Meet The Cast Of THE DUTCHMAN At American Stage

To close out their 2021-2022 season, American Stage is presenting the groundbreaking play The Dutchman at the Raymond James Theatre.

Newcomers Shannon Mary Keegan and Adebowalé Adebiyi will board the subway car and lead this cast as Lula and Clay, the two main characters.

"The casting process included both in-person auditions and virtual submissions," Associate Director Patrick A. Jackson explained. "Final artists were called back to see which pairings complemented each other and held to the artistic vision of the piece."

Keegan is a New York based artist, who earned her BFA from the Hartt School of Music Theatre. She was most recently seen in regional productions of The Wolves, Devotion and has appeared on "Lethal Love Triangle" (Lifetime), "The Food that Built America" (The History Channel).

Adebiyi is in his final year at Columbia University School of the Arts and was most recently seen in the school's production of Clyborne Park as Albert/Kevin. His recent TV and film credits include "Dickinson" (Apple TV) and "The Cherry Orchard/Magnolia" (Columbia SoA).

"I am excited to bring more artists into our Tampa Bay theatre community," said Jackson. "Our main cast is a split between returning artists and new artists."

Returning to American Stage as the Conductor is Enoch King. King has worked with the theatre company in past productions including, It's a Wonderful Life, Skeleton Crew, Between Riverside and Crazy, and A Raisin in the Sun. King is currently on "The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey" (Apple TV).

Tyrese Pope will take on the role of Young Man in The Dutchman. Audiences may recognize Pope from his previous time at American Stage as Reuben Mercer in Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

Deisha King, Jessica Jennelle, Hannah Hockman, Kate Hoster, and Evan Smith round out the cast in ensemble roles and will be seen throughout the production.

Jackson continued, "With the addition of an ensemble to support the artistic vision and conversation around the piece, American Stage is partnering with artists in new ways to ensure a great story will be told, and creating a space where the artists are safe to explore and play."

Amiri Baraka/LeRoi Jones' Obie-award-winning play presents an encounter between a white woman, Lula, and a Black man, Clay, on a subway car in New York City. The interaction takes a tragic turn and is used as a metaphor for race relations in America.

As a way to make theatre more accessible for everyone, American Stage has lowered all regular single ticket prices to $45.

Opening night for The Dutchman is July 1, with Pay-What-You-Can previews June 29 and 30.