A favorite in middle school classrooms comes to life on stage! A vacant lot in a broken neighborhood in the middle of the city can become a lot of things. A garbage dump. A gathering spot for trouble. How could it ever be a source of hope? A dozen different characters and their stories come to life, beginning with Kim, a nine-year-old Vietnamese immigrant who plants six precious lima beans. One by one, the people of his community, many also immigrants, sow seeds of hope amid the dirt and grit, tending dreams to full bloom. As the garden grows, so does the community, blooming into something bigger, better, and beyond all expectations. As told by award-winning novelist Paul Fleischman, the garden draws neighbors out of their lonely isolation to rediscover and celebrate the community around them. SEEDFOLKS is adapted from the book by Newbery Medal-winning author Paul Fleischman. It is produced in special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. and directed by Jess Shoemaker. Metro Theater Company presents SEEDFOLKS as part of its 2022/23 50th Anniversary Season. SEEDFOLKS is live at the Grandel Theatre October 9 - November 6 and streams October 19 - November 6.
Ages: Ages 9 and up
Cast and Creative team for Seedfolks at Grandel Theatre
Cast
Joshua Mayfield
Ensemble
Joshua Mayfield is very excited to collaborate with Metro Theater Company. Josh started acting as a sophomore in high school landing the role of Frank Jr. in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. Since then, he has known his passion for the arts was ever-growing, and his journey with acting was just getting started, which led him to take part in several theater productions both in high school and in college. Although he graduated from college with a B.A. in psychology, his desire to pursue acting remains unfazed. He is thrilled to work with Metro Theater Company to help ensure the successful storytelling of SEEDFOLKS.
Michael Thanh Tran
Ensemble
is thrilled to return to Metro Theater Company for his onstage debut, having previously served as the animator for Metro Theater Company’s production of Idris Goodwin’s JACKED! He is an actor, director, and producer based in St. Louis. Regionally, he has performed with St. Louis Shakespeare Festival for three seasons, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Muny, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, and COCA. His TV and film credits include FOUR DAY DELAY and 90s BABY. Michael received a B.F.A. from the Sargent Conservatory for Theatre Arts at Webster University. To learn more about Michael and his work, visit michaelthanhtran.com.
Tyler White
Ensemble
is a native of St. Louis and full-time artist who is elated to continue her work with Metro Theater Company! She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in human environmental science. Tyler is granted the duty of serving her role as theater artist both on and off the stage. Her credits on stage include Teaspoon in Sarafina, Talisha in Milk Like Sugar, Yolanda in Crowns, Ensemble in Black Nativity, Lillie Mae in The Me Nobody Knows, Ensemble in Don’t Bother Me – I Can’t Cope (The Black Rep), Ermina in Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Mustard Seed Theatre), Woman in Yellow in for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf (Washington University), and Knight/ Ensemble in King Lear (St. Louis Shakespeare Festival), Mr. Dennis/Ensemble in Last Stop on Market Street (Metro Theater Company), and Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda The Musical (COCA). Stage manager credits include The Barber of Seville (Union Avenue Opera) and Hairspray, JR. (COCA). Assistant stage manager credits include Canfield Drive, Two Trains Running, and Nina Simone: Four Women (The Black Rep).
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