and placemaking as a catalyst for human transformation. NBT has produced over 300 original works, won an Obie award, an Antonyo Award, 56 AUDELCO Awards, and has been nominated for multiple Drama Desk Awards. 

Health and Safety Protocols
Chelsea Factory will be implementing the following procedures to help ensure the health and safety of our patrons, staff, and artists:

• We practice contactless ticketing and will be checking patrons in by name (no need to show printed or digital tickets).

• Masks are optional.

• While Chelsea Factory strongly recommends vaccination against COVID-19, proof of vaccination is not currently required for audience entrance to performances and public programs.

Click here for our full Health and Safety Protocols.