Erich McMillan-McCall

RAGTIME 

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RAGTIME – The College of New Rochelle.

DREAMGIRLS 

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ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

[Meadow Brook Theatre] Ti Moune (Darilyn Castillo) – RICK SMITH

Once On This Island at Meadow Brook Theatre

 

 

CHICAGO

Erich McMillan-McCall has found pretty steady theater work on stage, but his latest venture, as the founder of Project 1 Voice, puts him behind the scenes as the leader of a national initiative to put Black theater companies in the spotlight.

 

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.”

 

“This production of “AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ changed my life. I think this is the mid/late 80s. The cast included: Yvette Jones-Smedley (Armelia), Arlette Beauchamps (Charlaine), Belinda George-Peoples (Nell) and Rickey Powell (Ken) was fire! Later, the revival cast, included Henry Goodgame and Tamra Ishman. Musical Direction by Derrick Jackson and choreography by Angela Butler. The stunning costumes were designed by Jennifer Love. The costumes were inspired by the original Broadway production. This entire production was top drawer from start to finish. I believe, this was the first time a black person designed an entire show at Town and Gown. Derrick Jackson was the musical director. And Lewis Fuller was the stage manager. I think this was the first all-black show produced on the main stage at Town and Gown. It was also one of the highest-grossing shows for the theater at the time. James Hatcher was an incredible producer. I don’t think any of us who worked at Town and Gown realized how fortunate we were to have him as a visionary for this historic Alabama theater company. Town and Gown is the reason I am in New York City.
I watched the NBC special with Nell Carter, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, André De Sheilds (I remembered the accent) and the incomparable Luther Henderson so many times i knew every lyric and step. Thank you Arthur Faria and Richard Maltby, Jr, what a wonderful celebration of the musical genius that is Thomas Wright Waller aka Fats Waller.
Nell Carter, who originated the role of “Nell” in “AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’” was fron Birmingham, along with Annie Joe Edwards who played the role in the national tour. So this made the show even more special.
What beautiful memories with some incredible people. We are all friends to this day. How lucky can you get!“

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iforcolor

ARCHIVIST, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN, and ARTiST
Dale Ricardo Shields is highly accomplished African American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia.

Here's a summary of his background and achievements:

Early Life and Family:
Born on November 4, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio.
His family has a strong musical background; his grandfather and father were founding members of the Shields Brothers Gospel Quartet of Ohio, and his mother was part of the Turner Gospel Singers.
He is a cousin of boxing promoter Don King.
Education:
Graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1970.
Holds both a BFA (1975) and MFA (1995) from Ohio University.

Career and Contributions
Theatre Professional:
Actor: Has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and in regional productions. His television credits include The Cosby Show, Another World, Guiding Light, Saturday Night Live, and the ITV series Special Needs. He has also appeared in commercials and films.
Director and Stage Manager: Has extensive professional credits in these roles, including projects at Lincoln Center, The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, and The Joseph Papp Public Theatre.
Assistant Director: Served as assistant to Lloyd Richards and assistant director for the New Federal Theatre premiere of Ossie Davis's play A Last Dance With Sybil starring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman.

Educator:
Professor: He is a Professor of Acting, Directing, Black Theatre, Black Studies, and Stage Management. He has taught at various institutions, including Ohio University, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University (as artist-in-residence), and SUNY Potsdam.
Workshops and Programs: Conducted workshops for Joseph Papp's Playwriting in the Schools Program (PITS) at The Public Theatre for six seasons and represented the United States at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England, in 1988.
Artistic Activist and Historian:

Iforcolor.org: Creator and archivist for the Black History website Iforcolor.org, dedicated to preserving and sharing information about African Americans and artists of color. He also maintains the "Black Theatre/African American Voices" website on Facebook.
Project1VOICE Liaison: Serves as the Project1VOICE Liaison for the state of Ohio, directing "One Play One Day" events in Cleveland since 2011.

Awards and Recognition:
The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient in 2017.
Paul Robeson Award: Recipient in 2021 (jointly presented by the Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation).
AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award: Received in 2017.
Tony Award Nominee: Nominated for the "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" in 2015 and 2017.
Ebony Bobcat Network (EBN) Legend Award: Received from Ohio University in 2022.
ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund: Received in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Outstanding Professor Awards: Has received two of these and three "Educational Program of the Year" awards as a university professor.
The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in The HistoryMakers archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress.
Dale Ricardo Shields is recognized for his profound impact on the lives of his students and his unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Black theatre history and culture.