NIKKI RENEE DANIELS
FRENCHIE DAVIS
The following is used with permission from Frenchie Davis (added April 4, 2007)
Frenchie is currently appearing on Broadway in Rent. She rejoins the cast of Rent after playing Effie in the regional tour of Dreamgirls.
Frenchie is currently on leave from Howard University, where she is majoring in musical theatre. In addition to appearing in numerous university productions, she has also appeared in the German productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Jesus Christ Superstar.
TOM DECKMAN
The following is used with permission from Tom Deckman (added March 22, 2007)
Tom is originally from Rochester, New York. He has been doing theatre ever since he can remember. Tom was a shy boy who never talked much...theatre was his way of expressing himself. Today, he still loves it as much as he ever did and it is still his favorite way to express himself. However, he is far from the quiet kid he once was!
After an adventurous yet unfinished stay at Fordham University, Tom began his professional career doing regional theatre productions. He played Woof in Baystreet Theatre's production of Hair. He then played Eugene in Grease at Downtown Cabaret Theatre. That wouldn't be the last time he'd do the show...he played the same role in the European tour. Other regional credits include Dead Man Walking at NYCO and Into the Woods at Fulton Opera House. Tom then did some Off-Broadway work. He was cast in Best Foot Forward at the York Theatre, and soon after played Harvey Johnson in Bye Bye Birdie at City Center Encores!
After a couple of years doing regional work, Tom had the good fortune of landing some commercials and TV roles. He appeared in Law & Order SVU, Hope & Faith, and Sex and the City. Not wanting to leave theatre behind, Tom accepted a role in a workshop of the new Beach Boys musical Good Vibrations. He stayed with the show when it transferred to Broadway and was with it when it closed just a few short months later. Tome then enjoyed playing Professor in Carnegie Hall's one night only benefit concert of South Pacific. The event was the televised on PBS's Great Performances. Next, he was cast in the first national tour of Monty Python's Spamalot which garnered a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. That led to Tom's current employment at the Shubert Theatre in the Broadway company of Spamalot. He plays the Historian, Not Dead Fred, French Guard, Sir Robin's Minstrel, and Prince Herbert.
photo credit: Tara Howard
photo credit: Tara Howard
MICHELLE DEJEAN
The following is used with permission from Michelle DeJean (added April 16, 2007)
Michelle is currently starring as Roxie Hart in the National Tour of Chicago.
Michelle was born in Orange, Texas, on a hot summer day...lol...only because her British mother disliked British doctors. When only nine days old, her mother and father flew her back to Birmingham, England, where she spent most of her first five years. From there (with a strong British accent) her family moved to Iran and then on to Dubai. She was an 'oil brat' with freckles and pigtails...EEK. In 1979 the whole family finally returned to the good ol' US of A and settled in Houston, Texas (still see the oil connection?).
Michelle started the strict R.A.D syllabus (a type of ballet training) at The Spring Academy of Dance in Spring, Texas. She then joined the Houston Ballet Academy on a full scholarship and trained there through most of her high school years. Michelle spent her four years of high school and graduated (amazingly) from The High School for the Perfoming and Visual Arts as a dance major. In her spare time, she also took musical theater classes at Theater Under the Stars. Michelle got her equity card at seventeen playing Liesl in The Sound of Music, then went on to perform in over 11 T.U.T.S productions as well as becoming a member of the training staff. At this point, New York beckoned - well not really, she just decided it was the next logical step. Michelle moved to New York with a suitcase and some bad headshots.
After the big move, Michelle went on to perform in the National and International tours of Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story (Anita), and Chicago (Mona, Roxie u/s) before finally making it to Broadway with the latter. She started as a swing and then graduated to Mona then on to Roxie. Its been quite a journey thus far.
Visit Michelle at www.michelledejean.com
CLEAVANT DERRICKS
The following is used with permission from Cleavant Derricks and www.cleavantderricks.com (added February 20, 2007)
Actor-singer-composer Cleavant Derricks began his career writing Gospel music in Nashville, Tennessee. His songs have been recorded by artists as diverse as Bonnie Porter and Dale Evans. Along with his father - a Baptist Minister and gospel composer - Cleavant wrote a gospel album, Satisfaction Guaranteed, which was nominated for a Grammy Award.
As the years progressed, Cleavant went to New York City to pursue an acting career. Studying with Vinette Carrol at the Urban Arts Theatre, he received rave reviews in her Broadway shows Your Arm's Too Short To Box With God and But Never Jam Today. Again, working with Vinette Carrol, Cleavant served as composer, musical directory, and featured actor for the musical, When Hell Freezes Over I'll Skate, which later aired as a PBS special.
Creating the role of James Thunder Early for Michael Bennett's Broadway production of Dreamgirls, Cleavant received a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award. He also won an LA Drama Critic Circles Award for the vocal arrangements. During his last few years in New York City, Cleavant had an opportunity to star in one of Bob Fosse's last musicals. Big Deal became another success for Cleavant, being nominated for a Tony and Drama Desk Award as Best Actor in a Musical. Touring with Broadway's The Full Monty, Cleavant received a 2003 NAACP Theatre Award as Best Male Performance in a musical. He was also nominated for his performance as Best Supporting Actor for the Helen Hayes Award. Cleavant also performed at the Mark Taper Forum in Cy Coleman's musical Like Jazz with Patti Austin and Lillias White.
After completing his critically acclaimed performance in Broadway's hit musical, Brooklyn, Cleavant was awarded the "2005 Heroes and Legends Award" as Outstanding Achievement in Theatre.
Television credits include series regulars on ABC's Thea with pop sensation Brandy, Fox's Drexell's Class with Dabney Coleman, CBS's Good Sports with Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal and Witt Thomas's Woops! on Fox. His most recent series, Sliders, has a huge fan base. Cleavant is the true original "Slider," having been with the show since its original premiere on FOX. In addition, Cleavant has guest starred on many critically acclaimed and Emmy award winning series such as Roseanne, A Different World, LA Law, Moonlighting, Spencer For Hire, Miami Vice, Something Wilder, The Equalizer, Private Eye, Sibs, Touched By An Angel, Charmed, The Practice, and The Bernie Mac Show. A project true to his heart was an ABC Movie of the Week, Bluffing It, with Dennis Weaver, in which he addressed illiteracy in this country.
Film roles include Paul Masursky's Moscow On The Hudson with Robin Williams, Neil Simon's Slugger's Wife, Michael Diner's Offbeat, Wes Craven's Carnival of Souls, and World Traveler, with Julianne Moore and Billy Crudup.
With a strong love for music, Cleavant's CD Beginnings is a dream come true.
NATASCIA DIAZ
The following is used with permission from www.natasciadiaz.com
Natascia Diaz was born to the theater family of world renowned opera bass Justino Diaz and ballerina Anna Aragno. Initially training at the School Of American Ballet, she went on to receive her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University. After dancing the role of Anita with the New York City Ballet for their West Side Story Suites, helmed by Jerome Robbins, she performed the role in the National touring production of West Side Story. Her critically acclaimed performance won her Chicago's prestigious Joseph Jefferson Award, and a 2006 Kevin Klein Award this year in St. Louis. Off-Broadway she performed opposite Patrick Wilson in Bright Lights, Big City, in the world premiere of Steven Sondheim's first musical Saturday Night at Second Stage, and Susan in Johnathan Larson's tick, tick...BOOM! opposite New Kid Joey McIntyre. For her role, she has this year received a LA Ovation Award Nomination for her performance in the West Coast premiere production at the Rubicon Theater. Her favorite regional credits include Catherine in Pippin (Papermill Playhouse); Washington audiences last saw her as Petra in A Little Night Music at the Kennedy Center, and as Elektra in Agamemnon and His Daughters at Arena Stage. Natascia last performed on Broadway in the 2004 revival of Man Of La Mancha. Television credits include The Jury, Law and Order SVU, CSI, and the HBO family channel movie Leonardo Da Vinci; A Dream In Flight. Film credits include Tiny Dancer, and How to Seduce Difficult Women.
Natascia most recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway hit revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris at the Zipper Theater.
