Welcome to our Blog

Your source for the latest news from Under the Spell Productions. Visit our Main Site for more.

Monday, June 22, 2015

IT GOES UNSAID - D.C. BLACK THEATRE FEST - FULL PROGRAM


IT GOES UNSAID
FULL PROGRAM 






written by

Rhonney Greene, Teresa Michelle Lasley, and Derek Lee McPhatter

Spoken Word by Qelsi Qualls

Creative Consultant:  Will Castillo




starring:
Carolyn Barrett
Michelle Fawn
Rhonney Greene
Teresa Michelle Lasley
Indio Melendez
Elijah Moreland
Hattie Mae Williams


DC Black Theatre Fest Production Team

Stage Manager: Allyson Lewis
Assistant Stage Manager / Intern: Tobias Lucas
Set Props: Timi Gray
Costume Designer: Rhonney Greene                             
Multimedia Editing: Shanteria Kemp, SK Pictures
Videography: Takuya Katsumura, Maya Workman, Rhonney Greene, and Kendra McCloud

Flyer Design: Julian Streete, Jstreet Branding
Marketing and Promotion: Lauren Cooper, Derek Lee McPhatter
Music: Craig Harris, Nina Simone, Courtlan Green



Special Thank You’s from Under the Spell Productions:
Adriel Hilton, Ph.D., Irmgard Immel, Ph.D., Dionna McPhatter, Brenda Miller, Aymar Jean Christian, Ph.D., Shay Stevens and all of our donors, fans and supporters!  Thank you very much! 


The Scenes


Dissention
Music by Craig Harris
The need for racial/ethnic classification explored in movement, text, and image.

Final(ly) Protest
Spoken word introduction to the characters and context.

Nicole Foxx
(played by Michelle Fawn)
A model on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Jeremiah Thompson
(played by Rhonney Greene)
A seasoned entertainment executive losing control of his professional dreams.

Alicia Renee Garnett
(played by Carolyn Barrett)
A dark and lovely business queen reflects on her success.

Da Ryder
Music by Courtlan Green
(played by Indio Melendez)
An up and coming Latino hip-hop star alienated by his sudden fame.

Four Women

Music by Nina Simone
(featuring Hattie Mae Williams)
A historical reflection of women of African descent in the USA through dance.

Rachel Marie LaCroix
(played by Teresa Michelle Lasley)
A young woman of Creole heritage facing Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath alone.

Kevin Thompson
(played by Elijah Moreland)
A poet, intellectual, and aspiring politician trying to get his message to the people.

Final(ly) Protest
(Reprise)


  

RHONNEY GREENE
Rhonney co-founded Under the Spell Productions with Teresa Michelle Lasley and serves as Artistic Director of the company. Directing credits include the world premiere of Fantasy Girl (a jukebox musical by Lyanisha Gonzalez) and It Goes Unsaid, Under the Spell’s signature show, which has been performed at UCLA’s Raw Performing Arts Series, The Poet’s Den (Harlem) and London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts. He also co-created and directed Under the Spell’s first web-series, She’s Out of Order.  His acting experience includes a starring role in the equity musical showcase, Dance Bojangles Dance. He has worked on numerous commercial film and television programs as a costume designer and set costumer, including The AvengersNurse Jackie, The Haves and Have Nots, Elementary, and The Manchurian Candidate, to name a few.


TERESA MICHELLE LASLEY
Teresa is an actress, writer, educator and arts professional. She co-founded Under the Spell Productions in 2005 and serves as Executive Director of the Company, leading to awards from the Harlem Arts Alliance and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, productions in New York City, Los Angeles and London and recent success at the DC Black Theater Festival. She co-created and starred in Under the Spell’s She’s Out of Order web-series. She has also worked with Lincoln Center Theatre and the Signature Theater, among others. She is also an educator in Maryland’s public school system.


CAROLYN BARRETT
North Carolina native, Carolyn Barrett received her training in the United Kingdom, where she studied Performing Arts and Musical Theatre and Post-Graduate Screen Acting/Film.  Carolyn recently completed work on various commercial and industrial projects.  She will be making her directorial debut later this year and is collaborating on several upcoming projects as a performer and a writer!!  Other credits include- Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, State of Play, The Wire, And My Name Ain't Peaches in NY, It Goes Unsaid-NY,LA, and London Cast.  She was also honored as Best Actress at the Paul Robeson Awards.

Carolyn is a Romans 8:28 kind of girl, so she'd like to thank God for this and every opportunity to walk in this dream...wide awake! Carolyn would like to thank the beautiful and talented cast and crew for each and every day that they dedicated and sacrificed to make this happen. She would also like to thank her wonderful family for loving her without limits and encouraging her every step of the way. Love ya like cooked food! Last, but certainly not least, thank you doesn't fully capture the gratitude she feels for her awesome husband who makes being his rib such an amazing experience!!

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7


MICHELLE FAWN
Michelle Fawn is a graduate of Spelman College where she majored in Theater & Pre-Medicine. Acting is her strongest passion; has performed both on stage and in front of the camera, currently in a show at Bway comedy club(NYC) and filming the second season of a web series. She is very excited to be a part of this thought provoking beautifully written piece! 




INDIO MELENDEZ
Indio Melendez, an actor and writer, was born and raised in New York City. He was the recipient of the “2008 H.O.L.A. Award” for ensemble cast in Dona Flor Y Sus Dos Marido. Other notable performances include his portrayal of Miguel in The Vieques at the Spanish Repertory Theater, for which he was recognized with a “2001 Latin Ace Award” Nomination. His one man show, Manchild Dilemma, earned Indio a “2007 Premios Sin Limites Award Nomination”. Indio holds a Bachelor of the Arts with a concentration in Social work from Lehman College. One of his highest honors was serving his country as a Desert Storm Veteran.

Indio would like to thank: first and foremost the Creator for all of his blessings! Ache’ to his family for their love and support; his agent and manager for getting him the gigs; his acting coach, Dudley Findlay Jr., for his guidance; Rosa Hyde and Paul Kaar for the love the support and inspirations; And finally, his two children, Ramell and Ralphy for keeping him on his toes. 



ELIJAH MORELAND
Elijah hails from the windy city of Chicago, Illinois, spent 6 years training and acting in New York and now resides in Baltimore with his wife and daughter.  After an adventurous 5 years as an officer for the U.S. Navy, moving him everywhere from Baltimore to Bosnia, he changed course and began his acting career.  Elijah is a 2009 graduate of New York’s illustrious William Esper Studio.  In 2008 he made his big screen debut opposite Shia LaBeouf in “Eagle Eye.  His career continues to heat up with appearances on NBC’s “Deception”, USA’s “Royal Pains”, ABC’s “One Life to Live” and two new movies set to release in 2015: “1:30 Train” opposite Captain America’s Chris Evans and a role as an army infantry soldier in the indie feature “Cigarette Soup”, directed by Damian Voerge.




HATTIE MAE WILLIAMS
Hattie Mae Williams is the artistic director of the Tattooed Ballerinas, a modern dance company performing in various venues since 2003, based in New York City. She graduated from the Fordham University/ Alvin Ailey B.F.A program in 2003 and was also awarded the National Alliance for Excellence in Choreography and the National Endowment for the Arts award in Modern dance. among the choreographers she has performed with are The Kevin Wynn Collection, Francesca Harper, Avila/Weeks, Joanna Mendel-Shaw "Dancing with Horses," and MTV Viacom "The Backyardigans." For more info go to www.thetattooedballerinas.net.









DEREK LEE MCPHATTER (co-writer)
Derek’s plays have been presented/supported Harlem Stage, the Bowery Poetry Club, Harlem9, Horse Trade Theater Group, Brooklyn's Jack Theater, and The Fire This Time Festival, with two plays published by Indie Theater Now. He frequently collaborates with Rhonney Greene and Teresa Michelle Lasley as part of the Under the Spell Productions team, co-creating It Goes Unsaid and the She’s Out of Order.  

Derek’s television portfolio has led to semifinalist placement in the 2015 Disney Writing Program and a 2012 Fellowship in the Guy Hanks and Marvin Miller Screenwriting Program at the University of Southern California. For several years, he worked at Harlem's Apollo Theater, developing new arts and entertainment programs. He splits his time between Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Visit derekleemcphatter.com for more.


MORE ABOUT THE SHOW

It Goes Unsaid follows six characters of African descent struggling with the ‘color complex’ through a blend of drama, dance, spoken word, film, and photography.

It Goes Unsaid is a multifaceted theatrical exploration of a dirty little secret in the African Diaspora – an unhealthy preoccupation with skin color. We journey with each character as they work through insecurities, self-hatred, and other challenges rooted in how it feels to be dark or light, black or mixed, and the countless shades in between. 

This performance piece was originally commissioned by University of California, Los Angeles, for the Raw Performing Arts Series in 2006. Following the premiere, the show was mounted in New York City in 2007 (with Obie-award winning producer Bryan E. Glover) and at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts in 2008 (sponsored by the United States Embassy). It Goes Unsaid has become the signature show for the company, an engaging catalyst for conversations on race, gender, hip-hop culture, the media, and other timely issues.

ABOUT UNDER THE SPELL PRODUCTIONS, INC.

Under the Spell Productions, Inc., was co-founded in 2005 by Teresa Michelle Lasley and Rhonney Greene, both natives of the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Under the Spell’s mission is to develop and produce a variety of new and proven works, supporting creative expression primarily through theatre, as well as music, film and dance. The company’s programming focuses on common threads in our humanity, the plight of women today and throughout history, and seeks to engage diverse artists and multicultural, non-traditional audiences.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2015, Under the Spell Productions, Inc., is a federally incorporated non-profit organization.  This is Under the Spell’s second presentation in the DC Black Theatre Fest, building on the success of Lauren Cooper’s roughdraftofmylife in 2012.

Other Under the Spell programs include She’s Out of Order, a webseries co-created by Rhonney Greene, Teresa Michelle Lasley and Derek Lee McPhatter which was an official selection at the 2015 Los Angeles Webfest, taking home the LA Webfest Outstanding Guest Actress Award for episode three’s guest star, LaJune.  The company has also helped co-produce The Fire This Time Festival in New York, which received its first Obie award a few months ago.



PLEASE FIND US ON FACEBOOK @ Under The Spell Productions!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

CASTING CALL - OUR SIGNATURE SHOW IN 2015 DC BLACK THEATER FEST


CASTING NOTICE

Under the Spell Productions, Inc., is accepting video audition submissions, and headshot/resumes for several roles in its upcoming D.C. Black Theater Fest presentation: It Goes Unsaid.

ABOUT THE SHOW
It Goes Unsaid is a blend of drama, film, photography, spoken word and movement exploring six different contemporary characters struggling with self-hatred and the "color complex" in the African-American community. 

The show is inspired by various recent milestones in black culture and society, including the rise of President Barack Obama and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

The University of California, Los Angeles, commissioned It Goes Unsaid to premiere in UCLA's 2006 Raw Performing Arts Series. Following the premiere, the show has been presented in Harlem, NY (co-produced by Bryan E. Glover), and London, United Kingdom at the Institute of Contemporary Arts. 

THE ROLES
This is a non-union production with some pay.
Rehearsal and Performance Dates are TBD, primarily in the month of June.
At this time, we are currently accepting submissions for the following roles:

NICOLE FOXX - a fair-skinned model on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

RYDELL CASTILLO - an up and coming Black/Latino hip-hop star alienated by his sudden fame.

KEVIN THOMPSON - an aspiring local politician struggling to hold his ideals.

J.T. THOMPSON - A seasoned entertainment exec, struggling to control his professional dreams.

We are also accepting resumes for General Manager and Stage Manager positions.




NEXT STEPS

Interested theater professionals should contact info@underthespell.org with “SIDE REQUEST [Character Name]” in the subject line.  AND SUBMIT HEADSHOT AND RESUME Example:  “Side Request  Nicole Foxx.”


We will accept submissions through Sunday May 24.

ABOUT THE COMPANY
In 2015, Under the Spell Productions, Inc., celebrates its 10th anniversary as a dramatic production company dedicated to developing and producing a variety of new and proven works, with a commitment to providing main stage opportunities for diverse artists as well as engaging nontraditional audience communities. 

The company was co-founded in 2005 by Teresa Michelle Lasley and Rhonney Greene, both natives of the greater D.C. / Maryland metropolitan area.  Since it’s founding, the company has produced work in various venues in NYC, as well as in Los Angeles and the United Kingdom.  The company’s web-series – She’s Out Of Order – was an official selection for the 2015 Los Angeles Web Series Festival, taking home an award in the Outstanding Guest Actress category.

It Goes Unsaid will be Under the Spell’s second D.C. Black Theatre Fest production, following their success with Lauren Cooper’s roughdraftofmylife in 2012.

Under the Spell Productions, Inc., is a federally incorporated 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization. 

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

OUR WEB SERIES at the 2015 LA WEBFEST!

Check out the She's Out of Order Blog for more details, but we wanted to repost a few highlights from bringing our first web series project to the 2015 Los Angeles Web Series Festival.  





We were invited to L.A. Webfest as an Official Selection with nominations in the Lead Actress and Guest Actress categories. 

Participating in the fest was AWESOME.  Our team served on three panels, episodes of the show were featured during two screening events...



And we got all gussied up for the L.A. Webfest Awards Ceremony…




AND WE WON!





Big Congrats to LaJune for the win!  She did such an awesome job on the show, and we're proud to have the opportunity to showcase her talents!