Valley Song by Athol Fugard
November 15,16,17,22,24
Fridays & Saturdays 7:30 PM, Sundays 2:00 PM
Tickets: $30 Adults, $15 Students 21 and Under
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This is the moving story of an old man’s love for his dutiful grandchild. Buks’ Jonkers is a poor yet dignified war veteran who is devoted to his vegetable furrows in a remote South African province. He is anxious to shield his dreamy, restless sixteen year old granddaughter from temptations beyond the valley. She is equally anxious to be a singer in faraway Johannesburg. Her self made songs brim with the longings of youth.
Valley Song is a coming-of-age story about a young girl seeking the courage to embrace the future while her grandfather searches for the wisdom to let go of the past.
The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York was originally founded as Soul Rebel Performance Troupe in 2010 by veteran actor Jean-Remy Monnay as a not-for-profit organization to foster understanding, appreciation and participation of the performing arts among communities of color. Headquartered in New York State’s Capital Region, Black Theatre Troupe promotes performance and theatrical pieces by, and about, artists of color.
Cast and Creative Team
Qubilah Sales (Veronica Jonkers) is an Albany native who has made her debut as an actress with Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY, Inc. in 2023. She is the cofounder of a non profit organization WE ARE REVOLUTIONARY that specializes in children with ACES as well as introducing them to political advocacy. She has done a few productions working on stage and behind the scenes. she is very grateful to be a part of this amazing production! #RepresentationMatters
Bill Douglas (Author) is happy to be collaborating again with the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York and Remy. Bill would like to acknowledge the hard work of so many behind the scenes and thank his fellow cast members for their generosity, commitment and support. Bill has been in about 60 shows around the Capital Region. Some favorites include To Kill A Mockingbird (Bob Ewell), Inspecting Carol (Frank) and Don’t Dress for Dinner (Bernard) at SLCA (all with Remy), Les Mis (Thenardier) at Cohoes Music Hall, Hairspray (Wilbur Turnblad) at Cohoes Music Hall and Park Playhouse, and The Minutes (Mr. Carp) at Albany Civic. Bill would like to thank his family for their endless support.
Douglas Hyman (Abraam “Buks” Jonkers)
Jean-Remy Monnay (Director)In 1997, he decided to move from Brooklyn to the Capital Region. He took a break from theatre for about two years, but in early 1999 he decided not to let language or anything else get in his way of becoming an English-speaking stage actor. He enrolled in Schenectady Community College to study performing arts in English.
In late 1999, Remy auditioned for the Hubbard Hall Theatre Company in Cambridge, NY, where he met Kevin McGuire, the resident Artistic Director. Kevin offered Remy a part in his first major production at the theatre, “Saint Joan”.
From February of 2000 to the present time, Jean-Remy has appeared in over 200 plays, films (including Grand Army – Episode 4 in Netflix), Follow Her, Time Crunch, commercials and a documentary for the History Channel. He has directed The Piano Lesson, TopDog/UnderDog, Hoodoo Love, Sweat, The Light, Flyin’ West, Yours For The Oppressed, Barbecue, Dead and Breathing, AIN’T Misbehavin’, A Lesson Before Dying, The Niceties, Mountaintop, Camp Logan, Fences, Eclipsed, Harriet Tubman Visits A Therapist, Medal Of Honor Rag, Slow Dance On The Killing Ground, Intimate Apparel, The Exonerated, American Dream, Wedding Band, Reunion in Bartersville, Meridian Mississippi, American Dream and many more.
Mariah Sanford-White (Co-Producer, Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate NY) Mariah Sanford-White (Assistant Producer for BTTUNY) grew up in Cambridge and in Hubbard Hall, performing, directing, and choreographing as a founding member of the Theatre Company at Hubbard Hall, and running the Children’s Theatre Group for several years. After almost two decades teaching theatre in NYC, she moved to Albany where she now works with BTTUNY on all of their shows. Mariah recently performed with Theatre Voices, and she works at Emma Willard School. Congratulations and lots of love to this wonderful cast and crew, and especially to Remy.
Erin Nicole Harrington (Co-Producer, Hubbard Hall) Erin is a North Country native hailing from neighboring Warren County. She received her Bachelor of Arts from SUNY Potsdam, Magna
Cum Laude with a double major in Theatre and English concentrating on dramaturgy and creative writing and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She has extensive teaching and directing experience including the Saratoga Arts summer Youth theater program and guest lecturer on dramaturgy at SUNY Potsdam.
Erin has many years of experience in managing arts organizations, namely at The Depot Theatre in Westport, New York and most recently with Home Made Theater in Saratoga as Business Manager. In addition to her administrative and leadership roles, she is also an accomplished theater artist who led the creation of the Sensory Friendly Performance Program providing accommodations for patrons of all ages with sensory sensitivities. She directed “The Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night-Time,” which was named a top 10 non-equity production for the Capital Region by the Saratogian in 2022. She also received critical acclaim for the recent production of “The Humans.”
Michaela Torres (Stage Manager) Michaela Torres (she/her) is a UAlbany graduate and is thrilled to be joining the BTTUNY family 
this season. Michaela enjoys working both on and offstage; past projects include POV (Rey), Spring Awakening (Martha), The Wedding Singer (Holly), Heathers (Veronica) and several others as a stage manager, producer, director, props master, set builder, etc. She would like to thank the cast, crew, and the folks at Hubbard Hall for welcoming us into their space!
Sheilah London Miller(Costumes/Makeup)
Sheilah is a Creative artist, both on and off-stage writer, voice/stage actor, assistant director, set decorator, property manager, costumes, and makeup. Sheilah performs throughout the Capitol Region, NY State, New England, and Mass markets. Sheilah is honored to serve as Board President of The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York (BTTUNY) Sheilah loves theater to entertain, inspire, and invoke excitement, with the mystique of performing arts. Sheilah is excited, to work in this capacity in the company of Awesome Creatives! Let the magic continue!
Jacqui Anscombe-Waring (Sound Designer) Jacqui Anscombe-Waring received her Bachelor of Technology Degree in 
Entertainment Technology from The New York City College of Technology in June 2013 (Cum Laude) and awarded the Meyer Sound Scholarship to Broadway Sound Master Classes at NYU. She has since created Sound Designs for productions with The Spring Forward Theatre Festival of Short Plays, Her Temple Monologues, Midtown International Theatre Festival, Curtain Call Theatre, Shades of Truth Theatre, Theatre for The New City, and the highlight of her career was being Company Sound Designer for The Negro Ensemble Company’s 50th Anniversary Season. Jacqui was nominated for the 2014 AUDELCO Award for Best Sound Design for UGLY IS A HARD PILL, her very first Sound Design project.
Maureen “Moe” Cossey(Lighting Designer/Production Management) is a local theater professional, musician and actor. She attended the Crane School of Music and SUNY Albany, majoring in Vocal Performance. For the past seven years, she has been the resident Stage Manager at Hubbard Hall Center for the Arts and Education in Cambridge, NY. Local onstage theater credits include Little Shop of Horrors (voice of Audrey II, Fort Salem Theater), Bright Star (Mama Murphy, FST), Pirates of Penzance (Edith, FST) and Mary Poppins (Ms. Andrew, FST). Other recent stage roles include Mother Abbess (cover) in The Sound of Music (HMT) and Sister Margaretta in The Sound of Music (MACC). When not on stage, Moe serves as lighting/sound designer/stage manager for various local theaters. Some recent favorites include Fiddler on the Roof (MACC, Stage Manager) and Ragtime (Sand Lake Center for the Arts, Lighting Designer). All the best to all those who support live and local theater!
Benjie White (Set Construction/Design)
Alessandra Payne (Props Designer)
Alessandra Payne is a Kittitian American artisan jeweler and wearable artist who is doing business as Salvage & Shine. Alessandra grew up in Albany, NY; graduated with a Masters degree from a university in Ithaca, NY; is committed to supporting The Arts (in all its forms), and is passionate about showcasing the value of eco-conscious designs and creations and her Caribbean design aesthetic. This is Alessandra’s second time managing props in a theatrical performance and is proudly leaning in to her title of Prop Master! She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the crew and hopes everyone enjoys the play.
