DUANE MARTIN FOSTER (Walter Lee Younger), is a native of St. Louis. Broadway: Ragtime (Original Broadway Company) , A
Christmas Carol, House of Flowers, Purlie, Porgy and Bess Regional: Antigone in Ferguson, Five Guys Named Moe, Ain’t Misbehavin’,
Smokey Joes Cafe, Caroline or Change, over 13 shows at the Muny, including The Color Purple and Beauty and the Beast. Foster has
also starred in Timbuktu and Coconut Cake at The Black Rep. Foster’s concert appearances include his Carnegie Hall debut in
Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass (Tenor Soloist) with the New England Symphonic Orchestra and soloist with the St. Louis Symphony
Orchestra and In Unison Choir. Foster is an award winning educator having received The Arts Educator of the Year from the
Arts and Education Council and the Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award. He most recently earned the distinction of Doctor of
Education from Maryville University. He is currently the Assistant Principal at the Mason School of Academic and Cultural Literacy
in SLPS.
ANITA MICHELLE JACKSON (Lena Younger), is excited to return to The Black Rep where she previously performed in Gospel
at Colonus, Caroline or Change, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Blues in the Night (Kevin Kline Award Nominee) and Crowns under the
direction of the late Linda Kennedy. She is a graduate of the American Music and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Theater:
Off-Broadway, Annie Warbucks (Variety Arts Theater); Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun (Saint Louis University), Medda
Larkin in Newsies (Stages STL), Sister Act (MUNY), Adam in Love at the River’s Edge (St. Louis Shakespeare in the Streets), Bertha in Hello
from Bertha (Tennessee Williams Festival). Film: Grandma Dorothy in A New Holiday (LIFE Creative Arts/Nine PBS). Last year, Anita
released her first solo jazz album, “Life is Beautiful” in honor of dear family and friends lost during the COVID 19 pandemic. Anita is grateful
and ecstatic to perform in this production with these beautifully talented human beings.
ADRIANNA JONES (Ruth Younger), is thrilled to be returning to The Black Rep stage. You may have seen her in The Black Rep’s
production of Blues In The Night last year. Adrianna began her career as a performing artist after she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Musical Theatre from Webster University. She performed in Los Angeles for several years before her performance career took her
onto the high seas, performing for Norwegian Cruise Lines. She later received her Master of Music in Music Theater Vocal Pedagogy
from Carthage College. In addition to acting and directing, Adrianna is a member of the teaching faculty at Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville in the Department of Theater and Dance and is also Artistic Director for SIUE’s Black Theatre Workshop. She recently
directed Black Theatre Workshop’s production of Blood At The Root and will be directing Little Shop Of Horrors next spring. ”Southern
Illinois University Edwardsville in the Department of Theater and Dance and is also Artistic Director for SIUE’s Black Theatre Workshop.
ANDREA MOUTON (Beneatha Younger), is a First Year Professional Fellow and excited to be making her on-stage debut at
The Black Rep for their 49th Season! A Lafayette, Louisiana native, Andrea is passionate about all things theater and has been blessed to
portray such roles as Mayme in Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel, Clairee in Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias, and Eurydice
in Sophocles' Antigone. After acquiring her Bachelor's degree from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Andrea
went on to teach at the French Woods Performing Arts Summer Camp in Hancock, New York, where she learned even more about
her theatrical craft by Directing a multitude of short plays and Assistant Directing shows such as John August's Big Fish and Joe
DiPietro's All Shook Up. Andrea would like to thank God for blessing her with her gifts, her mom, dad, and sisters for never letting her give
up on her passion, and her best friends for being supportive through thick and thin.
JARON BENTLEY (Travis Younger), is excited to be in The Black Rep production of Raisin. He was last seen as a member of the youth
ensemble in Frozen Jr and Evita (MUNY). Jaron is 11 years old. He first appeared as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol (2022). He later
appeared as Youth Coalhouse Jr. in Ragtime (Union Avenue Opera), Wickersham Brothers in Seusical Jr, Nemo in Finding Nemo, youth
ensemble The Color Purple, Pippin, and The Lion King Jr. (COCA). Jaron’s training started at COCA and he enjoys being a PPD student
at COCA, where he is a Company member of Ballet Eclectica, COCA dance, Allegro, and Improv Troupe. While Jaron loves all his
classes at COCA, ballet and tap are special to him. Jaron would like to thank his family and teachers that have supported him this far. He
also wants to thank everyone who had a hand in getting him this far, and to Ron Himes and the entire staff for this opportunity
ROBERT MCNICHOLS* (Joseph Asagai/Ensemble), is very excited to be returning to The Black Rep. His recent engagements
include producing and being the cellist for Beats+Strings: Soul Renaissance in Kansas City, performing as the cellist and Emcee
in Once with the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and performing as Crown in Porgy and Bess with Music Theater Heritage. In 2023
he was the baritone soloist in the world premiere of A Celebration Mass with the College of Charleston and performed in the world
premiere of Bumpy Johnson: Harlem with Trilogy Opera. In 2023 he was also awarded the ‘Pick of the Fringe’ award by the Beford Fringe
Festival in England for his production of Paul Robeson by Philip Hayes Dean. Robert’s upcoming engagements include recitals at
Morehouse College and Fisk University and traveling productions of Beats+Strings: Soul Renaissance.
WILL BONFIGLIO (Karl Linder), is thrilled to make his debut at The Black Rep! A proud three-time St. Louis Theatre Circle Award
winner, he has had the privilege of working with many of our city’s theatre companies. He often teaches American Culture Studies and
Performing Arts courses at Webster University and Washington University in St. Louis, where he received his MA in Theatre and
Performance Studies.
DE-RANCE BLAYLOCK (Mrs. Johnson), has been a featured soloist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s IN-UNISON
Chorus. She has toured the country, and Greece with the Phil Woodmore Singers as they perform the critically acclaimed
projects, Antigone in Ferguson and The Drum Major Instinct. Antigone in Ferguson was featured as an off-Broadway hit in New
York during five weeks at the Harlem Stage in 2018, and again during ten weeks at the St. Ann and Holy Trinity Church in
Brooklyn in 2019. De-Rance played the title role of the musical Caroline, or Change, presented by the Fly North Theatricals
Company in July/August 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was awarded Best Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
from the St. Louis Theater Circle in March, 2024. She made her Black Rep debut as The Lady in Blues in the Night during the 48th season.
JORRELL LAWYER-JEFFERSON (Ensemble/Dance Captain), is a choreographer and interdisciplinary artist. He holds a BA in Music
and an MFA in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography from Sam Houston State University. Jorrell has worked with renowned
choreographers including Jessica Lang, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Omar Román De Jesús, and Norbert De La
Cruz III. Jorrell has contributed to a wide range of operatic and theatrical productions, collaborating with directors such as
Francesca Zambello, Rob Ashford, Robert Wilson, Phelim McDermott, and Louisa Proske in both performance and artistic
design capacities. His creative partnership with Proske has led to major interdisciplinary projects, including serving as
choreographer and associate director for Primero Sueño. The work premiered at the Met Cloisters in collaboration with VisionIntoArt and
MetLiveArts in January, and will be remounted in Mexico City at the House of Representatives and in Puebla this December,
with Jorrell stepping into the role of acting director and choreographer.
DEMETRIUS MALIK LEE (He/Him)(Ensemble), began his dance training at the age of 10 at Cleveland Inner-City Ballet. Shortly after
finding a passion for the craft, he studied at the Cleveland School of the Arts & Tri-C Creative Arts Academy. Demetrius then went on to
receive his Bachelors of Fine Arts in dance at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, graduating with a full ride scholarship
in May, 2024. Directly after graduating Demetrius went on tour in Europe with Rock The Ballet under the direction of Adrienne
Carterna-Martinez. He has studied at various summer intensives throughout his years of training including San Francisco Ballet,
Houston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, and American Dance Festival and numerous more. Lee has performed works by Christopher
Huggins, Darrell Moultrie, Jennifer Archibald, Bill T. Jones, Thang Dao, Avree Walker, Dwight Roden and many more greats. Demetrius is now
thrilled to be apart of Saint Louis Dance Theatre under the direction of Kirven Douthit-Boyd!
ADRIAN L. LEE (Bobo/Ensemble), is originally from Mobile, Alabama, he established himself in the St. Louis Metropolitan area
through his militaryservice. He presently serves in the area of Economic Empowerment at the Urban League of Metro St. Louis.
Adrian pursues his passion for various creative arts such as music, spoken word, acting, and singing. He also holds the position of an
Ordained Elder and Creative Drama Director at New Life Church of O’Fallon.
DWAYNE MOSS III (Willie Harris/Ensemble), is thrilled to return to the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, where he previously appeared in Milk Like Sugar. He most recently played Bartender Billy in Groundhog Day the Musical with Hawthorne Players. Last fall Dwayne portrayed Walter Lee Younger in A Raisin in the Sun at Saint Louis University, and he is excited to revisit this powerful story from a new perspective as Willie Harris. He teaches high school drama at Jennings Senior High School and is pursuing his Master's in Teaching at Saint Louis University. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Drama, Dwayne also trained at Shakespeare's Globe in London, England. Other favorite credits include Kill Move Paradise (Springfield Contemporary Theatre) and Baltimore (Missouri State University Theatre & Dance). This marks his second collaboration with director Ron Himes, The Black Rep's founder and his former professor. Dwayne thanks God and his family for their unwavering support in pursuing his acting dreams.
AALIYAH WESTON (Althea/Ensemble), is a performer and multi-disciplinary artist. Starting her career in Saint Louis, Missouri with both The Muny and COCA at just 9 years old. After studying to be a pre-professional dancer up until 16 years old she realized she wanted to fully immerse herself in the world of acting , including several on stage shows and a swift transition into film and television, as of today Aaliyah has just wrapped her first fully animated movie and second feature film -- including Hulu's Vacation Friends-- which she is thrilled to be a part of.
TIA RENEE WILLIAMS (She/ Her)( Ensemble), is a First Year Professional Fellow and she is thrilled to make her debut at The Black Rep. Born in the Bay Area, California, and raised between the Bay Area and New Orleans, LA, Tia is no stranger to the Midwest. She holds a BA in Theater from Franklin College in Franklin, IN, and an MA in Communications with a theater concentration from Louisiana Tech. Tia was an Emerging Professional Resident at Milwaukee Rep. Some of her favorite roles include Jo in The Last Nickel (Milwaukee Rep) and Flora in The Felt Menagerie (Tennessee Williams Theater Company of New Orleans).
DAMARI PADILLA (He/Him)( Ensemble), is a First Year Professional Fellow at The Black Rep. He was born and raised in Lafayette Louisiana, and received his B.S. in Theatre from Northwestern State University of Louisiana in May 2025. Along with studying and performing in school shows at NSULA, Damari has worked professionally at regional theater’s such as Pagosa Spring’s Thingamajig Theatre, and amusement parks such as Cedar Point and Kentucky Kingdom. Performing in shows such as Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Godspell, and Beauty and the Beast. As well as staring in an original show titled Blossom Beats. He is currently a first year Acting Fellow here at The Black Rep and is forever grateful for the opportunity to work along other artists who are passionate and dedicated to the arts.
DENISE THIMES (LENA YOUNGER, UNDERSTUDY), is a native of St Louis, MO. In recent years she has appeared and toured Paris with David Sanborn, sung for the Queen of Thailand(Mandarin Oriental Hotel), Queen Elizabeth II(British Embassy-Washington D.C., 2009), President George W Bush (White House 2007), and was hand picked by the Queen of Soul(Aretha Franklin) to perform for her 72nd birthday celebration (Ritz Carlton, NY, 2015). Thimes has performed with such jazz notables as Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra,(St. Louis, MO) the late Clark Terry(The Blue Note-NY), Dr. Billy Taylor, Earl May, Benny Powell,(Flushing Town Hall) and James Moody(Blue Note-NY). She has also graced the stage with the likes of Houston Person, Jimmy & Tootie Heath, Bobby McFerrin, and Bucky Pizzarelli. Most say that her acting is just as great as her singing and founding director Ron Himes of the The Black Rep would agree. Thimes has received 8 Woodie Awards for her roles as lead and supporting actor, and musical performances. She is glad to back at The Black Rep with Ron Himes where she got her start