Gentrified - Metaphor of the Drums
Written by Levy Lee Simon
Directed by Russell G. Jones
The secret affair of an interracial couple becomes complicated when she becomes pregnant and their separate worlds come together. Set against the backdrop of gentrifying Harlem USA, this funny and relevant play explores issues that can only be solved by powers greater than any we know. Those powers are called to earth by the drums.
Live stream at 7pm on November 12, and then available on our YouTube channel until Monday, November 16 at 6:59pm.
This event is "Donate What You Can," with a suggested donation of $25. All ticket donations benefit the Food Bank of NYC. After you donate, you will receive a confirmation email (check your spam) that includes a private link for viewing the performance.
with
CJ Lindsey
Jessica Kahler
Thaddeus Daniels*
Joanne Ryan
Lillith Fallon
Nixon Cesar*
Keith Randolph Smith*
Aidaa Peerzada
Bob Laine
Percussionist: Ron McBee
SM: Lisa Ray Stafford*
Stage Directions: Benja K. Thomas
Asst. to the Director: Craig Scott
*Actors’ Equity Association
Levy Lee Simon Multiple award winning writer, actor, director, and producer, Levy Lee Simon is originally from Harlem USA, and a graduate of the University of Iowa Playwright’s Workshop, MFA. He was recently invited into the Actors Studio Playwrights Division. His award winning plays include: The For the Love of Freedom trilogy, The Bow Wow Club, Same Train, Smell the Power, and The Guest at Central Park West. Other noted plays include: The Stuttering Preacher, Caseload, God the Crackhouse and the Devil, The Last Revolutionary, The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel, and his latest, Gentrified – Metaphor of the Drums. His directing credits include: With a Little Help – It’s John Belushi, by Jack Zullo (Theatre 80 NYC,) The Bow Wow Club, (Marietta Theatre- Atlanta GA,) Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, Javon Johnson’s Breathe, and Leftovers by Josh Wilder at the Great Plains Theatre Conference. As an actor, he’s appeared On Broadway,
Off Broadway, Regional Theatres, England and the Caribbean. LL has optioned film scripts to studios in Hollywood and New York, and his independent feature film, The Last Revolutionary, premiered at the Pan African Film Festival 2017, and can now be seen on Amazonprime.com. Levy Lee, as he prefers to be called, is a proud artist and thespian always seeking to create work that entertains while inspiring and motivating change.
Russell G. Jones is an AUDELCO, OBIE and SAG Award winning actor.
Most recently he was a series regular on CBS's 'Tommy' opposite Edie Falco.
A fixture on New York City stages since the 90's Russell is proud to have originated roles in Lynn Nottage's “Ruined”, Suzan-Lori Parks' “Father Comes Home From The Wars Parts 1, 2 & 3” , Tanya Barfield's “The Call”, Fernanda Coppel's “King Liz” and two by Stephen Adly Guirgis “Our Lady of 121st Street” and “In Arabia We'd All Be Kings”. Some film highlights include Motherless Brooklyn, Detroit, Side Effects, Traffic & Robert Patton Spruill’s Squeeze. Recent TV includes Bull, Orange Is The New Black, The Last OG, Godless and The Americans. He is the founder and Chief of Pedagogy at BLIND SPOT EXPERIENCE a campaign that facilitates cross cultural dialogue and critical thinking by providing context and tools for perceiving racial inequity.
C.J. Lindsey is a graduate of Purchase theater conservatory and has had the privilege to work in regional theater most notably in the production of August Wilson’s Jitney at the Denver Center. He also has worked in both film and television most recently with a leading role in the film Miss Havisham effect and roles on television shows S.W.A.T. On CBS, Tales on BET and Angie Tribeca TBS.
Jessica Kahler has been privileged to work Off-Broadway with: The Ensemble Studio Theater, New York Theater Workshop,The Internationalists, The Public Theater, Primary Stages, New Georges, Pen World Voices and LAByrinth Theater Company. Notable recent screen credits; Wallabout (Best Narrative Film, Manhattan Film Festival); Oh! You Pretty Things (The Platform).
Thaddeus Daniels is a native of Wilmington, NC. He has appeared in several TV shows in NYC and has recurred on Golden Boy (CBS), Orange Is The New Black (Netflix), The Americans (FX), FBI (CBS) and has film credits such as The Post and Greta.
Joanne Ryan is a NYC based actor who originally hails from Ireland.
Her recent theater credits include August: Osage County, John Patrick Shanley’s Unpublished Plays and Lobby Hero. Film & Television credits include Criminal Minds, Ringer and Tag.
Joanne has studied extensively with various coaches including Larry Moss and Terry Knickerbocker.
Lillith Fallon is an actress hailing from Durham, NC currently residing in Brooklyn. Recent projects include learning to zoom and raising a puppy. She's very excited to be working alongside Russell G. Jones and Levy Lee again with Gentrified. Be safe!
Nixon Cesar: An award winning actor, writer, producer. A proud member of SAG/AFTRA/Equity. Recent productions Master of the crossroads/Prmitive Grace, A View From The Bridge/ Brave New World.
Keith Randolph Smith Keith is honored to be among these artists bringing Levi Lee Simon’s work to you. He has known Mister Simon for thirty years and regards him as a Brother. The same holds true for the Director of GENTRIFIED, Russell G. Jones, an artist of the soul.
Aidaa Peerzada is an actor and writer who grew up between the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland and Lahore, Pakistan. Credits include Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf, American Players Theatre, Quantum Theatre, Girls, Blank My Life, and Gorenos. She is a member of The SF Bay Area Theatre Company.
Bob Laine is an actor, playwright and poet. He has been performing his original work in NYC for the last two decades. Pre-Pandemic he could be seen in the long running hit late night live on stage soap opera It's Getting Tired Mildred.
Lisa R. Stafford, a NC native, is a NYC based AEA stage manager. Lisa has worked at The Workshop Theater, UP Theater, Loading Dock Theatre, The Wild Project, Theatre Row and HERE Arts Center. Some of her favorite work includes The Chekhov Dreams (Theatre Row), Maverick (Connelly Theater), and Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike (Gretna Theatre). Lisa also works as a production assistant for the Broadway Stage Management Symposium. Lisa received her BA in Theatre from Catawba College, where she is a member of the Blue Masque Theatre Hall of Fame, and her Masters in Theatre Education from UNC-Greensboro.
Benja Kay Thomas is an OBIE & AUDELCO Award-winning actress. During the covid-19 pandemic she did not let that slow her down. She produced and directed The Beloved Project and The Making of The Beloved Project, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lIThBUVMZ8&t=18s paying homage to the slain warriors who have now become ancestors and Black Lives Movement. She is a host and segment producer for An Actor Life The Series. She is also Co-Host of the online monthly live reading series Snack Sip and Show. Her segments were Enough is Enough the youth summit along with Creator Michele Baldwin and Men of Color: Real Talk featuring Lamman Rucker from the hit series “Green Leaf” as guest host and facilitator! . She was recently seen in “Halfway Bitches Go Straight To Heaven'' which was nominated for The Drama Desk, Drama League, Lucille Lortel, and Critic’s Circle Awards. She is a member of S.A.G/ A.E.A/ A.F.T.R.A and The Actors Center.
Other credits include “Miller Mississippi” at the Long Wharf, “Booty Candy” at Playwrights Horizons & The Wilma Theater, “Barbeque” at the Public, “Twelfth Night”, “Jazz” at Baltimore Center Stage. Intimate Apparel Stanford Theater Works, The Lady in Red in “For Colored Girls” National Tour. T.V. and Film include: Gotham, A Beautiful Distraction (Netflix) Detective Chinatown 2, ICReep, Chronically Metropolitan, Warrior Class, A Gun For Jennifer.