I, Too, Sing America
A soulful symphony of poetry, music, and movement
“So sincerely and thoughtfully envisioned ... the jolt of positive energy we need.” - Lily Janiak, SF Chronicle (2022)
FULL PRODUCTIONS
July 2018 at the African American Art and Culture Complex
February 2019 at the Brava Theater Center
February 2022 at the Brava Theater Center
July 2023 at Presidio Theater with SF Arts Education Project Learn more >>
June 2024 at Grace Cathedral Lean more >>
DESCRIPTION
SFBATCO’s award-winning I, TOO, SING AMERICA, filled with inspiration, hope, and drama, gives a full view of the BIPOC experience beyond pain and oppression.
I, TOO, SING AMERICA, conceived, and musically composed by Othello Jefferson, is directed by Jamie Yuen-Shore, with movement direction by Christine Chung. It is an inclusive song of America. Celebrating the diversity of BIPOC American life featuring a diverse ensemble of 25 performers, I, TOO, SING AMERICA brings the poetry of great American authors such as Langston Hughes, Frances Chung, and Vince Gotera to life through original music and dance.
Born out of inspiration from Othello Jefferson, I, TOO, SING AMERICA, began as a love letter for his two daughters to show that their lives can be as large as the creation in which they were born. In the 2018 and 2019 season, the play won three Theatre Bay Area Awards including Best Musical, Outstanding Direction, and Outstanding Choreography.
The 2022 production of I, Too, Sing America went virtual with a high quality live stream on twitch.tv/sfbatco and a virtual extension via on-demand viewing on sfbatco.anywhereseat.com.
Director of Choreography, CHRISTINE CHUNG
Co-Creator/Music Director, OTHELLO JEFFERSON
Co-Creator/Director, JAMIE YUEN-SHORE
Jamie Yuen-Shore, Co-Creator/Director, says “In finding and curating the poems for this piece, we thought carefully about the topics and themes we wanted to feature, with the goal of embracing and championing representation in every part of the process and product. We wanted to find works that resonated with us, and especially moments or ideas we related to that we don’t often see on stage or hear in popular narratives. In considering the overall tone of the work, we recognized it would be inauthentic to create a piece about representation of people of color and ignore that the history and present condition of many people of color in this country includes marginalization and trauma. That being said, it would also be inauthentic to reduce the lives of black and brown people to only hardship, and not shine a light on the pride, ambition, romance, humor, grit, hubris, wonder, or ingenuity we seek to relate to and see mirrored in art. We therefore sought to present a broad and inclusive range of experiences and emotions authored by artists of color.”
2022 Reviews
Review: SFBATCO’s ‘I, Too, Sing America’ is the jolt of positive energy we need
SF Chronicle / Datebook, Lily Janiak (1.30.22)
Review: Electrifying ‘I, Too, Sing America’ contains multitudes
48Hills / Kevin Madrigal (2.9.22)
Review: ‘I, Too, Sing America’ at SFBATCO displays the power of restoration
Bay Area Plays / David John Chávez (2.11.22)
2024 Production Credits
I, TOO, SING AMERICA CREATIVE TEAM Othello Jefferson (Co-Creator, Music Director, Composer), Rodney Earl Jackson Jr (Director) Jamie Yuen-Shore (Original Director), Christine Chung (Director of Choreography), Nasha Harris Santiago (Dance Captain), Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Lighting Designer)
I, TOO, SING AMERICA COMPANY Ahja Henry, Anisa Henry, Anthone Jackson*, Christine Chung, Jaliana Semien, Jocelyn Thompson-Jordan*, Justin Marquez, Marc Cunanan Chappelle, Marcus J. Paige*, Mia Diawara, Naté The Soulsanger, Othello Jefferson, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Sarah Jiang*
I, TOO, SING AMERICA PRODUCTION TEAM Enkidu Khan* (Stage Manager), Olivia Spreen* (Assistant Stage Manager), Christine Chung (Production Manager), Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Technical Director), Ben Reese (Sound Technician), Dan Chiapelone (Grace Cathedral House Sound Engineer), Sophie Shoemaker (Production Intern), Kayla LC Yee (Production Intern), Ricky Lopp Jr (Production Intern), Channel Drawn (Production Intern), Ryan Gordon (Backing Track Music Producer)
Access Digital Program Here >>
2022 Production Credits
I, TOO, SING AMERICA CREATIVE TEAM Othello Jefferson (Co-Creator, Music Director, Composer), Jamie Yuen-Shore (Co-Creator & Director), Christine Chung (Director of Choreography), Nasha Harris Santiago (Associate Choreographer), Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Lighting & Scenic Designer)
I, TOO, SING AMERICA COMPANY Marissa Bergmann, Christine Chung, Niesha "PrincessSmyles" Colbert-Junior, Quinn Collaço, Amainary Contreras, Chachi Delgado, Mia Diawara, Tayna González Rivera, Orion Harris Santiago, Nasha Harris Santiago, Anisa Henry, Anthone Jackson, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Othello Jefferson, Sarah Jiang, Vinney Le, Jonathan Leung, Zuri “Iruz” Montgomery, Isa Musni, Naté The Soulsanger, Marcus J. Paige, Brenda Palaby, Jaylen Pea, Chris Sackes, Jocelyn Thompson-Jordan
I, TOO, SING AMERICA PRODUCTION TEAM April Ballesteros (Stage Manager), Jasmine Murray (Assistant Stage Manager), Alba Lluch (Production Manager), Drea Schwartz (Technical Director), Alex Glavin (Sound Engineer), Mia Macaspac (Box Office Manager), Jon Gallo (Rehearsal Pianist)
BAND Othello Jefferson (Piano, Composition), Taylor Joshua Rankin (Drums), Kendra Kop (Bass Guitar), Mike Smith (Guitar)
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2019 Production Credits
I, TOO, SING AMERICA CREATIVE TEAM Othello Jefferson (Co-Creator, Music Director, Composer), Jamie Yuen-Shore (Co-Creator & Director), Christine Chung (Director of Choreography), Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Lighting & Scenic Designer)
I, TOO, SING AMERICA COMPANY Esther Ajayi, Marissa Bergmann, Nick Biddle, Malia Byrne, Daniel Cancel, Christine Chung, Niesha Colbert, Camille Collaço, Quinn Collaço, Mia Diawara, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Tayna Gonzalez Rivera, Willie Hercule, Sarah Jiang, Justin Marquez, Jaavon Martin, Addy Mendoza, Audy Mulia, Isa Musni, Andy Nguyen, Marcus J. Paige, Marcelo Javier Pereira, Chris Sackes, Tosh Santiago, Jocelyn Thompson, Stuart Upfill-Brown, Maya Vilaplana, Gus Wellin, Shantelle Williams, Nina Wu
I, TOO, SING AMERICA PRODUCTION TEAM Emily Hill (Stage Manager), Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Production Manager)
BAND Othello Jefferson (Piano), Kendra Kop (Bass Guitar), Joey Knox (Drums), Emmett Van Syke (Guitar)
Access Digital Program Here >>
2018 Production Credits
I, TOO, SING AMERICA CREATIVE TEAM Othello Jefferson (Co-Creator, Music Director, Composer), Jamie Yuen-Shore (Co-Creator & Director), Christine Chung (Director of Choreography), Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Lighting & Scenic Designer)
I, TOO, SING AMERICA COMPANY Esther Ajayi, Rolanda D. Bell, Marissa Bergmann, Nick Biddle, Joshua Bowen, Daniel Cancel, Christine Chung, Niesha Colbert, Camille Collaço, Quinn Collaço, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Tayna Gonzalez Rivera, Willie Hercule, Anthone Jackson, Natasha LaGrone, Jaavon Martin, Dian Meechai, Addy Mendoza, Isa Musni, Alex Nana-Sinkam, Andy Nguyen, Julie Ni, Akua Nyarko-Odoom, Marcus J. Paige, Marcelo Javier Pereira, Jameelah Taylor, Jocelyn Thompson, Stuart Upfill-Brown, Maya Vilaplana, Gus Wellin, Nina Wu
I, TOO, SING AMERICA PRODUCTION TEAM Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo (Stage Manager), Katie Dragone (Assistant Stage Manager)
BAND Othello Jefferson (Piano), Kendra Kop (Bass Guitar), Ahkeel Mestayer (Drums), Calvin Studebaker (Guitar)