The inaugural presentation of Jelani Alladin's new multimedia production company Dumont Millennial Productions, which aims to amplify the unheard voices of first-generation Americans while exploring new technologies and innovative forms of storytelling, is an August 27 live streamed reading of B.J. Tindal's Goodnight, Tyler.
The reading, which streams on YouTube beginning at 7 PM ET, benefits the National Black Theatre. (The reading is available through August 31.)
Kent Gash directs a cast that includes Alladin (Frozen, Hercules), Johanna Braddy (Quantico, Miss Arizona), Danielle Deadwyler (P-Valley, Watchmen), Jack Quaid (The Boys, The Hunger Games), Alex Gibson (Octet, SpongeBob SquarePants), and Tony nominee Michele Shay (A Raisin in the Sun, Seven Guitars). Neville Braithwaithe serves as technical director, with sound design by David Lamont Wilson and stage management from Kayla Coleman.
Goodnight, Tyler is the ghost-love story of Tyler Evans, a Black boy who wants to be remembered for who he was rather than how he died. After urging his best friend to “protect his legacy” from beyond the grave, Tyler loses control over the narrative of his life. As his loved ones quibble over their placement in his life, Tyler comes face to face with the reality of whose grief matters and whose lives matter most.
READ: Black Lives Matter Resources 101
In an earlier statement Alladin said, “Growing up, my house on Dumont Avenue in Brownsville, Brooklyn, was the most visited spot on the block. Due to my mother’s connection to the community, many people—old, young, rich, poor, black, white, gay, straight, and more—passed through our door, servicing those in need. Whether it be food, love, a prayer, or a laugh, visitors found what they were looking for in this place of refuge and fellowship. As a kid, whenever we had company, I would sit on the stairs, close my eyes, and listen in, letting my imagination bring to life the stories I was spying on. Stories of overcoming adversity, pursuing the American dream, chasing love, celebrating triumphs, reckoning with the millennial world, and pioneering new efforts. Stories that in other places were considered taboo or difficult to discuss, but in this home, were told in full truth, embraced, and uplifted.
"Dumont Millennial Productions' goal is to put these stories in motion through development of new plays, musicals, concerts, television, and film productions—all of which highlight millennial protagonists and the truth of their experiences—giving visibility to these peculiar stories that have the potential to inspire a more empathetic, equitable, and inclusive human experience for all those who choose to listen.”
Explore Roosevelt Island With Hercules’ Jelani Alladin
(Updated August 27, 2020)
