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It’s 1997: TLC tops the charts, oversized overalls are all that, and Cynthia Cooper rules the WNBA. In rural Arkansas, the tight-knit Lady Train basketball team is on track to win State. Onstage basketball and off-court tensions fuel this funny and frank play about small-town life and big-league dreams.

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Summit's production is directed by Artistic Manager A.J. Baldwin.

JAN 17-18:  7:30 PM   •   JAN 19:  2:00 PM

JAN 23-25:  7:30 PM   •   JAN 26:  2:00 PM

JAN 30-FEB 1:  7:30 PM   •   FEB 2:  2:00 PM

FRANK & KATRINA BASILE THEATRE

PHOENIX THEATRE CULTURAL CENTRE

705 N ILLINOIS ST, 46204

The Co-World Premiere was produced by TheatreSquared (Robert Ford, Artistic Director; Martin Miller, Executive Director/Producer; Matt Torney, Artistic Director; Gretchen E. Butler, Managing Director)

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Developed with support from The Ground Floor at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, CA

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FLEX was developed at the 2019 Bay Area Playwrights Festival, a program of the Playwrights Foundation

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FLEX was presented at NNPN’s 2020 National Showcase of New Plays Produced by Lincoln Center Theater, New York City, 2023

WARNING:  Brief strobe lights will be used during this performance.  |  â€‹The show runs 120 minutes long plus one 10-minute intermission.

CAST

Starra Jones

Shelby Marie Edwards*​

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Sidney Brown

Maggie Kryszyn

 

Cherise Howard

Marissa Emerson

April Jenkins

Kelli Thomas​

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Donna Cunningham

Enjoli' Desiree

 

Coach Francine Pace

Alicia K. Sims*

Swings:  Dipper Dickerson  |  Arika Casey

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​*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Summit Performance Indianapolis, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Shelby Marie Edwards

Shelby Marie Edwards (she/her/hers) (as Starra Jones) is an actor, solo performer, and poet born and raised in Charlottesville, VA. Regional credits include: FLEX (Summit Performance Indianapolis), Chicken & Biscuits (Virginia Repertory Theatre), Little Women (Virginia Theatre Festival). Chicago Theatre credits include: Qualia (Subtext Studio Theatre), A Bronx Tale, The Wedding Singer (Surging Films and Theatrics); Holly’s Ivy, Lost Home Win Home (Lifeline Theatre’s Fillet of Solo Festival). Film credits include HBO’s Lovecraft Country. Education: M.A. from the University of Chicago & B.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. Many thanks to my Dad, Kendrick Edwards for teaching me how to execute a layup with my left hand. And to my Mom, thank you for attending every show since January 7, 2017, but I miss having you on this side of the moon. Instagram: @ShelbyMarieEdwards.

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Maggie Kryszyn (as Sidney Brown) is an actor and performer who graduated with a BFA from Ball State University in 2024. She is excited to be a part of this production with Summit Performance Theatre! Recent credits include Meg March in Little Women, Evan in Sweat, & Belle in A Christmas Carol (Ball State University Theatre), and the short film Leftovers (Radiance Cinema). Maggie is thankful for the unwavering love and support from God and those around her, which continue to inspire her journey in the world of theatre and film.

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Marissa Emerson (she/her) (as Cherise Howard) is a bilingual, bubble-tea-loving Gryffindor from Philadelphia, PA, and is stoked to join Summit Performance Indianapolis for FLEX! Select credits include: The Wizard of Oz, To Kill a Mockingbird, Miracle on 34th Street (Barter Theatre), The Tempest, Othello (Nebraska Shakespeare Festival), Twelfth Night (Hedgerow Theatre), A Wrinkle in Time, Charlotte’s Web, Rapunzel (The Barter Players). Marissa received her BA in Theatre from Temple University following her gap year in Ecuador. While at Temple, Marissa was a clarinetist in the Diamond Marching Band and served as a Dance Captain, teaching original choreography to her 200+ bandmates for each home game. Marissa volunteers on the Board of Directors for the Philadelphia Independence Awards, a preliminary high school theatre competition of the Jimmy Awards. Offstage, Marissa enjoys crocheting, playing clarinet and volleyball, photography, and solving puzzles! Love, hugs, and gratitude to Madre, Anastasia, Mom-Mom, Ariel, and Sadie.  Instagram: @MarissaEmersonOfficial  |  Marissa-Emerson.com

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Kelli Thomas (as April Jenkins) is a dedicated community leader and theatre advocate. She is an alumnus of the University of Indianapolis’s Department of Theatre. Her most recent acting credits include: Julius Caesar (Indianapolis Shakespeare Company), So, You’re Soulless? Well, I’ll Be Damned (Ankh Productions), and Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (Uindy Theatre Company, seen at Indy Fringe Festival). She has also worked in other areas of theatre as an Assistant Stage Manager, Technical manager, and Stagehand. When she isn’t on stage or behind the scenes, she works in non-profit management and youth services.


“Act well your part, there all honor lies” - Alexander Pope

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Enjoli’ Desiree (as Donna Cunningham) is delighted to return to the stage in Flex with Summit Performance. After years away, the open arms of this team feel like a return home. You can find Enjoli’ via social media on Instagram: @EnjoliDesiree  | Tik Tok: @EnjoliDesiree.


“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible 
source of Magic” - Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series

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Alicia “The UnCuT Diamond” Sims (as Coach Francine Pace) is a multidisciplinary creative who uses vocals, performing arts, creative writing and visual arts to lead exhibitions that transform lives, communities and cultures! Alicia has appeared in several creative spaces including Snatched (Deborah Asante/AAI), Good People (James Lamonte/Buck Creek Players), Your Love Will Be Judged (Gabrielle Patterson/Onyxfest), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Edin Evas/NAATC) and self-written and directed production, When He Pulls the Covers. When Alicia is not using her creative gifts, she loves spending time with family and friends and traveling, especially with her mother, cousins, four beautiful children, daughter in love, handsome grandson and soon to arrive beautiful granddaughter (Jan. 2025)! Thank you for supporting this amazing cast and crew!

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Dipper Dickerson (Swing) is a senior Theatre major at the University of Indianapolis. Their most recent work includes: All in the Timing (UIndy Theatre Co. at Indy Fringe), Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (UIndy Theatre Co. at Indy Fringe), and The Importance of Being Earnest (UIndy Theatre). If not performing on stage, Dipper lends a hand behind the scenes and helps in whatever area they can. They are so excited to be a part of this production process and looks forward to working more within the Indy theatre community.

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Arika Casey (Swing) is a native of Indianapolis. She is honored to be understudying with Summit Performance Theatre! Recent credits include, Sophisticated Ladies based on the music of Duke Ellington (Beef & Boards), Tales Out of Twelve O’ 8 by Jamaal McCray (Storefront Theatre), and Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation by India Nicole Burton (Phoenix Theatre). Arika also serves as a principal dancer in Kenyettá Dance Company with the most recent performance Black Keys: The Evolution of the Black Classical Arts which premiered last June on WYFI. Arika is a professional teaching artist that specializes in dance education for youth. She is also a certified yoga instructor through Invoke.

DESIGN TEAM

Director

A.J. Baldwin

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Stage Manager

Becky Roeber*

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Assistant Stage Manager

Chandra Lynch

 

Set Design

Maggie Jackson

Costume Design

Robert Moore III

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Lighting Design

Laura Glover

 

Sound Design

Michael Burke

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Sound Design

Ben Dobler

 

​​Prop Design

Molly Dykstra

​​Basketball Consultant

Mike Parker

 

​​Choreographer

Mariel Greenlee

 

Choreographer

Justin Sears-Watson

 

Intimacy Direction

Jaddy Ciucci

A.J. Baldwin (she/her) (Director) is excited to make her Indianapolis debut with Summit Performance Indianapolis! A.J. is a Cincinnati-based Director, Actor, and Playwright, from Montgomery, AL. As an artist, A.J. loves plays about the unacknowledged, and is drawn to curating explicit moments to heighten implicit realities. A.J,’s most recent directing projects include Shakespeare’s Will (Asst. Director, Theater at Monmouth), The Light Chasers (Asst. Director, Know Theatre of Cincinnati), and Blood Mary (Director, Cincy Fringe Festival). A.J. is the Associate Artistic Director of The Theater at Monmouth, in Monmouth, Maine. She holds BAs in Theater, and History from Auburn University Montgomery. A.J. sends love to all who may be reading and looks forward to sharing this night of theater with you all.

 

Becky Roeber (Stage Manager) is so excited to be back on the Summit team for another production! They work at Indiana Repertory Theatre as Production Coordinator and as a member of the Stage Management Team. They also have worked with several other companies in Indianapolis including—Phoenix Theatre, Indy Shakes, and Dance Kaleidoscope. As always they are grateful for the opportunity to work with Summit and would like to thank their family and friends for always supporting the work they do!

 

Chandra Lynch (Assistant Stage Manager) is a photographer, actor and business owner. Recent credits include, Blackademics by Idris Goodwin and TJ Loves Sally 4 Ever by James Ijames (Fonseca Theatre), Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation by India Nicole Burton (Phoenix Theatre) and So You’re Soulless? Well, I’ll Be Damned by Jamaal McCray produced by Ankh Productions (ankhproductions.org  |  Instagram: @ankhproductions), which Chandra founded and serves as the photographer, actor, creative director and graphic designer; along with her business partner, Jamaal McCray who serves as the director, writer, actor and chief artistic director.

 

Maggie Jackson (she/her) (Set Design) is a freelance Scenic Designer based in NYC from Carlisle, Pa. She holds an MFA in Scenic Design from Indiana University. Maggie obtained her BA in Technical Theatre Design & Musical Theatre Performance from East Stroudsburg University (East Stroudsburg, PA). Her work has been seen regionally with Theatre SilCo, Constellation Stage & Screen, The Forestburgh Playhouse, Cortland Repertory Theatre, Creede Repertory Theatre, Weston Theater Company, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Summer Stock Stage, and Indiana University Summer Theatre. To see her upcoming works and previous designs visit for more information: maggiejacksondesigns.com.

 

Robert Moore III (Costume Design) is a fashion Designer/Tailor and foremost an educator of fashion and tailoring arts and related crafts. His background is in custom tailoring. Robert has also worked in the movie and film industries in North Carolina and in Los Angeles, CA worked as a workroom supervisor and as a cutter/fitter for the IATSE 705 Costumers Union. He has previously taught fashion design construction classes at the Art Institute of Indianapolis and is the founder of The Hollywood Sewing Academy: a sewing learning center in Indianapolis whose mission is to empower the present and future generations of creatives with a passion for the sewing arts.

 

Laura E. Glover (Lighting Designer) is the Resident Lighting Designer for Dance Kaleidoscope and a company member of the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company. She is honored to have designed Silent Sky, Mary Jane, Be Here Now, Skeleton Crew and The Convent for Summit Performance Indianapolis. Ms. Glover has also designed lighting for the Phoenix Theatre, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, American Lives Theatre and Butler University. She is a Creative Renewal Arts Fellow with the Arts Council of Indianapolis and holds an M.F.A. in Lighting Design from SUNY Purchase.

 

Michael Burke (he/him) (Sound Design) is a director and sometime designer currently based in Chicago. Most recently, he was the video and puppet designer for the world premiere of OAK by Terry Guest (Urbanite Theatre in Sarasota, FL). Michael was previously the Creative Director of React (formerly Young Actors Theatre), as well as the Associate Artistic Director of NoExit Performance, where he’s designed many shows for both companies over the years. He is a graduate of the theatre department at Butler University, where he recently was the 2023 Recipient of the Hilton Ultimus Brown Alumni Achievement Award.

 

Ben Dobler (he/him) (Co-Sound Design) is an Indianapolis-based designer and technician specializing in sound, video, and lighting. His work has been featured at Phoenix Theatre, Fonseca Theatre, Summit Performance, Constellation Stage & Screen, Cardinal Stage, Eclipse, Summer Stock Stage, and Actors Theatre of Indiana, among others.

 

Molly Dykstra (Prop design) is a local Props Artisan and Designer. She is an artist at heart, with credits in a variety of films, public art projects, and exhibitions of her paintings and multimedia work throughout Indiana. Some of this work can be seen at mollydykstra.com. Her most recent theatre credits include props for Queen, The Convent, and Skeleton Crew (Summit Performance Indianapolis). She also did props for Lizzie, Post Democracy and 1980 (or Why I Voted for John Anderson). Molly managed Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis for 5 years, in addition to designing and building their sets for Post Democracy, Blackhat Duncan, So, You’re Soulless? Well I’ll be Damned, and Boxcar Kids. She wants to thank her wife, Natalie, and their children, Sydney and Ash, for their encouragement and support. Her amazing family allows her artistry to flourish and her soul to sing.

CREW & PRODUCTION TEAM

Production Manager

Christian McKinney

Technical Director

Anthony Stultz

Wardrobe

Rebekah Radloff

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SPECIAL THANKS

Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation

Indy Arts Council

Indiana Arts Commission

Women's Fund of Central Indiana

Citizens Energy Group

Dorthy Klineman

Marianne Glick

James Kincannon and Charles Goad

Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre

Indiana Repertory Theatre

Hillary Martin

Candlewood Suites

Sun King Brewery

Christian McKinney

Rebecca Reyes

Summit Performance Indianapolis Board of Directors

We Are Good Eggs Design

Illinois Street Food Emporium

WANT MORE THEATRE? SUPPORT SUMMIT!

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