During this episode, I sat down with Khalia Davis, Davied Morales, and Justin Ellington who are all a part of the creative team for A Kids Play About Racism. Khalia adapted this script from Jelani Memory's book, A Kids Book About Racism. Davied is the lead actor and lyricist on this project and Justin is the composer and sound designer. Like always, like, follow, and subscribe for future content. More info about the artists below.
Khalia Davis(she/her) is a bicoastal multidisciplinary artist splitting her time between the San Francisco/Bay Area and New York. Directed and devised new works with prominent theaters such as Bay Area Children’s Theater, Atlantic Theater Company’s Atlantic for Kids, New York City Children’s Theater, Spellbound Theatre and more. Ms. Davis recently served as the Director of Inclusion and Education with Brooklyn Children’s Theatre restructuring their children’s musical theater programming through an anti-racism lens and currently teaches with New York City Children's Theater, the Atlantic Acting School, and for Disney Theatrical Group leading music and movement workshops and facilitating audience and community engagement. She is also an Artistic Associate for the nationally-known arts education organization The Story Pirates. As a performer, she has worked regionally and toured nationally on both coasts. Recently awarded the 2019 Emerging Leader Fellowship with TYA/USA and the NYCCT Leader Fellowship for 2019/2020. BA in Theater Arts from the University of Southern California. To learn more about Ms. Davis, check her out at www.khaliadavis.com.
Davied (he/him) is an actor and rapper born and raised in the Bay Area. Last year he released an album called "Light Hearted" on all music platforms, starred in SF Playhouse's White Girl's Guide to International Terrorism as Gabe, and recently branched out into film where he was an Elf on Nickelodeon's show "Top Elf" as Zippy Twinkles. Mr. Morales received most of his training through Foothill College where he earned his AA in Theatre Arts and featured in many of their productions. Since then he has worked for companies such as City Lights Theatre Company where he played Nelson in The Siegel, and Anthony in I and You., Shotgun Players where he played Tray in Brownsville Song (B-side for Tray). Morales has also understudied at TheatreWorks in their production of Calligraphy and Proof, and at A.C.T. in their production of Gloria. Throughout the week Davied works at The Red Ladder Theatre Company, teaching improv workshops in prison.
Justin Ellington, Composer and Sound Designer, (he/him)
Broadway Credits include: Other Desert Cities
Off-Broadway credits include: Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Playwrights Horizons); The Rolling Stone, Pass Over, Pipeline (Lincoln Center); Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie (ArsNova); The House That Will Not Stand, Fetch Clay Make Man (New York Theatre Workshop); He Brought Her Heart Back in a Box, The Winter’s Tale (Theatre for a New Audience); Familiar (Steppenwolf); Father Comes Home From the Wars, How to Catch Creation, Until the Flood (Goodman Theatre); Floyd’s, Trouble In Mind (The Guthrie); and Kill Move Paradise (Wilma Theatre). International credits include As You Like It (Stratford Festival) and The American Clock (The Old Vic). www.justinellington.com