The Artist Prepares

Taquoia Street is an actress, writer, and director who resides in Durham, NC. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with a Concentration in Performance from North Carolina Central University, and is a member of Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society. She has experience on the stage and in film and has won The Best Actress Award in the Atlanta Hip Hop Film Festival that earned her an IMDB credit for her leading role in, "Wanna Be". Currently, Taquoia has been writing and directing plays for the scholars at W.G. Pearson Elementary School and has recently started a drama club there. She enjoys sharing her love of acting and teaching her 7 year old daughter, Ivory Jade, and the scholars in the club  Stanislavski’s acting techniques and playing fun games. Welcome to the stage Taquoia!!!

A Durham native and preschool teacher assistant with a B.A. in broadcast mass communication from North Carolina central university, Moriah Williams has performed all over the triangle from DPAC to Raleigh little theater. Her theatrical credits include Mother (Blood Wedding), lady in green (for colored girls), Pecola Breedlove (The Bluest Eye)  Tracy Ada (Steal Away), young Maya Angelou (God Spoke My Name), Taylor (Stick Fly), and Ermina Crump (Crumbs from the Table of Joy) Moriah has also worked with great artist such as writer/producer Sam Art Williams in his stage reading of cork and actor Robert Davi in the film a long way off. Welcome to the stage Moriah!!!

Currently based out of Los Angeles, Richard was raised in a small-town in Virginia where he cultivated a love for live performance at an early age. He holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from James Madison University and an M.F.A. in Media and Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design. An avid artist for both the stage and screen, Richard is fiercely dedicated to providing exciting new work and a strong voice in the arts. Welcome to the stage Richard Mooney!!!

A Philadelphia native, Chase just recently graduated from North Carolina Central University. He is thrilled to be making his Crane River Theatre debut. His favorite regional credits include: Crown in Porgy and Bess, Bobby in Memphis, Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors, Harpo in The Color Purple, Duke Frederick in As You Like It, and The Devil in Ti-Jean and His Brothers. Chase is also one of the host of Brotha from Another podcast. Welcome to the stage Chase Monroe Rivers!!!

Robert “Dartez” Wright graduated from North Carolina Central University.  Dartez has been featured in several short films, national television commercials and feature films. He serves as Creative Director for GDP and is featured in several projects including “Sisters at Heart”, “Forget Me Not”, “Clearly Invisible” and “Through the Fire”. Welcome to the stage Dar Wright!!!

Kendrick Jordan is a recent Master of Fine Art graduate from ArtCenter College of Design. A quadruple threat, he writes, directs, acts and produces film and television projects. Leaning towards the future, Kendrick creates based on the strength of the story. Using his background as an actor, he’s able to get the best from his actors  while directing, and build characters in his writing from a unique perspective. Welcome to the stage Kendrick Jordan!!!

Sheldon Mba is a native of Durham, North Carolina, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Dance Performance from North Carolina Central University. Mba holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre, Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Mba has performed brilliantly in a wide range of roles such as; Citizen Barlow in August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, Guy Jacobs in Pearle Cleage's Blues For An Alabama Sky, Fish from Matthew Lopez's, The Royale, and Agamemnon from Robert Icke's Oresteia. His choreographic works were featured at The National Black Theatre Festival, American Dance Festivals, various colleges and throughout the Durham, NC area. Mba is a rising educator in the profession. He has used his movement background, combined with his theatrical training, to groom actors to become confident with their bodies. Mba is currently an Assistant Professor of Music Theatre and Dance at Friends University. Welcome to the stage Sheldon Mba!!!

Shantwánelle A. Dixon-DuBose, more commonly known as Shantie, was born and raised in Bronx, NY. Shantwánelle received her BA in Theatre with a concentration in Performance from the illustrious North Carolina Central University. She now resides back in her hometown, the Bronx where she is an Actress, Model, and an all around entrepreneur with plans to make a huge impact in anyway she can. Shantwánelle's film credit include her role as Anastasia in a YouTube mini-series called “Five Points-The Series”. Some of her stage credits range from playing “Squeak” in the NCCU production of “The Color Purple” and Lady In Orange in “For Colored Girls and For Black Boys..", also produced by NCCU and performed at The National Black Theatre Festival. Shantwánelle was last seen on stage as Felicia in a stage production called “Stronger In Broken Places”, produced by Strong Ones Productions and performed in Atlanta, GA. Welcome to the stage Shantwanelle Dixon-Dubose!!!

Whitney Kaye is from Moss Point, MS. Kaye's interest in acting started at age 14 when she attended an acting workshop in Harris NY with off-broadway director Peter Schlar. Whitney attended Moss Point High School where she joined the drama club and prepped and auditioned for Savannah College of Art and Design. She currently has a BFA in Performing Arts and Film and Television. In 2010 she later moved to Atlanta GA where she worked in production for several network film and television productions. Currently Whitney resides in Seattle WA and is represented by MAM Talent. Welcome to the stage Whitney Kaye!!!

Savada Gilmore is a native of Chapel Hill North Carolina, where he currently resides as an Actor, Director & Theater Educator. Gilmore’s background in theater is extensive, dating back to a passion ignited and nurtured by one of the Chapel Hill district’s legendary teachers, Theresa Grywalski, aka Ms. G, his theater teacher at East Chapel Hill High School (ECHHS). “She was the main influence and one responsible for introducing me to the world of theater; she mentored me, and put me on a real stage for the first time,” Gilmore said. “She took the ‘class clown/envelope-pusher’ and channeled my energy and talent into a more creative and artistic form of expression. He earned a BA in Performance Arts from High Point University, has toured with the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival and acted in everything from Ionesco to August Wilson. Savada currently serves as the Guy Phillips Middle School Theater Instructor where is the most fun virtual learning class in all of the school. Welcome to the stage Savada Gilmore!!!