The holidays are always a wild family affair at the Shealy house. But this year, Dotty and her three grown children gather with more than exchanging presents on their minds. As Dotty struggles to hold onto her memory, her children must fight to balance care for their mother and care for themselves. A hilarious and deeply moving new play, Dot grapples unflinchingly with aging parents, midlife crises, and the heart of a West Philly neighborhood. Colman Domingo’s smash hit comes to DPT as the regional premiere.
DOT
Dot grapples unflinchingly with aging parents, midlife crises, and the heart of a West Philly neighborhood. Colman Domingo’s smash hit comes to DPT as the regional premiere.
A hilarious and deeply moving new play, Dot grapples unflinchingly with aging parents, midlife crises, and the heart of a West Philly neighborhood. Colman Domingo’s smash hit comes to DPT as the regional premiere.
Meet The Cast
Chris Corporandy
Adam
Chris was most recently seen in DPT’s productions of Birthday Candles as well as Dot. A graduate of the Hilberry Repertory Theater at Wayne State Univeristy (Translations, Side Man, The Master Builder), Chris has worked regionally in Buffalo; Atlanta, at Actors’ Express (recipient of the Suzi Bass Award for Supporting Actor, The Judas Kiss); Minneapolis; San Francisco; in New York (Cherry Lane, The Public, ARS Nova); and Chautauqua Theater Company . Chris also works extensively as a voice, speech, and dialect coach (DPT, Tipping Point Theatre, Hilberry Theatre, Alliance Theater, Chautauqua Theater Co) and is on faculty at Wayne State University and College for Creative Studies. BFA Acting -NYU/Tisch, MFA Acting – WSU/Hilberry, Moscow Art Theatre School, Trinity College Dublin. Certified Teacher/Coach of Knight-Thompson Speech Work. Member of Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and VASTA.
Shawntay Dalon
Averie
Shawntay is a born and raised Detroiter. She has graced the stage since the tender age of eight as a dancer, spoken word artist, inspirational speaker, and actor. A writer/director/producer, Shawntay’s short films, feature films, and stage plays have been produced through her company CalienTay Productions, winning an audience and awards along the way. Shawntay plays the recurring role of Chrissy on Comedy Central’s series “Detroiters.” Check her out on Season Two beginning in February 2018.
Skeleton Crew is Shawntay’s sophomore production with Detroit Public Theatre. Last year she played the role of Averie in Colman Domingo’s Dot. Always an admirer of Dominique Morisseau’s work, Shawntay is ecstatic to be back doing what she loves in the city that she loves! For updates and more info on Shawntay, visit www.shawntaydalon.com.
Artun Kircali
Fidel
Artun Kircali is so excited to be making his Detroit Public Theatre debut that he’s written this opening line about forty-seven times just trying to find the right words to describe his elation since beginning this journey. He has been performing on stages around southeast Michigan for the past four years, and was most recently seen in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Slipstream Theatre Initiative, in addition to having worked with the Michigan Shakespeare Festival touring company, Penny Seats, the Phoenix Players, Planet Ant Theatre, the Ringwald, and Water Works Theatre Company.
Tracey Conyer Lee
Shelly
Tracey Conyer Lee was most recently on national tour with the original play Remarkably Normal. Original Off-Broadway Casts: Bedbugs!!! and Sistas: The Musical. Off-Off: The Fire This Time Festival, 48 Hours in Harlem, NY International Fringe Festival. Select regional credits: Yale Rep, Denver Center, Baltimore Centerstage, Actors Theatre of Louisville & the Humana Festival of New American Plays, St. Louis Rep, Theatre of the Stars, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse, Interact, TheatreWorks, Cleveland Playhouse, Delaware Theatre Co., Westport Playhouse, Merrimack Rep, Virginia Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, Geva Theatre, Cape Playhouse, Laguna Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Syracuse Stage, New Harmony, Stages St. Louis, Palm Beach Dramaworks, WHAT, Florida Stage, national and international tours. On screen: The Path, SMASH, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Ed, All My Children, Guiding Light and award-winning independent film work. Also a playwright, Ms. Lee’s plays have received development or production in New York, Boston, and Chicago, and she is a Merit Scholar for a 2018 MFA in Writing For the Stage & Screen. 2017 includes reprising her lauded portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill. For more, visit www.traceyconyerlee.com
Maggie Meyer
Jackie
Maggie Meyer last appeared in American Hero at Detroit Public Theatre, and is so pleased and honored to be back and a part of Dot. Meyer studied Musical Theatre at AMDA in New York City, apprenticed at the Purple Rose Theatre Company, and has gone on to appear in many productions in and around Metro Detroit. Some favorite roles being Babe in Crimes of the Heart, Izzy in Rabbit Hole, and Vanda in Venus In Fur, for which she won the Oscar Wilde Award for Best Actress in a Comedy.
Madelyn Porter
Dotty
“The whole world is a stage…” and Madelyn Porter plays a part in keeping it real in Detroit. Porter has worked in professional theatre for over thirty years as an actress, storyteller, comedian, and creator of several one-woman shows. Porter has also worked as a director, instructor, and stage manager. Porter is the recipient of the Wayne County Chapter of NOW Special Achievement Award for portraying Sojourner Truth (national tour), Rogue Critic Award for Best Supporting Actress (Burying The Bones – Detroit Repertory Theatre), the YWCA Woman Of Achievement In The Arts Award, the WMGC-105.1 Woman Who Makes Magic Award, the Wilde Award nomination for Best Actress (Comedy/Original Script), and most recently nominated for best duo award for the production of The Best of Enemies (University of Detroit Theatre Company). Madelyn currently performs for The Henry Ford, The Detroit Historical Museum, Michigan Opera Theatre Outreach Program, Troy Historical Village, and creates programs for Children’s Theatre. She was most recently seen in Detroit Repertory Theatre’s production of Devil Dog Six and will portray Carolyn Cheeks in the premier of Strawberry – Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s debacle – in January 2017 at the Marlene Boll Theatre in the downtown YMCA. Porter is founder of Mad’s World Theatre Production, and cofounder of MYSS Theatre Company and Street Life Theatre Production. “What we need is quality theatre by any means necessary.”
Curtis Wiley
Donnie
Curtis is thrilled to be making his Detroit Public Theatre debut in Colman Domingo’s Dot under the direction of Saheem Ali. Curtis first worked with Mr. Domingo on BLACK at Joe’s Pub, and made his NYC stage debut under the direction of Mr. Ali in The Wild Party at Columbia Stages. Most recently Curtis was seen in the world premiere of The Total Bent at NYC’s Public Theater, written by Stew & Heidi Rodewald. 2015 highlights include: Diner: The Musical (Delaware Theater Co.); Rothschild & Sons (York Theatre Co.); The Artist & The Scientist (Cap21); and Straight Faced Lies (Fringe NYC). Other NYC credits: Pageant: The Musical (Off B’way Revival); The Great Society (York Shakespeare Co); TUT (NYMF); King Lear (Exit, Pursued by a Bear). Big musical credits include: Jersey Boys; The Lion King; and Motown: The Musical. Curtis is also an alumni of the Sundance Theatre Institute, Wig Out (playwright Tarell McCraney). Twitter/Instagram: @Curtis_Wiley
Meet The Creative Team
Colman Domingo
Playwright
Colman Domingo is an award-winning actor, playwright, and director who is a triple threat in 2016 with TV, film, and theater anticipated projects.
Domingo reprised his role as Victor Strand on season 2 of AMC’s hit show Fear the Walking Dead, which premiered in April 2016. Details of the mysterious Strand were revealed in this season’s most anticipated storyline. Den of Geek wrote, “A lot of Strand’s appeal stems from Colman Domingo himself. He’s a compelling actor with an incredible screen presence.” Season 2 returned on August 21 and has been picked up for a third season.
Domingo can be seen with an all-star cast in Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation opposite Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King and Nate Parker. The film is a biopic of slave-turned-revolutionary Nat Turner and premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The movie broke records as it was picked up by Fox Searchlight in a multi-million-dollar deal and premiered on October 07, 2016.
As an Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, and Drama League Award nominated and Obie and Lucille Lortel Award winner Domingo has solidified himself as a Broadway veteran.
As a director, Domingo is currently helming the West Coast production of Barbecue, written by Obie and Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O’Hara. The play began previews at the Geffen Playhouse on September 6 and ran through October 16. Domingo recently staged the Off Broadway Alliance Award-winning production of A Band of Angels and helmed August Wilson’s Seven Guitars for the Actors Theater of Louisville in the fall of 2015. He also directed the critically-acclaimed Off Broadway productions of Exit Cuckoo and Single Black Female.
Domingo’s most recent play Dot premiered at the Humana Festival in Louisville last year and earlier this year was Off Broadway at the Vineyard Theater, directed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. The New York Times wrote, “Colman Domingo’s thoroughly entertaining comedy-drama Dot… is an impressive advance for Mr. Domingo, also a gifted musical-theater performer… While conventional in form, it’s uproariously funny, if naturally streaked with sadness (and at times, a pinch or two of sentimentality).”
Domingo’s theater career took off when he starred in the critically-acclaimed rock musical Passing Strange. The Off-Broadway ensemble cast received an Obie Award in 2008, and Domingo reprised his roles in the film version of Passing Strange, directed by Spike Lee, in 2009. He made his British and Australian debuts with his self-penned solo play, A Boy and His Soul. This production originated at New York City’s Vineyard Theater and won him GLAAD and Lucille Lortel awards in 2010.
In 2010, Domingo starred as Billy Flynn in Chicago, the longest revival on Broadway, and in the award-winning The Scottsboro Boys, a role which he originated on and off Broadway. Domingo was nominated for a Tony Award, Olivier Award, and a Fred Astaire Award for his role in The Scottsboro Boys. Additional theater credits include the Off Broadway revival of Blood Knot and Wild With Happy.
Additional film credits include Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Joe Roth’s Freedomland, Clint Eastwood’s True Crime, Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Ana and Red Hook Summer, and the first ever screen adaptation of a Ralph Ellison story, King of the Bingo Game, among others. His TV credits include: The Knick, Lucifer, Law & Order, The Big Gay Sketch Show, and Nash Bridges.
Domingo is on the Board of Directors of the Vineyard Theater in New York City. He is also on faculty at The National Theater Institute (Eugene O’Neill Theater Center) and guest-lectured and mentored in many colleges and universities around the country. Domingo directed for Berkeley Rep as well as Lincoln Center Director’s Lab.
Saheem Ali
Director
Saheem is a freelance director based in New York City. His credits include The Booty Call (Inner Voices), Hair (Pace), A Lesson From Aloes (Juilliard), The Erlkings (Theater Row), Farhad (Inner Voices), Vital Signs (Riant Theatre), Marisol (Barnard College), The Wild Party (Columbia University), Romeo & Juliet (Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Tour of the Parks), Spring Awakening (Northeastern University). Associate Directing: The Tempest (NYC Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park). Selected workshops and staged readings: Pornplay (MCC), The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane (Tom Kirdahy Productions), Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theater), Acquittal (Pan Asian Rep), The Children (BRIC), Black Maria on Koinange Street (PEN World Voices), Facing Our Truths (Public Theater), Nollywood Dreams (Soho Rep and National Black Theater), Goddess (O’Neill Musical Theater Conference), Tsunami (PEN). Assistant Directing on Broadway: A Free Man of Color (Lincoln Center), The Normal Heart (The Golden). Schubert Fellow, New York Theatre Workshop Emerging Artist of Color Fellow, SDCF Gielgud Directing Fellow. MFA Columbia University
Neil Mills
Scenic Designer
Neil is a New York City based scenic designer working in theatre and television, he is thrilled to be joining Detroit Public Theatre for her first show. Selected theatre credits include: A Dog Story (Davenport Theatre – Off Broadway), My Fair Lady (Sharon Playhouse), Absolution (St. Luke’s Theatre – Off-Broadway), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Sharon Playhouse), The Happy Family (Theatre Row – Off Broadway), Reefer Madness (University of Southern Maine), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Ursinus College), True Love (Sharon Playhouse), O. Rex (Gia Forakis and Company) and Captive Audience (NY Deaf Theatre). Television credits include Art Direction for episodes of The TODAY Show and Late Night with Seth Meyers. Member – United Scenic Artists USA 829. MFA – Carnegie Mellon University. www.laurenmillsdesign.com
Christianne Myers
Costume Designer
Christianne Myers is a freelance costume designer and Associate Professor of Theatre & Drama at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. New York highlights include the Obie Award-winning productions of Music Theatre Group’s Running Man and Blue Light’s production of Dare Clubb’s Oedipus. Other design credits include productions for The Juilliard School, The Vermont Stage Company, The Lincoln Center Institute, The Clarence Brown Theatre, The Syracuse Stage, The Indiana Repertory Theatre, Theatreworks/USA, The Caldwell Theatre, The Irondale Ensemble, Opera Memphis, and The Santa Fe Opera. At U-M, she has designed more than thirty productions, including Henry IV, A Little Night Music, and Caroline, or Change. She is delighted to be back at DPT since designing Dot last season.
Katherine Nelson
Production Stage Manager & Costume Designer
Katherine has been stage managing with Detroit Public Theatre since its inaugural season, with highlights including the coproduction of Detroit ’67 with Baltimore Center Stage and the world premiere of Birthday Candles. They have also stage managed with the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts and Chautauqua Theater Company. Additionally, Katherine is a costume designer. Recent Off-Broadway design at The New Victory Theatre (Riddle of the Trilobites). In addition to design credits with Detroit Public Theatre, regional designs include shows with Purple Rose Theatre Company, Flint Youth Theatre, Flint Repertory Theatre (Wilde Award nomination: Best Costume Design, Riddle of the Trilobites), Tipping Point Theatre, Williamston Theatre, and the Wharton Center. They are a graduate of the Purple Rose Theatre Company apprenticeship program. Katherine is a proud member and National Councilor of Actors’ Equity Association. www.knelsondesigns.com.
Ben Green
Lighting Designer
Ben Green is a New York City based lighting designer in theatre, events, and television. Recent design credits: Trial of an American President (Off-Broadway), All Shook Up (Friends Seminary), The Dodgers (Hudson Theatre, LA), Chicago, Macbeth, Oklahoma!, Stage Door (Purchase Rep), Rapture, and Destination: Oasis (Columbia). Ben was the production draftsman for the 2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York and a production coordinator for the Victoria’s Secret Swim Shoot in St. Barthelemy. Ben was the associate lighting designer for Eclipsed (B’way) and off-broadway at the Public Theatre. He was an assistant lighting director for the 2016 Democratic National Convention and the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. Member IATSE Local 829, United Scenic Artists. www.bengreendesign.com
Frannie Shepherd-Bates
Sound Designer
Frannie Shepherd-Bates is an accomplished prison theatre practitioner, director, educator, designer, choreographer, administrator, and performer.
Frannie is the founder, director, and lead facilitator of Shakespeare in Prison (SIP), Detroit Public Theatre’s signature community program. She began SIP in 2012 (under the auspices of Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company, which she led from 2008-2014) as its sole volunteer facilitator and administrator, personally handling every aspect of the program.
Since those early days, Frannie has worked with the prison ensembles (and alumni!) to develop the structure, objectives, and pedagogy of the program; developing a culture of warmth, openness, professionalism, and dedication. In 2015, the program moved from Magenta Giraffe Theatre Company as it dissolved to Detroit Public Theatre as it was founded.
In addition to her prison work, Frannie has directed plays for many of southeast Michigan’s theatres; including Detroit Public Theatre, Williamston Theatre, Tipping Point Theatre, Shakespeare in Detroit, Planet Ant Theatre, and Water Works Theatre Company. Her work with youth includes programs and productions with Michigan Opera Theatre Children’s Chorus, the Roeper School, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, and Matrix Theatre Company. She also served as Director of Programs for Detroit Public Theatre, and Director of Education for Water Works Theatre Company for several years.
Frannie has been recognized for her work as an artist and arts advocate by the Wilde Awards (Critics’ Choice 2013; Best of the Bard 2015; Best Play nomination 2016), the Pulsar Awards (Best Play 2017), and CBS Detroit, and she accepted an Arts Achievement Award on behalf of MGT from WSU’s Department of Theatre and Dance. She has spoken about prison theatre at conferences such as Shakespeare in Prisons (2013, 2017), Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed (2017), Art X Detroit (2015), and Human Rights Through Education (University of Michigan, 2013). She has been featured numerous times in local, regional, national, and international media for her work in prisons and as an artist.
Frannie graduated from Wayne State University with a BFA in theatre (acting) in 2006.
