sojourners the huntington theatre | written by mfoniso udofia; directed by dawn m simmons; scenic design by jason ardizzone-west; costume design by sarita fellows; lighting design by aja m jackson; sound design and original music by rob milburn & michael bodeen; hair/wig/makeup design by earon chew nealey; voice and dialect coach: dawn-elin fraser; dramaturg: christine mok; casting: janet foster; production stage manager: emily f mcmullen; stage manager: lauren j burke; associate set designer: baron pugh; assistant set designer: teresa l williams, sean sanford; director of production: bethany ford; associate director of production: miguel flores; technical director: todd burgun; props director: kristine holmes; assistant props director: justin seward; charge scenic artist: kristin krause

abasiama: abigail c onwunali; ukpong: nomè sidone; disciple: joshua olumide; moxie: asha basha duniani; understudies: aisha akorede, malik mitchell, kiera prusmack

photographs by: jason ardizzone-west

reviews

“it’s hard to imagine a more auspicious debut for this ambitious undertaking than the huntington production of “sojourners.” simmons draws wholly committed performances from her superb cast of four.”

“jason ardizzone-west designed the moveable set for “sojourners” as an intriguing blend of abstraction — in the form of a forest of wire cables — and quotidian detail (apartment interiors, the glassed-in booth where abasiama works.)”

“it‘s impossible to watch “sojourners”’ without thinking of the late august wilson, who had a strong working relationship with the huntington. wilson has had an enormous influence on contemporary playwrights with his century cycle, also known as the pittsburgh cycle, for which he wrote one drama for each decade of the 20th century. (a film adaptation of his “the piano lesson,” set in the mid-1930s, has just been released.)”

“wilson’s goal was to capture the complexity and variety of the black experience. i think he’d find a lot to admire in “sojourners,” and in udofia.”

-don aucoin for the boston globe <link to review>

“abasiama and ukpong’s kitchen, with its era-appropriate mustard yellow appliances, is framed by what looks like metal fibers that open and close like claws. the clever structure — a smart, moving set by designer jason ardizzone-west — seems to nod to the stories and memories that tether the characters to their home, and foreshadows the couple’s shifting pathways as they discern what’s important to them”

-jacquinn sinclair for wbur <link to full review>.

“the overall set design for huntington theatre company’s “sojourners” is a masterpiece of transitional technology, elevating from the otherwise basic set requirements of a compact campus apartment, a compact news stand, disciple’s compact apartment and an equally compact hospital room. however, it is in the way the flow of each scene has been designed that makes these transitions viscerally fun to watch.”

-kevin t baldwin for metrmag <link to full review>

"“jason ardizzone-west’s scenic design is innovative, balancing realism and abstraction. When first entering the theater, the set seems barren, closed off by layers of wires intertwined and bent to create a forest. as the show progresses, the layers peel back, allowing for different set pieces to slide fluidly on and off the stage. at times, the stage feels claustrophobic, such as when abasiama sits in her small hospital room, but at other moments, it is wide open, giving the characters and the audience room to breathe — even in a late night gas station parking lot. the set builds on the story, drawing in the audience at every turn.”

-nate hall and odessa gaines for the tufts daily <link to full review>