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About CAST/ CREATIVE

RATED BLACK: An American Requiem

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Written & Performed by Kareem M. Lucas
Directed by LA Williams

September 27, 2018—October 13, 2018

75 minutes with no intermission.
Read Synopsis

A young Black man from Brooklyn living in “post-racial America” hosts his own Homegoing service as a way for himself to prepare to die and to honor the memory of the unarmed Black Men and Women who have and are still being murdered by the police at a heartbreaking pace. This piece removes the mask of the perceived “superpredator,” by weaving together original poetry and acapella songs to theatricalize and articulate the vulnerability of a young Black man at risk of becoming the next trending hashtag as the country consumes his digital lynching.

Original Music & Arrangements Avi A. Amon

Lighting Design Christina Watanabe

CAST / CREATIVE

  • Kareem Lucas

    Kareem M. Lucas is a Brooklyn born and Harlem based Actor/Writer/Producer/Director. His solo pieces include The Maturation of an Inconvenient Negro, From Brooklyn With Love, RATED BLACK, A Boy & His Bow, and Black Is Beautiful, But It Ain’t Always Pretty. He has performed his solo work at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Center for Arts & Culture at Restoration, Harlem School of the Arts, Flushing Town Hall, Pregones Theater, The Greene Space, Aaron Davis Hall at City College, The Town Hall, The Fire This Time Festival, IRT Theater, The Slipper Room, Teatro Circulo, Studio Tisch at NYU Grad Acting, Jimmy’s No. 43, MAGIC TIME at Judson Arts Wednesdays, and The Public Theater. He is currently co-collaborating on the development of the immersive theatrical piece The Black History Museum… According to the United States of America, as a writer and performer with the Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative as a part of their Residency at HERE Arts Center. And, just finished the Devised Theater Working Group, a residency program of the DTI/Devised Theater Initiative at The Public Theater, which included showings of his solo piece Black Is Beautiful, But It Ain’t Always Pretty in the 2018 Under The Radar Festival. Plus, he’s a teaching artist with The Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The 52nd Street Project. MFA: NYU Graduate Acting Program. For more info you can visit www.KareemMLucas.com or follow him on Instagram @KareemMLucas

  • Te'La Curtis

    Choir

    Te’La pronounced Tay-La is a singer/ songwriter, actor from Central New Jersey. Te’La is beyond thrilled to be back on the stage after taking a brief sabbatical to focus on the release of her debut album “Out of Bounds”. Available on all music platforms, Check it out! Huge thank you to Kareem and LA for this wonderful opportunity. Continue to be a source of light in our community, We need more like you!

  • Dan Gray

    Choir

    Dan Gray – Is a Miami native who is truly excited to be apart of such a dope cast and production. He’s recent graduate from the University of Florida who loves to sing and is excited to see what else this city has in store for him.

  • Jon-Michael Reese

    Choir

    My Heart is the Drum (Edward Adu, Gregory Award: Outstanding Actor), Village Theatre; This Bitter Earth (Jesse Howard), Penumbra; Man of la Mancha (Padre), Theatre Latté Da; Nikola Tesla Drops the Beat (Thomas Edison), Adirondack Theatre Festival; King Lear (Cordelia), EPBB; Camelot (Sagramore), Westport Country Playhouse; Book of Mormon (Doctor), National Tour; when last we flew (Paul), Lucille Lortel; Hairspray (Seaweed), Drury Lane; Fantasticks (Matt), Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. BFA: CMU.

  • Anthony Seals

    Choir

    Anthony Seals is a classically trained singer who received his undergraduate degree from Alabama State University. Anthony continued his graduate studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he performed in varies operas and concerts. After moving to the greater New York area, Anthony has continued to sing at a host of churches in the area.
    Anthony has performed works by Mozart, Rossini, Schumann,Schubert and more. Anthony is currently a boutique owner and free lance artist who resides in New Jersey.

Kareem M. Lucas / Writer/Performer

Kareem M. Lucas is a Brooklyn born and Harlem based Actor/Writer/Producer/Director. His solo pieces include The Maturation of an Inconvenient Negro, From Brooklyn With Love, RATED BLACK, A Boy & His Bow, and Black Is Beautiful, But It Ain’t Always Pretty. He has performed his solo work at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Center for Arts & Culture at Restoration, Harlem School of the Arts, Flushing Town Hall, Pregones Theater, The Greene Space, Aaron Davis Hall at City College, The Town Hall, The Fire This Time Festival, IRT Theater, The Slipper Room, Teatro Circulo, Studio Tisch at NYU Grad Acting, Jimmy’s No. 43, MAGIC TIME at Judson Arts Wednesdays, and The Public Theater. He is currently co-collaborating on the development of the immersive theatrical piece The Black History Museum… According to the United States of America, as a writer and performer with the Smoke & Mirrors Collaborative as a part of their Residency at HERE Arts Center. And, just finished the Devised Theater Working Group, a residency program of the DTI/Devised Theater Initiative at The Public Theater, which included showings of his solo piece Black Is Beautiful, But It Ain’t Always Pretty in the 2018 Under The Radar Festival. Plus, he’s a teaching artist with The Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The 52nd Street Project. MFA: NYU Graduate Acting Program. For more info you can visit www.KareemMLucas.com or follow him on Instagram @KareemMLucas

LA Williams / Director

LA is a New York-based director focused primarily on new work. He was a 2017-18 O’Neill/NNPN National Directors Fellow. Recent credits include Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3 by Suzan-Lori Parks (The Juilliard School); Richard in 9 Poses by Sarah DeLappe (Clubbed Thumb). He has developed and directed new work at Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, The Public Theater, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, The New Group, The Classical Theatre of Harlem, Dramatists Guild of America, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, LaMama, National Black Theatre, McCarter Theatre Center, The Kennedy Center, Alliance Theatre, New York International Fringe Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, Firebone Theater, Quicksilver Theatre Company, Horse Trade Theater Group and Crowded Outlet. In 2012, he created and executive produced Celebrate! with LA Williams: a multimedia docu-series that celebrates early career theater artists. LA is a 2016-17 Clubbed Thumb Directing Fellow and currently serves on the ENCORES! Off-Center Artist Board at New York City Center. He is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab, SDCF Observership program, and was the Kenny Leon Directing Fellow in 2009. Education: M.A. Emerson College, B.A. Alabama State University.

AVI AMON / Composer/Arranger

AVI AMON is a Brooklyn-based composer, pianist, and sound artist. His works include INSHALLAH/MASHALLAH (Target Margin),THE WHITE CITY with Julia Gytri (Yale Institute, O’Neill National Music Theater Conference, Richard Rogers Award Finalist), JEUNE TERRE with Gabrielle Reisman (Barnard), LULU IS HUNGRY with Claire Kiechel (Ars Nova), THE CHILDREN with Phillip Howze (Yale, BRIC), and several sound installations in a 100-year old grain silo in Buffalo, New York. His work has been developed or presented by the Actors Theatre of Louisville (2017 Humana Opera Commission), Spoleto Festival USA (with tap dancer, Ayodele Casel), Prospect Theater, BAM, Lincoln Center, La Mama, NYFA, and HERE Arts, among others. Residencies and awards: Ground Floor at Berkeley REP, Exploring the Metropolis at JCAL, Judson Arts, Anna Sosenko Assist Trust Grant, Target Margin Theater, New Dramatists, Weston Playhouse.  Avi is the resident composer at the 52nd Street Project. He received his MFA from NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, where he currently teaches. For more information, please visit aviamon.com.

CHRISTINA WATANABE / Lighting Designer

Christina is a New York City based designer for theatre, dance, music, and events. With Mr. Lucas: Redd: Black & Blue. With NYTW Next Door: De Novo. Recent: Into the Woods (Charlottesville Opera), Daddy Long Legs and Private Lives (White Heron Theatre Company), Scissoring (INTAR), Glory (Muhlenberg), Dido of Idaho(EST), The Fairy Queen (Hofstra), Small World: a fantasia (59E59), Neighbors: A Fair Trade Agreement(INTAR), Cobb (Penguin Rep), Daniel’s Husband (Primary Stages/Cherry Lane), I Will Look Forward To This Later (New Ohio). Academia: NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (The Tempest, Macbeth, Violet) and Yale Dramatic Association (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). Other design work includes cabaret, events, and Ralph Lauren’s Madison Avenue windows. Touring: Shen Wei Dance Arts, Jonah Bokaer, and So Percussion. Lincoln Center Festival (2013, 2015, 2016). Visiting Professor: NYU Tisch. Guest speaker: The League of Professional Theatre Women “A Discussion: Designers and Directors”. MFA: NYU Tisch. Member USA 829. www.StarryEyedLighting.com.

Matthew Henao / Stage Manager

Matthew Henao is a New York-based free-lance Stage Manager and Production Manager. Although a bit far from his home in the tropical oasis that is Miami, FL, he is delighted to be working in NYC again. A proud graduate from The University of Florida, he has recently completed the Stage Management Apprenticeship at The Juilliard School and has also worked as a Stage Management Intern for Wicked on Broadway. He stands proudly on the shoulders of giants and works hard to be deserving of the love and support of his close friends, family, and peers.

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