PLAY PROGRAM
This OBIE AWARD WINNING play is regarded as one of the most important African American plays of the 20th Century. The GRACEMOON ARTS COMPANY presents DUTCHMAN written by AMIRI BARAKA, aka LeRoi Jones, on the 60th Anniversary of its premiere in 1964 at the Cherry Lane Theatre in Manhattan. Sixty years later, the play is as relevant as it ever was.
The play focuses on Clay, played by Daren Herbert and Lula, played by Leah Doz, who meet on a subway train in New York City during the summer. The play, written in 1964 at the height of the civil rights movement, examines the depths of our collusive racism. It is driven by a conversation that unabashedly exploits conventional ideas about sexuality, civil rights, class, and opression of Black people in America.
DUTCHMAN opens the first season of a series of conversations at the Gracemoon Theatre: THE CONVERSATION ON RACE. Each play finishes in our salon for a real-time discussion about the play’s subject matter.
Play Runtime: 55 mins. No Intermission
TRIGGER WARNINGS: This show contains course language and themes of race, violence, sexuality and abuse. There are flashing colourful lights on stage momentarily.
From time to time, we may document post show conversation on video. It is not mandatory to participate: however, if you do take part, it is with the understanding that, in doing so, you grant The Gracemoon Arts Company the right to use the footage for archival and promotional purposes. If you do not want to be filmed, please let a member of the company, or a volunteer know.
PHOTOGRAPHY or VIDEOGRAPHY of any kind with any device is not permitted during the show.
MEET THE CAST
LULA - Played by LEAH DOZ*
Leah Doz is an actor, writer, and filmmaker, originally from Edmonton, Alberta. She has worked and trained as a founding member of the Gracemoon Arts Company for ten years with artistic director Michèle Lonsdale-Smith.
Leah has performed on Canada’s major stages, including productions of A Streetcar Named Desire, August: Osage County, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, La Ronde, Great Expectations (Soulpepper Theatre Company); Much Ado About Nothing, The Matchmaker (Stratford Festival); Hedda Gabler, The Effect (Coal Mine Theatre); The Sound of Music, Tartuffe (National Arts Centre). Television credits include ensemble leads in the Crave Original series New Eden and CBC’s Strays, where she also worked as a contributing development writer. Film credits include supporting leads in the features Dead Lover and The Fortunate Ones, currently in post-production.
She is a Dora and Tyrone Guthrie Award recipient, and an alumnae of the National Theatre School of Canada. Her filmmaking has received Canadian broadcasting and been screened at festivals internationally. Her latest short film Strangers is currently completing post-production.
CLAY - Played by DAREN HERBERT*
Daren is a Bermudian artist whose love for acting continues to grow.
He was an ensemble lead on Amazon's Pretty Hard Cases and a recurring on hit Netflix series' Kim's Convenience and Designated Survivor.
He is a multiple Dora Mavor Moore Award winner, a two-time Toronto Theatre Critics Award winner, a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award winner and a NAACP Theatre Award Nominee. Daren also received the prestigious Earl Cameron Award, recognizing his achievements in theatre, film and television, from the Bermuda Arts Council in 2022.
Daren is one of the founding members of the Gracemoon Arts Company. For over a decade, he has been training at LS & Co. Studios, under the mentorship of Michèle Lonsdale•Smith. Daren serves as a member of the Sheridan College Music Theatre Performance PAC and is a past board member of the Musical Stage Co.
He earned his MFA in Drama from the University of California, Irvine and a BFA in Theatre Arts from The University of the Arts, in Philadelphia.
#allblacklivesmatter
DIRECTED BY MICHÈLE LONSDALE • SMITH
Michèle Lonsdale•Smith, Trinidad and Tobago born, began her acting career at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in the late 80’s in New York and studied with teachers trained by Mr. Strasberg. Over the past 3 decades, intertwined with an international directing and acting career, including roles in the Feature Film Race and Episodic work for NBC, Global, USA Network, Showtime and others, Michèle has directed 24 plays and 2 Web Series. Theater productions include, Bad Jews, Burn This, Lion in the Streets, The Dreamer Examines his Pillow (in Italian) Jesus Hopped the A Train, Venus in Fur, as well as writing and directing the original stage play The 21st Floor which were all reviewed notably. She produced and directed the digital series Bradley Borgen: The Actor Who Could Not Cry. which won Best Writer & Director at WorldFest Houston and Little Wars, a series of 17 short films, each filmed in one continuous shot, is currently in post production.
She is currently the founder and artistic director of the Gracemoon Arts Company.
Synchronous to her acting and directing career, Michèle teaches and coaches award-winning actors around the world; Canada, America, Jamaica, Tobago, England and Italy. Her self developed modality is an amalgamation and iteration on the work of master and visionary teacher Lee Strasberg, as well as completely proprietary techniques. Her research and development has been compiled over the past 25 years, alongside her Master Class at the LS&CO Acting Studio for the Humanitarian Arts, and which over two decades evolved into the Ensemble of Actors at The Gracemoon Arts Company.
In 2023, she returned to New York to live and work, the birthplace of her acting training in the 80s, to create a home for art, and to add her voice to the global conversation. Together with her company of 18 actors, they will officially open The Gracemoon Theatre, Salon & Gallery in Bushwick in July 2024. The non-profit is a home for “the artist”, devoted to uplifting and upholding the New York tradition of excellence and integrity in acting, while aspiring to evolve the art form and its humanitarian impact.
STAGE MANAGER - BRENNA STEWART*
Brenna has been a member of the Gracemoon Arts Company for 2 years. She has worked behind the scenes as stage manager on their last two productions (Dreamer Examines his Pillow & Venus in Fur) in Rome Italy. Brenna is exceptionally proud of all the work, devotion and love the company has poured into the creation of this space for artists. Welcome home and get ready for a wild ride!
COMPOSER - THOMPSON EGBO-EGBO
Thompson Egbo-Egbo is an acclaimed Toronto composer and pianist. He moved to Canada from Nigeria at age four and is deeply rooted to his upbringing. His forthcoming project is set for release via MNRK Music Group this fall, featuring the classic cover “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. The album will follow Thompson’s 2019 release, “The Offering” and 2018 album, “A New Standard”. The trio has performed at a selection of Ontario festivals including: The Kensington Market Jazz Festival, Orillia Jazz Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Thompson portrayed a young Oscar Peterson in an episode of Historica Canada’s “Heritage Minutes”, honoring the artist’s life and career. He also performed Peterson’s music for a special concert with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in February 2023. Music from Thompson’s new album was featured in a docuseries project by Luminato Festival called “Golden Hour”. His organization, The Thompson T. Egbo-Egbo Arts Foundation and Evolving Through the Arts, support elementary school students; recognizing that a positive change and a sense of self-worth should be instilled in children early on. Thompson served as a member of the board at Dixon Hall for many years and is currently on the board at Jazz FM 91. He has degrees in Music from Humber College, and music production at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
The Tribue, Fuze In, What Was Taken Courtesy of MNRK Records LP
SOUND & LIGHTING - RANDALL ROSS
Randall has been a company member of the Gracemoon Arts Company for 12 years. He was in Michèle Lonsdale•Smith’s first acting class almost 30 years ago. He is a cinematographer, editor, lighting and sound technician. Randy has executed the audio, visual and technical requirement of Michèle’s vision on all Gracemoon productions. He is also a Co-Founder and Head of Business Development at Gracemoon.
*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Gracemoon Arts Company, and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
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