Jarvis Antonio Green is leading a cast of Broadway veterans and emerging New York theater artists in the Vermont Premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s timely play Choir Boy. A joint presentation between ArtisTree and JAG Productions, Choir Boy is an “exceptionally beautiful, heart-pummeling piece of theater” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) about two young black men competing over the lead spot in their elite prep school’s choir.

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Featuring soaring a capella gospel arrangements and an expressive book, Choir Boy offers new perspective on the traditional coming-of-age story. The Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys is celebrating it’s 50th year of creating strong, ethical black men. The pressure is high for the school’s famed chorus, led by senior Pharus Young. Pharus struggles to carve his own path as a young gay black man on scholarship, and clashes with Bobby, a legacy student and nephew of the Headmaster. Their battle for control of the choir leads to discoveries of faith, identity, sexuality, and friendship. This “vivid, magnetic and moving” (The New York Times) play “genuinely sizzles” (The Guardian) and “sings a stirring tune” (The Washington Post).

 

CAST LIST:

 

Choir Boy features *Bill Carmichael from Vergennes, VT (Broadway: Mamma Mia, Les Miserables, Cats, and Peter Pan), *Erick Pinnick (Broadway: A Christmas Carol), and newcomers Alex Grayson, Claxton Rabb, Wesley Barnes, Will T. Travis and John Henry Carter.

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Joining the creative team is Music Director Darius Smith, who received rave reviews on productions of Choir Boy at Studio Theatre in Washington D.C. (“Vigorous and tuneful” - The Washington Post) and Marin Theatre Company in the San Francisco Bay Area (“The songs…are the best part of the play” - San Francisco Examiner). Scenic Designer Dan Daly has worked with the Williamstown Theatre Festival, the Hangar Theatre, and other regional houses, and +Brian J. Lilienthal is an award-winning Lighting Designer on the faculty of Tufts University. Rounding out the creative team are Costume Designer Holly Levison from Woodstock, VT (The 39 Steps, Little Shop of Horrors, Seussical: The Musical), and Sound Designer Tim Mikovitz of Thetford, VT (faculty, Lyndon State College). Our Production Team is helmed by Production Stage Manager *Adrienne Wells, last seen this summer at St. Michael’s Playhouse in Colchester, VT, and they’re happy to welcome back Assistant Stage Manager Monica Derr.

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*The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States*

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+ Denotes member of United Scenic Artists