Title, Premiere and Location

Sid Arthur

June 16 - July 2, 1995

St. John's United Methodist Church, Watts

1715 Santa Ana Blvd. (at Graham)

Written By

Written by Shishir Kurup

Based on Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

Original Music by Shishir Kurup and Paris Barclay
Produced at St. John’s United Methodist Church

Synopsis

An adaptation by Shishir Kurup of Herman Hesse's Siddhartha -- with Watts residents of all ages -- at St. Johns United Methodist Church. Sidney Arthur (Quentin Drew), an African American college student, balks at following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a minister, preferring instead to go out in the world to seek his “bliss.” His quest takes him first into the ranks of a nonviolent activist group, then into homelessness, then to the heights of Hollywood success. Sidney ultimately abandons his materialistic path and journeys back to the old ‘hood, where he finds peace as a traffic crossing guard.

Staff

Written by Shishir Kurup

Directed by Page Leong

Set Design - Nephelie Andonyadis

Costume Design - Lynn Jeffries

Lighting Design/Production Manager - Geoff Korf

Sound Design - Shishir Kurup

Technical Director - Benajah Cobb

Technical Assistants - Ron Warren, Tracy Spor & Adrian Tafoya

Stage Manager - Tamara M. Sibley

Music & Lyrics - Shishir Kurup

Additional Music - Paris Barclay

Harmony Arrangements - Vernon Stanford

Musical Directors - Vernon Stanford & Shishir Kurup

Assistant Stage Manager - Janet Escobar

Production Assistant - Shelley Thomas

Kid Wrnagler/Wardrobe Assistant - Veronica Banuelos

Dramaturg - Bill Rauch

Producer - Jan Mabry

Executive Producer - Leslie Tamaribuchi

Projectionists - Melissa Banuelos, Shelley Thomas, and Laura Escobar

Sound Board Operator - Andrew Escobar

Follow Spot Operator - Stephanie Escobar

Seamstress - Bennette Jones

Electrician - Nathan Haas

Assistant to the Lighting Designer - Aaron Meeks

Assistants to the Set Designer - Carl Flanigan & Jennifer Price

Painters - Charlana Ragland, Janet Escobar, Stephanie Escobar, Laura Escobar, Oscar Cornejo, Elmer Castillo, Jamie Hanes, Ashby Semple, Alex Stanton

Graphic Artwork - Mark Greenfield

Poster Design - June Hoxie

Cast

Comments by cast, crew, and other participants

A memory from Shishir Kurup, the writer...transcribed by John Flynn

We had no money so no musicians...the score was prerecorded at Joe Romano's with songs that I had written. "Core" was a reference to a doo wop a capella group of singers as well as an ensemble of actors who played many parts. These a capella folks also played parts and were the folks from the House of Uhuru drug treatment center and were both our most stable and unstable elements in the play. Stable in that they were strong singers, especially Vernon Stanford who was also in Chalk Circle (magnificent voice), but also very erratic in coming to rehearsal sometimes if the center was in lock down and sometimes because of their volatile relationships with each other.

Note from the Director

The exploration this tale demands is not an easy one.  "Take me down to the world of mixed emotions."  This is a place where opposites are equally true, a place where we feel to the fullest, a place of conflict, choice and change.  I would like to thank this incredible cast, staff and crew, and our hosts, for their courage and generosity of spirit in taking this journey of SID ARTHUR's, and invite you to join us as we "go with the flow" with SID and the humanity he embraces.  

Page Leong

About the Set of Sid Arthur....

The art work covering the walls and ceiling of this set was created by artists of all ages in a series of workshops conducted at community-based sites in Watts.  All the projects are built from simple recycled materials with the imaginations of the artists.  The collages are about a variety of journeys, landscapes, mazes and obstacle courses.  (Imagine yourself very small, travelling through each one.)  Each mandala tells the story of the child who made it; each bird is unique.  The idea was to create a structure through which as many minds and hands as possible could invest every inch of the space with a rich and meaningful texture.  I thank each workshop participant for their time and inspiration.

Nephelie Andonyadis

Subsequent Performances or Productions

Special Notes

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