Farside

by Vivian Barnes '21

directed by guest director Joan Sergay

This show is part of the Wagner New Play Festival, an annual festival of new works by MFA playwrights, in collaboration with MFA/PhD directors, actors, designers, stage managers, and dramaturges. This year, for the first time, the WNPF will be presented virtually. The festival will include four audio plays, including this piece, and one animated work.

How to Listen

This audio play will be available to stream beginning June 7 @ 6:00am. On that date, you, the audience, are free to stream it on this webpage and on iTunes and Spotify. Click the links below to stream the festival trailer and subscribe to our channel to stay updated.

The Cast

Pam: Taiwo Sokan
Lea/Mama: Jada Owens
CAPCOM: Grayson Heyl
 

The Creative Team

About the Play

Pam spends her days orbiting the Earth and collecting space trash in quiet solitude. Except when she’s fielding calls from her sister about their declining estranged mother. But Pam’s not focusing on that. She’s focusing on the moon. When she finally gets the chance for her long coveted moon orbit, she makes a discovery that upends her solitary existence and sends seismic ripples through every part of her life.

About the Playwright

Vivian Barnes is a playwright from Virginia. Her work has been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre and Actors Theatre of Louisville. She has received commissions from Ensemble Studio Theatre, Montana Repertory Theatre, and Clubbed Thumb. She was recently a staff writer on an upcoming Amazon series and is currently a Lark Venturous Fellow, as well as a third-year MFA playwright at UC San Diego. UC San Diego Credits: Farside, Heap, The Sensational Sea Minkettes (reading), Duchess! Duchess! Duchess! 

About the Director

Joan Sergay is a Brooklyn-based director of new work, originally from Washington, D.C. She has worked at Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, Colt Coeur, Vineyard Theatre, The Play Company, Penguin Random House, Primary Stages, The Flea, The Tank, Two Headed Rep, and Dixon Place. She has also worked regionally at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C, and Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Rivendell Theatre, Citadel Theatre, and Piven Theatre in Chicago. Joan is a former Directing Fellow at Clubbed Thumb, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. BA: Northwestern University.

Cast Bios

Grayson Heyl (CAPCOM) is a second year MFA Acting Student. UCSD credits: Quince: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nurse 1: Orestes 2.0, Yoga Mom/Roller Girl: HEAP. Chicago selected credits: Catherine in Suddenly Last Summer (Raven Theatre), the actor in the one-woman show The Amish Project (Jedlicka PAC), May in Last Train to Nibroc (Provision Theater), Miranda in The Tempest and Lady Capulet in Romeo & Juliet (Door County Shakespeare). Understudy credits include work with The Marriott, Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, and The Hypocrites. BM double major in Music Theater and Vocal Performance: Oklahoma City University. 

Jada Owens (LEA/MAMA) is a second-year MFA Acting student. She was born and raised in the city of rhythm and blues, New Orleans, Louisiana. She received her BFA in Acting from Texas State University. UC San Diego credits: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Letters From Cuba. Texas State credits: Intimate Apparel, We are Proud to Present, Mr.Burns, The Lyon’s Den, Ajax In Iraq, Ragtime, and Tibetan Book of The Dead.

Taiwo Sokan (PAM) is a first-year MFA Acting student. She was born in Nigeria, raised in New Jersey and holds a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked extensively in Philadelphia as an actor, stage manager, and theatre technician. UC San Diego credits: Town Hall. Regional: Marry, Marry, Quite Contrary (Paper Dolls Ensemble), Operation Wawa Road Trip, Fly Eagles Fly (Tribe of Fools), The Bluest Eye (u/s, Arden Theatre Company), All Well That Ends Well (University of Pennsylvania), No Exit (Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Limelight Theatre Company) Tour: Peter Rabbit Tales (Enchantment Theatre Company), Devised: Naked Knotted Neurons (UPenn Players ). An experienced deviser, she has also premiered works with Tribe of Fools, Paper Doll Ensemble, and the UPenn Players, the latter of which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Creative Team Bios

Lauren Dong (Assistant Director) is a 1st year theatre major from Orange County, CA. This is her first show with UCSD’s Theatre and Dance department. Credits: nothing as it dreams. (Asst. Dir., Company 157).

Arianna (Adi) Fawk (Assistant Stage Manager) is a first-year undergraduate transfer student from Pasadena City College. UC San Diego credits: Balm in Gilead.

Mikhail Fiksel (Sound Designer) coming soon

Nicole Kim (Assistant Stage Manager) is a second-year Theatre major with a minor in Dance. UC San Diego credits: Monster (PA, WNPF ‘19), 53% Of (PA, WNPF ‘18), Classical Women (ACD).

Alex Luong (Production Stage Manager) is a fourth-year undergraduate Theatre student. UC San Diego credits: Balm in Gilead (PA), New Directions ‘19 (ASM), The Jefferson Middle School Monthly (ASM, WNPF ‘19), Classical Women (Scenic Designer), Our Town (ASD), 53% Of (ASM, WNPF ‘18), A Raisin in the Sun (PA). Other credits: Buddy, the Buddy Holly Story, Legally Blonde (New Village Arts, ASM).

Steve Negrete (Recording Engineer) is a production staff member in the Theatre & Dance department.  He graduated from UCSD in 2008 with a BA in Theatre, and earned his position in the department's sound/video shop shortly thereafter.  He has supported countless theatre productions and live-music events during his career, and continually looks forward to helping students learn the theatrical production process.