‘A Transfer Story’
Dear Editor: Of course I am not the most objective person to report on Sitka: A Transfer Story, the one-act play presented at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Community House Oct. 14.
Nevertheless, Sitka audiences again showed their support for the arts by taking a chance on the world premier play written by former Sitka resident Zack Desmond, now studying at Julliard. It was superbly directed by Taylor Ciambra, a former Sitka Jesuit Volunteer who flew in and took the reins of this wagon-load of potential that more than proved up. It was a pirate’s treasure chest of a show. She and the cast – Sarah Chadwick Gibson as Lady Jane, Seaton Bryan-Ardguin as Father Salkeloff, Destony Rosas as Ivan, Gregory, Major Bell and Mary, and Lisa Brooks as Benji and Grandmother – were top drawer.
They took a play written on one dimensional paper and made it 3-D. The crew was also first class: Anne Lankenau as stage manager, Laura Bennett on sound, Leo Jimmy on lights, Haifa Alsafadi on the spotlight, and Omar Kamal Ali at the door, made it happen.
Caitlin Rogers was the wonderful poster and program designer, Kristy Griffin was our historical adviser, and Roby Littlefield was the cultural advisory. Thank you to Betty Conklin and Carol Knuth for costume help.
Of course, you cannot have a play without some incredibly generous sponsors. Ours included: Artists Cove, First National Bank of Alaska, Harry Race Pharmacy, the Alaska State Council on the Arts, the State of Alaska Office of History and Archaeology, the Sitka Historical Society, a very, very generous anonymous donor, Holland America Line Community Advisory Board, and the Sitka Rotary Club.
I would also like to thank KIFW, KCAW, the Sitka Soup, and The Daily Sitka Sentinel for their generous support. Old Harbor Books for ticket sales and the Sitka Pioneer Home for the really important time and space to rehearse. Thanks to Sitka Tribal Enterprises for the hospitality of the Community House and your staff. Thank you, Sitka and Sitkans!
Jeff Budd, Sitka
