2019 - Nimbus
The landmark fifth season of In Full Color ran from June 6 to 9 at Nimbus, which chose to present the show after its success in 2018. After winning the Jersey City Arts Council Award in Performing Arts and another commendation from the New Jersey State Assembly, TIFC was feeling the pressure to perform -- and they delivered. With one of the tightest knit casts in the show's history, IFC19 proved to be a big hit with its audiences, attracting new attention from locals not usually involved with the theater scene and several prominent figures. This season also featured the first three-time alumnae (besides founder and director Summer Dawn Reyes), Nancy Méndez-Booth and Liliane Wolf. Lastly, this is the first season in which every performer was also a writer!
This year also featured the release of The First Five Years Anthology, featuring monologues and poems from every season of IFC. The production was also sponsored by Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City City Council, and the Office of Cultural Affairs.
In Full Color 2019 earned several BroadwayWorld Award nominations including Best Community Theater Production, Best Ensemble Performance, Best Touring Performance, Best Director, Best Choreography, Best Set Design and Best Sound Design. They also earned five nominations for Best Actress in a Play (Rukiya Bluford, Cindy AnaCaona Peralta, Nancy Méndez-Booth, Daniela Rincon and Liliane Wolf).
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
In celebrating In Full Color’s fifth anniversary this year, I’ve spent my time not thinking of our past accomplishments, or even of our goals for the future. Instead, I have been pondering: What does it mean to be an advocate?
While Thinking In Full Color’s main goal is to create artistic opportunities and entertain audiences, our most important work has been our feminist advocacy for women of color.
For us, our advocacy takes on many forms. Our advocacy is telling women’s stories -- not watered down -- but strengthened and amplified. Our advocacy is opening our stage to women of all ages and backgrounds. Our advocacy is fighting to protect trans and queer women. Our advocacy is speaking out. Our advocacy is learning to listen.
As a Chinese, Spanish and Filipino woman, I am incredibly privileged. While my peoples have faced their share of oppression and violence, our daily lives are mostly uninhibited by the racist laws of the past. I don’t fear for my life when I interact with law enforcement. My skin is light. My family has been in America for decades and has known the English language long before that.
While I will always fight for Asian and Hispanic rights, In Full Color has taught me the importance of also prioritizing the fights of those who are not like me. If I only fight for myself, how am I any better than those who were born into privilege and choose to do nothing for the oppressed?
Real advocacy starts with looking outside yourself. Advocacy means fighting for something because it’s right, not because it benefits you. Advocacy means knowing anyone’s oppression is the oppression of us all. Advocacy is speaking out. Advocacy is learning to listen.
Today, I hope you enjoy the fifth season of In Full Color. I hope you laugh, cry and most of all, listen.
– Summer Dawn Reyes
THIS YEAR’S ART INSPIRATION
This year's posters and graphics featured this original illustration by Jersey City artist Nic Gonzo, designed exclusively for IFC19. "LOVE THY SISTERS" stickers featuring this year's art is available in our Shop.
FEATURING
in order of appearance
Jubilation choreographed by Brandy White
performed by the Nimbus Youth Ensemble on 6/6 and 6/9: Janelle Acosta, Ysabelle Baculod, Zeynep Cag, Brogan Donston, Michael Fuks, Isabella Levin, Adele Mauldin, Leah Murphy, Stephanie Santiago
Three things I learned before becoming a woman by Rukiya Bluford
Rukiya is a writer, therapist, care manager and dreamer. Born and raised in Jersey City, Rukiya utilizes her voice in different outlets to express herself and connect with her community. An Alumni of the Peers Educating Peers program, Rukiya was exposed to multiple facets of healing and creativity. She now incorporates what she has learned to continue to liberate herself and empower others. @kblue11
I Am From by Amara Prato
6/6 and 6/7 only
Amara is a Bioengineering Ph.D. student at the University of Pennsylvania, a U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps veteran, and a daughter of immigrants. Her research pursues novel brain imaging methods for neuropsychiatric disease, especially common among combat veterans and trauma survivors. As a woman of color, she is interested in developing mental health therapies that meet the practical needs of marginalized populations. She realizes that all her identities inform all areas of her life: in her piece “I Am From,” Amara explores the intergenerational impact of her ancestors’ displacement and reveals how she finally found her place. @chinitiza
#NOTYOUTOO! by Cinthya Hernández
performed by AnaCaona
Cinthya is a U.S Army Veteran and a Mexican-American playwright currently residing in California. Her play, The Soldier’s Cross, recently received its first public reading with Wordsmyth Theatre Company in Houston. Other works include Creed, winner for Best Drama in the short play contest hosted by Exit 7 Players. Her play Little Boots was also part of the Exit 7 Players Winner’s Showcase where it received its first reading. In 2017, she adapted Creed into a screenplay in collaboration with Amey Richards and Michelle Robinson and won Best Short Script in the Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition. @cinthyahernandez_actriz
See bio for AnaCaona under Love Vet
First-Place Winner by Nancy Méndez-Booth
Nancy is a fiction writer who also teaches writing and Latinx literature and culture. Her work has appeared in Poets & Writers, Latina, Salon, OZY, and VIDA: Women in Literary Arts. Her work has been performed at The Moth, Cornelia Street Cafe, and Midtown International Theater Festival. She is currently developing a one-woman show with support from New Jersey Women Playwrights Program. She is a three-time IFC alumna. @nmenbooth
Wailing at a Wall by Susannah Goya-Pack
Susannah is a Jewish woman with Mexican heritage who considers herself to have dual citizenship between Jersey City and New York City. She is pursuing a career in nursing after a lifetime of focusing on writing and theater, but sees no reason not to integrate this whenever possible. She also runs Antifragile Tarot, an explicitly LGBTQIA friendly tarot business. @antifragiletarot
Anna May Wong: PERSONA by Emily Mun
Born and raised in NYC, Emily is a Chinese-American actor best known for her film work with Refinery29. Emily trained at Abrons Arts Center where she starred in Clown Car, The Ice Queen, Experimental Healing and Extraordinary Joe. At Marymount Manhattan College, she studied theatre arts and appeared in The Vagina Monologue and A Rant, A Monologue, A Memory, and A Prayer. In her spare time Emily loves writing stories and exploring new cuisines. She is also an illustrator who was featured in BUST Magazine, the Flawless Mag and TIFC’s coloring book, Girls Who Colored Outside the Lines. society6.com/emilymun @emilymun_official
By the Light of the Ghetto Moon by RescuePoetix
RescuePoetix™ is a New Jersey native with deep family roots in Puerto Rico. Writing since she could remember, she found her performance voice and fell in love with Jersey City’s underground Arts diversity. She has over fifty original works recorded and developed collaborations from all corners of the world. Releases are available at a variety of online portals. RescuePoetix™ poetry is motivational, uplifting and empowering; designed to connect on a level far deeper than what the eye can perceive. Spinning verses in Spanish and English, her words weave stories of strength, growth, experience and love in its many evolving forms.@rescuepoetix
My Body by Daniela Rincon
Daniela is a Mexican born and raised actress, self-appointed poet and coffee enthusiast better known to her pets and neighbors as the woman who often recites Hamilton from beginning to end. She studied to be an actress but was born to be an emotional mess. Yet, she tries. Her professional experience touches all corners of the realm, from dubbing baby voices, to making YouTube videos, to getting the role of her lifetime (Paraíso, 2014). She sings in the shower, she runs races and she will conquer the world. Just you wait! @ladanielarincon
homecoming by Nicole Cañete
Nicole is a teacher -- poet -- lover -- dreamer. Her many passions & joys include dancing everywhere she can, sharing poetry at Jersey City Slam, grassroots organizing with GABRIELA NJ, a Filipina womxn-identifying group that fights for womxn’s rights and the National Democratic movement in the Philippines, and supporting Hudson Pride Center/LezFest events. Outside of her creative and activist roles, she loves her Me Time and doing things for herself. Her favorite things are playing & sweating thru muay thai, yoga, cray paz, urban farms -- and being a middle sister. @nicokenyetea
The Voice by Phyllis Blanford
Phyllis is a powerful songbird and writer that captures the musical imagination and turns heads. Her high-energy style fills the corners of the jazz world with color and sparkle. In spellbinding performances at Lincoln Center and major stages across Europe, she pours her passion into every note with a riveting emotional honesty. Her highly acclaimed debut album Edgewalker unveils a soulful story of furor and perseverance in a raw, pure and real expression of music that comes directly from her heart and soul. Phyllis's sensuous songs and passionate musical story are not to be missed. PhyllisBlanford.com @phyllisblanfordedgewalker
Love Vet by AnaCaona
Cindy (also known as BlackAngel and AnaCaona) is a veteran spoken word artist, writer, playwright and actress. Born and raised in NYC, a proud Afro-Latina of Dominican descent, this mother of two has been dedicated to writing since 13. As a poet, she has toured elementary, high schools, colleges and universities nationwide. She has facilitated performance and writing workshops with inner city youth and those who are incarcerated. She champions change and reform where injustice is prevalent. Cindy sheds light where lies proliferate; she is unafraid of controversy and strives to shock her audience into realizing the truths that she has come to understand are unavoidable. @anacaona514
Dear Undocumented Girl by Yarineth Peña Vargas
performed by Liliane Wolf
Yarineth is a Mexican-American writer.
Liliane is the co-founder of 68 Productions, a Jersey City-based theater company. An alumna of the Jersey City Arts High School and the Governor’s School of the Arts, she made her Off-Broadway debut with Things Fall (Meanwhile) and Conspicuous. She is a three-time IFC alumna. @LilianeWolf.
THE CREW
in alphabetical order
Summer Dawn (Director)
Alicia Ruth (Executive Board Member, Scenic Designer, Concessions)
Venida Rodman Jenkins (Executive Board Member)
Joey Sbarro (Photographer)
Doug Stoveken (Video)
Brian Lawlor (Transition Music)
Kasandra Black (Closing Music)
Mason Beggs, Greg Reyes, Greg Reyes Jr. (Concessions)
Glennifer Braker (Social Media Video, Concessions)
Nic Gonzo (Visual Artist)
SPECIAL THANKS
Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council and the Office of Cultural Affairs, Council President Rolando Lavarro, Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey, Councilwoman Denise Ridley, Councilman James Solomon, Christine Goodman, Nimbus Dance Works, Samuel Pott, Hannah Weeks, Fractured Atlas, Gregory A. Reyes, LITM, Judith Flaherty, Chantal Lamour, Anonymous
PRESS
