Broward Center for the Performing Arts ART PREVAILS PROJECT, INC.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
ART PREVAILS PROJECT, INC.
Broward Center for the Performing Arts
PRESENTS
THE BARD IN BARS
Written by Darius V. Daughtry
David H. Hepburn
Xaire Goodridge
Daryan Lyew-Ayee
Prod'n Credit
Art Prevails Project
Music by New Canon Chamber Collective with
Isadelle Mercedes Yamille Mercedes Omari Miles Marlo Rodriguez Isaac Simmons Shanna Woods
Prod'n Credit Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Music Supervisor Portia Dunkley
Composer/Arranger Waldron Dunkley
Choreographed by Shanna Woods
Directed by Darius V. Daughtry
Special thanks to Wayne and Lucretia Weiner for their generous support.
SCENES
Prologue
MacBeth
Othello
Interlude: Rosaline
Sonnet 18
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Interlude: Willy!
Much Ado About Nothing
Titus Andronicus
Hamlet
Twelfth Night
Romeo and Juliet
Epilogue
Some Are Born Great, Some Achieve Greatness, And Some Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them” - William Shakespeare
CAST
Cast Members
Hamlet, Iago, Ensemble Xaire Goodridge
Willy Shakes (The Bard)
David H. Hepburn
Macbeth, Titus Andronicus, Ensemble Daryan Lyew-Ayee Witch, Rosaline, Sebastian, Ensemble Yamille Mercedes
Pick, Viola, Witch, Ensemble Isadelle Mercedes
Romeo, Rodrigo, Ensemble Omari Miles
Juliet, Lady MacBeth, Ensemble Marlo Rodriguez
Benedick, Malvolio, Ensemble Isaac Simmons
Desdemona, Beatrice, ensemble Shanna L. Woods
Production/Creative
Director Darius V. Daughtry
Stage Manager SheKendra Parrish
Costume AGuy Style
Props Manager Jameelah Bailey
Set Design and Carpentry Black Window Design
Vocal Coach Laurah Merisier
Stagehand Harold Petion
Orchestra
Violin 1 Tosha Knibb Bianca Tavares Ambar Contreras
Violin 2 Lee Ferron Geraldine Joseph Phekia Joseph
Viola Brenda Contreras Priscille Michel Kizie Washington
Cello Kevin Phillip Joseph Benjamin Bush
Bass Charlemange Sands
Keys
John Harden, Jr.
Drums Alfonso Velasco
WHO'S WHO
Xaire Goodridge as
Hamlet, Iago, Ensemble
Xaire, a versatile artist originally from Nottingham, England, now calls Broward County, Florida, home, where he's become a dynamic force in the local arts scene. With a background in acting, poetry, and music, he's been captivating audiences for over a decade with his powerful performances and poignant storytelling.Drawing from his experiences on South Florida's stages.
David H. Hepburn as Willy Shakes (The
Bard)
David H.Hepburn is a cast member of Just The Funny Theater and Training Center.He was one of the founding members of Miami’s premiere African American Musical Improv Team The Black Improv Alliance. He has a background in Visual Arts and Film including education at The Cooper Union For The Advancement of Arts and Sciences.
Daryan LyewAyee
as Macbeth, Titus Andronicus, Ensemble
Daryan is so excited to be a part of the Bard in Bars. This is his first show post undergrad from FAU. There he was a part of a few shows including Xanadu and others. He also did the Polar Express Train Ride back in 2022. For him, this show means so much to him as an experience and learning opportunity.
Yamille Mercedes
as Witch, Rosaline, Sebastian, Ensemble
A dynamic force on and off the stage, Yamille Mercedes brings stories to life as an actress, dancer, singer, narrator, poet, and host. Known for her magnetic presence and boundless energy, she’s also a skilled moderator and behind-the-scenes powerhouse—having stagemanaged productions with grace and precision.
Isadelle Mercedes
as Pick, Viola, Witch, Ensemble
Isadelle Mercedes, an accomplished entertainer from South Florida, boasts a diverse range of experience across various mediums. With credits spanning film, television, pop music, improv, and comedy, she strives to showcase her versatility as an artist.
WHO'S WHO
Omari Miles as Romeo, Rodrigo, Ensemble
Omari is a soul-stirring singer, songwriter, and actor based in south Florida whose artistry flows seamlessly between stage and on screen. Omari holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Florida Atlantic University, where he cultivated his love for storytelling and nurtured a voice rich in truth and vulnerability.
Marlo Rodriguez
as Juliet, Lady MacBeth, Ensemble
Marlo Rodriguez is a Cuban and Haitian actress, director, teaching artist, vocalist, and community advocate based in Florida. She holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Florida Atlantic University and is a founding member of The Black Undergraduate Theatre Collective.
Isaac Simmons
as Benedick, Malvolio, Ensemble
As one of Carol City, Florida's finest Actors and Jolliest Comedians, Isaac has been gracing audiences with his brand of acting and obscure comedy since the age of sixteen years-old. He has consistently been traveling all throughout South Florida sharing the best of his talents and skills with audiences.
Shanna L. Woods
as Desdemona, Beatrice, ensemble
Shanna L Woods is a dance artist from Delray Beach, Florida. She is a mother, choreographer, and creator. Regional Theater credits include Deena Jones in Dreamgirls, The Wiz, The Producers, Ethel in Memphis The Musical, and dance captain for Man of La Mancha and The World Premiere A Wonderful World and Mayme in Intimate Apparel.
SheKendra Parrish Stage Manager
SheKendra Parrish, a Fort Lauderdale native is excited to be stage managing for second time with Art Prevails Project .Her performance credits include, Violet (Music Hall singer), Polaroid stories (Persephone), A chorus Line (Vickie/Ensemble), 9 to 5 ( Doctor/Ensemble), & La Paloma stage reading (Theatre Lab Play Festival).
PHOTOS
Marlo Rodriguez by Ian Ibbetson
David H. Hepburn and Xaire Goodridge by Ian Ibbetson
David H. Hepburn by Ian Ibbetson
Yamille Mercedes by Ian Ibbetson
NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Friends and family,
Thank you so much for joining us on this journey – journey that started decades ago when I was almost simultaneously introduced to the works of Wiliam Shakespeare and the brilliance of hip hop music.
It began with reading the first couple of lines of Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day, Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May; And summer’s lease has all too short a date;
The rhythm and rhyme reminded me of the music I was blasting at home or in my mother’s car. It reminded me of the lyricists I was listening to and the lunch table rap battles I was having.
Fast forward, and I am teaching a classroom full of ninth graders who didn’t want any parts of reading Shakespeare. It was old and unfamiliar, and they didn’t understand it. So, I began to merge the two in hopes to make these amazing pieces of writing more accessible and relatable.
So, what you see in the Bard in Bars, is an extension of what began in those classrooms many years ago.
I am truly honored to share this with you, and it is my hope that show made you laugh, smile and reminisce. Andi if it taught you a little something…you’re welcome. Theatre is a communal art. Artist and audience need each other. I am grateful that you are here with us.
Personally, I am thankful for my family - those related by blood and those related by love. I am grateful for the Art Prevails Project staff, board and volunteers. As always, I am exremely thankful for my co-conspiring artists who help turn my madness into magic.
With Love and Gratitude,
Darius V. Daughtry
An accomplished poet, playwright, director, and educator with over a decade worth of experience in South Florida and beyond, Darius has committed himself to using the arts as a vehicle for change. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Art Prevails Project, a performing arts organization dedicated to expanding cultural conversation through theatrical performances.
