Trezana Beverley
(Grace Dunbar)
Winner of the distinguished Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway show,
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf, Trezana Beverley has since created a unique signature in the American Theater, as she is also recognized for her highly refined skills as a director, singer and writer. Highlights of her diverse acting career include
Mother Courage,
A Raisin In The Sun,
Flyin’ West,
Peer Gynt,
Macbeth,
Medea and
King Lear. In film:
Beloved,
Resurrection,
Carolina Skeletons and
Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies. Her musical talents have been displayed in her one-woman show
The Spirit Moves;
Constant Star and her cabaret act
The Music In Me. Highlights of her directing credits include:
Spell#7,
Native Son,
In The Blood,
From The Mississippi Delta,
Pecong,
The Trojan Woman,
Salome,
Yellowman,
The Bluest Eye; and
Blue Door. She is currently on the guest directing drama faculty of the Juilliard School in New York City. Ms. Beverley is also touring
King Lear, where she is featured playing the King as a man. And she is developing a one-woman show around the life and music of the great singing artist, Mabel Mercer. Trezana would like to dedicate her performance in
The Nacirema Society Requests... to her friend and mentor, actress Rae Allen.
Kevin Alan Daniels
(Bobby Green)
Kevin is excited to make his professional debut at Alabama Shakespeare Festival/Alliance Theatre. He calls Dallas, Texas, home but resides in New York City. He recently graduated from Yale School of Drama with a Master of Fine Arts in Acting. Recent roles include
Homebody/Kabul (Dr. Kari Shah),
Macbeth (Macduff),
The Glass Menagerie (Gentleman Caller),
Goods Goods (Stacey),
Cymbeline (Posthumus) and
Three Sisters (Vershinin). He also has B.F.A. from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Acting. He also has written many plays that evolve around the form of hip hop, which he remains a big enthusiast and artist of the art form. Two of his solo performance shows made their debut at the Yale Cabaret. One of which was awarded the Best of 2008 by the New Haven Review. He would like to thank his family for their limitless guidance, love, and continuing support. “Without the support of my family I would not be where I am and could not dare to imagine the future that I want.”
Andrea Frye
(Catherine Adams Green)
Andrea was last seen at the Alliance production of
Intimate Apparel, also wonderfully directed by Susan Booth. Catherine is the third role originated by Ms. Frye in a Cleage play, along with Helen in
A Song for Coretta and Rosa in
Bourbon at the Border. Ms. Frye cherishes the relationship with this most extraordinarily gifted of modern American playwrights. Most recently seen in
Shakin the Mess Outta Misery at the Horizon Theatre in Atlanta, her extensive acting credits also include
Intimate Apparel,
Oo Bla Dee,
Pericles,
Night of the Iguana,
Stop Kiss,
Seven Guitars,
Romeo and Juliet,
Playboy of the West Indies and Martha in
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Jasmine Guy
(Janet Logan)
Broadway:
The Wiz, Leader of the Pack,
Grease
and Chicago,
starring as Velma
Kelly.
Regional:
Fool for Love
opposite
Kenny
Leon. Television: Created the
iconic
Southern belle Whitley Gilbert on
“A
Different World,” for which she won
six
consecutive NAACP Image Awards
and
numerous other honors; “Queen,”
with
Halle Berry; Anne Rice’s “Feast of
All
Saints”; “America’s Dream,” with
Wesley
Snipes; “Touched by an Angel”;
“Fame”;
“NYPD Blue”; “Melrose
Place”;
“Drop Dead Diva”; “Vampire
Diaries”;
and Showtime’s “Dead
Like
Me.” Film: Spike Lee’s
School
Daze,
Eddie
Murphy’s Harlem Nights,
Klash,
Diamond Men, Guinevere
and
The
Heart Specialist.
Jasmine’s
stage
directing
credits include productions of
For
Colored Girls,
with
Nicole Ari Parker
and
Robin Givens;
The Bluest Eye
at
Spelman
College;
I Dream,
the world
premiere
musical/opera about the
life
of The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.;
Brownie
Points
at
Theatrical Outfit; and
The
Colored Museum,
for
Kenny Leon’s
True
Colors Theatre Company. Jasmine
wrote
Evolution of a Revolutionary
(Atria
Books)
about the life and journey of
Afeni
Shakur, and released her debut
album
(Warner Bros. Records) in 1990.
She
is Producing Director of Kenny
Leon’s
True Colors Theatre Company
in
Atlanta, where she resides with
her daughter.
Chinai J. Hardy
(Marie Dunbar)
Chinai was last seen at the Alliance Theatre in the World Premiere and Suzi Bass Award winning show, In the
Red and Brown Water. Other Alliance credits:
Intimate Apparel and
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. Atlanta:
A Lesson Before Dying (Theatrical Outfit),
Secrets of a Soccer Mom (Theatre in the Square),
In Darfur (Horizon Theatre) and
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf (staged at 14th Street Playhouse). Regional:
Damn Yankees and
Othello (St. Louis Black Repertory Co.). Chinai is a 2008 Sundance Institute Acting Company Member and an inaugural member of the New Bridges Fest with Aspen Theatre Masters and Palm Beach Dramaworks. Film:
Life Lines. B.A., Stillman College. Chinai is honored to be a part of this production with an amazing playwright, director, cast and crew! Thank you for the laughs and love! Thanks to my loved ones and LIS for your support! To God be the glory!
Tonia Jackson
(Alpha Campbell Jackson)
Tonia is grateful to be returning to the Alliance Theatre. Regional theatre credits include: Alliance Theatre (
Gem of the Ocean,
Radio Golf), Penumbra Theatre Company, where she is a company member (
The Piano Lesson;
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone;
King Hedley II;
Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery;
Seven Guitars,
Flyin’ West,
Waiting in Vain and
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf), Guthrie Theater (
Darker Face of the Earth), Children’s Theatre (
Amazing Grace). Other theatre credits include Magic Theatre (
Relativity), Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (
King Hedley II), Steppenwolf Theatre (
Grapes of Wrath), Illusion Theater (
From the Mississippi Delta), Mixed Blood Theatre (
Daughters of Africa and Point of Revue), Pillsbury House Theatre (
The Gimmick, a onewoman show, and
Combination Skin), Theatre de la Jeune Lune (Woody Harrelson’s
Furthest From the Sun), Horizon Theatre (
And Her Hair Went with Her,
Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery) and True Colors Theatre (
Sty of the Blind Pig). Film credits include
Zero Street and
A Chance of Snow. TV Credits:
Meet the Browns. Tonia studied at The Goodman School of Drama in Chicago, Ill., and has been nominated for three Suzi Bass Awards.
Karan Kendrick
(Lillie Campbell Jackson)
Alliance Theatre:
Crowns,
St. Lucy’s Eyes,
A Christmas Carol,
Letters from Harriet Tubman. Atlanta Theatre:
And Her Hair Went With Her, Horizon Theatre;
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, True Colors Theatre Company;
Much Ado About Nothing,
The Tale of Cymbeline, Georgia Shakespeare Festival. Off-Broadway:
Ain’t Supposed to Die…,
Macbeth, The Classical Theatre of Harlem. Regional Theatre: Hartford Stage, The Goodman Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Portland Center Stage, Arena Stage. TV/Film:
Drop Dead Diva,
Army Wives,
Fab Five, Lifetime Television;
The Wronged Man, Lifetime Movie Network;
Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail and
House of Payne, Upcoming Feature:
Little Red Wagon. B.A., Spelman College; M.B.A., Wesleyan College.
Naima Carter Russell
(Gracie Dunbar)
Naima thanks God for the opportunity to return to the Alliance stage. Naima currently lives in Atlanta, where she was named a 2010 Suzi Bass Award nominee for her role as Azmera in Aurora Theatre’s
Tranced. Other regional credits include:
A Christmas Carol, Alliance Theatre;
Antigone, Georgia Shakespeare (2009 Suzi Bass Award nominee);
Caroline, or Change, St. Louis Black Repertory (MO);
Rejoice, True Colors Theatre Company;
Raisin in the Sun, New Stage Theatre (MS);
Godspell, Theatrical Outfit;
Smokey Joe’s Café, Springer Opera House;
The Wiz and
Dreamgirls, The Renaissance Project. Also no stranger to voice overs and film/TV Naima has most recently been spotted in commercials for Westwood College and Georgia Lottery (singing about shrimp fried rice). Naima’s most rewarding on camera work has been a kid-friendly video series for the reTHINK Group, shown weekly in churches across the nation. Naima would like to thank her delightful director Susan Booth, the brilliant playwright Pearl Cleage and the lovely cast and crew of the Nacirema Society for a wonderful process. Kisses to my husband!
Neda Spears
(Jessie Roberts, u/s Marie Dunbar, Alpha Campbell Jackson, Janet Logan)
Neda is so proud to be making her debut at the Alliance Theatre with Avenue X. For the past 15 years, she has been in Chicago performing in productions of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Tintypes, Nunsensations! and Schoolhouse Rock Live! (Drury Lane Oakbrook); Big River and Honk! (Mariott-Lincolnshire); Raisin (Court Theatre); Side Show (Northlight Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The Who’s Tommy (Village Players Theatre); the Chicago premiere of Bingo! The Winning New Musical (Apollo Theater); and Could It Be Magic?, conceived and directed by Barry Manilow (Mercury Theater). Neda also originated the role of Momma in The American Girl’s Revue. She was also a featured performer in the Navy Pier Players, an a capella singing group at Chicago’s most well-known tourist attraction, for over 3 years. Much thanks to Jody and Susan. Love to my amazing family.
Susan V. Booth
(Director)
Susan joined the Alliance Theatre in 2001. Over the past 10 seasons, she has initiated the Collision Project for teens, the Aliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition, created local producing partnerships and overseen regional collaborative productions, as well as commercial partnerships on projects including The Color Purple; Bring It On: The Musical; The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; Sister Act: The Musical; Bring in Da’ Noise, Bring in Da’ Funk; and Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL, which she also directed. As a director, she has worked nationally at theatres including the Goodman, La Jolla Playhouse, New York Stage and Film, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens, Court Theatre and many others. She holds degrees from Denison and Northwestern Universities and was a fellow of the National Critics Institute and the Kemper Foundation. She has held teaching positions at Northwestern and DePaul Universities, and serves as adjunct faculty with Emory University. She is the immediate past president of the board of directors for Theatre Communications Group (the national service organization for the field), is on the artistic board of the Steinberg Charitable Trust in New York, and serves on the board of the Metro Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition. Susan is married to Max Leventhal and is the proud mother of Moira Rose Leventhal. susan.booth@woodruffcenter.org
blog comments powered by
Vetra
posted on
11/5/2010 8:55:12 AM
I highly recommend this play. It had everything a literary work should: wonderfully strong characters, superb acting, great story, mystery, romance, comedy, and excellent timing. I happened to be in the audience on the evening when there was a medical emergency in the audience and the play was stopped until the emergency was handled. The actors and stage crew were very professional and the actors returned to the stage with grace and fortitude. Well done!
Traci
posted on
11/2/2010 11:13:50 AM
I LOVED this play! It was excellent; it was hilarious, and it revealed the bourgeoisie side of African-American culture that is not typically shown in the media. All the actors/actresses in the play were awesome. I'm going to see it again!
Cindy
posted on
10/29/2010 3:41:33 PM
While on vacation in Atlanta was fortunate enough to see this wonderful play. The time flew by, one moment we sat down and the lights were dimmed and the next we were swept into a wonderful comedic mystery. Worth seeing and taking as many friends with you as you can.
Professor Michell
posted on
10/28/2010 7:40:40 AM
I thoroughly enjoyed this play. It was hilarious and so perfectly balanced. The two matriachs were brillant and and reminiscent of my own grandmother's class and acheivements. A must see agian!!!
Ponhsa Bumpas
posted on
10/27/2010 6:01:12 PM
The play and the cast were great! I didn't think it would be funny but it was very amusing. My 14 year old daughter enjoyed it also.
This is a part of history that many people are not aware of- African- Americans who were part of an elite society circle.
I enjoyed every minute of it and didn't want to leave!
Lumumba Seegars
posted on
10/21/2010 10:25:38 PM
This play was absolutely amazing. It was witty, smart, and poignant. Incredible writing and superb execution. I am definitely going to see it again.
Dawn Bynoe
posted on
10/20/2010 5:52:43 AM
Simply Wonderful!!!!! the Entire Cast is Phenomenal and I enjoyed it. Funny, touching and moving. I loved it! Go see this production.
Maria Surprise
posted on
10/20/2010 10:08:24 PM
Long title. Great show! Don't miss this fabulous and hilarious Pearl Cleage play. The cast is top-notch and the comedic timing impeccable. Bravo!