Sanka, Ya Dead Mon is the story of Ben. Ben was an artist who never got to the point of struggling. Giving up his passion of music he followed his heart to Albany to one day marry the woman of his dreams. His routine rarely changes as he works Monday through Friday nine to five in an office that is slowly killing his soul, but he meticulously saves the money he makes so he can buy that Tiffany’s engagement ring and follow the map the woman of his dreams has drawn for him. What happens though when the path gets muddled and the destination changes? Well of course you turn to the movie Cool Runnings. Sanka, Ya Dead Mon? attacks the struggle many artists have of balancing their passion for their craft against their desires for a family and stability. Join Ben and a whole cast of characters as he begins his journey (with the aide of Derice, Sanka, Junior, and Yule Brenner) to finding the meaning of ‘Peace Be The Journey.’
Sanka, Ya Dead Mon? is written by Philip Dallmann, directed by Michel Jerome Faulkner II and stars Manu Kumasi as Ben. The show is being produced by Wild Rumpus Productions.
Director Michel Jerome Faulkner II takes over the directing reins of this piece and brings new life to the world of Sanka. In the past few years Faulkner was given the incredible life changing opportunity to Intern at Sesame Workshop and then at the Jim Henson Creature Shop in New York City. These internships opened more doors then he would care to count and allowed him to work in some of the worlds most interesting and unlikely places as a full-time professional Puppeteer. Past roles include a talking endangered monkey, a talking rabbit, a talking bear, a 6 year old boy, a six year old girl, a Tree and a little purple monster named Dale. Faulkner currently resides in Hershey, PA where he works as a Lead Digital Puppeteer at Hershey Chocolate World.
Actor Manu Kumasi is an absolute revelation as Ben. Brought to the project by Wild Rumpus Production Co-Artistic Director Megan Thrift, Manu has taken the role and run with it. Previous works include: Lean And Hungry Theater: As You Like It; Constellation Theatre: Gilgamesh; Keegan Theatre: A Behanding in Spokane; La MaMa Etc. (NYC): Soulagraphie; force/collision: The Nautical Yards, SHAPE; Young Playwright’s Theatre: Fall Express Tour. Manu directed Almost Almost Maine at last year’s DC Capital Fringe Festival and can also be seen as Ferdinand in The Tempest in PG County parks through July 21st! The Theatre Lab Honors Acting Conservatory graduate. @manukumasi #lml
Venue
Caos on F
923 F Street NW Washington, DC 20004
METRO: Metro Ctr (Blue, Orange, Red), Gallery Place-Chinatown (Green, Yellow, Red).
BUS: 42,54,63,64,80,D3,D6,G8,P6,P17,P19,S2,S4,W13,X2,X9.
CIRCULATOR: Georgetown/Union Station.
BIKE SHARE: 8th & H St NW, 7th & F St NW, 5th & F St NW.
 Performance Dates/Times
July 11th @ 9:15pm
July 14th @ 10:15pm
July 16th @ 6:00pm
July 20th @ 11:15pm
July 27th @ 1:30pmÂ
History of Sanka
Sanka, Ya Dead Mon? originated as an independent study at George Mason University in 2009. It was written and directed by Philip Dallmann and overseen by renown playwright and George Mason faculty member Heather McDonald. In 2012 Sanka was a part of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Valdez, Alaska and in April 2013 it received a staged reading at the Monarch Theater in New York.
About the Playwright
Philip Dallmann is the writer of Sanka as well as the Co-Artistic Director of Wild Rumpus Productions along with DC veteran and Keegan Theatre Company member Megan Thrift. Philip is a native of South Jersey, but currently lives in Brooklyn (or B-town as no one calls it ever) and works as the Office Administrator for a Physical Therapy facility in Manhattan. Philip is a graduate of George Mason University in Virginia with degrees in English and Theatre. He is currently enrolled in the Graduate Autism Certification Program with Penn State Online. This past year his one man show Sanka, Ya Dead Mon? was performed at the Last Frontier Theater Conference in Alaska and his play Sub Plans debuted Off Broadway as part of Emerging Artist’s New Works Festival in March 2013. From January 2011 to January 2012 he completed the 365 Days/365 Plays challenge, writing a play a day for a year. (What up Suzan Lori-Parks?) All of those plays can be found on his website www.philipdallmann.com along with other writing samples.
LET THE RUMPUS BEGIN!
Wild Rumpus Productions is where great stories are given life– where the journey is fused with a spirit for adventure. Pursuing ways to revitalize the classics and cultivate new work, we seek to invigorate, animate, inspire, and embolden our audiences with the stories we tell.
Wild Rumpus debuted this past March Off-Broadway as part of Emerging Artist’s New Works Festival with Philip Dallmann’s other solo piece Sub Plans. This fall they will be producing a new web series titled Direction that will be a collaboration with Bronco Buster Sketch.
ABOUT CAPITAL FRINGE: Capital Fringe is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2005 with the purpose of connecting exploratory artists with adventurous audiences by creating outlets and spaces for creative, cutting-edge, and contemporary performance in the District. Capital Fringe’s vital programs ensure the growth and continued health of the local and regional performing arts community by helping artists become independent producers while stimulating the vibrant cultural landscape in our city.
