By Richard Schultz, October 2015 Issue.
The Valley is a home to a wide array of talented artists who are making a name for themselves both onstage and behind the scenes.
While an entire roster would be too numerous to count, we’d like to introduce you a small sampling of the diverse talents that are part of the upcoming season.
Meet Damon J. Bolling, Cole Brackney, Daniel Davisson, Robert Kolby Harper and Toby Yatso, Echo’s LGBT artists to watch for the 2015-2016 season.
Damon J. Bolling
Damon J. Bolling is one of those theatre artists who is equally comfortable on stage or in the director’s chair.
As a performer, with over 30 productions to his credit, Bolling he has performed in the Valley for more than 20 years, has sung on Broadway, and toured the country.
Bolling made his musical directorial debut with Desert Foothills Theater’s production of Dreamgirls earlier this year. He will return to DFT in April to direct Smokey Joe’s Cafe with T.A. Burrows and Daniel Kurek.
“Damon first started working with us as an actor when we presented Stephen Sondheim’s Company in 2013,” said Meribeth Reeves, Desert Foothills Theater’s managing director. “He was incredible in that role and a true joy to work with.”
Bolling kicked off the 2015-2016 season by directing season opener of The Wiz for Mesa Encore Theatre.
“When we decided to do Dreamgirls, we knew we had to find a director who not only had a passion for the work, but also a strong connection with local African American actors,” she added.
Bolling was in the Arizona premiere cast of the Black Theatre Troupe’s Dreamgirls at the Herberger Theater Center in 2006. Bolling previously directed for the Hormel New Works Festival at Phoenix Theatre.