Meet the cast & crew of Hibernian Hall’s production of Stick Fly!
Kelly Lydon
ALIYAH HARRIS (Cheryl) studied theater at University of Pennsylvania, including a semester abroad at Fordham London Dramatic Academy. Recent roles include Dottie in Diaspora! for Speakeasy Stage, Radio 2 in Caroline, or Change for Moonbox Productions, and Alysha in American Idiot for The Company Theatre.
ADJOVI KOENE (Taylor) has appeared as Marianne Angelle in The Revolutionists and Susan in David Mamet’s Race for Hovey Players, and Calpurnia in To Kill a Mockingbird for Mugford Street Players, In addition to her numerous live theater credits Adjovi has worked in short films, television and commercials. Her training is in the technique of Practical Aesthetics Harvard Extension School with Scott Zigler.
CHRISTIAN THOMAS (Spoon (Kent) LeVay) has worked in film, new media and commercials. His passion, however, is in theater. He has been involved as a Prisoner in Jesus Hopped the A Train at Hovey Players, Inspector Colquhoun in The Hallow for Burlington Players, and Lysander in A Midsummer Nights Dream for Hovey Players. Christian’s training Include scene study at Boston Casting and improvisation at Newton Community Education.
JAY STREET (Flip (Harold) LeVay) has acting credits as Jake Sidwell in Lab Rats for New World Theater, Ralph Abernathy in All the Way for Veterans in Performing Arts, and Ernest Omotoso in Sputnik—A Love Story for Nashua Theater Guild. Beyond live theater Jay has extensive experience in film and television. He has undertaken training at Chekov Actors’ Studio, Mornell Studios, Boston University Actor’s Lab, and Northeastern University.
BILL BRUCE (Joe LeVay) is an accomplished actor and singer who in recent years has performed in several Madison Park Development Corporation productions at Hibernian Hall, from To Hell with This Village in 2013 to I M Possible in 2018.
MORGAN ROSE FORD (Kimber) began performing Shakespeare while studying anthropology and film at Boston University. Her theater training since graduating includes contemporary scene study at Company One. Recent credits include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet and Claudius in Hamlet, all for the touring ensemble of Boston Theatre Company.
LYDIA R. DIAMOND (Playwright) was born Lydia Gartin in Detroit in 1969. She attended high school in Waco, Texas and graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago in 1991, with a degree in theater arts. After college she formed Another Small Black Theatre Company with Good Things to Say to perform her own plays. In 1996 she married sociologist John Diamond, taking his surname, and in 2004 they relocated to the Boston area. Lydia Diamond had pivotal years in her new city in 2005-2007. Huntington Theatre selected her as a Playwriting Fellow, Company One produced her adaptation of Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, and she began teaching at Boston University.
CIERA-SADE WADE (Director) studied theatre at Boston University with a semester of classical training at the London Academy of Dramatic Art. Among her professors for dramatic literature and playwriting was Lydia Diamond, author of Stick Fly. Ciera-Sadé’s last appearance in the Hibernian Hall ballroom was as Lady in Blue in the Praxis Stage production of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf and before that as Harriet Phyllis in Madison Park Development Corporation’s production of Top Eye Open.
CHRISTINA CLOSS (Stage Manager) is an actor with past experience as an assistant director, props and costumes manager, and stage manager. Since earning her BFA in Acting from the Hartt School, Christina has performed in a variety of professional roles in theater, film, web-series, and commercial voice-over. Christina has worked with several theater ensembles including The Rodger’s Center for the Arts, Ragnarok Productions, The Company Theatre, and was a core company member for two years with Gamut Theatre Group.
DILLON BUSTIN (Co-Producer and Set Designer) is an author, composer, filmmaker and performer who joined Madison Park Development Corporation in 2010 as Artistic Director. He retired last year to return to an earlier career as a touring singer and storyteller. During his eight years with MPDC Dillon presented over forty plays at Hibernian Hall, and he’s back in the ballroom as an independent program consultant to produce Lydia Diamond’s Stick Fly.
OLAWUMI AKINWUMI (Co-Producer) is in event management and public relations, with over ten years of experience in live entertainment and social media. She has organized events in the Boston metropolitan area creating musical platforms for local artists, musicians and bands for a small production company called AfroDesiaCity. Ola holds an MS in Communications Management from Simmons School of Management and a BS from the University of New Hampshire, where she began her education as a Tourism Planning and Development major.
ASAD HARDWICK (Technical Director) Boston born Roxbury raised, Asad is a creative who has devoted his career to working behind the scenes of productions and performing arts. Being exposed at a young age to movie production, playwrights, and the music industry; Asad has made a living providing audio, lighting, and production management support across the country and internationally. Asad has provided audio visual technical support to the performing arts and events at Hibernian Hall since 2005. He then joined Madison Park Development Corporation in 2017 as Technical Manager.
KIARA ESCALERA (Costume Designer) is the Creative Director and Co-Founder for K. Escalera, overseeing visual/ fashion merchandising for companies such as Aldo, Express, Victoria Secret, and Target; Kiara expanded her expertise by providing her creative services to productions. Kiara is going into her second year of being a fashion stylist as well as a costume and wardrobe designer.
AJA JACKSON (Lighting Designer) studied dance and technical theater at the University of Nebraska and completed an advanced degree in lighting design at Boston University. She is in demand regionally at such stages as American Repertory Theater, New Repertory Theatre, Central Square Theater, Company One, and BCA at Calderwood Pavilion. Aja has served as a mentor with Brighter Boston, to give urban youth practical training in event management and theater production.
HANNAH HULING (Production Manager) has an extensive resume in arts administration and theater management, having studied Technical Theatre and Design at Wichita State University. In addition to her staff position at New Repertory Theater at Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Hannah takes on free-lance projects in the greater Boston area.
KAY MATHEW (MPDC Resource Development Manager) is responsible for fundraising at Hibernian Hall and has worked with the Hibernian Hall team to ensure funding that supported the production of Stick Fly.
KELLY RANSOM (MPDC Communications & Marketing Manager) has an eclectic background in communications, event production, and the culinary arts. Her professional background includes 16 years of event production, hospitality, various forms of marketing, community activism, and fundraising.
How does a wealthy man host a reunion at his summer house on Martha’s Vineyard, even though both his wife and housekeeper are too ill to attend? He hires the housekeeper’s young daughter as a substitute maid, and the gathering begins with the arrival of his two sons and their girlfriends. But old family secrets have been suppressed too long, and before the weekend is over all the dirty linen has been laundered and hung out to dry.
Join Hibernian Hall for our production of ‘Stick Fly’ by Lydia Diamond – Directed by Ciera-Sadé Wade
Thursday, October 17, 7:30 pm – Opening Night, Press Night, Friends of Hibernian Hall Reception, After the show enjoy a talk-back with ‘Stick Fly’ Playwright Lydia Diamond and Director Ciera-Sadé Wade
