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HARVEST
     Scroll down to see the cast in action.

 

		CRUCIFIED     In the play's opening medley of Langston Hughes' poems, Rob Dziechciarz (standing), Martha Rothkopf (kneeling left), and Angelina Buscaglia (kneeling right) recite the short poem "Bible Belt."
SOLIDARITY FOREVER Our sometime musical accompanist Keith Woodin plays a number of classic militant union ballads in between scenes including "We Have Fed You All For A Thousand Years," "Pastures of Plenty," "Solidarity Forever," "Banks of Marble," and -- perhaps most significantly -- "Union Burying Ground."
		ON THE ROAD      In the play's opening scene, the migrant farm workers of the Rodriguez Family (on right) cluster around their Ford Pickup Trcuk (represented by a six appropriately arranged crates) as they ask for gas from another group of farm workers -- the Dobbses (in shadow).     Actors on stage from left to right: Daniel Henderson, Dinash Lal*, Angelina Buscaglia, and Joy Scime*.     Actors in silhouette from left to right: Gabriel Mirizio, Ryan Berkun, Rob Dziechciarz, and Martha Rothkopf.
IN THE FIELDS At the start of Scene Two, the vast majority of the ensemble portrays the back-breaking labor of the time in an elaborate pantomime sequence of cotton picking on the Tilden Ranch. Actors from left to right: Luther Dobbs (Gabriel Mirizio), Adam Dobbs (Rob Dziechciarz), Marty Dobbs (Martha Rothkopf), Shorty Dobbs (Ryan Berkun), Frankie Mae (Cynthia Maxwell), Buster (Thomas Brown), and Ada Walker (Dacia Dunnigan). In silhouette from left to right: Lisa Dee, Hasheen DeBerry*, and Eric Mowery
		UNION BUSTING     As soon as the workers begin to complain about the inhuman working conditions, the Boss's lackeys flex their muscles.     The Sheriff (Tom Izard*, center) moves to arrest trouble-maker Shorty Dobbs (Ryan Berkun, far left) as his mother, Marty (Martha Rothkopf, middle left) comes to his defense.  Cousin Luther (Gabriel Mirizio, center right), the Foreman (Eric Mowery, middle right), Father Adam (Rob Dziechciarz, middle right), and Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, far left) all watch in alarm.
REVOLUTION! One of the cotton pickers on the Tilden Ranch, Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*) urges the workers strike for better wages . . . and then hops atop a stack of crates to recite Langston Hughes' stirring agitational poem "Revolution."
		DEAF EARS     Elected to speak to a meeting of the farm owners on the pickers behalf, Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, center left) delivers his members demands of his union to a very unreceptive audience as the wealthiest of the owners, Harry Tilden (Lawrence Rowswell*, far left) tries to maintain order.     Actors silhouetted from left to right: Dinash Lal*, Gabriel Mirizio, Tom Izard*, Gary Darling, Guy DeFedericis*, and Rob Dziechciarz.
POEM TIME! At the close of a dreary strike committee meeting, the cast performs a vibrant and inspiring group recitation of Langston Hughes' poem "Good Morning Revolution" lead by union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, atop center crate) and Buster (Thomas Brown, atop right crate). The other actors from left to right: Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*), Jose Rodriguez (Daniel Henderson), Domingo Rodriguez (Dinash Lal*), Jasper (Gary Darling), Frank (Eric Mowery), Shorty Dobbs (Ryan Berkun).
		MORNING IN THE STRIKERS' CAMP! With the strike now well underway, the pickers form a camp of their own on the Tilden Ranch.  Around the campfire sits Frankie Mae (Cynthia Maxwell) and Adam Dobbs (Rob Dziechciarz) as Ada Walker (Dacia Dunnigan) emerges from her tent at left and Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, standing left) attempt to explain picketing plans to non-English-speaking Rosita (Joy Scime*, standing center) and Millie (Angelina Buscaglia, standing right) Rodriguez.
THUGS AT WORK     It's not long before the lackeys of the owners arrive to evict the strikers.     The Sheriff (Tom Izard*, far left) and the Ranch's Foreman (Eric Mowery, center left) prepare to drag away Okie Marty Dobbs (Martha Rothkopf, center) as Millie Rodriguez (Angelina Buscaglia, right) looks on in terror.     Actors in silhouette from left to right: Rob Dziechciarz and Gary Darling.
		OF TAKERS AND TURNCOATS     With his cotton fields now empty, Harry Tilden (Lawrence Rowswell*, left) offers huckster Luther Dobbs (Gabriel Mirizio, right) steady pay to work as his spy within the union . . . Luther can't say yes quick enough.
CAMPFIRE SONGS     Forming a new camp on unclaimed land, the strikers gather round the campfire for a rousing chorus of the quintessential union ballad "Solidarity Forever" lead by our production's other musical accompanist Jean Dickson (seated center). Frankie Mae (Cynthia Maxwell, seated left) tends to the pots and pans as union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, standing left) welcomes new arrivals Ada Walker (Dacia Dunnigan, standing right) and Buster (Thomas Brown, standing far right).
		THE SHOE SHINE BOYS OF THE RULING ELITE     The new strikers' camp is quickly beset by a long list of wolves-in-sheeps clothing including the Government's not-so-neutral arbitrator Mr. King (Gary Darling, center), the area's ever-union-busting Sheriff (Tom Izard*, center right), the quintessential spineless liberal Professor Bankley (Lawrence Rowswell*, middle right), and all-too-slick newspaper reporter Rollins (Eric Mowery, far right). They face the scornful looks of union organizer Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, left), union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, middle left), and rank-and-filer Adam Dobbs (Rob Dziechciarz, far left).
THE NOT SO LONG ARM OF THE LAW     But it doesn't take long for the authorities to go back on the offensive.  A standoff ensues as Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, center left) steps forward to prevent the Sheriff (Tom Izard*, center right) from arresting union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, standing on crate).  Government Health Inspector Dr. Meyers (Guy DeFederic*, far right) watches in dismay.
		LIKE IRON IN THE BLOOD OF THE PEOPLE     The three teenaged members of our cast -- Daniel Henderson (left), Angelina Buscaglia (center), and Ryan Berkun (right) perform a bone-chillingly powerful recitation of Langston Hughes' mournfully stirring elegiac poem "Kids Who Die."
INCITING A RIOT 101 The next meeting of the farm owners is even more raucous than the first.  Firebrand farm owner Peterson (Eric Mowery, at podium) whips the assemblage into a wild frenzy with ominous calls to stop "alien agitators" and "godless communists."  Wealthy farm owner Harry Tilden (Lawrence Rowswell*, left) has lost his hold over the meeting and his calls for moderation are to no avail. Actors silhouetted from left to right: Hasheen DeBerry*, Guy DeFedericis*, Tom Izard*, Gary Darling, Gabriel Mirizio, and Rob Dziechciarz.
		SIGNS OF THE TIMES     Union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, center) and organizer Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, right) take a break from painting picket signs to discuss the growing possibility of a vigilante attack as Millie Rodriguez (Angelina Buscaglia, left) diligently paints the union's "Black and White Unite + Fight" banner in preparation for a much anticipated labor rally.
RALLY FOR THE CAUSE! Undaunted by threats of violence, union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, atop crates) boosts morale with a fiery speech to the rank-and-file. The other actors from left to right:  Dinash Lal*, Angelina Buscaglia, Cynthia Maxwell, Hasheen DeBerry*, Thomas Brown, Dacia Dunnigan, Ryan Berkun, Martha Rothkopf, Daniel Henderson, and Rob Dziechciarz.
		THE BOSSES OLDEST NEGOTIATING TECHNIQUE     After harassment, starvation, and intimidation have failed to break the strike, the local farm owners form into a vigilante mob and fire directly into the labor rally, wounding union leader Jennie Martin (Lisa Dee, seated on crate).     Union members Frankie Mae (Cynthia Maxwell, far left), Millie (Angelina Buscaglia, middle left), Domingo, (Dinash Lal*, near left), and Jose Rodriguez (Daniel Henderson, center) rush to their leader's aid as Mack Saunders (Hasheen DeBerry*, right) moves to guard the door.     Actors silhouetted from left to right: Eric Mowery, Gary Darling, and Tom Izard*.
THE TRUE FACE OF CLASS STRUGGLE And so the vigilantes continue to shoot up the union hall -- killing some and wounding others -- making for very painful but all too common ending to our tale of union organizing drives. Actors from left to right:  Daniel Henderson, Dinash Lal*, Cynthia Maxwell, Lisa Dee, Ryan Berkun, Rob Dziechciarz, and Martha Rothkopf. Actors silhouetted from left to right:  Eric Mowery, Gary Darling, and Tom Izard*.

* = indicates members of the Subversive Theatre Collective

Photography by Kurt Schneiderman.