Tutti Frutti- The Life and Music of Little Richard at Kalita Humphreys Theater

Demetrius Perry is a native of Longview, TX, and a 2003 graduate of KD Studios Acting School. A versatile powerhouse in the arts, Demetrius has established himself as a triple threat—writing, directing, and starring in original productions such as The Way God Sees Me, The True Meaning of Christmas, and Why the Church Died. His extensive stage credits include standout roles in Fight for My Life, Mama Nem’s House, The Gospel of Oz, and I Can Do All Things. On screen, Demetrius appeared in the film The Kilgore Cowboy and has been featured in commercials for major brands including Nike, The Dallas Stars, and Herring Mitsubishi. Beyond traditional scripted work, Demetrius is a dynamic force in the world of improvisation. He is well-known for his work in Longview Wild ‘N Out and his memorable performances in Longview In Living Color, where he most notably brought the house down as "Wanda."

Dedrick Weathersby, A Emmy Award Winner with Theatre Corner on PBS/KPBS, episode is still available on The PBS app under Season 2. A Broadway World and NAACP Winner for Best Lead Actor in a Musical. Extremely Excited to take on the role of Little Richard. Few Favorite roles: Regional/Tour: DreamGirls (Jimmy James Thunder Early); Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr); RENT (Angel); IN THE HEIGHTS (Benny); Hairspray (Seaweed); The Fantasticks (El Gallo); The Music Man (Harold Hill); Much Ado About Nothing (Don Pedro); RENT (Collins); The Mountaintop (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr); Ain't Misbehavin (Andre) and Remembering James- The Life and Music of James Brown (James Brown), Most Recently seen in Scottsboro Boys, CABARET and A Soldier's Play. While not on stage, you can catch Dedrick in multiple Nationally Syndicated Commercials and voicing the role of Bernie Canter in the hit video game NBA 2K25. All Praises Goes to God for his undeniable Favor and Grace! www.dedrickweathersby.com

Cody Edward Raymond Casey is thrilled to be a part of Tutti Frutti, his first professional performance! She recently received her certificate of achievement in acting from Diablo Valley College, where he played roles such as Judge Hathorne in The Crucible and Patchy the Pirate in SpongeBob the Musical. He hopes you enjoy the show!

E'tian LaRue- A Longview, TX native who has had a love of acting since grade school, as well as while attending Grambling State University. Perfecting his craft at Encore Theatre in Houston as well as other production companies allowed him to perform alongside, Carl Payne, Robin Givens, Shirley Murdock, Darrin Henson, Clifton Powell, Dedrick Weathersby and others. He is very excited to take on the Role of "Clint Brantley" and join the cast of Tutti Frutti The Musical! E'tian was last seen in Super Bad Theater's company of Remembering James- The Life and Music of James Brown as Bobby Byrd. "I have a passion for this Art form, being able to embody a character and make it believable is truly a gift, and it is a pleasure to share the stage with others who have the same talent"

Benjamin C. Roberts is a recent alumnus of Georgia Southern University, where he earned a double degree in Computer Science and Theatre. His recent stage credits include serving as the Narrator and Preacher in Black Nativity, understudying the roles of Cory and Lyons in August Wilson’s Fences, portraying Sly in Detroit ’67, and appearing as Gregory in Romeo and Juliet. Through these productions, he has developed a strong foundation in classical and contemporary performance, storytelling, and ensemble work. Passionate about blending technical skill with creative expression, he continues to explore opportunities both onstage and behind the scenes.

Yvonne C Cobbs is a powerful artist, vocalist, and the voice behind Ask Dr. Cobbs on KBLX, Believe Radio, and KDYA’s Steven Parker Show, where she brings health, hope, and healing to the airwaves. Known for her rich, soulful voice and compelling stage presence, Yvonne has performed throughout the Bay Area and served as music director for the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s Soulful Christmas for over a decade. She is also the Minister of Music for the GMWA Northern California Chapter, blending her passion for gospel, wellness, and community engagement. Through music, education, and advocacy, Yvonne continues to uplift and empower audiences across generations. Yvonne C. Cobbs is an exceptionally gifted artist whose powerful voice and commanding stage presence have led her to perform alongside music legends such as the Grateful Dead, Patti LaBelle, and Kirk Franklin. A top 20 finalist on BET’s Sunday Best, Yvonne has captivated audiences both nationally and internationally. She currently serves as the Minister of Music at Harmony Missionary Baptist Church in Oakland, CA, under the leadership of Pastor Emmett Sean Mapp and also the Minister of Music for the Northern California Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, under the leadership of Chapter Representative Dr. Steven Roberts. A versatile performer, Yvonne has brought jazz classics to life in her portrayals of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, and has starred in theatrical productions including Black Nativity, Mahalia: A Gospel Musical, and The Amen Corner. For over a decade, she has served as Music Director and featured artist for the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s beloved holiday production, Soulful Christmas: A Gospel Holiday Concert. In 2023, she released her original song, Blessed to Be Here, which was selected for the New Music showcase at the National Gospel Music Workshop of America in Greensboro, NC. The song was accompanied by sheet music and performance tracks to support choir directors across the country. With a career rooted in faith, artistry, and community, Yvonne continues to inspire audiences through every heartfelt performance.

Dominic is thrilled to be a part of his first production here at Lester Center for the Arts in Tutti Frutti: The Musical. Recently, he made his stage debut with Town Hall Theater in Snowbound: A Holiday Tale. He began his professional career in acting this past year and is excited to take part in this wonderful production. He holds a B.S. from UC Berkeley and is pursuing further education with the American Conservatory Theater. He thanks you and hopes you enjoy the show!

Laiona Scott is a 22-year-old actress who has been acting since the age of 15, with experience in theatre, television, and film. She recently played a lead role in Life Among the Aryans with the Black Repertory Group, marking an important step in her stage work. She has also appeared in film projects and commercials, gaining on-camera experience and working closely with creative teams. Laiona has a strong passion for the performing arts, and is driven by the energy of live performance and on-camera work. She is eager to keep growing, learning, and taking on new creative challenges

Whitney Washington-Lampkin is a multifaceted talent from Dallas, TX. She is known for captivating an audience through her performance abilities of acting, singing, and dancing. Lampkin started her entertainment career early in childhood when her seventh-grade teacher, who, unbeknownst to her, was a director and noticed her charisma while reading a syllabus. He asked her to audition for his musical and she made her debut which went on a multi-city tour. Lampkin has since gone on to be in over a dozen productions including theatrical, film, and television. When she is not in front of the camera or an audience you can find her as the key makeup artist for a film, television show, or video. She also enjoys writing and plans to release a few upcoming projects. Her mission is to enlighten and educate the world about current social injustice through film, television, and music to bring an end to the damage and root causes. One of her favorite quotes is: I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

Michaela is a recent graduate of Cal Poly SLO with a degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Dance. She has a passion for musicals, her favorites being Gunsmokin’ (Female U/S) and The Werewolves of Arroyo Grande (Female U/S) at The Great American Melodrama, and The Lightning Theif: The Percy Jackson Musical (Ares) at Cal Poly. Making her professional Bay Area debut, she is beyond excited to be a part of this incredible show and share the story of Little Richard with you all. Feel free to follow along her theatre and dancing journey on Instagram! @michaelasadler

Taryn Hannigan is a proud East Bay resident and is so happy to be part of the arts community again! After graduating from Chapman University, she began working professionally at international theme parks before returning to California. Recent credits include Neon Sparkle in Murder on the Dance Floor (Plethos Productions), Bianca in Othello (Theatre Rhinoceros), Ensemble in Jackie and the Beanstalk (East Bay Children’s Theatre), and Betty in All in the Timing (Diablo Valley College). Follow her on Instagram @tarynhannigan

Jataun “Juice” Gilbert is a dynamic actor, filmmaker, and creative force with a bold, streetwise style and a relentless work ethic. Based in Los Angeles, Juice has spent the last several years building a standout resume across film, television, and digital media—playing emotionally charged characters, directing cinematic content, and collaborating with top-tier talent. Known for bringing passion, edge, and authenticity to every role, Juice has worked on everything from independent dramas to viral commercial content, while also developing original series and branded collaborations under his Juice Box Media imprint. Whether on camera or behind it, he’s all about telling powerful stories, making smart moves, and leaving a lasting impact. With a growing presence on platforms, Juice is poised to take his career to the next tier while staying grounded in purpose and execution.

Taylor Mendez is a Bay Area born independent stage manager who fell in love with the art of stage management and direction at the age of 15. Since then she has been in pursuit of her passion and making a name for herself in the Bay Area theater world. Despite Stage Management being her first true love, Taylor has honed her craft over the years, holding the title of Production Stage Manager, Technical Director, Production Manager and Front of House Manager for theaters and companies throughout the Bay Area such as: Oakland Theater Project, SFJazz, Paramount Theater, Lorraine Hansberry Theater, Ashby Stage, Town Hall Theater, SFBATCO, Magic Theater, and Crowded Fire Theater just to name a few. She is honored to be working with Lesher Theater again and welcoming Tutti Frutti to the West Coast for its grand premiere.

Dedrick Weathersby was born on April 6, 1990 in Marshall, Texas and raised in Longview, Texas. Emmy Award Winner for Best Interview and Discussion with Theatre Corner on PBS/KPBS. A Broadway World Award Winner and NAACP Award Winner. As a child, his dream was to become a professional actor/singer and impact the world and his community through his storytelling and music. Years and dreams later, he's living that dream, paying it forward and still have more to do. Dedrick has quietly given over $100,000 worth of scholarships for graduating students of color whose life dream is to pursue business entrepreneurship and the performing arts professionally. Dedrick cherishes his individualized path of training, performances and connections in numerous, Community, Regional, Musical, Plays and Broadway Tours. Dedrick is a proud member of Actors Equity, SAG-AFTRA and Dramatist Guild Union, for Playwrights. ​ The proud Founder and Executive Director of Super Bad Theater Company and Weathersby Productions LLC/Publishing. Dedrick independently released two studio projects titled Remembering James (Tribute to James Brown) and "5 Minutes Til Places" (Songs of Broadway); available on all streaming platforms. Dedrick is an accomplished author of 6 published books, his most recent literary success would be "How I See Myself" Short Inspirational Vignettes for African American Youth. Dedrick is a firm believer, if you remember those humble beginnings, you can use each moment for future endeavors and "You can NEVER lose, betting on yourself and Giving is connected to your healing". Dedrick, has written numerous Plays and Musicals, his notable successes would be Remembering James- The Life and Music of James Brown and The New Teacher (A Stage Play Comedy). 'Remembering James'- The Life and Music of James Brown opened on February 10, 2019 to a SOLD OUT audience and continued for a 6 month run with the collaboration of Boxcar Theatre & the Creators of Speakeasy San Francisco. The show Embarked on a National Tour from 2019-2020 (Pre-Pandemic) and performed over 60 Shows. Dedrick would continue touring to states and cities based on request from fans, promoters and theater partners from March 2021 until closing on May 14. 2022. The New Teacher (A Stage Play Comedy) premiered in Dedrick's hometown of Longview, TX on February 19, 2022 with the collaboration of Longview Independent School District (Bramlette Elementary) and performed a Encore on March 12, 2022 backed by Popular Demand. This show will continue to provide artistic opportunities to youth in marginalized communities where Theatre is not apart of the schools curriculum. This play is being revamped to add 13 original songs, this would qualify as a full length children's musical. This musical has plans to be available for licensing and renting.

Snoop Robinson (Director), a native of Dallas, Texas, discovered his passion for the fine arts at an early age. Snoop has gained many accolades throughout his years in the entertainment business in film projects such as “Her Eyes” (Short Film of the Year), “Love and Drugs” (Best film of the year), and “Unexceptional love”(Movie of the Year), “Why Women Trip”, “A Sir Charles Christmas” and “My brothers Wife”. Not only does Snoop impress his audiences through his films but also through his hit stage plays such as “Why Women Trip”, “Who Are We to Judge”, “Frenemies”, and “You Can't Raise a Man” and over 20 other productions from on the stage to producing and directing the content. The time and energy he puts into his craft has given him the opportunity to receive awards such as “The Real Boss Award” as well as the “Entrepreneur of the year Award”. Snoop produced and directed, “She’s Not Our Sister,” the stage play, which sold out on opening night and launched him the opportunity to showcase his film on The Gospel Music Channel also known as GMC. “She’s Not Our Sister” was the top-rated show in GMC network history. GMC TV and Swirl Films turned this stage play into the first scripted television series which featured Kellita Smith and Jackee Harry. Snoop’s diversity as a writer, director, actor and stage designer has allowed his work to hit the shelves of Wal-Mart and other streaming sites such as Netflix and Tubi. Snoop is a national household name with films such as the critically acclaimed “Black Diamond”, “Unexceptional Love”, “Deceptions of Love”, “Stolen Virginity”, Why Women Trip” and “Older Man Younger Women”. Snoop is well respected for his directorial techniques and as the creative genius behind many successful stage plays such as, “Torn between 2 Lives”, “Body Parts”, “Dream Girls” and other successful projects. Snoop is extremely excited to collaborate with the Super bad theater group and writer Dedrick Weathersby on the new venture of the musical “Tutti Frutti - The Life and Music of Little Richard,” anticipating that audiences won't stop talking about it after experiencing this captivating production.

Tajianna Okechukwu is an actor and filmmaker based in the Bay Area. She earned a double degree in Acting and Film & TV Studies from Azusa Pacific University. She has worked with companies like PBS, Google, A24, Marvel Studios, and more. She was the Video Projections Designer for The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body and has stage-managed a handful of theatre productions [EDIT ANNIE (Crowded Fire Theater), HALIE! The Mahalia Jackson Musical (Lorraine Hansberry Theatre), and CROWNS (Contra Costa Civic Theatre)]. Her film Cracks in the Foundation earned Best Direction at WILDsound and screened at UCLAxFilmFest. An excerpt of her pilot script HERITAGE was featured in Betti Ono’s The Next 15 Minutes: Full Spectrum Futures showcase, a live staged reading highlighting Bay Area sci-fi writer-directors. In her screenwriting and directorial work, Tajianna explores satirical narratives centered on the Black experience through an Afro-surrealist lens. Tajianna is passionate about avant-garde storytelling that aims to shake culture and shift paradigms in society. She is extremely honored to be supporting oversight of the Tutti Frutti production!

Hailing from North Brunswick New Jersey, Rashon Sharp delivers a unique package of some of the most healing and soulful Smooth Jazz, Gospel, and Reggae music. Rashon is notorious for adding his saxophone to all genres of music such as Rock-n-Roll, Jazz, Indie, and more. He has toured all over the East Coast in festivals, solo one man band, tribute bands, gospel choirs, and more. Throughout his studies and mentorships, Rashon owes his musical career and sparked passion to Jamie Egan (Catch 22). Throughout the past 17 years, Rashon has been in recording sessions, live performances, managing, booking, and hosting events, and so much more in the music industry. He believes in sharing his musical knowledge and has been a private music instructor to all ages and levels. Rashon has held multiple musical residencies in NJ, NY, NC, VA, and TX.

Is thrilled to work with Super Bad Theater Company on the West Coast Premiere of Tutti Frutti the musical! She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater & Dance from CSU Sacramento. Professional choreography credits include The Producers at the El Dorado Casino in Reno, NV, Beauty & the Beast in Anchorage, Alaska, Lion King Jr. for Camp Music Circus, Little Shop of Horrors at Sierra Repertory Theater, Chicago and The Rocky Horror Show at San Jose Stage, My Fair Lady starring Maxwell Caulfield in Anchorage, Alaska, her 8 person and 9 puppet reimagined Fiddler on the Roof performed in Riverside, California, and Curious Incident of the Dog at Jesuit High School. Tracey is about to celebrate her incredible first year with The Walt Disney Company as a Dance Educator for the Imagination Campus at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. A very special thank you and congratulations to all crew, all cast, and any creatives that worked on this show! And love to my husband Jayson.

Henry is a high school student and aspiring engineer who has worked on numerous school productions in many roles, including sound design, lighting design, and audio mixing. He is especially grateful for the opportunity to serve as lighting designer for his first non-school-based production, Tutti Frutti.

Everest is a high school director, aspiring actor, playwright and published researcher. They are eternally grateful to make their backstage debut in Tutti Frutti as Assistant Stage Manager. Previous stage management credits include Urinetown at UCLA.

Tommy Newman (he/him) is 17 and a junior at Monte Vista. Typically you can see him acting in ICDT! pac productions. His most notable credits include ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ (Costumer), ‘Look Homeward, Angel’ (Costumer), ‘Clue!’ (Director/Set Designer/Actor), ‘Urinetown’ (Mr.McQueen), ‘9 to 5’ (Dwayne/Mr.Tinsworthy), and ‘Newsies’ (Davey). He is excited to have a chance to further explore the tech side and professional world of theater in this production of Tutti Frutti The Musical!

E.K. BONNER, a native of Longview, TX has a great passion for the Arts! He is an actor, producer, director, and playwright! He has worked with and featured in his play productions various renowned actors such as Brian White, Pooch Hall, Darrin Henson, Countess Vaughn, The Late Tommy Ford and many more. EK also has a big heart for youth! His desire is to continue to mentor and motivate youth of today and encourage them to stay on the right path!! One way he effectively does this is by being the choreographer and director of his Christian dance & mime group called Dramatic Praise for over 20 years! This group of youth have travelled across the nation performing in places such as Dallas, New York, and Atlanta, GA. Currently, he teaches Theater Arts in Texas at a public middle school and he’s also an entrepreneur that has been running his Barber & Beauty Salon business for 20 years. He has been happily married to his wife Tina Bonner for 16 years and in his spare time he enjoys spending time with his teenage triplet boys! He is honored and excited about being the managing director of Superbad Theater Company.

Ryan Rogers teaches band and music at Twain Harte School and Summerville Elementary School. Mr. Rogers has played trombone with Superbad Theatre Company in The James Brown Experience and Tutti Frutti: The Musical. Ryan is the founder and tuba player of Lucky CuZn Brassband, and was a tuba player with the 4th Infantry Division Band, Fort Carson. Ryan’s recent theatrical experiences include playing the role of Sweeney Todd (2025) and as Sam in Mamma Mia (2026) with MYACT, Sonora.