STAGE PLAYS

Playwright & Co-Producer

Andrea J. Fulton is an award winning playwright, songwriter, producer and founder of the Fulton Arts Foundation. Her plays, like her approaches to life, are thought provoking, socially conscious, multi-culturally inclusive and push the envelope toward greater awareness.  She lives every moment in gratitude and likes to remind people of the importance of kind thought and deed and the power of love, faith and acceptance of others as well as ourselves. Andrea has been an inspiring consultant and business leader managing community organizations, her own business ventures and working in City government for over thirty years.   

Assistant to the Playwright & Co-Producer

Daisy Lee H. Sprauve, chosen as Toastmaster of the Year by Federal Toastmasters 2009-2010,  enjoys learning multiple aspects of theatrical production while working in various roles, including producer’s assistant, stage hand, set dresser, in props department and with stage management. 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.  

Director & Choreographer

Leslie Dockery's vast body of work, includes, among others, Rollin’ on the T.O.B.A, the revival of Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, original workshops of Broadway’s Smokey Joe’s Café, Off-Broadway’s Beehive and more. Leslie’s choreography was featured in Dr. May Edward Chinn and supported Imani’s Audelco Award win for Best Director. Regionally, she served as choreographer of the revival of One Mo’ Time at the Crossroads Theater. Her PureGospel Musicals franchise she conceives, directs and choreographs, includes: A Pure Gospel Christmas, A Pure Gospel Valentine and A Pure Gospel America, touring and receiving rave reviews!  As a performer, Leslie appeared in the Broadway productions of Eubie!, Sophisticated Ladies, The Tap Dance Kid and Amen Corner. Between engagements, Leslie, who staged and choreographed Hal Jackson’s Talented Teens International Scholarship Competition for over 10 years, enjoys teaching dance and giving back to the young ladies of tomorrow.   

Co-Director

Gabrielle C. Archer, is proud Assistant & Co-Director to Leslie Dockery. Gabrielle attended The Lycée Français and graduated from Amherst College, Massachusetts. Throughout her educational career, she studied theatre and performed at every opportunity -from great American musicals to classic French theatre like Molière. Upon graduating she studied at the Stella Adler and T. Schreiber Studios in NYC. For three years she was part of a Brooklyn-based traveling theatre troupe that performed a short dramatic play, One Hour 2 Live, for middle and high 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.

Dramaturge

Susan Watson Turner, earned a BFA from Ohio University and MFA from Columbia University in Theatre Directing and Management.  Ms. Watson Turner has directed theatre regionally and off-Broadway for over 15 years.  Ms. Watson Turner most brings a wealth of story-telling experience from the theatre.  She has worked for the world renowned Negro Ensemble Company as Producer, Director and Board Member.  During her tenure she worked on award winning production ‘A Soldier’s Play’ with Samuel L. Jackson and Denzel Washington, toured internationally and directed ‘North 17th Street’ by Clay Goss.   Ms. Watson Turner is currently a Professor of Theatre / Film at Lehman College. 

Stage Manager

Joyce Pena has been in the business for over  20yrs. She has touched on many jobs in this business, from Stage Managing, Props, ASM, Lights, Sound, Hair Dressing, you name it. Some of the plays she has worked on are "Isaiah's Dream"  New York Artists Unlimited, "Three" at The Swedish Cottage, "Rock My Soul" at The Riant Theatre, "Ebony Black" NY Artists Unlimited.  She has also worked at The World Famous Laugh Factory Comedy Club.  She states it is a pleasure to work with Andrea again, wishes God’s Blessings for everyone and encourages the Cast to break a leg.

Sound Designer & Technical Engineer

Jacqui Anscombe from Harlem, NYC is making her Sound Design debut with this production.  She has experience as a Sound Technician in theater and film and has been a Stage Manager, done acting and singing, is a playwright and has worked as an Administrative Assistant, Production Assistant, Technical Consultant and Promoter for Harlem Theatre Company and The Negro Ensemble Company. Jacqui earned a Bachelor of Technology degree in Entertainment Technology from The NYC College of Technology.  Jacqui is grateful for yet another opportunity to work at what she loves: Theatre.

Make-Up artist and Hair Stylist

Aaron Williams is also a fashion stylist  and a singer and has been an Alvin Ailey Dancer.  Aaron has worked for Fashion Fair, Revlon and Mac Cosmetics.  He is a hair extension specialist who has done hair and makeup for print, runway, showroom, theater and television.  Clients have included Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Cindy Crawford, Mary J. Blige, Queen Latifa, Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King and Oma Bongo, President of Gabon, South Africa.  He has won numerous competitions during his 15 years of working in the beauty, fashion and entertainment industries.

 Kymbali Craig, (Lena), 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 debuts 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, LUGyourshare.com. 

Jeffrey Holliman, (Keef), born in Brooklyn, is a multi-talented gent who has been in and around the arts since high school where he began his journey training as a classical dancer.  Business administrator by day and gifted actor by night, Jeff also enjoys biking and making time for his clients who seek to be trained by this certified group and individual fitness trainer who loves motivating others in the gym and inspiring others when on stage.  He is honored to be a part of this team, up for the significant challenges of this role and looking forward to delivering memorable performances.

Donnell E. Smith, (Keef), continues to immerse himself in work that produces the thrill and challenge he seeks in his career through his work on productions including, "A Raisin in the Sun" (directed by Phylicia Rashad), "Camp Logan," "Flambéaux" (directed by Roderick A. Warner), and most recently, "IYOM," Donnell  is humbled by the opportunity to creatively express himself through continuous work and graciously thanks his family, friends and mentors for their invaluable love & support. Ephesians 3:20.

Gareth E. Lawson, (Wick), 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 and most recently a drunken writer in Marry Me, a comedy in two parts.  His musical theater credits include Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, and Danny Ashkenasi’s The Blues According to Langston Hughes.  He received training at the Sledge Project Studio under the direction of Ward Nixon.  

Mark Lang, (John), has appeared on television in multiple episodes of the MGM/UA show, “The Young Riders” and Nickelodeon’s “Hey Dude”. He continues to work extensively in independent film.  Recent stage credits include ‘Squire Alworthy’ in the musical comedy “Tom Jones”, ‘Jerry’ in “Three of a Kind with Two Wild Cards”, ‘Roy Bryant’ in “Whistle in Mississippi: The Lynching of Emmett Till”, ‘Dag Hammerskjold’ in “A Season in the Congo”, ‘Capt. Zuelke’ in “Camp Logan” and ‘White Cop’ in “The Bronx is Next”.

Allen Craig Harris, (Nutty Lee), found his true love in the theatre where he has worked as an actor, director, singer, stage manager and assistant producer.  He has been seen in numerous plays including a run of Debra Chappelle - Polk’s “Forgiveness of Sins” and “Sunnyside Up”.  He has worked as an Assistant Producer for multiple shows including “Black Man Rising”  by James Chapman and “Playing with Heine Muller” at the Castillo Theater.  He worked in stage management for “Dreams Heavier Than Air” by Jackie Roberts, “Flowers Behind the Mountain” by Barbara Bennion, “Rising” by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, “The Winter View” at the Harlem School of the Arts and for the NYC Housing Authority's 42nd and 43rd Annual Talent Shows, the latter of which appeared at the World famous Apollo Theater.

Denise Fair-Grant, (Cope), is relatively new to the stage but she has been told all her life, she is a natural.  Having been a teacher of “the little ones” in the New York City Public School system for over 20 years, Denise feels fortunate to now have another opportunity to act in a play written by her pal Andrea.  She loves being inspired by and learning from more experienced cast members and thrives on developing her talent further.  For her, the fun and challenges never stop and she is proudly pursuing acting more vigorously since she has retired from teaching.

Illona S. Dixon, (Sway), is an alumnus of the High School of Music & Art 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. She also enjoyed the honor of writing a song for, singing in and holding the position of Musical Director for Andrea’s highly acclaimed play “One Drop”.

Lori Laing, (Sway, Understudy), is thrilled to be making her debut at Theatre for the New City in this exciting production!  Lori is a graduate of Georgetown University and a native New Yorker. Her most recent credits include The Holocaust Remembrance Project, directed by Rajendra Maharaj of Red Shirt Entertainment, as well as Dividing the Estate, by Horton Foote with The Heights Players Theatre in Brooklyn Heights. She was also featured in director Linda Nieves-Powell's award winning short film, "Stereotypically Me" that appeared at the Big Apple Film Festival this fall.

Ken Bolander,* (Demon), originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, works as the  Captain for Great Performances Catering and Catherine Louise Schubert Catering.   He has performed in many Regional Theatres, Tours and Cruise Ships and has appeared in multiple stage productions, including  “Hello, Out There,” for Out of the Box Theatre Company , as 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.”  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.  

Virgous “Vee” Lunceford, (Delroy), born in New York but raised in Georgia was always the stand up comic in his family.  So, being able to successfully entertain is nothing new to him.  The stage IS new though but he has taken to it like a bee to honey and the result is very sweet.  His hobbies are restoring cars and homes as he is good with his hands, learns quickly and enjoys helping make a difference.  He is a family man that is getting a late start on stage but for everyone who sees him they know it is better late than never as he is a joy to watch and hear as he is also good at doing impressions and accents.  He is happy to be a part of this cool cast who are all doing what he lives so much, making people laugh!

J’rome Andre (Evilness), is an award winning performer born in St. Louis, Missouri who has performed since age 14, with such greats as Tramaine Hawkins and Stephanie Mills.  He starred  as James Thunder Earley in “Dreamgirls” in New York, and with Dee Dee Bridgewater in “Ain’t Misbehaving” in Montreal.   J’rome received an Audelco award for his starring role in “Satan Never Sleeps” and has performed on the David Letterman Show.  He sang in “The Handszame Blues Festival in Belguim, “Blues Estafette’ in Holland and in the U.S. Tour of “Motown Revue”.  J’rome has toured Europe  recording with Bettye Lavette and recorded on Hershey Barr Records.  He performs internationally, laying down his dance tracks.