Theatre East is honored to again be partnering with SMU’s Division of Theatre, this time to produce full-length original plays in the 27th annual New Visions, New Voices festival. Student playwrights and actors will work with professional actors and directors to present staged readings of new works by young writers in SMU’s theatre program. The festival is a launching pad for emerging talent; NVNV alumni currently write for streaming platforms, television, film, podcasts, video games, and, of course, theatre, as well as act and direct in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, and the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex. Register using the links below. Performances will also be live-streamed on the Theatre East Facebook page.
MIDNIGHT TALES
by Crislyn Fayson
KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER
by Dalton Glenn
WATCH THE READING BELOW!
WHO’S WHO
MIDNIGHT TALES
Kayla Earl (MIDNIGHT TALES) is a rising senior at SMU, majoring in Theatre and minoring in Musical Theatre. She was born and raised in PG County, Maryland, right outside of Washington D.C. Her favorite roles so far have been Cookie in Katori Hall's HURT VILLAGE, directed by Tiana K. Blair, Agatha in THE MOORS by Jen Silverman, and JUDE by Ethan Taylor. Without the continuous mercy given to her by God and the continuous support given by her amazing family, village and ancestors, she wouldn't be here. She thanks them a million times over with every step she dare take. She is fruitioned dreams, art and blessings. She is excited to grow and learn as she steps into the DFW area and make her first, of hopefully many, marks on the map.
De’Anna White (MIDNIGHT TALES) is a rising sophomore student at SMU, majoring in Theatre and Public Relations and minoring in Chinese. She is from Alexandria, Louisiana, otherwise known as central Louisiana. De’Anna first got her start in theatre with LBM Production, where she was awarded all-star girl at Junior theatre festival. As she continues her artistic journey, De’Anna hopes to become a playwright, director, and a film and theatre actress.
Crislyn Fayson (Playwright, MIDNIGHT TALES) is an actor, a film and theatre director, a screenwriter, and a playwright. She grew up in DeSoto, Texas, with dreams of becoming a poet in third grade. Soon after, she discovered theatre and immersed herself in the artform. Recently, her play GRACE was included in an online collaboration between SMU/Theatre and Theatre East, a New York City company focusing on producing original work. She has directed #BlackAtSMU, a short documentary now being used by SMU in collaboration with DEI initiatives across that campus; #BlackAtSMU has been accepted to the 2022 National Black Film Festival in Houston. For SMU’s Division of Theatre’s Rep series, she directed THE MOORS by Jen Silverman in the spring of 2022. Crislyn will graduate SMU with a BFA in Theatre and a BA in Film & Media Arts. She will continue to serve as an intern with Cru, a non-denominational Christian organization, throughout 2022.
vickie washington (Director, MIDNIGHT TALES) is a theatre artist and cultural worker who directs, acts, produces, and teaches. Selected directing credits include WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN, THE MOUNTAINTOP, THE GREAT LONELY ROAMER, SCHOOLGIRLS; or THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY, LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET, ARE YOU NOW, OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN…, HARRIET JACOBS, FENCES, SOLSTICE- A NEW HOLIDAY ADVENTURE, PASSING STRANGE, THE BALLAD OF JANE ELKINS, SINGLE BLACK FEMALE, SUNSET BABY, FOUR LITTLE GIRLS: BIRMINGHAM 1963, FABULATION, ANGELA’s MIXTAPE, SPEECH AND DEBATE, and THE LITTLE TOMMY PARKER CELEBRATED COLORED MINSTREL SHOW.
As director, she received two Irma P. Hall Black Theatre Awards and recognition from the Dallas Observer for best director of the world premiere of Jonathan Norton’s MISSISSIPPI GODDAMN. Acting credits include on-camera work in Random Acts of Flyness (HBO); Indie films, They Charge for the Sun, Swimming in Your Skin Again (official Sundance selection); and Steps of Faith. Selected theatre credits include A RAISIN IN THE SUN, DREAMING EMMETT, PRIMER FOR A FAILED SUPERPOWERcdirected by Rachel Chavkin, CROWNS, ...and JESUS MOONWALKS THE MISSISSIPPI, FOR COLORED GIRLS…, JOE TURNER’S COME AND GONE, PIANO LESSON, CONTRIBUTION, FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, and THE TEMPTEST. vickie is founder and producing director of r. t. w ~ reading the writers, a readers theatre performance organization. A proud member of Actors Equity, she deeply values the gift of theatre and the powerful ways in which it can be utilized to tell the stories of the AfricancDiaspora. #onandup
KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER
Danny Lovelle (David, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER), a Cuban from Florida, Danny Lovelle came to Dallas to attend Southern Methodist University and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with a specialization in Acting in 2020. At the beginning of the same year, he performed in Undermain Theatre’s world premiere of ‘Madame Bovary,’ and within the following year, the production of ‘The Merit System’ at Teatro Dallas as Raymond. He has also worked with Fair Assembly and Altered Shakespeare. In addition to stage acting, he is pursuing a career in voiceover and is the co-host and producer of the art-review podcast The Artenders.
Asher Ross (The King, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER) is a current Sophomore and rising Junior at SMU earning his BFA in Acting with a minor in Arts Entrepreneurship. He is originally from Portland, Oregon. This fall, he will be playing Antonio in SMU’s production of Twelfth Night, the musical and he previously played Mustardseed in SMU’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream this past fall. He also currently works at Dallas Theater Center in the Public Works Dallas department as Community Liaison. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Lucy Wilson (Henry/George) is a current sophomore BFA Acting student at SMU. She is originally from Montgomery, AL, where she frequently worked at local community and professional theatres. She is very excited to be a part of this project and feels very blessed to work with all these talented actors, director Judson Jones, and playwright Dalton Glenn.
Dalton Glenn (Playwright, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER) is an actor, a teacher, and a playwright. He was introduced to theatre at the age of six when he played the god Zeus in his second-grade production of PROMETHEUS AND PANDORA. Ever since, he’s dedicated himself to learning everything about theatre. His plays have been included in the reading series for 2021’s SMU and Theatre East collaboration (NECESSARY TROUBLE) and 2022’s New Visions, New Voices (KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER). As an actor, he has appeared in numerous plays, including MONTGOMERY, UNDERTOW, STARMAN, and LYSISTRATA. Dalton graduated SMU with a BFA in Theatre and a BS in Educational Studies. He was named 2022’s Outstanding Senior Man for SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development. Currently, Dalton teaches theatre to 7th and 8th-grade students in Dallas.
Judson Jones (Director, KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER) is an award-winning producer and director who has had the privilege of collaborating on the premieres of Tim Blake Nelson’s EYE OF GOD, Christopher Durang’s THE VIETNAMIZATON OF NEW JERSEY (NY Times Critic Pick), David Crawford’s HARVEST (Smith & Kraus Best New Plays of 2008; Back Stage Critic’s Pick), Bennett Windheim’s NORMALCY, Megan O’Brien’s THE JUNGLE BOOK, Daniel MacIvor’s THE SOLDIER DREAMS, and DEVIL AND THE DEEP with Air Supply‘s Graham Russell. Regional producing credits include: THE JINN (The American Theatre Critics Award) HEDDA, BASH, and DESIRE. His directing credits include: HOLY GHOSTS, NAME FOR A GHOST TO MUTTER, and THE SOLDIER DREAMS (Theatre East), HARVEST (Alchemy Theatre Company), BASH (the dirigo group), S-MAN (Scriptworks), THE ELF and GIFT (Salvage Vanguard Theatre). He is a member of Actors’ Equity and SAG/AFTRA, and an instructor at the Kanbar Institute of Film & Television, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting.