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| Ayindé Howell |
By Darlene Donloe
It’s a show day, and Ayindé Howell’s ritualistic preparation to take the stage later that evening is underway.
He will practice yoga, do planks, then relax and “try to forget the show.”
“I try to surprise myself,” said Howell, who has an engaging spirit. “I try to find the freshness of it.”
The show he is preparing for is ‘More Miracles: Three Original One Act Plays’ (for adults only), currently playing at The Actors’ Gang in Culver City.
The plays include 'In Recovery,' 'Nun Fight,' and Howell’s play, 'Sixteen Summers'.
All of the plays are written, directed, and performed by members of The Actors' Gang for a month-long engagement now through February 21, 2026.
'In Recovery' is by Mary Eileen O'Donnell and directed by VJ Foster; 'Nun Fight' is written and directed by Willa Fossum, and 'Sixteen Summers' is written by Howell and directed by Gloria Briseño.
The plays are for adults only! Audiences are advised that the production includes vaping, strobe lighting, foul language, sexual topics, and comedy.
Howell’s ‘Sixteen Summers’ is the GenX'er's one-man show about coming of age that takes the audience on a journey through identity, family, the last act of love, and his relationship with his father, who died in 2021.
Howell, originally from Tacoma, Washington, but now living in Los Angeles, has been described as having a superpower… It’s love … and his play, described as a journey through his life story, is a work in progress, driven by the senses. It’s an exploration of his life, his era, and his last act of love.
Howell, a 20-year entertainment veteran, is an award-winning actor, writer, and producer who developed his show from a five-minute set.
If the response from the opening night audience is any indication, Howell’s play is a theatrical triumph!
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| Ayindé Howell |
I recently caught up with Howell (AH) to talk about ‘Sixteen Summers.’
DD: Why did you become an actor?
AH: I started doing spoken word in Seattle. It was in the wake of Love Jones. I got bit by the bug. I wrote a poem. People liked it. I do things full throttle. A director came out, saw me, and wanted me to do his movie. I thought you had to be special to be in movies. By the time I moved to New York, I had done another film there, and I liked it. Acting was always cool and new. I got into writing, but I kept acting. There aren’t many good stories out there for Black men. I wanted to create my own stories. My father said I should do standup. I tried it. I sucked at it. I was trying to do it the way I'd seen other people do it.
DD: What does acting do for you?
AH: Out of all the training I’ve done, it’s a journey to yourself – that’s what I learned about acting.
DD: This is three shows in one. Three original one-act plays with three different writers and directors. Describe your show – ‘Sixteen Summers.’
AH: This show I’m doing isn’t like anything I’ve seen done there (The Actors’ Gang) before. I didn't shy away from the embarrassing stuff. I wanted to find out what a man is.
DD: So, what is a man?
AH: I haven’t figured it out yet. That part of the show is interactive. We try to figure out what a man is every night. What I’ve learned so far, my father would say, is that if you believe in something, you’ll often find yourself standing alone. You have to come up with your own power. You have to be able to be vulnerable and sensitive. You have to generate your own force.
I learned I was Black when I was 13 years old. The police stopped me. They put me on the ground. It was raining. They were looking for a rape suspect. I told my mom. She said, ‘I’m sorry, this is something you’re going to have to get used to.’
DD: Describe 'Sixteen Summers'.
AH: It’s a story about fathers and sons. I tell the story through monologue scenes, poetry, music, and stand-up. I wanted it to feel cinematic. My father was always telling me about three principles that impacted my life: vision, faith, and patience. They crystallized after I lost him.
DD: Your show has been described as a journey through your life story, an exploration of your life, your era, and your last act of love. It’s about your relationship with your father, who passed away in 2021. What was your relationship?
AH: We weren’t ever super close. He was my father. I was his son. We had different periods of our lives together. When I was little, maybe seven, he had corner stores. He was always working. At 13, my mom started a business. I worked with her for a while. My dad and I didn't spend much time together. I loved my father, and he loved me. He was the most defiant person in his family. I was like him, but not in the way he expected. In my 30s, we saw more eye to eye. I’m the only actor in my family. Everybody else cooks. That’s what we do, we cook. Our relationship was the best it could be. I left home at 20. Our relationship was over the phone or holiday visits.
DD: Can you describe the creative process of turning intimate, personal experiences—like your father’s passing—into a theatrical performance for the public?
AH: I don't know how I did it. This play just came out. As an artist, a whole thing can come out of you. It wasn’t a lot of work. The way the play came about – there are no creative edits.
DD: Why did you want to bring your story to the stage?
AH: I had to. It was therapy for me. I did actual therapy. As theater actors, we do a lot of physical work. I wanted to move this through me.
DD: What is your writing regimen? Do you work in the morning, afternoon, does it have to be quiet? Is there music? Are you alone?
AH: I talk into a recorder. I freestyle. I have an idea, and I’ll just go. I can’t write fast enough. I say what I want to say. It’s nice when it’s quiet. I fluctuate between frequency music, jazz, or something without words.
DD: Why did you choose Gloria Briseño to direct?
AH: When I first met her, I didn’t know if I was going to like her. She had that mean love. I’m GenX. I grew up with that. As a director, she is like a molder. The story you see is Gloria; the words are mine.
DD: You are also a celebrity vegan chef. How long have you been a chef? Tell me about that.
AH: All my life. I grew up making potato salad, cutting vegetables, and washing dishes for my mom in her cafe. In Seattle, I started off in the family business of cooking. I got work as a chef. I cook all the time. Mom still has a café in Tacoma.
DD: What’s your specialty?
AH: Plant-based, with heavy southern and Caribbean influence. All the good stuff.
DD: What is your goal for ‘Sixteen Summers’?
AH: My goal for ‘Sixteen Summers’ is Broadway. I want to do shows like something in the spirit of John Leguizamo and Whoopi. I grew up watching people like that. That’s the kind of energy I want to bring to my show.
All performances of ‘More Miracles: Three Original One Act Plays’ take place at The Actor’s Gang Theater, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. (no performance February 1), $35 + $3 fees. Seniors and students are $25 + $3 fees, and Thursdays are pay-what-you-can.
Tickets are available at www.theactorsgang.com and by phone at 310 838-4264.
