Kerisse Hutchinson

Kerisse Hutchinson (Playwright, Performer) is a multi-talented award-winning actress, dancer, writer, and producer of Bajan and Jamaican descent raised in Queens, New York.  As a beacon of the Most High, she creates art from seed to FRUITion that invokes spirits to move; literally & figuratively.

 

“[A] sprite with rubber legs and megawatt energy.... to ACT and to RAP and DANCE...It's not easy to find people with that skill set...." is what a reviewer said  of her portrayal of the title role in Will Power’s hip-hop musical Honey Bo and the Goldmine at the prestigious La Jolla Playhouse (San Diego, CA) under the Artistic Direction of Tony Award winning Des McAnuff.  Kerisse is a graduate of Towson University, Magna Cum Laude with Double Honors and received her dance training at the Alvin Ailey School, dancing with numerous companies and music artists.  She is known for portraying a wide range of characters with an honesty, emotional rawness, and vulnerability and has worked internationally in award-winning new and classical plays alongside theatrical greats such as Obie Award winner Arthur French and Tony Award winner Lillias White and has garnered the praise of critics and veterans including the late Ruby Dee and Earle Hyman.

 

Additional theatrical achievements include: Drama Desk Company Award winning Trojan Women (NYC), Macbeth in Bonn and Neuss, Germany, Underground Griots at the National Black Theatre Festival (Winston-Salem, NC), and the Downtown Urban Theater Festival’s Best Audience Winner Destiny Manifested (NYC).  Writing acknowledgements include: Synchronicity Theatre's Stripped Bare: Arts Incubator Project Winner (Atlanta, GA), two-time recipient of Fulton County Arts & Culture Individual Artist Grant, and A-List selection of National Black Theatre Festival Garland Thompson, Sr. Reading Series (Winston-Salem, NC). Film credits include Harlem International Film Festival Best Actress award winning role in the SXSW and Gotham Award nominee feature, August the First; Rise of the Zombies (Sy-Fy Channel) opposite Levar Burton and Mariel Hemingway; Dough Boys (Paramount/BET); The Janky Promoters (Ice Cube Vision/Weinstein) opposite Tiffany Haddish; and 24 Hour Love (Image Entertainment) with Lynn Whitfield.  Television credits include: recurring on All My Children, guest starring on The Defenders, Law & Order: SVU, The Whole Truth, and Rescue Me. While embarking on her career, Kerisse founded the nonprofit company GuiDANCE Autism, Inc., Bringing the joy of dance to children with special needs www.GuiDANCEAutism.com

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Thomas W. Jones, II (Director) was born and raised in Queens, New York.  He is an acclaimed, award-winning director, writer, and performer of more than 200 plays worldwide. 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 Drama-Logue Award, the San Diego Critics Award, NAACP Phoenix Award, among others.

 

In 1978, Tom founded Jomandi Productions, where, as Co-Artistic Director and Producing Director, Tom led Jomandi to become the third largest African-American theater company in the United States.  In 2000, Tom and his co-founders left Jomandi to create the entertainment company VIA International Artists, Inc. and subsequently a musical theater company VIA Theatrical. 

 

He is Artistic Associate at Washington DC's MetroStage where many of his original musicals have premiered and has directed 14 productions at Atlanta’s Horizon Theatre.  His most recent works include Athol Fugard's The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek (MetroStage, DC), Trey Anthony's How Black Mothers Say I Love You and 'da Kink In My Hair (Horizon Theatre, Atlanta), Blackberry Daze (Horizon Theatre, Atlanta), Fool In Love: The Frankie Lymon Story, Three Sistahs, Gee's Bend, Point of Revue, Two Queens One Castle, Bricktop, Heart ‘n’ Soul, Love Johnny, A Cool Drink A Water, and Holler and Sheddin’.  Tom’s musical Cool Papa’s Party completed a workshop in New York with Wayne Brady.  He recently directed Kandi Burress’ (Xscape, Real Housewives of Atlanta) musical A Mother’s Love, Only Just a Minute and Mary Honey B. Morrison’s play Single Husbands and has taken the production of Janet Langhart Cohen's Anne and Emmett (MetroStage) to the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington, DC), National Black Theatre Festival(Winston-Salem, NC) and on tour to the Netherlands.

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Victor Jackson (Choreographer) was born and raised on the Southside of Atlanta, GA with educational and artistic reinforcement from Tri-Cities High School and Savannah College of Art and Design. His choreography style has dazzled national audiences, working with artists and companies including Lil Wayne, Iggy Azalea, Jennifer Hudson, August Alsina, BET, BRAVO, and HBO.  Most recently, Victor starred on Kandi Burruss' BRAVO spinoff, “The Kandi Factory”, as the in-house choreographer at her Atlanta-based artist development studio and choreographed her stage play “A Mother’s Love” directed by Thomas Jones, II featured on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta”. 

 

In addition to the gift of dance, Victor is a trained vocalist and budding actor. Under the direction of Tony-nominated director Kenny Leon, he received acclaim for his role as “The Wiz” in True Colors Theatre’s production of the legendary musical. Additionally, Victor was part of the award-winning cast of Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity”, also produced by Leon's theater company. He played the lead role in “U Don't Know Me: The Musical”, written and directed by Mark E. Swinton (“House Of Payne”, “For Better Or Worse”, “Haves And Have Nots”) and produced by Tyler Perry and appeared on BET’s “The Game”.

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S. Renee Clark (Music Director) is best known for her musical contributions as a performer, music director, arranger, and composer.  She’s performed in all types of ensembles ranging from jazz, dance, soul, funk, rock and country music to gospel, choral and classical.  She toured for 12 years as a solo performer (piano/vocal) across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

 

Renee is a two-time Suzi Bass Award winner: Outstanding Musical Direction for Avenue Q (Horizon Theatre, 2011) and Big River (Theatrical Outfit, 2009). Other musical theater contributions include: Horizon Theatre (Cowgirls, Every Tongue Confess, Sheddin, Madeline’s Christmas, Three Sistahs, The Thing About Men, Cafe Puttanesca); Theatrical Outfit (Gift of the Magi, Gee’s Bend, Waiting To Be Invited, Ain’t Misbehavin’); Fabrefaction (Urinetown); True Colors (Spunk); Trey Anthony’s (Da Kink in My Hair- Horizon and Theatre Calgary, Canada’s National Arts Center); Alliance Theatre (By the Way Velma Stark, Jesus Christ Super Star Gospel, Jacques Brel, Avenue X); Center for Puppetry Arts (Ruth and the Green Book, Brer Rabbit). Theatre In The Square (His Eye Is On The Sparrow, Mahalia, The Blue Door); The New American Shakespeare Tavern (Hamlet: the Musical, Irma Vep, Cabaret, The Fantasticks); The New Jomandi (Ain’t Misbehavin’); Youth Ensemble of Atlanta (Endangered Species, Colors of Love, Urban Holiday Soup); Jomandi Productions (Josephine Live, El Hajj Malik, Queen of the Blues, Dunbar’s Fantasy).

 

She has been a Musical Director for musicals at Georgia State University, Clayton State University and Clark/Atlanta University. She was also the co-writer and composer of Travelin’ Black which premiered at Theatrical Outfit. 

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Tony Hightower (Co-Music Director) is a veteran professional. As a seasoned percussionist, songwriter, recording artist, vocalist, and producer, he has worked with many artists on a variety of projects. Tony has played drums for the following: Jomandi Productions, the Atlanta production of “Queen of the Blues” – The Life Story of Dinah Washington, Goodie Mob, Outkast, Pebbles, and Xscape. He has also done session work for several Organized Noize Production artists, including Goodie Mob and Outkast. Tony has contributed vocals to the successful projects of Gerald Levert, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the soundtrack for “Money Train,” Goodie Mob’s certified gold album “Soul Food,” Society of Soul’s album “Brainchild,” Pebbles’ album “Straight From My Heart,” Lionel Richie’s album “Louder Than Words,” and Outkast’s certified double platinum album “Aquemini.” Tony was also an artistic contributor to the song “Together We Can,” which was a project by The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (also known as the N.A.R.A.S. or The Recording Academy) to raise funds for the victims of the Columbine shooting.

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As the lead singer of 4.0, Tony demonstrated his vocal, arranging, and producing talents on their 1997 self-titled album. Tony provided vocals and arrangements for his two solo albums, “Sho Yo Luv” and “Plastik Soul.” As a co-owner of the production company, The Ultra Beat Boyz, Tony also produced both of his solo albums with fellow owner, Scott Andrews. 

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More recently, Tony has provided background vocals for The Mo'Nique Show, Cherrelle, Lenny Williams, Glenn Jones, Angela Winbush, Kindred the Family Soul, Faith Evans, Eric Benet, and Keith Sweat. He also sang background and was featured with Candi Staton in the United Kingdom. Tony was signed as a producer with Nitti, who produced the hit “It’s Going Down” for Yung Joc and a list of other stars. Tony was also lead vocal for a Georgia Lottery commercial and has worked on countless commercials and voice overs.

 

Tony has had the enriching experience of touring throughout the U.S. and internationally. He is a voting member of the Grammy Awards, and is also on the Nominating Committee for the Grammy Awards. For two years, Tony served as the Vice-President of the Atlanta Chapter of the Board of Governors of N.A.R.A.S., the sponsor of the Grammy Awards.​

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Jonathan Bryant (Associate Choreographer) is a dancer/choreographer/instructor who has worked in the booming entertainment industry in Atlanta for over a decade. He has worked with many celebrities including Ne-Yo, Trina Braxton, Tichina Arnold, Nivea, Queen Latifah and more. He has been in numerous musical productions in the Atlanta area, recently AIDA (Atlanta Lyric Theatre) and MAMMA MIA! (Aurora Theatre). He has worked in the booming television/movie industry in Atlanta including The Originals and Step Up: Highwater and movies like Bessie, Billy Lynn Long Halftime Walk directed by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee. He made his acting debut as “Bubba Knight” in the docu-series American Soul premiering on BET. Jonathan owns his own lifestyle brand Jaybsmoovethebrand that focuses on MOVEMENT, STYLE, and PERSONALITY.

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Addae Moon (Dramaturg) is an Atlanta based playwright, dramaturg, director and teaching artist.  He is the Director of Museum Theater at the Atlanta History Center, and Artistic Associate with Found Stages Theatre and a resident playwright with Maat Productions of Afrikan Centered Theatre (MPAACT) based out of Chicago, IL.  He has served as a resident dramaturg with WorkingTitle Playwright’s Ethel Woolson Lab working on development projects with local playwrights Neely Gossett, Johnny Drago and many others.

 

Addae is the recipient of the 2015 International Ibsen Award for his dramaturgical work on the project Master Comic and the 2014 John Lipsky Award from the International Museum Theatre Alliance (IMTAL) for his immersive play Four Days of Fury: Atlanta 1906. Addae was also a member of Alliance Theatre’s 2015-2016 Reiser Artists’ Lab as co-writer on the immersive project Third Council of Lyons with Found Stages Theatre.  As the former literary manager at Horizon Theatre Company, he served as dramaturg on the early development projects of many nationally renowned playwrights including Marcus Gardley, Lauren Gunderson, Tanya Barfield and Janece Shaffer.  As an educator, he is currently an adjunct professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at Clark Atlanta University and a playwriting instructor with Horizon Theatre Company’s Apprentice Program.   Addae received his BA in Theatre Arts from Clark Atlanta University and an MFA in Playwriting from the Professional Playwright’s Program at Ohio University.

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André C. Allen (Lighting Designer / Projection Designer) was born and raised in Queens, New York. He moved to Atlanta to attend Morehouse College in 1989. There he discovered the art of storytelling with light. He founded BlackLight Productions Inc. in 1990. He has designed for many artists and organizations including productions for the Freddie Hendricks’ Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Actor’s Express, India.Arie, and Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company. André has served as Production Manager with the Rialto Center for the Arts and Operations Manager with the Ferst Center at Georgia Tech. He is proud of his career that has brought his brand of design to various facilities and arenas nationwide especially his work as lighting director for the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After a career that has spanned 30 years and thousands of events, André continues to share his gift. In 2017, he joined the faculty at the Spelman College Department of Theater and Performance to teach lighting design to the next generation of designers. www.BlackLightProductions.com “Gen. 1:3”

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Dr. L. Nyrobi N. Moss (Costume Designer) has more than 25 years experience working in the Theatre and Entertainment industries. An original member of the triple-platinum gospel choir GOD’S PROPERTY (winners several 1998 Grammy, NAACP, Dove and Soul Train Music Awards), Nyrobi is a voting member of the Atlanta Chapter Grammy Recording Academy, sits on the Board of Directors at 7 Stages Theatre and is a 2010 Suzi Bass Award-winning costume designer. Nyrobi’s list of accomplishments also includes the titles of author, director, production manager, background vocalist, songwriter, actor and instructor. Nyrobi’s work as a costume designer has appeared in films, television, print media, as well as, across the Atlanta, New York, Las Vegas and Dallas theatre markets.  Nyrobi’s costume design credits in the Atlanta theatre market include, but are not limited to: Da Kink in My Hair, Uprising, Mary Honey B Morrison’s Single Husbands, YellowMan, The Doctor, The Devil & My Dad, Detroit, RIGHT ON!, Every Tongue Confess, Sheddin', Three Sistahs, Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery, HAIR, The Little Prince, The Bluest Eye, Free To Be You And Me, Last Night Of Ballyhoo, Taming of the Shrew, Medea, Since 76, for colored girls..., The Big Bang, and Permanent Collection.

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Lindsay R. Eisold (Set Designer)

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