July Brings 'Last Call' The Musical To Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — This July, an Alexandria-based performing arts company will whisk its audience away to civil rights era Washington, DC in the 1960s. Momentum Collective Inc. presents "Last Call," the musical on July 1 and 2 and 7 to 9 at Richard Kauffman Auditorium, 1108 Jefferson Street in Alexandria.

Momentum Collective is Alexandria's only minority-owned performing arts company. The executive director and playwright is Jason Ellis, a native Jamaican who has performed since age 2 and has been involved with three arts companies in Jamaica. After arriving in the U.S. in 2001, 2001, Ellis joined the theater scene in Memphis before Alexandria.

The Alexandria-based nonprofit has put on seven original musicals in the last decade, with the latest being "Last Call." Set in 1967 in Washington, DC, this production follows two protagonists, Agatha and Gail, who come from different backgrounds but join together to pursue their own goals and end up changing the world. "Last Call" is written, directed, choreographed and produced by Ellis.

"Last Call is for all the Agatha’s out there who never stopped dreaming. Never put limits on yourself. You already have everything you need to be successful," Ellis explains on Momentum Collective's website. "The show is a testament to the power of friendships, which for many, are stronger and more enduring than familial relationships. It also encourages us to embrace change, internally and externally, as uncomfortable as that process can be."

In two and a half hours, the production explores themes such as race relations, women’s empowerment, the underside of the entertainment industry, family values, love and friendship. The part play, part music concert showcases 20 original songs celebrating African American vocalists from the Motown era.

Much of the cast is made up of veteran performers in the DC region. The production had been workshopped by the performers into 19 episodes available on Momentum Collective's YouTube.

The cast is as follows:

• Don Juliette: played by Robert Hamilton
• Vicki Clark/Thelma: played by Sheron LaSha
• The Cymbals: played by Desiré Barrett, Michelle Brown, Taryn Murphy
• DJS Dancers: played by Jessi Shull, Sarah Bricker, Caitlin O’Hara
• Gail: played by Jenell Biggs
• John: played by Geoffrey Baskir
• Agatha: played by Daniyah Prosser
• Cain James: played by Caesar Jackson
• The Tricksters: played by Ira Coates Jr., Brandon Washington, Rashad Roberts
• Luke Lawrence: Played by Nate Daley
• Otis: played by Chandler Jordan
• Clarence: played by Jason Ellis
• MC Willie: played by Justin Thaxton
• Shake Dancers: played by Celena Noel, Joyvell Henry
• Ms. Shirley: played by Alyshia Bradley
• Yvonne: played by Michelle Brown
• Melvin: played by Joshua Devine
• Little Frankie
• The Tic Tacs
• Martha: played by Kris Humphrey
• Charles: played by Justin Latus

Proceeds from "Last Call" support Momentum Collective's free after-school arts education programs for underserved youth and scholarships for first generation college students.

"Last Call" was originally scheduled to open in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two years later, there's no doubt Ellis and the rest of the performers are counting down the days until opening night at 7 p.m. on July 1.

For more information and tickets, visit productions.momentumcinc.org.