THE HUNTINGTON LAUNCHES THE NINE-PLAY UFOT FAMILY CYCLE BY MFONISO UDOFIA WITH ORIGIN STORY SOJOURNERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Gabrielle Jaques, Publicist
617-273-1520
PHOTOS available for download here
Members of the press, RSVP here
THE HUNTINGTON LAUNCHES THE NINE-PLAY UFOT FAMILY CYCLE BY MFONISO UDOFIA WITH ORIGIN STORY SOJOURNERS
The Huntington announces the cast and creative team for the first play of the nine-play cycle – a Nigerian American family story by the Massachusetts-raised playwright Udofia
(BOSTON) – The Huntington kicks off the sweeping nine-play Ufot Family Cycle and announces the cast and creative team of Sojourners, the moving and heartfelt play written by Mfoniso Udofia and directed by Dawn M. Simmons (K-I-S-S-I-N-G at The Huntington). The first play in Boston’s epic 9-play Ufot Family Cycle, Sojourners runs at The Huntington from Thursday, October 31 – Sunday, December 1, 2024 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Avenue).
When Artistic Director Loretta Greco joined The Huntington in 2022, she brought with her a longstanding partnership and friendship with playwright Mfoniso Udofia, and a vision for producing the complete Ufot Family Cycle in the Boston area – a festival marked by radical collaboration with an unprecedented scale and scope across our city. After two years of planning and leadership from The Huntington, all nine of the Ufot Family Cycle plays will be produced in Greater Boston by 30+ partners over two seasons, starting with this Huntington production of Sojourners.
“Sojourners launches a city-wide Cycle of plays with a host of thrilling colleagues who have come together for this one-of-a-kind, two-season celebration,” says Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco. “We are over the moon to finally re-introduce the extraordinary Mfoniso Udofia to Boston through this gorgeous piece of writing, the first of nine astounding Ufot Family Cycle plays, and to welcome back the marvelous Dawn M. Simmons who will direct.”
In Sojourners, marriage, migration, and the pursuit of education collide with surprising humor when a young and brilliant Nigerian couple arrives in Houston in 1978, looking to earn their degrees and bring insights back to their home country. But when Abasiama discovers that her husband has been seduced by Motown records and American culture, she begins a surprising friendship with a local woman named Moxie. Director Dawn M. Simmons helms the lively and nuanced Sojourners at the historic Huntington Theatre following her acclaimed production of K-I-S-S-I-N-G at the Calderwood Pavilion.
“Sojourners serves as the origin story within the 9-play Ufot Family Cycle,” says playwright Mfoniso Udofia. “Here, we’re introduced to Abasiama, the Ufot matriarch – a dynamic and forward-thinking woman from whom an entire Nigerian lineage in America will emerge.”
Called “moving and powerful” by The New York Times and a “deeply beautiful and complex play” by WNYC, Sojourners was developed at the 2013 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab at the Sundance Resort as part of the Martha Heasley Cox Virgin Play Series 2014 at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco, California (while now Huntington Artistic Director Loretta Greco was at the Magic as Producing Artistic Director); and also developed through The Playwrights Realm Writing Fellowship and Page One Residency. The piece premiered Off Broadway in 2016 and was produced by New York Theatre Workshop in association with The Playwrights Realm in 2017.
The cast of Sojourners includes:
Abigail C. Onwunali as Abasiama, a Nigerian student at an American university, 8-months pregnant. Credits include: JaJa’s African Hair Braiding on Broadway, and The Half-God of Rainfall and for the honey you gotta say when at New York Theater Workshop.
Asha Basha Duniani as Moxie, a young, quick-witted and hard-edged woman looking for a new job. Credits include: Furlough’s Paradise at Alliance Theatre, Cullud Wattah at Actor’s Express, and Eclipsed at Synchronicity Theatre.
Nomè SiDone as Ukpong, a charismatic young Nigerian man in love with life and America. Credits include: Richard II, The Heart of Robin, and The Sea Maid Music at Hudson Valley Shakespeare.
Joshua Olumide as Disciple, an intense, brilliant, and driven young man with a lot of dreams. Credits include: The Winter’s Tale at Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, A Raisin in the Sun at New Rep, and the film American Fiction.
Understudies include: Aisha Akorede, Malik Mitchell, and Kiera Prusmack.
The creative team for Sojourners includes scenic design by Jason Ardizzone-West (K-I-S-S-I-N-G at The Huntington), costume design by Sarita Fellows (Joy and Pandemic at The Huntington), lighting design by Aja M. Jackson (John Proctor is the Villain at The Huntington), original music and sound design by Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen (A Doll’s House at The Huntington), and hair, wig, and makeup design by Earon Chew Nealey (Toni Stone at The Huntington). The dramaturg is Christine Mok, with additional dramaturgical support provided by Katherine Kovner. The language consultant is Emmanuel Sylvester, the fight director and intimacy coach is Brandon G. Green, and the dialect coach is Dawn-Elin Fraser. The associate director is Kelsey Fonise. The production stage manager is Emily F. McMullen and the stage manager is Lauren J. Burke.
Connecting with different communities across the city has been a top priority for Greco, so The Huntington is also planning free pop-up performances of Sojourners outside the city and in Boston neighborhoods including East Boston with ZUMIX, Roxbury with Roxbury Community College, and Hyde Park with Riverside Theater Works. (East Boston has the highest percentage of foreign-born residents of any Boston neighborhood; Hyde Park is home to the Yoruba Community of Massachusetts, whose programs improve and enhance Yorubas and Nigerian immigrants’ social and economic well-being; and Roxbury has been known for being the center of Black life in Boston for decades). In addition, The Huntington will partner with Prior Performing Arts Center at College of the Holy Cross to bring the production to Central Massachusetts, where Udofia grew up and where one in five Worcester residents are immigrants.
This Cycle marks the first time all nine plays will be complete and performed in their intended order. In addition to producing the first three plays, The Huntington will also serve as a motherboard of resources and connection to bolster the creative process and success of the remaining six productions that will be mounted through 2026 by and with arts organizations, universities, social organizations, non-profits, and a host of community activation partners.
Each of the productions will be professionally filmed by partner Kligerman Productions to expand the reach of the Ufot Family Cycle and preserve it in perpetuity, allowing the Ufot Family Cycle to be taught in educational settings as part of the American theatrical canon.
The Ufot Family Cycle has received support from The Barr Foundation, The Boston Foundation, and the Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation, as well as the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture in the City of Boston.
Partners in the Ufot Family Cycle include: AfroDesiaCity, ArtsEmerson, The Barr Foundation, Boston Arts Academy, The Boston Foundation, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Boston Public Art Triennial, Boston Public Library, Boston Public Schools, Boston University, Central Square Theater, Coolidge Corner Theater, DiasporaMass, Embrace Boston, Facing History & Ourselves, Front Porch Arts Collective, GBH, The Huntington, Kligerman Productions, The Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, Next Chapter Podcasts, Nigerian Professionals Group, Northeastern University, Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross, Riverside Theater Works, Roxbury Community College, Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation, Wellesley College, Wellesley Repertory Theatre, West End House, Wheelock Family Theatre, and ZUMIX.
More information about the Ufot Family Cycle, including the 30+ partners and funders involved in bringing the Ufot story to life, can be found at bostontheatrescene.com/ufotboston
Sojourners is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service imprint. dramatists.com
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Mfoniso Udofia (Playwright) a first-generation Nigerian American storyteller and educator, attended Wellesley College and obtained her MFA from the American Conservatory Theater (ACT). While at ACT, she co-pioneered The Nia Project which provided artistic outlets for San Francisco youth.
Productions of her plays Sojourners, runboyrun, Her Portmanteau, and In Old Age have been seen at New York Theatre Workshop, American Conservatory Theater, Playwrights Realm, Magic Theater, National Black Theatre, Strand Theater Company (MD), and Boston Court. She received the 2021 Horton Foote Award, the 2017 Helen Merrill Playwright Award, the 2017-18 McKnight National Residency and Commission, and is a member of New Dramatists.
She is currently commissioned by The Huntington, Hartford Stage, Denver Center, ACT, and South Coast Repertory. Her plays have been developed by Manhattan Theatre Club, ACT, McCarter Theatre, OSF, New Dramatists, Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor, Hedgebrook, Sundance, Space on Ryder Farm, and more.
Since 2018, Mfoniso has been working extensively in television; she has worked on such acclaimed shows as 13 Reasons Why on Netflix, A League of Their Own on Amazon, Let the Right One In on Showtime, and Pachinko (Peabody Award), Little America, and Lessons in Chemistry (WGA Nomination) all on Apple TV+. She also has developed films for HBO, Legendary, and Amazon.
Dawn M. Simmons (Director) The Huntington: Fat Ham and K-I-S-S-I-N-G (Co-Produced with Front Porch Arts Collective). Front Porch Arts Collective: Queens Girl in the World, The Three Musketeers. Regional: Alliance Theatre, JAG Productions, Play On Shakespeare, The Hangar Theatre, WAM Theater, Wheelock Family Theater, Lyric Stage Company, Central Square Theater, New Rep, Gloucester Stage, Greater Boston Stage Company, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, SpeakEasy Stage, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Bad Habit Productions, New Exhibition Room, Boston Public Works, Fresh Ink Theatre, and Our Place Theatre Project. Dawn is a Co-Producing Artistic Director of Front Porch Arts Collective. She serves on the Board of ArtsBoston, and is Co-Founder of New Exhibition Room.
INSPIRATION FOR THE UFOT FAMILY CYCLE
When nationally acclaimed playwright Mfoniso Udofia grew up in Southbridge, Massachusetts and attended Wellesley College, she rarely saw stories about Africans and African Americans that felt like her family. Inspired in part by August Wilson’s Century Cycle, she set out to create an emotionally engrossing cycle of nine plays that follows one Nigerian American family through three generations: parents, children, grandchildren. Each play stands alone brilliantly, yet together forms a stunning tapestry that will resonate with everyone.
“I’m writing these plays for myself, for my immediate family, for my extended family, for the Ibibio community,” says Udofia. “I’m writing us — so we can see us. I believe my work incites community action. When one cares about a character so much they are crying for them, they usually cannot meet a similar person in life and instantaneously judge them. A dramatic telling of an immigrant story, when done well, can cause an audience to change irrevocably in the moment. These audience members will then leave the building and enter their own communities with newfound empathy.”
Mfoniso’s own experience informs the Cycle as her parents immigrated to Texas from Nigeria in the 1970s, had children, and then moved to the Boston area because of the educational opportunities available. Udofia’s mother was a biologist, and her father was a scholar of West African studies. Mfoniso went to Wellesley College, during which time she had her first experience with The Huntington through her Africana Studies class when Professor Selwyn R. Cudjoe took students to see Gem of the Ocean and introduced her to playwright August Wilson (1945-2005). To see herself onstage, reflected in Wilson’s ten-play American Century Cycle, with each set in a different decade of the 20th century about Black American life, was influential years before she would pursue her career in playwriting and return to Wellesley as a faculty member of the Albright Institute.
The New York Times states, “While building empathy is important to Ms. Udofia, as she continues to work on the rest of the ‘Ufot’ plays, she is also unapologetic about the fact that she isn’t writing the Cycle for a traditional theatre audience.” Mfoniso spoke about this during several Boston community meetings in 2023, stating her intentions to be an active participant in meeting community members where they are to inform the making of the remaining Cycle plays.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION FOR SOJOURNERS
WHEN
Performances: October 31 – December 1, 2024
Evenings: Tues – Thurs at 7pm; Fri and Sat at 7:30pm
Matinees: Select Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun at 2pm
Days and times vary; see complete schedule above.
Press Opening: Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 7pm (RSVP here)
WHERE
The Huntington Theatre
264 Huntington Ave, Boston
TICKETS
Tickets start at $29. Season ticket packages and FlexPasses are also now on sale:
- online at huntingtontheatre.org
- by phone at 617-266-0800;
- or in person at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave) or Calderwood Pavilion (527 Tremont Street)
Select discounts apply:
- $10 off: season ticket holders
- $40 “HYPE” tickets (Huntington Young Patron Events) for patrons 40 years-old and younger (valid ID required)
- $20 student and military tickets (valid ID required)
Please note that a digital recording of this production may be available for online viewing. More information to be shared online at a later date.
The Huntington asks that any patron experiencing illness stay home and contact ticketing services for more information about exchanges.
ACCESS PERFORMANCES FOR SOJOURNERS
Tickets are $20 for each patron and their guests. To reserve tickets please email access@huntingtontheatre.org, call ticketing services at 617-266-0800, or visit in person at the Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston.
Accessible performances are supported in part by the Liberty Mutual Foundation.
OPEN CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE: Tuesday, November 26 at 7pm. The Huntington offers open captioning at designated performances for any patron who benefits from having the text of spoken dialogue visible in time with the play.
ASL-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE: Friday, November 29 at 7:30pm. The Huntington offers American Sign Language interpretation at designated performances for patrons who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE: Saturday, November 30 at 2pm. The Huntington offers audio description for patrons who are blind or low-vision at designated performances. Please visit huntingtontheatre.org/visit/accessibility for information.
Large Print and Braille Programs will also be available for patrons at performances.
POP-UP PERFORMANCES OF SOJOURNERS
Riverside Theater Works in Hyde Park: Wednesday, November 13 at 7pm
“We’re always striving to create theatre experiences that reach and reflect our diverse community,” says Riverside Theater Works Artistic Director Scot Patrick Allan. “Mfoniso Udofia’s Ufot Family Cycle fits that mission perfectly. We’re honored that The Huntington has chosen to bring this meaningful work to Hyde Park, where we know it will move and challenge audience members from every background.”
Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of Holy Cross: Tuesday, November 19 at 7pm
“The Prior Performing Arts Center is honored to partner with The Huntington to bring Mfoniso Udofia’s Sojourners to Holy Cross and to Worcester, a city known for its rich tapestry of immigrant experiences,” says Interim Director of The Prior Performing Arts Center at College of the Holy Cross Kyle Frisina. “We can’t wait for audiences to encounter this beautiful, funny play by a writer whose own immigrant parents made Central Massachusetts their American home.”
ZUMIX in East Boston: Friday, November 22 at 7pm
“ZUMIX loves The Huntington, and we are thrilled to partner with them in new and creative ways!” says ZUMIX Founder and Executive Director Madeleine Steczynski. “Together, we are building on each other’s strengths to reach new audiences, and to inspire hope.”
Roxbury Community College in Roxbury: Monday, November 25 at 6pm
“Roxbury Community College is thrilled to partner with The Huntington to bring Mfoniso Udofia’s Sojourners to the Performing Arts Center this fall,” says Roxbury Community College Adjunct Professor of Theatre Marisa Jones. “The Ufot Cycle is a celebration of the African Diaspora and will resonate with many in our community as it captures stories of immigration, family, and Black Joy.” Marisa Jones is also The Huntington’s Associate Director of Education & Practical Learning, where she will be managing the creation of curriculum guides for all nine plays in the cycle.
For more information about the pop-up performances, please contact Associate Director of Artistic Programming Kevin Becerra at kbecerra@huntingtontheatre.org
SOJOURNERS SPECIAL EVENTS
Blackout Performance: Sunday, November 10 at 7pm
The Huntington will host a Blackout Boston evening for those who identify as members of Africa’s Global Diaspora (persons who identify as descendants of Africans dispersed throughout the world).
The Blackout performance will take place on Sunday, November 10 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave). More information will be announced soon.
Blackout Boston is an opportunity for Black identifying audiences to experience live theater that feels resonant to the Black experience in a space where their community is the majority. If you have questions about this event or other community events, please contact Huntington Community Engagement Manager Oz Pereira: opereira@huntingtontheatre.org.
Tickets to this performance are Pay What You Wish.
Student Matinee performance: Thursday, November 14 at 10am
The Huntington Education Department hosts a student matinee of Sojourners on Thursday, November 14 at 10am at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave). Student tickets are $20 each, chaperones attend at no cost, and one chaperone is required for every 15 students.
To reserve your school group and learn more information, please email Manager of Education Operations Bec Lowe at education@huntingtontheatre.org.
Humanities Forum: Sunday, November 17
The Huntington hosts a post-show discussion after the 2pm matinee performance on Sunday, November 17 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave).
Student Matinee performance: Friday, November 22 at 10am
The Huntington Education Department hosts a student matinee of Sojourners on Friday, November 22 at 10am at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave). Student tickets are $20 each, chaperones attend at no cost, and one chaperone is required for every 15 students.
To reserve your school group and learn more information, please email Manager of Education Operations Bec Lowe at education@huntingtontheatre.org.
Actors Forum: Friday, November 29
The Huntington hosts a moderated, post-show discussion with members of the cast after the 2pm matinee performance on Friday, November 29 at the Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Ave). Hear actors from Sojourners reflect on their roles and nuances of each character.
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
Any members of the media who are interested in speaking with the artists of Sojourners, please contact Publicist Gabrielle Jaques at gjaques@huntingtontheatre.org or 617-273-1520.
Press night for critics is Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 7pm. Please RSVP here for press night or other available performances.
Production photos will be available for download online, and b-roll footage can be requested.
PHOTOS available for download here
ABOUT THE HUNTINGTON
Celebrating over 40 years of outstanding theatre, The Huntington is Boston’s theatrical commons and leading professional theatre company. On our stages and throughout our city, we share enduring and untold stories that spark the imagination of audiences and artists and amplify the wide range of voices in our community.
Under the leadership of Norma Jean Calderwood Artistic Director Loretta Greco and Executive Director Christopher Mannelli, The Huntington is committed to welcoming broad and diverse audiences, provides life- changing opportunities for students through its robust education and community programs, is a national leader in the development of playwrights and new plays, has acted as the host organization for a multi-year residency of The Front Porch Arts Collective, a Black theatre company based in Boston, and serves the local arts community through our operation of The Huntington Calderwood/BCA.
The Huntington reopened the historic Huntington Theatre in fall of 2022 after its transformational renovation, and is currently in phase two of the project; the renovation and building project of this storied venue with a bold vision for the future will allow us to innovatively expand our services to audiences, artists, and the community for generations to come. For more information, visit huntingtontheatre.org.
# # #