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February 14 - March 9, 2014 , Allen Theatre

Breath and Imagination

written by Daniel Beaty
directed by May Adrales

Run time: approx. 90 minutes, no intermission

Before the inspiring voices of Marian Anderson and Paul Robeson, there was an African-American tenor named Roland Hayes. This musical tale of faith, hope, and family traces a remarkable journey from rural Georgia to Carnegie Hall and Buckingham Palace.

Photos & Videos Download Hi Res Photos

Left to right: Tom Frey, Elijah Rock, and Daphne Gaines in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Daphne Gaines, Tom Frey, and Elijah Rock in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Daphne Gaines as Angel Mo' in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Tom Frey in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Tom Frey, Elijah Rock, and Daphne Gaines in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Tom Frey, Daphne Gaines, and Elijah Rock in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Elijah Rock as Roland Hayes in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Left to right: Tom Frey, Elijah Rock, and Daphne Gaines in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Elijah Rock as Roland Hayes in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Elijah Rock as Roland Hayes in the Cleveland Play House production of Breath and Imagination in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, February 14 - March 9. Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni.

Artists

Daniel Beaty

Daniel Beaty

(Playwright) is an award winning actor, singer, writer and motivational speaker. His critically acclaimed playsThrough the Night, Emergency, Mr. Joy, and The Tallest Tree in the Forest – Paul Robeson have been performed at venues ranging from Lincoln Center to the White House, and garnered numerous awards including an more(Playwright) is an award winning actor, singer, writer and motivational speaker. His critically acclaimed playsThrough the Night, Emergency, Mr. Joy, and The Tallest Tree in the Forest – Paul Robeson have been performed at venues ranging from Lincoln Center to the White House, and garnered numerous awards including an Obie Award for writing and performance and two NAACP Theatre Awards. A highly requested keynote speaker and thought leader, Beaty has worked throughout the U.S., Europe, and Africa speaking and performing on programs with luminaries such as Bill Cosby, Deepak Chopra, Hill Harper, Jill Scott, Donnie McClurkin, and Ruby Dee. An adjunct professor at Columbia University, diversity trainer, and youth development specialist, Beaty has spoken at all-staff retreats and led leadership training for a myriad of nonprofits and corporations. In fall 2013, Beaty launched a nationwide initiative using the tools of storytelling to help individuals and communities heal trauma — funded by W.K. Kellogg and Ford Foundations among others. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in English and Music from Yale University and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from American Conservatory Theater. His poem Knock Knock became an Internet sensation receiving millions of views and has been transformed into a children's book, also titled Knock Knock, published by Little Brown Books. Penguin-Random House will publish his empowerment book Transforming Pain to Powerin February 2014.

Tom Frey

Tom Frey

(The Accompanist) appeared at Cleveland Play House in Dirty Blonde. He most recently played Wilson Mizner in Sondheim’s Road Show at Stages Repertory, Houston (regional premiere). Other credits include Breath and Imagination, Hartford Stage and City Theatre (world premiere);Arms and The Man, The Admirable Crichton, and The 39 Steps, more(The Accompanist) appeared at Cleveland Play House in Dirty Blonde. He most recently played Wilson Mizner in Sondheim’s Road Show at Stages Repertory, Houston (regional premiere). Other credits include Breath and Imagination, Hartford Stage and City Theatre (world premiere);Arms and The Man, The Admirable Crichton, and The 39 Steps, Peterborough Players; Dirty Blonde, Pittsburgh Public Theater;Souvenir, Seven Angels Theatre; Woman in Black and Free Man of Color, Penguin Repertory; Evelyn Oakleigh in Anything Goes and Billy Bishop in Billy Bishop Goes to War. Frey is United States resident director of Two Pianos Four Hands, and has also performed the show over 700 times across the U.S. and Canada at Hartford Stage, Stages Repertory, Portland Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Merrimack Repertory, Geva Theatre Center, Ordway, Laguna Playhouse, Dallas Theatre Center, Globe Theatre (Saskatchewan), and The Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, among many others. He graduated from University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ Professional Actor Training Program.

Daphne Gaines

Daphne Gaines

(Angel Mo') appeared off-Broadway in The Lily's Revenge (Obie Award) and Orpheus, HERE Arts Center; The Walk Across America for Mother Earth (New York Innovative Theatre Nomination) and Yokasta's Redux, La MaMa; Three Sisters, The Classical Theatre of Harlem; Faust, Classic Stage Company; Cedar Creek, Abingdon Theatre Company; Nightvision: more(Angel Mo') appeared off-Broadway in The Lily's Revenge (Obie Award) and Orpheus, HERE Arts Center; The Walk Across America for Mother Earth (New York Innovative Theatre Nomination) and Yokasta's Redux, La MaMa; Three Sisters, The Classical Theatre of Harlem; Faust, Classic Stage Company; Cedar Creek, Abingdon Theatre Company; Nightvision: A Vampyre Opera, The Public and Brooklyn Academy of Music; Revelations: The Outtakes, The Public; and many more. Regional theatre includes Ruined (Henry and Ovation Award Nominations),American Night: The Ballad of Juan José (Ovation Nomination), and Gee's Bend, Denver Center; A Raisin in the Sun, Geva Theatre Center; Three Children, Hong Kong Fringe Theatre; and O Guru Guru Guru, Actor's Theatre of Louisville. Film includes Love Is Strange, Dynamite: A Cautionary Tale and Once We Were Strangers. Voiceovers include True Detectives (HBO) and Hits. A graduate of Circle in the Square Theatre School, she has a bachelor’s in Theatre and Psychology from the University of Georgia.

Elijah Rock

Elijah Rock

(Roland Hayes) is a native Clevelander, also known to the Cleveland community as Eric Myricks. He was recently seen in the West Coast premiere ofBreath and Imagination at the Colony Theatre Company in Burbank, Calif. Rock attended University School K-12 where he became a vocal major in Cleveland Institute more(Roland Hayes) is a native Clevelander, also known to the Cleveland community as Eric Myricks. He was recently seen in the West Coast premiere ofBreath and Imagination at the Colony Theatre Company in Burbank, Calif. Rock attended University School K-12 where he became a vocal major in Cleveland Institute of Music’s Young Artist Program. He also appeared at Lyric Opera Cleveland,Jacques Brel; Great Lakes Theater, To Be Young Gifted and Black; and Karamu House in Jitney, Sophisticated Ladies andBlack Nativity. Additional credits include Cory in August Wilson’sFences, and plays with music Vaudeville and Hoodoo Love as Ace of Spades. Musical roles include Coalhouse Walker Jr.,Ragtime; Tater, the world premiere bluegrass musical Paradise; and Anatoly, Chess at East West Players, Los Angeles. Rock co-stars in the film Three Blind Saints and the upcoming release of Salvation Street. He is an accomplished big/band jazz singer and tap dancer. Member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity.

May Adrales

(Director) is thrilled to direct Breath and Imagination at Cleveland Play House. A freelance theatre director based in New York City, Adrales has helmed several world premieres including JC Lee’s Luce at Lincoln Center Theater’s LCT3; Katori Hall’s Whaddabloodclot!!! at Williamstown Theatre Festival; the musical In This House more(Director) is thrilled to direct Breath and Imagination at Cleveland Play House. A freelance theatre director based in New York City, Adrales has helmed several world premieres including JC Lee’s Luce at Lincoln Center Theater’s LCT3; Katori Hall’s Whaddabloodclot!!! at Williamstown Theatre Festival; the musical In This House at Two River Theater; A. Rey Pamatmat’s Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them, Actors Theatre of Louisville; Thomas Bradshaw’s Mary, Goodman Theatre; Tommy Smith’s The Wife, Access Theater; and The Bereaved for Partial Comfort Productions. She recently directed David Henry Hwang’s The Dance and the Railroad at Signature Theatre and the Wuzhen International Theatre Festival in China, Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop at Milwaukee Rep and Hwang'sChinglish at Portland Center Stage. Upcoming projects include after all the terrible things I do for Milwaukee Rep and Deathtrap for Pioneer Theatre Company. She is a Drama League Directing Fellow, Women's Project Lab director, Soho Rep Writers/Directors Lab and New York Theatre Workshop directing fellow, and a recipient of the Theatre Communications Group New Generations Grant, Denham Fellowship and Paul Green Directing Award. She proudly serves as a Milwaukee Rep associate artist. She is a former director of Onsite Programs at Lark Play Development Center and artistic associate at The Public. She has her Master of Fine Arts from Yale School of Drama. Adrales has directed and taught at Juilliard, A.R.T., A Contemporary Theatre, Fordham University, New York University and Bard College. She is on faculty at Yale School of Drama.

Rahn Coleman

(Musical Director) has served as musical director, conductor and pianist for Play On, Purlie, Blues in the Night, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ray (Charles), Play On, Sammy (Davis Jr.), Baby It’s You and Williams and Walker to name a few. A product more(Musical Director) has served as musical director, conductor and pianist for Play On, Purlie, Blues in the Night, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Ray (Charles), Play On, Sammy (Davis Jr.), Baby It’s You and Williams and Walker to name a few. A product of extensive classical training, having studied under Nadia Boulangier and other luminaries, Coleman has more than 25 years of professional experience performing, conducting, coaching and arranging for Aretha Franklin, Freda Payne, Nichelle Nichols, Michael Feinstein, Gladys Knight, Barry White, The O’Jays, The Temptations, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughan, Philadelphia Philharmonic, the Clinton Presidential Inaugural Orchestra, and many more. In great demand as a performance coach, he also shares his artistic gifts as Minister of Music at Christ the King and Faith Lutheran churches in Southern California. He is producing director of “The Mystic Knight Recorder,” Los Angeles’s leading underground studio, where world-class music and its performance are in constant creation.

Jennifer Matheson Collins

(Stage Manager) stage managed Cleveland Play House productions of The Good Peaches, Luna Gale, Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors, Fairfield, Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, Informed Consent, Breath and Imagination, A Christmas Story, Woody Sez, Rich Girl, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, more(Stage Manager) stage managed Cleveland Play House productions of The Good Peaches, Luna Gale, Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors, Fairfield, Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, Informed Consent, Breath and Imagination, A Christmas Story, Woody Sez, Rich Girl, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, A Carol for Cleveland, A Night With Janis Joplin (at both CPH and Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.), The Trip to Bountiful and This Wonderful Life. Other recent credits include: Angels in America (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika), A Christmas Carol, The Santaland Diaries, and The Who and the What (Kansas City Repertory Theatre). Previously, she was a full-time faculty member at Northwestern University, overseeing the stage management program. From 2000 to 2007, she was a resident stage manager at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, where selected credits include Passion, Marionette Macbeth, Hamlet, Seussical the Musical, A Flea in Her Ear, Kabuki Lady Macbeth, A Little Night Music, Sunday in the Park with George and Pacific Overtures. Other Chicago credits include Death of a Salesman, Waiting for Godot, Floyd Collins, Jitney, The Odyssey and A Christmas Carol (Goodman Theatre). She earned a Bachelor of Science, Theatre and a Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology from Kansas State University and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Rachel Hauck

(Scenic Designer) designed New York productions of The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters, The Call, Go Back To Where You Are and 100 Saints You Should Know, Playwrights Horizons; Family Furniture, The Flea;Stay, Rattlestick; The Tutors, Second Stage Uptown; An Iliad, New York Theatre Workshop, McCarter Theatre Center, La more(Scenic Designer) designed New York productions of The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters, The Call, Go Back To Where You Are and 100 Saints You Should Know, Playwrights Horizons; Family Furniture, The Flea;Stay, Rattlestick; The Tutors, Second Stage Uptown; An Iliad, New York Theatre Workshop, McCarter Theatre Center, La Jolla Playhouse, Berkeley and Seattle Reps; Slowgirl, Lincoln Center’s LCT3; Harper Regan and Bluebird, Atlantic Theater Company; Regrets, Manhattan Theatre Club; This Wide Night, Naked Angels (Lortel Nomination); Picked, a Boy and His Soul, Fourth Sister, Vineyard;Orange, Hat and Grace, Soho Rep (Drama Desk Nomination); Creature, Page 73 Productions/New Georges; Beebo Brinker Chronicles, Hourglass and 37 Arts; and Fever Chart, Poor Itch and Tongue of a Bird, The Public. Regional credits include Clybourne Park and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Guthrie Theater; No Place to Go, Two Rivers; Phaedra Backwards, McCarter; Oregon Shakespeare Festival; Taper; Shakespeare Theater; Arena Stage; Hartford Stage; Seattle Rep; and Playmakers. Resident designer, O’Neill Playwrights Conference.

Tom Humes

(Assistant Stage Manager) serves as an Assistant Professor for the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State University, where he teaches courses in Stage Management, Production Management, Theatre Management, and an intro course to computing software for the theatre practitioner. Tom has been a part of the more(Assistant Stage Manager) serves as an Assistant Professor for the School of Theatre and Dance at Kent State University, where he teaches courses in Stage Management, Production Management, Theatre Management, and an intro course to computing software for the theatre practitioner. Tom has been a part of the stage management teams with: Porthouse Theatre, Cain Park, Cleveland Play House, McCarter Theatre Center, Dobama Theatre, Beck Center for the Arts, Karamu House, Cleveland Orchestra and Opera Cleveland. He has been an assistant production manager, events production manager, and senior production manager/assistant to the general manager at Cain Park. He is also a member of the I.A.T.S.E. Tom is twice published, with a recent book review of Stage Management Theory as a Guide to Practice: Cultivating a Creative Approach featured in Theatre Topics and he contributed to the book, Off Headset: Essays on Stage Management Work, Life, and Career with his essay, “Maximum Flexibility”.

Jared Mezzocchi

(Projections Designer) was awarded the 2012 Princess Grace Theater Fellowship. He is the first projections designer to receive the award. New York City credits include The Downtown Loop; 3-Legged Dog; You are Dead. You are Here., HERE Arts Center; Goldor$Mythka: A Hero is Born, New Georges; JET LAG, The more(Projections Designer) was awarded the 2012 Princess Grace Theater Fellowship. He is the first projections designer to receive the award. New York City credits include The Downtown Loop; 3-Legged Dog; You are Dead. You are Here., HERE Arts Center; Goldor$Mythka: A Hero is Born, New Georges; JET LAG, The Builder’s Association; and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, United Theater Company #61. Regional credits include The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Woolly Mammoth; The Mountaintop, Milwaukee Rep; and Astroboy, The Studio Theatre and Company One. Mezzocchi has toured with Big Art Group (SOS, The People and The Sleep: 2007–2010) in the Vienna Festival, Germany, France, Spain, Slovenia, Canada, San Francisco and New York. Recent awards include Metro DC Dance Award in Multimedia for Once Wild, and two Bel Geddes Awards in Technology Enhancement for HERE Arts and New Georges. He is currently building a curriculum at The University of Maryland in Projections Design for the MFA Design program.

Jennifer Moeller

(Costume Designer) recently designed costumes for The Last Goodbye, The Old Globe; Love's Labour's Lost, The Public’s Shakespeare in the Park; Dance and the Railroad, Signature Theatre; Happy Now?, Primary Stages; Crooked, Women's Project; The How and the Why, McCarter Theatre Center; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Merchant of more(Costume Designer) recently designed costumes for The Last Goodbye, The Old Globe; Love's Labour's Lost, The Public’s Shakespeare in the Park; Dance and the Railroad, Signature Theatre; Happy Now?, Primary Stages; Crooked, Women's Project; The How and the Why, McCarter Theatre Center; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Merchant of Venice, Romeo & Juliet,Richard II, Antony and Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Tamburlaine and Richard III, The Shakespeare Theatre Company; The Winter's Tale and Dance of the Holy Ghost, Yale Repertory Theatre; Mud Blue Sky, Centerstage; Six Degrees of Separation, Williamstown Theatre Festival; and Waiting for Godot for Berkshire Theatre Festival.

Jeff Nellis

(Lighting Designer) designed Prymate on Broadway and off-Broadway’s Tryst (New York Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), The Milliner, Zanna Don’t!, From Door to Door, The Daughter-in-Law, One Shot One Kill, Our Sinatra, Cobb, The Fifth Column, Coyote on a Fence, Men on the Verge of a Hispanic Breakdown, more(Lighting Designer) designed Prymate on Broadway and off-Broadway’s Tryst (New York Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), The Milliner, Zanna Don’t!, From Door to Door, The Daughter-in-Law, One Shot One Kill, Our Sinatra, Cobb, The Fifth Column, Coyote on a Fence, Men on the Verge of a Hispanic Breakdown, The It Girl and others. He has worked around the country at theatres including Centerstage, Alley Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Milwaukee Rep, Bay Street Theatre, Walnut Street Theatre, Hartford Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Westport Country Playhouse, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, North Shore Music Theatre, Los Angeles Opera, Trinity Repertory Company, George Street Playhouse, Florida Stage, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, and others.

Mike Ruckles

(Arranger) music directed and arranged the world premiere coproduction of Breath and Imagination at City Theatre and Hartford Stage. New York work includes The Sound of Music at Carnegie Hall and Drama League’sTribute to Patti LuPone. Regional credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Hartford Stage; The more(Arranger) music directed and arranged the world premiere coproduction of Breath and Imagination at City Theatre and Hartford Stage. New York work includes The Sound of Music at Carnegie Hall and Drama League’sTribute to Patti LuPone. Regional credits include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Hartford Stage; The Last Five Years, Denver Center for the Performing Arts; Composer for Girls Only, Pittsburgh CLO, Main Street Theater, Denver Center, and others; more than 15 productions for Little Theatre of the Rockies; and he was a back-up singer for Sarah Brightman’s La Luna tour. He is a private voice teacher for New York University’s New Studio on Broadway, voice faculty for Ann Reinking’s Broadway Theatre Project, musical director for New York Film Academy, musical director/private voice faculty for University of Northern Colorado’s School of Theatre and Dance, and a clinician/lecturer for the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

James C. Swonger

(Sound Designer) has designed sound for many Cleveland Play House productions including The Good Peaches (world premiere), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Breath and Imagination, Good People, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, Bell, Book and Candle, The Game’s Afoot (world premiere), Bill more(Sound Designer) has designed sound for many Cleveland Play House productions including The Good Peaches (world premiere), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Breath and Imagination, Good People, The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, Bell, Book and Candle, The Game’s Afoot (world premiere), Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Heaven’s My Destination (world premiere), Noises Off!, Gee’s Bend, and I Am My Own Wife. CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program credits include The Fifth of July, The Philadelphia Story, The Three Sisters, Twelfth Night, and An Orchard. Additional credits include Cleveland’s Lyric Opera Company, Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Company, Centerstage Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Yale Repertory Theatre, and premiere productions of why i had to dance, The Tragic Demise of the Whaleship Essex and Swinging on a Star: A Tribute to the Music of Johnny Burke.

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The Allen, Helen and Outcalt theatres are located at Playhouse Square
1407 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115

Administrative Offices and Education Center
1901 E. 13th Street, Suite 200 Cleveland, OH 44114 (216) 400-7000

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7401 Detour Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44103

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