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One Table returned in 2025 with a show coproduced with Tacoma Arts Live at The Eleanor Room at The Tacoma Armory. In the spacious Eleanor room, One Table veterans Derek Nunn and Masahiro Sugano directed, alongside first-time director Jesi Vega and special guest writer/director Kenya Shakoor. The performers were a mix of familiar One Table faces Nick Bade, ShaVanety Jones, and Jesi Vega and first timers Aardë, Kenya Shakoor, and Masahiro Sugano.
Scene 1, written and directed by Derek Nunn: Coworkers Nick Bade and Ardë suspect the dreaded Tacoma Curse when they meet up for coffee and Nick starts acting very strangely.
Nick Bade and his wife moved to Tacoma in 2021 all the way from North Texas, looking for new adventures, a more progressive community, and much cooler weather. He has a passion for all things sports, creative endeavors and just plain old having a good time. He is excited to take part in the local Tacoma performing arts scene in any capacity he can. He is currently a Talent Development Director for a beverage distribution company in the PNW and loves his north west coast life.
​​​Aardë is a writer and artist with a deep connection to film, music, and performance in the Tacoma area. Her work spans across plays, poetry, music and art, she’s known for her ability to connect with artists from all walks of life; blending her experiences into collaborations that push creative boundaries and inspire those around her. Her work continues to engage audiences through its depth and authenticity."
Scene 2, written and directed by Masahiro Sugano and Jesi Vega: A lonely bank teller (Jesi Vega) brings enthusiasm to planning a bank heist just as its disillusioned mastermind (Masahiro Sugano) is ready to retire.
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Long before taking a seat at One Table, young Jesi Vega was sitting on the stoop of her Bronx apartment building spinning yarns about her best friend marrying Warren Beatty. It was a straight shot from there to life as an aspiring Hollywood screenwriter, but Jesi left Tinseltown in 2012 for a greener life in Tacoma. Now she coaches Global Majority writers and entrepreneurs to write books and tell their own stories, produces theatrical happenings with One Table, reads tarot cards, and tries to guess everyone's Enneagram type. You can find her writing at The Creative Majority on Substack.​​​​​​
Born and raised in Osaka, Japan, Masahiro Sugano directed the award-winning documentary CAMBODIAN SON about a deported ex-gang member turned poet from the U.S. His accolades stretch from a 1997 Student Academy Award nomination to the 2020 Art Matters Foundation Award. He earned a BA in philosophy from Cal State Northridge and an MFA in film/animation from the University of Illinois-Chicago. His films screen internationally, in cinemas, museums, schools and prisons. Sugano currently lives in Tacoma and is a Senior Artist-in-Residence at the University of Washington Bothell. This is his acting debut.
Scene 3, written and directed by Kenya Shakoor: After a discouraging set, stand-up comedian Keisha (ShaVanety Jones) makes an unexpected and affirming connection with Olivia (Kenya Shakoor), the only other Black woman in the venue.
​Kenya Shakoor is a photographer, multidisciplinary artist, and art advocate born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. She views her artistic practice as an exploration of bell hooks's love ethic, creating pieces that prompt discussions about love and community. In addition to showcasing her work, she teaches workshops that explore tenderness through portraiture.​​
ShaVanety Jones moved to Tacoma in the 2020 (yes, during Covid-19) from Shreveport, Louisiana. She longed to experience 4 seasons, a new career in psychology, and more opportunities to travel internationally. She has a passion for our youth, gastronomy, and adventure. ShaVanety started long-form improv through Bandit Theater in 2024 and is a 2025 film screener for the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival.