STAGE PLAYS

Illona S. Dixon, (Musical Director, Singer, Singing Coach and Band Leader), is an alumnus of the High School of Music & Art where she majored in voice and Queens College where she minored in Musical Theatre. Ms. Dixon has performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, The New York Philharmonic, Radio City Music Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Madison Square Garden and is a member of the All-City Concert Reunion and Brooklyn Inter-denominational Choirs. Ms. Dixon, an accomplished pianist, received formal training at The Brooklyn Music School and Playhouse. Credits include: Fame (original movie); The Wiz (original stage play); Guys and Dolls; Merrily We Roll Along; Carmen; and Finian’s Rainbow.  She also enjoyed the honor of writing one of the songs in the original full length version of One Drop and served repeatedly as the Musical Director, singing coach and band leader for One Drop band.

Janice Dixon, (Composer & Original Arranger (It’s You I Want to Hold)), is a world renowned classical singer who attended the Aaron Copland School of Music studying voice, piano and violin.  She has performed leading roles in the U.S., London, Australia, Paris, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and more.  She has been accompanied by major orchestras including the Scottish Chamber, Berlin Philharmonic and Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to name a few.  Although chiefly a classical singer, she has also performed pop & jazz classics, to rave reviews resulting in successful live recordings.

Bria M. Barfield, (Acoustic Guitar), graduated from the prestigious LaGuardia School for the Performing Arts.  Part of a musical and theatrical family, Bria began learning music theory at age 6 and has already learned the Tenor Sax, the Alto Sax, the Guitar, the Harmonica and the Piano.  She has accompanied choirs and played in bands and productions in New York and beyond.  She enjoys playing music, composing and also singing.  She is excited to be a part of the “One Drop” musical ensemble, lending & also expanding her musical expertise.

Guy Y. Barfield, (Organic Percussion), is a native Brooklynite who began his love affair with music when he learned the Bugle as a Boy Scout.  His passion caused him to cultivate not only his own interests but also those of his children where he supported them in becoming successful in music and theatre.  Guy admits he can’t resist carrying his Harmonica to Church and chiming in with the Choir. His sensitive ear made him a perfect fit to help “One Drop” keeps it’s beat.  He is honored to be a part of this play working alongside immensely talented individuals on a project that resonates with his heart.

Jared Reinmuth, (Charley Cade), is thrilled to return to the talented cast and crew of One Drop.  Jared played Jesus Christ, directed by Alex Timbers in Les Freres Cobusier’s Hell House, a Drama Desk Award Nominee. He toured nationally with the National Theater for Arts and Education in Don Quixote and Cyrano de Bergerac, The Three Musketeers, The Would-Be Gentleman and The Imaginary Invalid. Jared made his debut in Veroli, Italy, and performed his own one-man show, An American Prayer in Geneva, Switzerland. He is a founding member of The Treville Players and played the The Count of Monte Cristo which he adapted for the stage.  Other credits include Dracula at the Loew's Theatre in Jersey City and Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. He completed Hank Meyerson’s Fresh Brewed and No Exit directed by Mino Lora.

Kymbali Craig, (LaTessa), is a multi-talented rising star who uses her talent and skill to impact audiences and communities everywhere. Look out for Kymbali in award winning film "Pariah" and others. A true renaissance artist she also debuted as a filmmaker with "Skin Deep Skin Tight" a theatrical graphic poetic film that takes an artistic look at the impact of Race relations within American culture. For more info, Checkout YouTube.com, Kymbali.com, BaileysCafe.org  and LUGyourshare.com.

Gareth E. Lawson, (Garon a.k.a. “Could”), a Brooklyn native, is an aspiring attorney holding a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice.  Some of his theater credits include lead roles as Othello in Othello, Sgt. Vernon C. Waters in A Soldier’s Play and multiple roles in the Coloured Museum, including Miss Roj.  He was a drunken writer in Marry Me, and most recently he portrayed the controversial character Wick in the award ve all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”.

Amelia Huckel-Bauer, (Angelise), is thrilled to play Angelise once again!  She has a B.F.A. in Acting and a Master's in Educational Theatre, both from NYU.  She currently teaches Acting Technique at the New York Film Academy and was was recently seen as Silvia, in an all female production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, in Sherlock Holmes and  Crimes of the Heart, all with The Red Monkey Theatre Group.  Other New York credits include Catherine in  Anthropology of a Book Club , Beatrice in  Much Ado About Nothing  and  Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream.   She sends thanks to Andrea and Melissa, the entire amazing cast and musicians, and to her family for their continued love and support, to Tony for his angel wings, and especially to Erik, for being her superhero.  www.ameliahuckel-bauer.com

Ricon Wrenn, (Waldemar Cade), is from Dallas, Texas and has received a B.A. in Theatre from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Upon graduation, Ricon has moved to New York City to engage in the arts of entertainment. He has performed in a few supporting roles in stage productions such as Shakespeare’s Pericles, Shakespeare’s Othello and The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Ricon continues to develop and expand his craft by taking classes at Susan Batson Studios. He is ecstatic to participate in One Drop because it is a story that shares his family legend. Look out for this country bumpkin y’all!

Gabrielle C. Archer, (Emma Fejelia), attended The Lycée Français and graduated from Amherst College, Massachusetts. She studied theatre and performed at every opportunity -from great American musicals to classic French theatre like Molière. She studied at the Stella Adler and T. Schreiber Studios in NYC and was part of a Brooklyn-based traveling theatre troupe that performed for schools affected by gang violence throughout NY and NJ. She is a proud member of the talented network of OneWayorAnother Productions for which she has starred in films and the TV Pilot, Abandoned. Gabrielle was featured in the Harlem Shakespeare Festival as Virgilia in Coriolanus: The African Warrior and was Co-Director of Ms. Fulton’s award winning play “Ugly is a Hard Pill”.  She is grateful for her ride-or-die friends & supporters and she extends a big, warm thank you to Andrea for her vote of confidence.

Denise Fair Grant, (Norma Jean Thibodaux), is relatively new to the stage but has been told all her life, she is a natural.  So, after Andrea promised her more than 15 years ago that one day she would help her break into acting, she was thrilled when Andrea popped up with a role she had designed just for her so she could make good on that promise.  Denise feels fortunate to now be one of the longest running performers in One Drop having been in the original cast.  After being a teacher of “the little ones” in the New York City Public School system for 25 years, she is thrilled to have recently retired and can now focus on pursuing the art of acting more vigorously.

Illona S. Dixon, (Lula Mae & LaTessa’s alter ego), is an alumnus of the High School of Music & Art where she majored in voice and Queens College where she minored in Musical Theatre. Ms. Dixon has performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, The New York Philharmonic, Radio City Music Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Madison Square Garden and is a member of the All-City Concert Reunion and Brooklyn Inter-denominational Choirs. Ms. Dixon, an accomplished pianist, received formal training at The Brooklyn Music School and Playhouse. Credits include: Fame (original movie); The Wiz (original stage play); Guys and Dolls; Merrily We Roll Along; Carmen; and Finian’s Rainbow.  She also enjoyed the honor of writing one of the songs in the original full length version of One Drop and served repeatedly as the Musical Director, singing coach and band leader for One Drop band.

Daisy Lee H. Sprauve, (Edna), is a newcomer who has done the famous cooking scene before.  Chosen as Toastmaster of the Year by Federal Toastmasters 2009-2010, DaisyLee has enjoyed learning multiple aspects of theatrical production while working as assistant to the producer, working as a stage hand, as a set dresser, assisting with props and with stage management where she brought calm, organization, professionalism and attention to detail to each of those roles.  She has continued to be a quick study as this time for the first time she is acting in a full length production, doing quite well and enjoying every minute of it.

Ken Bolander, (Charles Oliver Stewart III), is delighted to return to this role.  Ken is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio. He appeared in the Saroyan one act “Hello, Out There,” for Out of the Box Theatre Company.  He played Paul, the Vietnam Vet  in “Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens” for Sweet and Tart Productions.  Ken did a reading for a new musical, “The Really Big Pirate Show” and has performed in many Regional Theatres and Tours.  His bread and butter roles have been Rooster in “Annie” and Pa in “Laura Ingalls Wilder.”  Ken had the opportunity to create many roles with ArtsPower National Touring Theatre.  He was lucky enough to be in Alaska, Hawaii and the Caribbean performing on Cruise Ships.  As a day job, he is a Captain for Great Performances Catering and Catherine Louise Schubert Catering; so if you need a caterer, let him know.