CREATE
Mo`olelo exists to uncover and research stories within different communities and bring them to life on stage, using all the artistic and technical elements of the performing arts.
PRODUCE
Mo`olelo exists to produce original stories by contemporary playwrights and lesser-known stories by master playwrights.
EDUCATE
Mo`olelo exists to educate youth in technical theatre and design, exposing them to potential careers, and grooming this new generation of theatre artists so they can tell stories on stage with integrity.
Why “Mo`olelo”? While it may sound strange, the name was carefully chosen by the founders to reflect the company’s mission and objectives. Mo`olelo is the Hawaiian word for story, legend, tale or narrative. At Mo`olelo, telling good stories is what we strive to do, recognizing the power of personal narrative to affect change in society. In addition, the co-founders were raised in Hawaii, and wanted to reflect the theatre company’s value for multiculturalism in the arts by selecting this Hawaiian word. So that’s why Mo`olelo… Funny word, good theatre.
The Co-Founders
SEEMA SUEKO (Artistic Director) will appear at The Old Globe in The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow in summer 2004. She is a three-time winner of the Chicago “Jeff Citation” Award for her performances in the world premiere of Rebecca Gilman’s The Crime of the Century (Best Actress in a Principal Role), The Waiting Room (Best Actress in a Supporting Role), and A Piece of my Heart (Best Ensemble). Other stage credits include Connie in A Chorus Line (Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre), Cleo Singer in Rocket to the Moon (Actors Alliance of San Diego), and The Phoenician Women (NYC’s The Ohio Theatre). As a teaching artist, Seema worked with Seattle’s Intiman Theatre in their award-winning Living History program, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry’s educational-comedy piece with Bernard Sahlins, and toured the country with the one-woman show Within the Silence about the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. Seema holds a MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago and is a member of Actors Equity Association, and a board member of the Actors Alliance of San Diego, Raag and Taal Academy, and Voices of Women.
KIM PALMA (Mo`olelo to Joyce Program Director) is from Honolulu, Hawaii and holds a bachelor’s degree in theater from Wesleyan University, in Connecticut. She is the lighting design instructor and resident designer at the Orange County High School of the Arts in Southern California. Kim toured with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company for three years as lighting supervisor, and is currently the resident Lighting Designer and Production Director for DanceBrazil and Helios Dance Theater. Her lighting designs include works for the Southern California Dance Theater, Winifred Harris’ Between Lines Dance Company, Keith Johnson/Dancers, Avila/Weeks Dance Company, as well as “Angels in America”, “The Food Chain”, and “Inspecting Carol” for AXIS Theatre in Baltimore.
Board of Directors
JODI KOSKELLA (President) brings to Mo`olelo 9 years of experience in marketing communications and business planning. While growing up in Minneapolis, Jodi’s parents “dragged” her to theatre events and arts museums until she developed her own love of the arts. To compensate for her own severely limited artistic abilities, which she also thanks her parents for (sorry Mom!), she joined the San Diego Performing Arts League’s Business for Arts Program, which matched her skills and interests with Mo`olelo. She is extremely passionate about Mo`olelo’s mission and has a strong desire to bring new patrons to the theatre and increase San Diego’s arts scene. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
ILENE HUBBS (Vice President) has over 20 years experience marketing and fundraising for some of the major non-profits in San Diego, most currently as the former President & CEO of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Under her leadership the agency grew from $250,000 to its success today as a multimillion dollar charity and one of the most recognized and beloved causes in town. Prior to that Ilene worked as Director of Development for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She also served as Cultural Arts Director for the San Diego J.C.C. Ilene holds a B.A. in Communications from Temple University in Philadelphia where she grew up attending every play she could afford from tryouts in Philadelphia to on and off Broadway productions in New York City. Her first experience being mesmerized watching the original cast of “The Diary of Anne Frank” inspired the love of theater that brings her to work for the success of Mo’olelo.
DARLYNNE REYES (Secretary) Reporter, KSWB-TV, Channel 5, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Her first on-air reporting job was in Lebanon, New Hampshire. From there, she went onto KYW-TV in Philadelphia, Group W NEWSFEED in Washington, D.C. and KFMB-TV in San Diego. Although Darlynne enjoyed field producing, she wanted to return to reporting so she accepted an offer at KDCI News, Adelphia Communications in Carlsbad, as their News Director and main anchor. In addition to her Adelphia gig, she also freelanced as a reporter for KTNV in Las Vegas. She also does voiceover work and has landed several acting roles in local TV shows and movies, including a brief scene with Catherine Zeta Jones and Dennis Quaid in “Traffic.” Darlynne has received numerous awards including a San Diego Press Club Award for investigative reporting, and a “YMCA Friends in the Media Award.” She was the 2003 co-chair for the Asian American Journalists Association Convention and sits on several boards including Mayor Dick Murphy’s Asian Pacific Islander Advisory Council and Pacific Islander Festival Association. She also hosts a syndicated radio and internet travel segment called “Talking Story, Hawaiian Style with Darlynne Reyes” and in July 2003, she and her husband, Marc Menkin, went for their lifelong dream and founded “Where You Want To Be” walking and biking tours company.
JACOB FREIFELD (Co-Treasurer) is from Brookline, Massachusetts and joins Mo`olelo with 6 years of finance experience. Before moving to San Diego, he traded mortgage bonds at Lehman Brothers and worked in portfolio management at The Bank of New York. His favorite plays include “Proof” by David Auburn, “Art” by Yasmina Reza, and “When We Dead Awaken” by Henrik Ibsen. Jacob has a bachelor’s degree in information systems from Carnegie Mellon, and has just launched Southbrook Capital Management, a company that brings institutional-quality investment strategies to the individual investor.
MICHELLE WHEELOCK (Co-Treasurer) is from Los Gatos, CA and holds a bachelor’s degree In business finance with a minor in psychology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She has worked for Wells Fargo Commercial/Business Banking for the past four years as a Business Banker. She works with many companies in the San Diego area including many non-profit associations. While her background in the performing arts is limited she is anxious to exchange her knowledge of business and finance to learn more about theater.
Volunteer Staff
ERIN CRONICAN (Associate Artistic Director) holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Pepperdine University. She has been singing, acting and dancing professionally in San Diego for the past 7 years, and been seen at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, Sycuan Showcase Theatre, San Diego Civic Light Opera, Sledgehammer Theatre, Opera Zero, and Diversionary Theatre, among others. Favorite roles have included Cindy in “Suds,” Nellie in “South Pacific”, The Angel in “Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika,” and Glinda in “The Wizard of Oz.” Erin currently serves as PR & Development Director of the Actors Alliance of San Diego and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
News
Click below to download official Mo`olelo Press Releases
(you must have Adobe Acrobat to view these files)
• Announcing Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company
• Mo`olelo founder and artistic director Seema Sueko stars at the Old Globe in “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow.”
Contact Mo`olelo
Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company
PO Box 710564
San Diego, CA 92171-0564
(858) 761-3871
Seema Sueko, Artistic Director: [email protected]
Kim Palma, Mo’olelo to Joyce Program Director: [email protected]
Erin Cronican, Associate Artistic Director: [email protected]
Audition Information
We primarily hire actors that are members of Actors’ Equity Association. If interested in performing with Mo’olelo, please submit a headshot and resume to:
Actor Submission
Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company
PO Box 710564
San Diego, CA 92171-0564
All auditions for specific productions will be posted at:
Actors’ Equity and Actors Alliance of San Diego
Script Submissions
Mo`olelo is always interested in reading new scripts. In particular, we are looking for socially-conscious plays with cast sizes of five or less. Script submissions should include a synopsis, character breakdown, and playwright’s bio. Please mail them to:
Script Submission
Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company
PO Box 710564
San Diego, CA 92171-0564