CREATIVE TEAM

DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU

(Playwright) Dominique Morisseau is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle) which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays include: Pipeline (Lincoln Center Theatre), Sunset Baby (LAByrinth Theatre); Blood at the Root (National Black Theatre) and Follow Me To Nellie’s (Premiere Stages). She is also the TONY nominated book writer on the new Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations (Imperial Theatre). Dominique is alumna of The Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, Women’s Project Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop and has developed work at Sundance Lab, Williamstown Theatre Festival and Eugene O’Neil Playwrights Conference. She most recently served as Co-Producer on the Showtime series “Shameless” (3 seasons). Additional awards include: Spirit of Detroit Award, PoNY Fellowship, Sky-Cooper Prize, TEER Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, Audelco Awards, NBFT August Wilson Playwriting Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, OBIE Award (2), Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship, Variety’s Women of Impact for 2017-18, and a recent MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow.

THOMAS W. JONES II ‡*

(Director) has directed, written, and performed in more than 200 plays worldwide.In 1978, Tom founded Jomandi Productions, where, as Co-Artistic Director and Producing Director, Tom led Jomandi to become the third largest African-American theatre company in the United States. His work as a writer, director, and actor has been acclaimed nationally and internationally.  His work has received 48 Washington DC Helen Hayes Award nominations winning 15 awards, including Best Director for Samm Art Williams’ Home and his own Bessie's Blues. He has also received 3 New York Audelco Award nominations, the Dramalogue Award, the San Diego Critics Award, NAACP Phoenix Award, among others. In 2000, Tom and his co-founders left Jomandi to create the entertainment company VIA International Artists, Inc. and subsequently a musical theatre company VIA Theatrical.  His most recent works include Three Sistahs, Point of Revue, Two Queens One Castle, Bricktop, Heart ‘n’ Soul, Love Johnny, A Cool Drink A Water, Holler and Sheddin’.  Tom’s musical Cool Papa’s Party completed a workshop in New York with Wayne Brady.  He recently directed Kandi Burress’ musical A Mother’s Love, Only Just a Minute and Mary Honey B. Morrison’s play Single Husbands.  Tom is also working on several exciting projects including A Musical Evening with Frankie Lymon and Blackberry Daze.

MATTHEW ALLAR †

(Scenic Designer) A native of Pennsylvania, Matthew Allar is a scenographer based in Williamsburg, Virginia. An Associate Professor of Theatrical Design, Matthew is the resident Scenic Designer for The College of William & Mary. Recent work includes The Underpants and Peter and The Starcatcher for Perseverance Theatre and VSC's A Christmas Carol.  Additional credits include production design for the New York premier of East 14th and Joseph Haydn's Le Pescatrici for the Zempleni Music Festival, Tokaji, Hungary. Other scenic design work includes productions of Shakespeare's R and J (Michael Sexton, dir.), All My Sons (Victor Pappas, dir.), Arcadia, Hair (Elizabethtown College) A Lie of The Mind, Cabaret, Rent, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Marat / Sade, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Cabaret (Cornell College), Top Girls (Albright College), You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Three Sisters, Songs For A New World (Eastern Univ.) and The Pillow of Kantan (Muhlenberg College) as well as the New York premiers of several works including Samuel IV, Playing House, and the Peccadillo Theatre Company's revival of All God's Chillun Got Wings. As a lighting designer, credits include the recent NYC productions of Baby With The Bathwater, Dancing at Lughnasa, You Never Can Tell and Studio 42's annual The Starving Artist's Ball. Additional credits include design work, both here and abroad, for several television networks including MTV, VH1, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nickelodeon, and Noggin. A former Associate Director of Design for the New York Television Festival, and co-founder of both M.A.D. Inc., and Cabana Creations LLC, Matthew's education includes Muhlenberg College, The University of London, and New York University. Member United Scenic Artists #829. www.matthewallar.com

DR. L. NYROBI N. MOSS

(Costume Designer) is an award-winning costume designer with more than 29 years experience in theatre and entertainment. Nyrobi’s costume design work has appeared in theatres nationally across Atlanta, New York, Las Vegas, and Dallas, as well as, internationally in Holland, West Africa, South Africa, and Dubai. Detroit ‘67 marks Nyrobi’s first engagement at Virginia Stage Company. Her 2019 design credits include: Paradise Blue (Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre), Wrath of Con II (Dad’s Garage Theatre), Sweet Water Taste (Horizon Theatre), JUMP (Actor’s Express), Five Guys Named Moe (Theatrical Outfit), Angry Fags (7 Stages Theatre), and Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds (Synchronicity Theatre). Nyrobi is currently nominated for two Atlanta Suzi Bass theatre awards for Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical (Five Guys Named Moe - Theatrical Outfit) and Outstanding Design Team TYA (Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds - Synchronicity Theatre). In 2018, Nyrobi was nominated for a two awards for Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical. Nyrobi won two Suzi Bass awards for Outstanding Costume Design in a Play for Eclipsed (Synchronicity Theatre, 2017) and Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery (Horizon Theatre, 2010). In addition to costume design, Nyrobi is a Certified Relationship Specialist, Theatre Intimacy Consultant and Business Consultant for non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, artists, start-ups, and small businesses. “It is an honor and my utmost pleasure to be so warmly embraced by the VSC family. To the amazing Detroit 67 Director, Cast, and Crew, may you all feel things that can’t be cut up or divided, and create somewhere outside all the zones and restrictions. Thank you for allowing me to share in the magic…Love and Light, Nyrobi.”

MARY FRANCES PARKER

(Lighting Designer) Mary is delighted to be making her first visit to Virginia Stage Company. Mary has been designing lights for professional companies and universities around the country for over the past 20 years. She currently calls Atlanta home but splits time in SC, where she grew up, caring for an aging parent. She is thrilled to be nominated for two designs from this past season for a Suzi Bass award of excellence in lighting design of a play, The Royale at Theatrical Outfit and The Cake at Horizon Theatre Company. She previously won for her work on Avenue Q at Horizon Theatre Company. Currently, she has three productions running in Atlanta area, one of which is also part of this Detroit Series. Her most recent work on Paradise Blue at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre completes the trilogy for her and makes her the only Lighting Designer in the country to do all three with the only professional company in the country to produce all three. It’s with great joy she embraces the opportunity to return to this work. 

CHRIS LANE

(Sound Designer) is an Atlanta based DJ and producer who has transitioned his mixes into the theatrical space. Lane's regional credits include: Skeleton Crew (Westport Country Playhouse); Too Heavy for Your Pocket (George Street Playhouse); Four Little Girls (Alabama Shakespeare Festival); The Royale (Kitchen Theatre Company/Geva Theatre Center); and Kennedy Center's American College Theater Festival. Atlanta credits include: Ghost (Alliance Theatre); The 39 Steps, Footloose (Theatre Buford); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Sweet Water Taste, Pipeline (Horizon Theatre); Paradise Blue, Skeleton Crew, Four Women (True Colors Theatre Company); Jump, An Octoroon (Actor’s Express); and Hands of Color (Synchronicity Theatre). Check his rhythms and compositions at www.lanedesign.org

BINDER CASTING

(NY Casting) Binder Casting, now part of RWS Entertainment Group, was founded by Jay Binder, CSA in 1984. Binder Casting has cast over 80 Broadway productions, dozens of National Tours, off-Broadway shows, full seasons for over 25 regional theatres, as well as feature films, episodic television and commercials. Binder has cast for Encores! at New York City Center since its inception in 1994. The office was also featured in the documentary, Every Little Step. Binder Casting is a twelve–time recipient of the Artios Award. www.bindercasting.com

KAREN CURRIE*

(Production Stage Manager) VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY: A Christmas Carol (2018); SIGNATURE THEATRE (VA): Heisenberg, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Fix, Cabaret, Saturday Night, Sycamore Trees, The Happy Time; KENNEDY CENTER: Digging Up Dessa, Oliverio, Mockingbird, Orphie and the Book of Heroes; OLNEY THEATRE CENTER: Mary Stuart, Once, In the Heights; THEATER J:  Trayf, Roz and Ray, The Christians, The Last Schwartz, Another Way Home, Sons of the Prophet, G-D’s Honest Truth, Yentl, Freud’s Last Session, After the Revolution, The Whipping Man, The Religion Thing, Imagining Madoff, The Odd Couple, The Four of Us, Lost in Yonkers, The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall, Honey Brown Eyes, Speed the Plow; FOLGER THEATER: As You Like It; NYC: The Last Session; EDUCATION: M.A. in Arts Management, American University.

TOM QUAINTANCE

(Producing Artistic Director) is the sixth Artistic Director and the first Producing Artistic Director in Virginia Stage Company’s 41 year history. At the Wells, Tom has directed Pride and Prejudice and The Santaland Diaries, and Matilda The Musical. Previously as Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre (CFRT), Tom produced over 35 plays and directed the World Premiere of Downrange: Voices from the Homefront, a play based on interviews with military spouses from Fort Bragg. Tom is an Associate Artist at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill where he directed An Enemy of the People, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and The Little Prince. He also directed The Little Prince at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As the founder of FreightTrain Shakespeare in Los Angeles, he earned a Drama-Logue Award for his direction of Pericles. Other Los Angeles credits range from King Lear to The Devil With Boobs. A member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Tom is a graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) with a B.A. in Theatre and Economics, and the University of California, San Diego MFA directing program, where he was the assistant director on the original production of The Who’s Tommy. Tom and his wife Wallis are the proud parents of Mireille Julia and Annika Christine.

DAVID B. BYRD

(Managing Director) Virginia Stage’s 2019/2020 Season marks David’s third season as Managing Director. Prior to landing in Norfolk, David served as Managing Director at Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, TN. He has also held leadership positions at Westport Country Playhouse, Triad Stage, Yale Repertory Theater, the Dwight/Edgewood Project, and the Guthrie Theater. David received an MFA degree in Theater Management from Yale School of Drama and a BA degree in Drama from UNC-Greensboro in his native North Carolina. During his tenure at the Clarence Brown Theatre, David also served as an Adjunct Professor in the UT-Knoxville department of theatre. Additionally, David has held posts on the McClung Museum Academic Programs Advisory Board and the Great Schools Partnership Advisory Council. David has been a grants panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, Tennessee Arts Commission and United Way of Greater Knoxville. He has served on the union negotiating team and various committees for the League of Resident Theatres (LORT). David was a 2016 Knoxville Business Journal 40 Under Forty Honoree and has guest lectured at Virginia Wesleyan University and Carson Newman University, among others. He currently serves on the Board of Downtown Norfolk Council.

CAST

Freddie Fulton *

(Sly) is making his Virginia Stage Company debut with this wonderful production of Detroit ‘67. Other theater credits include: Classic Stage Company’s Julius Caesar (Brutus), Long Wharf Theatre’s Paradise Blue (P-Sam), 59E59th/Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s Someone Dies at the End (Bama), Seven Guitars (Floyd), Death of the Last Black Man (Black Man with Watermelon), A Soldier’s Play (PFC Peterson), etc. Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Freddie received his MFA in Acting from Columbia University, he’s grateful to the entire VSC team and blessed to have the opportunity to breathe life into this enriching story. To his family, friends, and cast members thank you for your inspiration, it truly means the world to him. Enjoy the show!

Shenyse LeAnna Harris *

(Bunny) is a New York based actor from Houston, Texas. She holds a Masters degree from Brown/Trinity Rep 2018. This is her 2nd Dominque Morisseau play and her Virginia Stage Company Debut- she is more than delighted to be apart of this process. Shenyse has been in Fetch Clay Make Man (Dallas Theater Center) Our Lady of 121st (Greer Garson Theater) Death of a Salesman, Skeleton Crew (Trinity Repertory).

Suzannah Herschkowitz *

(Caroline) is a recent graduate of Juilliard and spent this past summer working on The Public's Shakespeare in the Park production of Coriolanus. She is thrilled to make her Virginia State Company debut with this cast and crew.

Lisa Tharps *

(Chelle) Nina - The Royale, Kitchen Theater, and Geva Theatre; Medea - Medea, Boston Court Theater (Garland, LA Critics, LA Weekly NAACP nominations for Best Leading Actress); Broadway: Nurse - Romeo Juliet - New Victory Theater; Tonya (und) - King Hedley II, Virginia Theatre; Principal Player - Love’s Fire: Fresh Numbers - Public Theater, London’s Barbican Pit, Nat’l Tour; Off Broadway: Olivia - Twelfth Night - Boomerang Theatre; Paulina - The Winter’s Tale - NY Classical; Wit - MCC, Union Square, Nat’l Tour; Principal Player, The Vagina Monologues, Nat’l Tour; Titania - Midsummer Night’s Dream -  Shakespeare Theater of DC: TV - aired in 2018: "Jessica Jones" (Det. Ruth Sunday), “Power”, “Madam Secretary”, “Elementary”. Film: MADELINE’S MADELINE (Gotham’s/Spirit Awards’ noms for Best Feature, Cinematography); UNC School of the Arts, Graduate. LisaTharps.com. Grateful

Bryce Michael Wood *

(Lank) graduated from the University of Notre Dame with his Bachelors and was a Division-I Athlete for the Fighting Irish. Most recently he received his MFA in Acting from UCONN under the direction of Dale AJ Rose. His recent credits include, but aren’t limited to: Topdog/Underdog and Twelfth Night at Shakespeare and Company, Glory at the New School, Othello at the Brick Theater, Gloria at Asolo Repertory Theater, The Royale at The Hippodrome Theater, Smart People at both The Geva & Kitchen Theatre, Welcome to Fear City at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, and Row, where he starred as Muhammed Ali at Goodspeed Opera House. While attending UCONN he was in a multitude of Connecticut Rep. Productions.

ADDITIONAL SHOW STAFF

Costume Intern | Chelsie Cartledge Rose

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

† Member of United Scenic Artists, an independent labor union.

‡ The Director is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent labor union.