Theater 126: Part 1-Whitesville
Synopsis:
A white police captain, his white wife, and their two adopted Black teen children try to keep their family from being torn apart as their town and the nation become engulfed in protests in the immediate aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.
Writer
Eric Mansfield
Eric Mansfield is the playwright. The Akron, Ohio-based writer’s many plays include Trial By Fire, Cemetery Calling, Baron of Brown Street, Home Movie, Love in Reserve, Lockdown, and much more.
Eric Mansfield
Director
Rachel Berney Needleman
Rachel Berney Needleman is a director and dramaturg for new plays and classical work. As a director: 4 Minutes by DJ Hills (MeetCute LA 2022), Playground-LA (2021-22 Season), Theresa Rebeck’s What We’re Up Against (Pacific Resident Theatre Co-op), Cabaret Noel with Gigi Bermingham (Antaeus Theatre Co. and Skylight Theatre), Five Second Chances by Mattie Brickman (PRT Co-op), Cowgirls by Mildred Lewis (EST-LA), The Space Between (The Braid). Rachel has directed new play readings and workshops at The Blank, EST-LA, Skylight, and Theatricum Botanicum. Her dramaturg credits include Antaeus (Diana of Dobson’s, Cloud 9, Henry IV) and Arizona Theatre Company (At Wit’s End). Rachel is also a co-author of the LA Anti-Racist Theatre Standards.
Rachel Berney Needleman
Cast
David Purdham
As a professional actor and director, David Purdham has worked extensively in theatre on and off Broadway, in many of the great resident theatres in our country(including New York Shakespeare Festival, Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Old Globe- San Diego, Yale Repertory Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Williamstown Theatre Festival) as well a lot of television and film during the last 45 years. He is a member of NEW AMERICAN THEATRE, and directs The Tempus Theatre Group’s Classical Play reading series (an exploration by professional actors of the evolution of theatre from the Greeks forward.) There is a nice Television Series on HBO - “Winning Time”, in which he plays Larry O’Brien, the commissioner of the NBA.
David Purdham
Goreti da Silva
Since moving to Los Angeles from Canada, Goreti da Silva has worked in many films, tv programs, theatre, and improv shows. Most recently, you may have seen her on Big Little Lies, a Toyota commercial, or heard her voice in one of many radio plays on Opendoorplayhouse.org.
Goreti was awarded The Michael Grossman Most Inspirational Award for her body of theatre work in the Desert; and she won the Valley Theatre Award for her work in “Park Plays: Portland”.
When not performing, Goreti fills her "well" by teaching Improv, Theatre Arts, Playwriting, and Acting to underserved youth who write plays in which they later perform. Though Goreti has produced and directed dozens of plays, she continues to be surprised, delighted and inspired by our next generation of leaders.
Goreti da Silva
Justice Davis
A graduate of North Carolina Central University, Justice Davis is an actor based in Los Angeles, California. Beginning his acting career during the pandemic, he has experience both on-camera and in voice over. Previously in Hands from the Fire and Metro, this is his third time working with Open Door Playhouse.
Justice Davis
Maria Katre
Maria-Katre is a Los Angeles based writer, actor, producer and musician. A Graduate of "The British American Drama Academy" in Oxford, England. She is and has always been the true definition of a Multi-Hyphenate. As a young person growing up in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Maria knew she loved telling unique stories and creating. During her senior year at Florida A&M University, she put her vision to paper and produced her very first award-winning documentary at the age of 22. Her documentary entitled "In Their Eyes (2008)," followed the lives of a blind adult and a blind child.
After graduating college, Maria moved to Los Angeles in 2009 to pursue her other dream of becoming an actor. While pursuing a career as an actor, the desire to tell stories continued to pursue her. Since moving to LA, Maria has written over 8 short-films and 3 scripted TV series pilots.
Maria-Katre is also a highly requested VOICEOVER ARTIST. You’ve heard her voice all over the world. Brands and Companies such as SEPHORA , KIA, various PHARMACEUTICALS brands, WARNER MUSIC, DEPT. of ENERGY, MCDONALD’S, and THE EMMYS. She has some animation projects in the works. Her latest short film, “ Dr. WEST’S FERVOR” which she also scored music for along composer BEN SHIRLEY. Her film has been selected into 11-film festivals in the 2022-23 festival circuit. She’s been seen in numerous commercials, TV, Voiceover and Print jobs and has also performed with artists such as: TAYLOR SWIFT at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, Country & Folk music sensation VALERIE JUNE , and most recently, BEYONCÉ headlining “ COACHELLA 2018” and at the 2016 SUPER BOWL 50 halftime show.
Maria Katre
Gilbert Glenn Brown
Gilbert Glenn Brown - His acting credits include the motion pictures; Respect as MLK Jr., Best of Enemies, the forthcoming Long Shadows, Lilly, and All Hail Anastasia to name a few. His television credits include: recurring: TWD: Darryl Dixon, MAYANS MC, BMF, MLK/X, NCIS, Stargirl, General Hospital, Young & the Restless, The Inspectors, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Good Behavior, S.W.A.T., Bosch: Legacy and Stranger Things.
His theater credits include: The Mountaintop (Garry Marshall Theatre), Power to the People (LA Philharmonic/Disney Music Hall), Dot (Billie HolidayTheatre/True Colors Theatre), LATW’s national tour of The Mountaintop, When Jazz Had the Blues (CEK Productions/The Matrix Theatre), Harriet Jacobs (Kansas City Rep), Civil War Christmas (Huntington Theatre), TopDog/UnderDog (Seattle Rep/CTG), Spunk (True Colors Theatre Company), The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek (Fountain Theatre), Serial. Black. Face. (Actor’s Express) and Charleston Olio (Goodman Theatre & National Black Theatre Festival).
His writing/producing and directing credits include the short film Half/Off, the web series All in the Timing, musicals Beyond the Obvious and C.H.O.I.C.E.S., and the upcoming series NICU-DC.
Gilbert’s numerous awards and nominations include appearing in the Emmy-winning Proctor & Gamble’s The Talk, NAACP Theatre Awards, Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, and the Audelco Award. He has also appeared in and voiced several commercials for a variety of clients and several podcasts.
Gilbert Glenn Brown
Omari Williams
Omari Williams, a Houston native, graduated from the Baylor University Theatre program with a BFA in Theatre Performance. Some recent audio productions he has been a part of are Cyber-o and Women and Guns with Premiere the Play Podcast as well as Rede Me This Riddle and The Thing on the Fourble Board with Quiet Please. He is grateful to be recording another audio play with Open Door Playhouse.
Omari Williams
Sound Production:
Oak House Recording Studio in Pasadena, CA with Sound Engineer David Peters.
