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A LESSON BEFORE DYING  – PRODUCTION TEAM

David Koté (DIRECTOR) is a director, actor, and educator. He began at Tri-Cities High School of Visual and Performing Arts and acclaimed Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta. Koté earned a B.A. degree in speech and theatre arts from Dillard University and M.F.A. in directing from Indiana University. His theatre credits include Jitney, Pill Hill, In the Red and Brown Water, Purlie, Flyin’ West, Once on this Island, Times, The Last Season, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, My Children! My Africa! and Macbeth. He has also appeared in HBO’s A Lesson Before Dying, CBS’s Mama Flora’s Family and TNT’s Passing Glory. He has performed in South Africa, Belgium, Amsterdam and all over the United States. Koté served as Director of Theatre Arts at Tri-Cities High School Visual and Performing Arts Magnet where he received many awards for his work including The Charles Loridans Foundation for excellence and leadership in theatre education.

R. L. Williams (STAGE MANAGER)  is an Atlanta native. Williams studied theatre at Florida A&M University’s Essential Theatre. His stage managing credits include: Choir Boy, Bike America, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, Carapace, Sammy & Me, Tennis in Nablus, The Second Ciy: Peach Drop Stop & Roll, The Second City: Miracle on 1280 Peachtree Street, and Broke; and assistant stage managing Zorro, What I Learned in Paris, August Wilson Full Circle: Gem of the Ocean and Radio Golf; Doubt; Jelly’s Last Jam and the world premieres of Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, Women of Brewster Place, Sister Act: The Musical, and The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. 

 

Kat Conley (SCENIC DESIGN) Based in Atlanta, GA since 2000, Kat has designed scenery for The Arena Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Alliance Theater, Marin Theatre Company, Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre,  Orlando Shakespeare Company, Georgia Shakespeare, the Atlanta Ballet, Actor’s Express, The Center for Puppetry Arts, 7 Stages,  and Theatrical Outfit, among others. She is an Associate Artist with both Georgia Shakespeare and Actor’s Express. For the past 15 seasons Kat has also served as the Charge Scenic Artist for the Alliance Theater. Whether dramatically challenging, visionary or escapist, all theater and art is important, thank you for supporting it in your community.

Mary Parker (LIGHTING DESIGN) “Lesson” marks Mary’s second Dominion show. Over the 7 years that Mary has called Atlanta home, she has had the pleasure of designing for almost every professional theatre company in town, as well as several regional theatres throughout the Southeast. Recent favorites include: Jar The Floor, True Love Lies, Black Pearl Sings and A Cool Drink A Water at Horizon Theatre; Who Wants to Become A Pirate at South Carolina’s Children’s Theatre; Sty of the Blind Pig at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre; Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and What I Did Last Summer at Georgia Ensemble Theatre; Tradin’ Paint and His Eye Of The Sparrow at T-Square; and The Man of La Mancha at Flat Rock Playhouse.

salondiaSalondia Aveni (PRODUCTION MANAGER) - Salondia is a native of Ft. Gaines, GA and a graduate of Fort Valley State University with a B.S. in Animal Science. She began her artistic career at the tender age of nine as a dancer with Patti Rutland Simpson, a student of the legendary Gus Giordano and director of the critically acclaimed dance company Patti Rutland Jazz. Salondia relocated to Savannah, GA in 1997, began teaching dance, and became a member of Sankofa Dance Theatre. During her time with Sankofa, she served as a choreographer, Rehearsal Director and Assistant Artistic Director for the company. As a professional dancer she had the opportunity to work with world renowned choreographers, perform on national and international stages, and study traditional West African Dance in Senegal, West Africa. In 2006 she made Atlanta her home and began working in television as Director of Entertainment for Teen City Productions. In 2008 she transitioned back into theater and is currently the Production Manager for the Fulton County Department of Arts & Culture’s Southwest Arts Center Performance Theater and Gallery. She is proud to be a part of the Black Nativity 2012 production team and looks forward to continued service in this industry.

Additional Production Staff


Technical Direction – Mike Young

Costume Design – Nyrobi Moss

Sound Design – Michael Salvatorio

Wardrobe  – Astral Hackshaw