ALLIANCE THEATRE PODCAST: AN EXPLORATION OF THEATER AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
On this episode, co-musical composers Divinity Roxx and Eugene H. Russell IV share a conversation about their career trajectory, creative process, and experience working side-by-side on the world premiere musical, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky.
Divinity Roxx (Composer) is a Grammy-nominated American recording artist, composer, and musician, with four solo albums (Ain’t No Other Way, 2003, The Roxx Boxx Experience, 2012, ImPossible, 2016, Ready Set Go!, 2021). In addition to her own work, she is well known for touring and performing with Beyoncé Knowles (2006–2011) as her bassist and Musical Director. Her career as a bass-player skyrocketed after attending a bass camp led by the legendary five time Grammy award winning bass virtuoso Victor Wooten where she was invited to join him on tour. Divinity has appeared on countless television shows including The Grammys, SNL, Good Morning America, The World Music Awards and more, with personal highlights including a special performance at The White House and an appearance on the hit TV show “Soul Man.” Her 2021 Family Music Album release, Ready Set Go! received critical acclaim and Scholastic Inc. published two songs from the album as full-color picture books. Her original compositions can be heard on television shows like “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta,” “Black Monday,” “The Bold Type,” and others. Divinity is currently performing around the world, teaching master classes and writing multiple projects including a new family music album, a solo stage play, and a series of children’s books with accompanying music
Eugene H. Russell IV (Composer / Music Director) is an Atlanta native, Tennessee State University alumnus, and proud Girl Dad. An accomplished musician/composer whose single “Brand New Day” can be found on all streaming platforms, Eugene IV wrote the music for the Alliance Theatre’s animated films Sit-In and Curious Cardinal as well as their stage production of Beautiful Blackbird. He recently composed the music for Turn-Up, a play co-written with his wife for St. Louis Black Rep. As both a vocalist and saxophonist for countless bands, Eugene has opened for the likes of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Boyz II Men, KC & the Sunshine Brand, Brand New Heavies, and Mother’s Finest. His regional theatre acting credits include East Texas Hotlinks (True Colors Theatre Company); Dutchman (Nebraska Repertory Theatre); A Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre); and Before It Hits Home (St. Louis Black Rep), for which he received the prestigious Woodie King, Jr. Award. Film/TV appearances include Disney’s “Secrets of Sulphur Springs” and Bounce TV’s “Saints & Sinners.” @theeugeneiv www.eugeneiv.com
Learn more about the Alliance Theatre Podcast.
ALLIANCE THEATRE PODCAST: AN EXPLORATION OF THEATER AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Tinashe Kajese-Bolden and Christopher Moses lead the charge of our artistic efforts here at the Alliance Theatre, as Co-Artistic Directors. Over the past few months these two have curated our recently announced, upcoming season. On this episode of the Alliance Theatre Podcast, we chat about how this season came to be, why these stories need to be told and what it means for Alliance Theatre audiences looking ahead.
Chris Moses, serves as the Dan Reardon Director of Education and Co-Associate Artistic Director, Alliance Theatre. Chris has been working in professional theatre education for over 15 years. In January of 2011, Chris took on the position of Director of Education at the Alliance Theatre, overseeing the Alliance Theatre Institute (twice recognized as an Arts Model by the Federal Department of Education), Theatre for Youth & Families, and the Acting Program. Since taking over this position, Chris has quadrupled the education budget and reach, making the Alliance Theatre Education department a vital resource for advancing the civic agenda of Atlanta. This work is accomplished through deep and sustained partnerships with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Public School System, Fulton County Public System, the Anti-Defamation League, the YMCA, the City of Atlanta, the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Emory’s Center for Autism, the Children’s Restoration Network, the Latin American Association, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the High Museum of Art. Under his leadership, the Alliance launched its Theatre for the Very Young program, which provides fully interactive professional theatre experiences for children of all abilities from ages 18 months to 5 years old, the Alliance Teen Ensemble, which performs world premier plays commissioned for and about teens, and Alliance@work, a professional development program designed for the business sector—the latest offering of which uses theatre practice to create a culture of civility in the workplace. In 2014, Chris added the title Associate Artistic Director, and has continued to expand the Alliance’s education offerings. During his tenure in this position, the Alliance has produced over a dozen world premier plays for young audiences, including Pancakes, Pancakes by Ken Lin, The Dancing Granny by Jireh Breon Holder, andMax Makes a Million by Liz Diamond. Currently, the Alliance serves over 100,000 students pre-k – 12 each season, as well as over 2,000 adults through its extensive education offerings. Chris looks forward to leading this department and expanding their continued efforts to provide a national level of theatre and arts education to the Atlanta community.
Tinashe Kajese-Bolden is an award-winning director, actor, producer and Co-Associate Artistic Director at the Alliance Theatre. She is the BOLD Artistic Director Fellow at the Alliance Theater and driven to create stories that celebrate our differences while building community. Tinashe is a Princess Grace 2019 Award Winner for Directing, and Map Fund Award recipient to develop her devised new work ALL SMILES for Theater for the Very Young, centering the experience of children on the Autism Spectrum. Recent theatre directing productions include School Girls (Or the African Mean Girls Play) at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre, Ghost at The Alliance Theater, Native Gardens (Virginia Stage Company), Pipeline(Horizon Theater), Nick’s Flamingo Grill (World Premiere at The Alliance Theatre, Hertz Stage), Eclipsed (Synchronicity Theatre, Best Director Suzi Bass Award). Upcoming projects: Lydia Diamond’s ‘Toni Stone’ at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and The Alliance Theatre, and Candrice Jone’s ‘Flex’ at Theatrical Outfit for their 2021-22 Season. As a director and actor, she has worked On + Off Broadway, including The Imperial Theatre, Primary Stages, 59E59 Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem; and regionally at Yale Rep, Woolly Mammoth Theater Co, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Geva Theatre, CTG’s Kirk Douglas Theatre, among others, as well as recurring roles on TV/Film (Suicide Squad, Marvel’s Hawkeye, CW’s Valor, Dynasty, HBO’s Henrietta Lacks and currently filming Season 2 of Ava Duverney’s Cherish the Day.) She proudly serves on the ARTS-ATL Artist Advisory Council “My mission is the pursuit of what connects our different communities and how we create art that serves that.”
Learn more about the 2023/24 Season.
Learn more about the Alliance Theatre Podcast.