About Stage Aurora
To enlighten the mind by way of the Arts through the African-American experience.
History
Stage Aurora Theatrical Company, Inc., theatre that enlightens, is now located in both New York City and Jacksonville, FL having launched its Mainstage of Theatre, Dance, and Music in 2000 under the leadership of Darryl Reuben Hall. Stage Aurora began as an opportunity to provide the underserved community of Jacksonville’s Northside with professional theatre reflecting the African-American experience.
In New York City, Stage Aurora is quickly making its mark with original productions The Dinner and Drawn from the Water, having received some support from the Dramatists Guild Fund, Actor's Equity Association, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and the Queens Council on the Arts.
The Main Stage has produced 200+ productions including Pulitzer Prize Winners The Color Purple, Fences, Driving Miss Daisy, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Piano Lesson; and Tony Award Winners For Colored Girls Who..., Dreamgirls, The Wiz, and A Raisin in the Sun. Other favorites include Steel Magnolias, Crowns, Miss Ever's Boys, Mama, I Want to Sing, and Disney's High School Musical.
Original works include Sinner Man by Roumel Reaux, Trent Armand Kendall's Louis and Ella, Noble Lee Lester's Apostasy 360, Alzheimer's and Darryl Reuben Hall's Frat House, The Dinner, Harlem of the South, A Very Merry Jacksonville Christmas, and the upcoming Drawn from the Water. Children's include FRIENDS: James, Mary, and George, SONG AND DANCE, and Field Trip Safari.
Critical success abounds: Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun ‘was both splendid and captivating', Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity 'All color and life and unbelievable, this is a miraculous spectacle of Biblical and artistic proportions'; Tom Stolz’s Mahalia as ‘an exceptional masterpiece’, and Darryl Reuben Hall’s Frat House 'Impressively choreographed, energetic, and lots of fun.'
Local, Statewide, and National recognition is seen through a variety of awards: State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs' Diversity and Inclusion Award, Rosetta LeNoire Award Nomination for Diversity from Actors' Equity Association; the Onyx Award, Individual Arts Award from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, among others.
National celebrities who've graced our stage at Stage Aurora include: Ella Joyce, Tony Award Winner Melba Moore, T'Keyah Crystal Keymah, Daniel Beaty, Kim Coles among Artistic Associates: Angela Robinson (Tyler Perry's The Haves and The Have Nots, Broadway’s The Color Purple), Sondra Bonitto (Broadway’s Ragtime), Jannie Jones (Broadway’s The Full Monty), Roumel Reaux (Broadway’s The Wiz), and Natasha Yvette Williams (Broadway's The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess).
Goals
To collaborate and share with existing theatrical organizations both locally and nationally in an effort to present the best artistic work.To develop a multicultural audience that best exemplifies the standards of Stage Aurora as an institution of the essence of the human experience.To serve as an establishment and foundation for the creation and growth of new works of new artists, writers, directors, musicians, lyricists combined with new ideas and concepts exploring creativity and innovations in theatrical production.
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Founder's Message
FOUNDER'S MESSAGE
The Arts are truly a definite medium for self-expression, creativity, and a means by which people of any socioeconomic background may share precious moments together. In the early 80’s, the desire to provide a theatrical format for artists of color to develop self- expression and creativity stirred deeply in my soul. Thus, as time would allow, the desire grew and Stage Aurora was born. Stage Aurora, theatre that enlightens, aims to build a bridge of understanding, to share our culture with cultures from around the world, to hear the same words that make us all laugh or cry, to applaud and shout in unity.As a professional actor for over 20 years, I have had the privilege to perform on hundreds of stages across the world; to stand on stage as the actor and look out over the audience and experience the sheer surprise in the eyes of the audience as they are treated to words of delight. I hope to share this emotion with you, to greet you in a manner that is sincerely heartfelt, to salute you with dignity and to applaud your words of encouragement and support. It is sound reasoning for Stage Aurora. Reared on the Northside of Jacksonville, music, song and dance gave me discipline, responsibility and self- confidence. There were no bounds to my goals. There were, however, limited resources as the Northside has never hosted a professional theatre for showcasing the Arts. Stage Aurora is an attempt to fill that void.Stage Aurora is here to present the City of Jacksonville with the best in theatrical entertainment we can offer, to be a contributing force to such an already powerful and exciting Arts community. We are here to be inclusive of every nationality, ethnic origin, social history, and religious preference. We are a multicultural family growing and expanding daily. Please accept us with open arms as we strive to create theatre that enlightens.
Peace be unto you, Darryl Reuben Hall
Founder/ Executive Artistic Director
DARRYL REUBEN HALL
Darryl, a native of Jacksonville, FL, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Florida. Mr. Hall is a member of the following professional acting unions: Actor’s Equity Association, Screen Actor’s Guild, American Guild of Variety Artists, and American Guild of Musical Artists. A veteran of the stage, Mr. Hall’s favorite credits include:
Broadway
Gershwin's Porgy and Bess at Lincoln Center/ NYCO (PBS Live from Lincoln Center Telecast), Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt (Broadway National Tour), Street Corner Symphony (pre-Broadway Workshop).
Off-Broadway/NewYork
Stormy Weather with Leslie Uggams (Manhattan Theatre Club, Signature Theatre), Stormy Weather with Phylicia Rashad (AMAS Musical Theatre), Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, Carnegie Hall with Linda Eder and the Broadway Gospel Choir, Three Mo' Tenors (PBS Great Performances and original cast recording), Hallelujah, Baby! (York Theatre Company), The In-Gathering (New Professional Theatre), Café Society (TRIBECA Performing Arts Center).
Regional Theatre
Man/Preacher in Crowns (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), Flick in Violet (Best Actor- Carbonell Award Nomination) and Victor in Smokey Joe's Café (Actor’s Playhouse), Jim in Big River (Lyceum Theatre), Gabey in On The Town (White- Willis Theatre), The Mikado (North Shore Music Theatre and Huntington Theater), High Spirits (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (Crossroads Theatre- Tony Award Winner/ Best Regional Theatre), Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls (Alhambra Dinner Theatre), No Moe in Five Guys Named Moe (Riverside Theatre).
Dance
Aretha Franklin in concert, Daryl Coley in Concert, Orlando Opera Company and Corps de Ballet, Walt Disney World Entertainment with Tommy Tune, Rita Moreno, and John Davidson, Blackbirds of Broadway European Tour, and Sesame Street Live! National Tour.
Film & Television
Law and Order, Down To Earth, Oz, Now And Again, Sex and the City, and The Cradle Will Rock directed by Tim Robbins.
Commercials
American Express, Domino’s Pizza, Plavix, Webster Career College, Wet 'N Wild Water Park, Coca- Cola with SEAL.Dot.Com, and Phillip’s 66.
Playwright
Drawn from the Water
Teaching Experience
New York Public Schools System Broward Public Schools System Orange County Public Schools
Have any Questions? Get in touch today.
Board of Directors
ARTISTIC ASSOCIATES
Stage Aurora established Artistic Associates in order to support Founder Darryl Reuben Hall in the theatre’s ongoing artistic excellence, merit and overall quality of programming. Artistic Associates serve as directors, choreographers and musical directors as needed.
Sondra Bonitto – (Broadway’s Ragtime, House of Flowers); Asst. Director and Directed Dreamgirls at Stage Aurora.
Dr. T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh – (TV’s In Living Color, That’s So Raven, Cosby); performed Miss Evers’ Boys, Black to My Roots, and T’Keyah Live! at Stage Aurora.
Roumel Reaux – (Broadway’s The Wiz, Dancin); Directed A Raisin in the Sun, The Wiz, and Crowns at Stage Aurora.
Angela Robinson-Whitehurst – (Broadway: The Color Purple, Wonderful Town, Bells are Ringing, and Play On!); Artistic Consultant and Production Host.
ADVISORY BOARD
Arnett Greene - State Farm Insurance
Dr. Dolores Hall - Advisor
Edward Hall - Advisor
Atty. Reginald Luster - Registered Agent
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Piotr Korynski - President
Tarana Harper, Aetna - Secretary
DeWitt Hughes III, Blue Cross Blue Shield - Treasurer
Prof. Howard Denson, FCCJ North Campus (Retired) - Director of Education
Darryl Reuben Hall - Founder
Jackie Johnson, Vistakon - Director
Joseph Morgan III - Director of Security
Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins - Director
Matt Thompson - Director
Phyllis Wiley, Attorney - Director
Get involved. Inspire art. Donate today.
Production History
2017
Darryl Reuben Hall's Frat House - Amelia Musical Playhouse
July 21-22
The Lion King, Jr.
July 10-14. Jacksonville Public Library Main Branch. Sponsored in part by the PNC Bank Arts Alive Grant.
2016
Motown Christmas - Amelia Musical Playhouse
Darryl Reuben Hall's Harlem of the South - The Volstead
Dreamgirls - by Henry Krieger
Louis-and-Ella - By Trent Armand Kendall
Darryl Reuben Hall's Harlem of the South - Hick's Auditorium
Darryl Reuben Hall's Frat House - Amelia Musical Playhouse
2015
Darryl Reuben Hall's Frat House - By Darryl Reuben Hall
Annie, Jr.
Steal Magnolias - Mother's Day Weekend Presentation
The Color Purple - By Alice Walker
The Piano Lesson - August Wilson
2014
God's Trombones - By James Weldon Johnson
Little Shop of Horrors - By Alan Menken
The Wiz- By Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown
7th Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival
The Annual Performing Arts Summer Institute
The Colored Museum - By George C. Wolfe
Dreamgirls - by Henry Krieger
2013
The Amen Corner - By James Baldwin
A Soldier's Play - By Charles Fuller
3 Divas and a Guy Named Darryl - Featuring Angela Robinson of Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots and Darryl Reuben Hall
6th Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival
Crowns - By Regina Taylor
2012
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Sponsored in part by The NEA Big Read
The Wiz - By Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown
Featuring Darryl Reuben Hall as THE WIZ
Annual Performing Arts Summer Institute
Sponsored in part by the Jacksonville Children's Commission
5th Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival
The Color Purple - By Alice Walker
It features music and lyrics written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis
2011
3rd Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival - Featuring Artist Ella Joyce in A Rose Among Thorns
2010
Darryl Reuben Hall's Frat House - By Darren Reuben Hall
Driving Miss Daisy - By Alfred Uhry
To Kill A Mockingbird - Lee Harper
3rd Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival - Featuring Tony Award Winner Melba Moore and Spoken Word Artist Daniel Beaty
2009
Darren Reuben Hall's Reality Check - Florida Theatre
Black Nativity - By Langston Hughes
Apostasy: 360 Degrees - By Noble Lee Lester
2nd Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival
2008
Dream Girls - By Henry Krieger
Black Nativity - By Langston Hughes
2nd Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival - featuring T'Keyah Crystal Keymah in T'Keyah Live!
2007
Disney's High School Musical - 100 Youth Voices Musical Theatre Program
Darryl Reuben Hall's Frat House - Florida Theatre
The Whiz - By Charlie Smalls
1st Annual Aurora Jacksonville Black Arts Festival - featuring T'Keyah Crystal Keymah
2006
Grease - Performing Arts Summer Institute
Great Men of Gospel
Black Nativity - By Langston Hughes
2005
A Raisin in the Sun - By Lorraine Hansberry
Mahalia - By Tom Stolz
Crowns - By Regina Taylor
2004
Black to my Roots - By Tyrone Young
Cinderella - Performing Arts Summer Institute
2003
Miss Evers’ Boys - By David Feldshuh
Main Stage Series -1st Production
Mama, I Want to Sing - By Vy Higgensen
Performing Arts Summer Institute - Co-sponsored by FCCJ North Campus
