MARY SEYMOUR

by DALE RICARDO SHIELDS

President of A ‘Dish’ Tunes LLC Music Publishing, and CEO of Barnett Group International (All Media Entertainment company), Mary Seymour graduated in 2018 with Honors at Stony Brook University/ Africana Studies: Mary is a Stoney Brooks University grad student Africana Studies Masters of Arts and eventually Ph.D. Africana Studies. She graduated from Suffolk Community College Selden Campus, Alpha Zeta Nu Chapter/Phi Theta Kappa/ Highest Honors with an Associate of Science Degree. While attending SCCC Mary majored in Theatre Arts emphases acting. She received the Theatre Scholar certificate for academic excellence. For her work as assistant director on the play Foreigner, she received a Distinguished Student Achievement honor from The Faculty Senate. 

“Understanding the complexity of history and envisioning the profound possibilities of our tomorrows.”

Mary is a non-traditional student who grew up in the 1960s. She is the matriarch of her family and adores her grandchildren. For many years, Ms. Seymour had thought about going back to college, and every year she would find a reason not to make that phone call. Mary spent many successful years in entertainment and theatre arts.

Ms. Seymour is an actor, dramatist, and producer. She is an original member of the Broadway musical “Hair;” Ms. Seymour also co-starred on Broadway in “Raisin – the Musical.” She traveled the world with her disco vocal group Musique, their music “Keep on Jumping,” and “Musique II” sold millions of albums worldwide. She is a music publisher and COO of the family-owned publishing company A Dish-A-Tunes, LLC. The company won a publisher Grammy Certificate in 2005 for the Alicia Keyes hit “You Don’t Know My Name.”

She is extremely proud of her son Kenny Seymour, who is a composer and orchestrator. He is a Musical Conductor and Director for Broadway.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Now as Mary’s performing career slowed down, she started to think more and more about going to college.

Then one morning, she was reading Newsday and noticed an advertisement for Suffolk Community College. The advertisement explained that students could take college classes at 6:30 am and on weekends. Mary called SCCC and scheduled an appointment to meet with a college advisor.
After completing her evaluation testing, she met with the Academic Chair of Theatre Arts, Selden Campus Professor Charles T. Wittreich Jr. ’86. During Mary’s two years at SCCC, she developed an interest in writing, history, and directing for theatre. 

40 years after Mary performed on Broadway as an actress/singer in the musical Hair. She worked as assistant director for the Suffolk Community College, Selden Campus 2012 musical production of the play Hair. One semester Mary mentioned to her acting teacher Professor Steven Gefroh that she wanted to study directing. Professor Gefroh, an alumnus of Yale School of Drama suggest Mary apply for the YSD summer intensive directing program. Mary took his advice applied and was accepted into the Yale School of Drama intensive director’s summer project in 2012. The following year Ms. Seymour’s One Act play “Unwritten History,” was accepted for Yale’s Summer Writers Project.

Mary is pursuing a BA/MA degree in African American History and Playwriting. She embraces the possibilities of the next step in her quest for knowledge. Ms. Seymour sincerely wishes to be an inspiration and encourage all people to embrace learning. Especially her fellow baby boomers a generation-filled tradition, wisdom, and faith.

“We are All Winners. We Theatre/Creative Folk all give

1,000% to every moment we are creating and performing.”

Equity*SAG*AFTRA
Actress, Director, Playwright, Singer

Broadway

“Raisin”  – The Musical Ruth Younger Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, NY
Hair  – Tribe/Dionne Biltmore, Theatre, NY
Green Pastures  – Child Broadway Theatre, NY

Off-Broadway/Regional

Hair 40th Anniversary  – Cash Reunion Delacorte Theatre, NY
West Side Story – Anita Memphis Playhouse
Cindy  – Story Teller (u/s) Actors Theatre, NY
Amen Corner  – Sister Margaret NEC Workshop
Forbidden Planet  – Featured Artist Variety Theatre, NY

Film & Television

MTV’s Rockin’ Thru the Week  – Featured Artist Live at The Palladium, NY
E” True Hollywood Story (Studio 54)  – Featured Artist E! Entertainment Network
VH1 “Where are They Now” – Featured Artist(Musique) VH1 Network
CNN Interview Segment – (Jeanne Moos) Featured Artist CNN Network

Musical Concert Performances Original Member & Lead Singer – “Musique”

The Greek Theatre, CA * Foxwoods, CT* Town Hall, NY* Radio City Music Hall, NY*
Caesars Palace NJ * Madison Square Garden, NY*Aladdin Hotel, Las Vegas*Caesars Palace Las Vegas
(2) World Tours with the group “Musique,”

Directing Credits
The Wedding – Sadie Mae Productions-St Luke AME Church NY
The Good and Bad Girls of the Bible – It is Written Productions- St Luke AME Church, NY
Champ Am So – The Amistad Victory -Assistant Director-Henry Street Settlement NY

Training
Yale University Summer  (2012) – A Practical Approach to Directing 1
Sande Shurin Master Class (Acting)
James Moody Negro Ensemble Company –  Advanced Workshop (Acting)
Harlem Repertory Theatre Classical Theatre
Seth Riggs (Vocal)

~

The WORD [ Iforcolor.org ]

Choose|Chose by Mary Seymour

i chose to believe whatever i chose to believe

I choose not to care what you think about this poem interesting. For feelings are me. This totally unique member of humankind

chosen to be on this planet for one second at this time don’t want to rhyme i choose to choose to use this time as wisely as wise

i chose not to blame my parents, husband, children, or grandchild for what I will or will not achieve in life.

i choose to see the beauty in everything that is determined by my standards and not others

not others

i choose to get excited and smile when music takes over for one moment I choose to be proud of Black Skin and Kinky Hair

I choose to embrace the history of my ancestors with love and respect

I choose to liberate what I choose from the layers of conditioning that have been imposed on choosing.

i choose to be the educated Black woman understanding the complexity of my blackness.

when I choose I choose not to impress just write what’s right for me.

i choose to love the energy of honest love

i choose to write and write until I write the chosen truths in my soul

maybe the first step I choose to believe. 

ME – MYSELF and I…

Black History is ongoing every 247 zeptoseconds, our contributions to the community and world are a powerful narrative that continues to defy the complex World prejudices. We people of color must always honor our profound legacy and limitless possibilities for tomorrow! So Everyday We Celebrate Black History

– conceptualized by Carter G. Woodson