Vandous Stripling II

Something I’ve learned for myself: Two of the greatest things are opportunity and Potential. Opportunity can be found in all occasions by breathing in gratitude, acceptance, and practicing good listening. Potential is infinite and pure. I think I continue to evolve over time and I’m lucky to meet great honest people along the way. Now I’m getting started and I feel very excited and quite optimistic. Till soon.

Cannes Film Festival . #76 #cannes #cannesfilmfestival #family

More soon.

So much has happened in the span of half a year. I honestly don’t know what angle to begin to speak on it from. I just have to start by saying I’ve had the honor to meet and work with some of the most incredible people in my life. Powerful, beautiful and inspiring. As I sit and write this I reminisce of the family I’ve found the friends I’ve made, and perhaps lost, and I still only find myself at loss of words to the profundity of my life’s experience. This show was a gift. Thank you to everyone in the crew, the creative team, the administrative staff, and the incredible cast and singular director. You all made me feel a welcome part of this special well-oiled machine. A special note to the cast: Thank you for making me family. Thank you for letting me put on the wigs for a night. To the incredible writer: Thank you for your words. To the director: Thank you for your faith and leadership. To the Crew: Thanks for holding us up thanks for the cookouts and thanks for the laughs. To Center Theater Group: Thank you for your deep care and thank you for this dope welcome to LA. To my family: Thanks you for your steadfast love and support. Somehow theater always finds a way to take care of me beyond the immense joy it brings my life. Thank you for your timing. Another thanks to Center Theater Group for allowing me to host this workshop. -Special thanks to Natalia. I had a blast working with these incredible artists.

Thank you to the producers at Combo Media for the opportunity and trust to lead this incredible commercial in Helsinki, Finland. And a very special thank you to the extremely kind and immensely talented BTS and creative team for your support with the stunts, language barriers, and deep passion for good work. Production Company: Combo Media Executive Producer: Tuukka Tikkanen Producer: Jonna Yletyinen Production Manager: Mirkku Tenhunen Director: Erno Reinikainen Cinematographer: Anton Tevajärvi Photographer: Hayley Le Lighting: Johnathan Manila Costume: Shadi Razavi MUAH: Kira Muesa Stunt Coordinator: Oula Kitti Prop Director: Sara Lindeblad And special thanks to my friends at the Seven Fingers who trained me in acrobatics to help me nail this self tape and prepare for the day. And very special thanks to Nina, Nella, Oula, and the Niva family for taking care of me during my stay. Forever grateful and forever indebted to you. Kiitos tosii Paljon!

Discipline Nunchcuku. Taught by the insane fight master, actor, and stunt choreographer @kaimikuoha . Filmed and edited by the incredible and singular @israelpalacio

Thank you, Alice Childress wrote this play ‘Trouble in Mind’ in the mid fifties on an auspicious opportunity to emerge as the first black female playwright to have an original play produced on Broadway. This dream would come true on the condition that she change the ending. After fifteen rewrites, she didn’t recognize her own play anymore and said “take it how it is or leave it. . . In 2021 her play finally had its Broadway debut. And this past month we had the unique opportunity to translate her work onto the stage at The Pittsburgh Public Theater. Justin Emeka is a world-class director who, under his craft and leadership, led this production to a successful regional premiere @thepublicpgh . His resume speaks for itself, but once you get a chance to meet him and witness his work, you’ll understand the treasure he is to the theater. @jemeka1 The ethos at this theater is one of love, protection, and support. I caught the flu the final week of shows and couldn’t perform for my family that came to visit, some cancelled their trip altogether. But I can’t think of a time in my life where I had an army rally behind me the way the cast and community here did. I believe this is what makes the work soar, what molds great relationships, what sparks change, and what —to me, affirms and reaffirms how the strength of people led by love can make even the gravest of situations hopeful. Which is what I think Alice Intended with this play all along. So to everyone that I’ve head the pleasure of meeting, learning from and working with, thank you for everything. Thank you Mom, Dad, my marvelous mentor, Jeffrey and Nella for the support. Here are some photos from the show. Thank you Maranie B. Staab for your work capturing these moments.

June 30- Sep 15. Directed by: Barry Edelstein @theoldglobe 📸 @richsoublet2

“That’s an Interesting Question. . . “ Starring, written and directed by, Vandous Stripling II. The story unfolds in fictitious prison cell following a young man, who, on the date of his release, relapses into the memories of what led to his incarceration. This absurdist piece offers a realistic yet eclectic lens into the search for freedom and manhood while faced with the ever-present realities of bullying, branding, and bastardization. Special thanks to my program, mentors, parents and colleagues for the space, support, and freedom to ascend. • Special thanks and incredible Design by: @andrewadamsdesign • 📸 X @richsoublet2

April 21st @7 :30p. A one man play I wrote, directed and will star in. Tough, absurd, contemplative, and an overall joy of a process. An accumulation of what I’ve learned as an OLD Globe +USD MFA meets my story of finding freedom through branding, bullying, and bastardization told through an absurd realistic lens. More tickets in bio. Brilliant poster design by: @atomicadams

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Directed by: Lamar Perry Photos by: Rich Soublet Sometimes I find myself still processing my experience working on this piece. I’m proud of the work that I saw from all of my peers. I think it takes a different level of bravery, commitment and endurance to tackle a script like this. I really do believe it’s hard to generate work like this today because the hunger to explore the human condition in all of its darkness, discomfort, and nuance —in my opinion, seems to no longer be appetizing to a lot of artists. I consider myself honored and fortunate to be in a room with all of these souls (including the creative team) who were willing to explore all the corners of the text to offer a gift that was hopefully not only magical, but perhaps potent enough to examine another perspective or frame to understanding ourselves in Judas Iscariot. I think it’s work like this —that’s hard for most audiences to hear and a lot actors to want to tackle that give us the greatest opportunity to have challenging conversation and step outside of our political and religious ways of thinking and get back to the basics of being human. 1st photo: Matthias of Galilee jumping for joy when a moment of joy has been forever cemented by a gracious gift of a spinning top from Judas. 2nd: Butch Honeywell. A man imprisoned in the reality that he is probably dead and will never have the opportunity see his Baby Dinosaur again, yet clinging to the possibility that this may only be a dream and he is due to wake up at any moment. (But the photo is a moment about sandwiches😋) 3rd: The beautiful Old Globe MFA cohort (minus 1)