Sneak Preview: Jeffrey Page's "slow drag" choreography for JITTERBUG! with Khalil Kain and Afi McClendon

Emmy nominated choreographer Jeffrey Page's rehearsal footage of the dance he's creating for the Jitterbug! slow drag scene with Khalil Kain and Afi McClendon. Music: Jitis Blues by  Memphis Minnie (1930). Tickets are still available for the Saturday, March 23rd reading in NYC. You can buy tickets and learn more at www.ouatih.com.

Hope Harley cast in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! (NYC)

Hope Harley

Hope Harley has been cast by director Petronia Paley in DC Copeland's Jitterbug!  She'll be playing multiple roles and age ranges from a wisecracking Jolly Flapperette to an old woman landlord. Ms. Harley is pursuing her lifelong dream to become an actor after a long and suc-cessful corporate career. Last year she appeared as Lena Younger (Mama) in the Gallery Players production of A Raisin in the Sun. She has appeared in productions at the Polaris North Theater Cooperative, the Strawberry One-Act Festival,  and in two episodes of the Biography channel’s Celebrity Ghost Stories. She is a student at I The Actor, led by Petronia Paley.

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographer Jeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Clinton Roane cast in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! (NYC)

Clinton Roane

Clinton Roane (AEA) has been cast by director Petronia Paley in DC Copeland's Jitterbug!  He'll be playing multiple rolls including that of Cab Calloway.  Clinton is excited to be a part of Jitterbug! Some theatre credits include The Scottsboro Boys  on Broadway, Hello! My Baby and My One And Only. He is a graduate of Howard University and CAP21.
Here's a clip of Clinton singing "If She Were Coming Home" from the musical Next Thing You Know by Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham (with Salzman on piano).
Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographer Jeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Jim Bray cast in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! (NYC)

Jim Bray

Jim Bray (AEA) has been cast by director Petronia Paley in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! He'll be reading multiple rolls including that of mobster Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll. Jim's credits include tours in Grease as Doody (Euro tour); New York Theatre: Daisy in The Great Pretender, Daniel in It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical. Regional: Plaid Tidings, Chicago, Man of La Mancha, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Singin’ in the Rain, Avenue Q, The Producers, Hair Spray, Sweeney Todd, Forever Plaid, All Shook Up, Bat Boy, Blood, Drive, Fallen Angel; Film/TV: Mona Lisa Smile (Columbia Pictures), CAMP (Killer/Jersey Films); Strangers With Candy (Comedy Central); Recordings: Sympathy Jones, It’s Karate, Kid! The Musical. 

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographerJeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Pamela Monroe cast in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! (NYC)

Pamela Monroe

Pamela Monroe, a co-producer for the 3/23 reading at the Tada! Theater in Manhattan, has been cast by Petronia Paley to read the stage directions to DC Copeland's Jitterbug! Her most recent credits include Pearl’s Gone Blue (NYC International Fringe Festival 2011 winner for the “Award of Excellence for Best Musical Production”), A Long Last Poem Before Dying; Mina by OBIE Award winning and TONY nominated playwright Leslie Lee; What Would Jesus Do?; The Vagina Monologues; Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery.  Film credits include:  Doing the L.A. Thing (HBO Best Feature at Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival); Pieces of a Puzzle,  Kali’s Vibe and the short film Mateo’s Room featuring Anthony Laciura (Boardwalk Empire).

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographerJeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Mark Lang cast in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! (NYC)

Mark Lang

Actor Mark Lang has been cast by director Petronia Paley in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! Mr. Lang will play multiple roles including that of Cotton Club mobster "Big Frenchy" DeMange, a role he previously played to great acclaim in last year's shortened "radio" version at the National Black Theatre in Harlem. Mark is a 12-year Harlem resident who has appeared on stage, film and television. Recent credits include ‘Roy Bryant’ in Whistle in Mississippi: The Lynching of Emmett Till, ‘Dag Hammerskjold’ in A Season in the Congo, ‘White Cop’ in The Bronx is Next and ‘Capt. Zuelke’ in Camp Logan and Lepidus/Euphronious/The Clown in Take Wing and Soar’s production of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. Other film and TV credits include multiple guest star roles on The Young Riders (MGM/UA) and Hey Dude (Cinetel). Mark has also had principal roles in a number of low budget thrillers and regular spots on CollegeHumor.com. He has performed in more than 40 stage plays and worked as a stunt man at Old Tucson Studios. 

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographerJeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Richard Vincent Weber cast in DC Copeland's JITTERBUG! (NYC)

Richard Vincent Weber

Richard Vincent Weber has been cast by director Petronia Paley as the Radio Announcer at the Savoy Ballroom dance contest and as mobsters Harry Block and Owney Madden in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! He has worked off-Broadway and regional theatre across the country, including: Classical Theatre of Harlem, Manhattan Theatre Source, Theatre for the New City, Park Theatre, NJ; Prometheus Fire, CT; and Matrix Theatre, LA. Last seen in Neil Labute's Stand Up and is currently working on an adaptation of Shakespeare's Sonnets, Marlowe The Poet for the Spring.  Film: Melvyn Van Peebles’ Confession of an Ex-Duffus. TV: Silk Stalkings, Fade Out, Rolling Thunder, Vanishing Son, Renegade. Special thanks to the memory of Jack Colvin and Chris Seina for their inspiration.

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographerJeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Peter Jay Fernandez cast in DC Copeland's JItterbug! (NYC)

Peter Jay Fernandez

Veteran TV and film star Peter Jay Fernandez has been cast by director Petronia Paley in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! He will double as the legendary Herbert White, founder of the Harlem street gang known as the Jolly Fellows and the globe trotting dance troupe Lindy Hoppers and equally legendary tap dancer and film star Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. His TV credits include: House of Cards, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Body of Proof, The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, Damages, Fringe, Hack, Law & Order, The Prosecutors, Cosby, New York Undercover, The Adventures of Superboy. Film: The Adjustment Bureau, Deception, Preaching to the Choir, The Egoists. Stage: Played Donald Jackson in Charles Fuller’s Zooman and the Sign at the Peter Norton Space in NYC, Shaka in Oni Faida Lampley’s play Tough Titty at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA; Marvel Thunder in Thunder Knocking on the Door, a musical by Keith Glover, Keb’ Mo’, and Anderson Edwards at the Minetta Lane Theater in NYC.

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographerJeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Cezar Willams cast in DC Copeland's Jitterbug!

Cezar Williams has been cast by director Petronia Paley in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! He will be playing two characters: Candy, the lead character's best friend, and Charlie Buchanan, part owner of the world-famous Savoy Ballroom. Theater credits include James and Annie, by Warren Leight at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati (dir: D. Lynn Meyers) and the Williamstown Theatre Festival (dir: Jack Hofsiss), Ascension at The National Black Theatre Festival (dir: Petronia Paley) and Yanagai! Yanagai! at La Mama (dir: Harold Dean James and Karen Oughtred). Television appearances include Law and Order, NYC 22, Blue Bloods and What Would You Do?

Tickets are still available for the music and dance-filled reading at the Tada! Theatre Saturday March 23rd. Movie and TV star Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character. He will be joining award-winning director Petronia Paley and Emmy nominated choreographerJeffrey Page. Jitterbug! was invited by Artistic Director Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theatre's (EAT) to participate in the "invitation only" annual New Works Festival. The play has been vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas for tax- deductible contributions to help offset its production costs. You can learn more at www.ouatih.com. 

Khalil Kain will play Billy Rhythm, the lead character in DC Copeland's Jitterbug! (NYC)

Khalil Kain

Khalil Kain first appeared in the 1992 film Juice as Raheem. Some of his credits include Suddenly Susan, Friends, Living Single, Moesha, Angel, and Sister, Sister.

Kain portrayed Marvin Cox in the 1997 romantic comedy, Love Jones and golfer Tiger Woods in Showtime's The Tiger Woods Story. He was also in Bones with co-star Snoop Dogg. Kain has been an avid student of martial arts since 1996, and holds a black belt in hapkido.^[1]

He appeared as Darnell Wilkes on the UPN/CW TV series Girlfriends from Seasons 2 through 8. He replaced Flex Alexander, who left to star in the sitcom One on One.^[2]

He also played the role of Bill in the 2010 movie For Colored Girls.

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Directed by Petronia Paley with dance numbers by Emmy nominated choreographer Jeffrey Page, the music and dance-filled reading will take place at 9pm, Saturday, March 23rd at the Tada! Theatre in Manhattan. Jitterbug!, the award-winning "dancical" by DC Copeland is participating in the "by invitation only" New Works Festival by Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT). Vetted by USA Projects and Fractured Atlas, tax deductible donations in support of the reading can be found here and here. 

Jitterbug invited to Emerging Artists Theatre's New Works Fest (NYC)

Jitterbug! is the latest iteration of the award-winning play "Once Upon A Time In Harlem: A Jitterbug Romance" by DC Copeland. Chosen to appear in the Emerging Artists Theatre's 7th Annual New Works Festival, it will be the first reading of the full 3-act play and will include music and dance. A shortened "radio" reading version took place at the prestigious National Black Theatre in Harlem last March. It was directed by noted actress, director, and teacher Petronia Paley. Ms. Paley will also direct this reading. Joining the team this time around will be Emmy-nominated choreographer Jeffrey Page. Dramaturgy by Jaz Dorsey.

Jitterbug! has been nominated for a "Creative Vision Award" by USA Projects the premiere non-profit website supporting artists fundraising and advocacy.

Winner of the Jaz Dorsey Fusion Award from the African American Playwrights Exchange (AAPEX).

Time/Date: 9pm, Saturday, March 23rd.

Place: Tada! Theatre, 15 West 28th Street (Between Broadway and 5th)

All tickets $10.00 through Brown Paper Tickets *

*Please note, a non-profit fundraising tax deductible opportunity has been established with USA Projects for Jitterbug! Please consider donating so we can make this reading all it can be. Thank you.