ABOUT Topdog underdog
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2023 Tony award for Best Revival of a Play, Suzan-Lori Parks’ searing and darkly funny play is a must-see theatrical event opening Vanguard Theater’s 10th anniversary season.
This powerful work follows two brothers, struggling to carve out a future while wrestling with their past in a volatile mix of rivalry, love, and survival. Equal parts heartbreaking and electrifying, Topdog/Underdog is a gripping tale of family, identity, and the thin line between winning and losing. With sharp humor and explosive tension, it asks: how do we play the cards life deals us… and at what cost?
Don’t miss this intimate, unforgettable production of one of the most acclaimed plays of the 21st century.
Steven St. Pierre
Steven St. Pierre is a Queens NY-raised actor, writer, director, and proud son of Haitian immigrants. He found his way to storytelling after 20 years working with people with disabilities — discovering acting as a path to process, uplift, and connect.
He’s appeared in over 25 Film/TV productions, including FBI: Most Wanted, HBO’s High Maintenance, and the Emmy-nominated Tough Love. Steven stars in The Pill, streaming on Amazon and Tubi, and played Lincoln in Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog at Passage Theatre’s 2025 season.
Jude Kilumbu
Jude Kilumbu is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He has previously studied at The New School and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Up next, he will star alongside Taissa Farmiga in Jake Hoffman’s upcoming feature, The Problem with Poets.
Marcus d. harvey, director
marcus is honored to make his Vanguard debut directing Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, what he deems as a love letter to Black Men. His directorial approach focuses on asking,
“What conversation is this play having with the world now?”
Recent directing credits include Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog (Passage Theatre), Chisa Hutchinson’s Redeemed (CATF Theaters), The Wedding Gift (Fordham University), and Surely Goodness & Mercy (Passage Theatre); Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop (Lean Ensemble Theater); and Lolita Chakrabarti’s Hymn (Burning Coal Theatre).
marcus is a multi-hyphenated artist, holding his MFA in Acting from Brooklyn College, MA in Dramatic Writing for Social Change from NYU, and dual undergraduate degrees in Drama and Performance Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill. He is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Montclair State University. Learn more about marcus and his work at www.themarcusdharvey.com.
Forever Grateful. For Team KLM.
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VANGUARD THEATER COMPANY
Founded in 2015, Vanguard Theater is a not-for-profit company changing social and cultural narratives through theater dedicated to DREAM: Diversity, Reciprocity, Education, Activism & Mentorship. For more information, visit www.VanguardTheaterCompany.org or find us across social media @VTCNJ and #dreamVTC
OUR VISION: To be recognized as a model in the theater community for purposeful inclusion of diverse voices and stories; partnerships that propel cross community conversations; and casting and leadership that reflects our communities.