Immersive PARADISE BLUE Cast Now In Rehearsals At Studio

Rehearsals are now in full swing for Studio Theatre's fully immersive production of Paradise Blue, the modern classic by Dominique Morisseau, part of her acclaimed Detroit Trilogy. The innovative production is being directed by Raymond O. Caldwell with previews starting May 1, 2025. 

While Studio patrons are accustomed to being close to the action in Studio's intentionally small spaces, for Paradise Blue, the audience will find themselves fully surrounded by it. Studio's production of Paradise Blue will transform the Victor Shargai Theatre into a legendary but down-on-its-luck jazz club in 1949 Detroit. Before the show, audiences can patronize the Paradise bar for a variety of cocktails while they enjoy live jazz performances. After guests get settled in at their tables with a drink from Studio's bar partner Giggle Water, they can let the extraordinary environment set the stage for Dominique Morisseau's tale of love, lust, and legacy.   

“I'm excited about this production for a number of reasons,” says Artistic Director David Muse. “This will be Dominique's third show at Studio, which puts her in esteemed company with Tarrel Alvin McCraney and Tom Stoppard, among others. It's also the product of one of Studio's directing commissions: we commissioned DC fixture Raymond O. Caldwell, currently Artistic Director of The Fountain Theatre in LA, to come up with programming that's custom-fit to Studio. Raymond has envisioned a production of Dominique's gritty, noir-inspired piece about gentrification as an immersive production with great music, a bar inside the theatre, and plenty of surprises. I think our audiences will really enjoy this one.” 

About the Play

Detroit, 1949. Welcome to Paradise, a jazz club that's seen better days. Blue, the club's trumpet-playing owner is ready to leave this town and his family demons behind. But his house band and his best girl have dreams of their own, so when hardboiled widow Silver enters the picture looking for some business and some pleasure, Love, lust, and legacy collide in the fight for Paradise. Studio transforms the Victor Shargai theatre into a jazz club for Dominique Morisseau's (Pipeline, Skeleton Crew) music-filled drama about resilience, self-preservation, and community.

General Information

Location: Studio Theatre's Victor Shargai Theatre, 1501 14th Street NW

Cost: $55-$125 per ticket, with discounts available

Parking: Studio Theatre does not have its own parking garage; however, we do have parking partnerships with both SpotHero and the Washington Plaza Hotel. More info on the Studio website (https://www.studiotheatre.org/visit/directions-and-parking).

More information link: https://www.studiotheatre.org/plays/play-detail/2024-2025/paradise-blue

Buy tickets link: https://www.studiotheatre.org/buy/tickets/paradise-blue

About the Cast

Kalen Robinson (Pumpkin) is an actress, dancer, and singer making her Studio debut. Her theatre credits include Finn at The Kennedy Center, Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks national tour with The Kennedy Center, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Olney Theatre Center, The Sensational Sea-Minkettes at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Metamorphoses at Folger Theatre, Nate the Great and The Hula-Hoopin' Queen at Imagination Stage, Passing Strange at Signature Theatre (DC), Once on This Island at Constellation Theatre Company and Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Spring Awakening at Round House Theatre, and Cinderella and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Fulton Theatre. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she received her BFA in Musical Theatre at Howard University. 

Amari Cheatom (Blue; he/him/his) is making his Studio Theatre debut. His theatre credits include Red Velvet at Shakespeare Theatre Company; The Book Of Grace at The Public Theater; Zooman and The Sign at Signature Theatre Company (NYC); Jitney at Manhattan Theatre Club; Sally &Tom at the Guthrie Theater; Skeleton Crew at The Geffen Playhouse and The Old Globe; Detroit '67 at Baltimore Center Stage; A Raisin In the Sun at Theatrical Outfit; The Temple Bombing at Alliance Theatre; and Fetch Clay, Make Man at True Colors Theatre Company. Amari can also be seen in films such as Judas and the Black Messiah; Roman J. Israel, Esq.; Moths & Butterflies; and Django Unchained. He received training from The Juilliard School, Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, and Tri-Cities High School of Visual and Performing Arts. 

Marty Austin Lamar (Corn) is an actor, musician, educator, and arts advocate. Some of his theatre credits include Choir Boy at Studio Theatre and Miss Evers' Boys Off Broadway at the Red Fern Theatre Company. Other credits include The Amen Corner at Shakespeare Theatre Company; Ragtime at 5-Star Theatricals and Portland Center Stage; Ain't Misbehavin' at Ebony Repertory Theatre; Little Shop of Horrors at Constellation Theatre Company; Spunk at Signature Theatre (DC); On the Brink at The Kennedy Center; Big River at Mill Mountain Theatre; and Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope at The Essential Theatre. Television credits include Law & Order (NBC) and a feature in Blue Bunny ice-cream national commercial campaign. Marty's musical directing credits include Black Nativity, A Chorus Line, Merrily We Roll Along, The Lightning Thief, and Handel's Messiah. Marty is an Assistant Professor and Co-Coordinator of the BFA Musical Theater program at California State University, Fullerton. Ro Boddie (P-Sam) is an actor, musician and educator. His Studio Theatre credits include Pipeline, Three Sisters, No Sisters, and Dirt. His Off Broadway credits include Socrates at The Public Theater and Seize the King at The Classical Theatre of Harlem. Select DC credits include The Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare Theatre Company; Topdog/Underdog, The Mountaintop, August Wilson's Radio Golf, and The Tempest at Round House Theatre; Tempestuous Elements at Arena Stage; and The Agitators at Mosaic Theater Company. Ro has acted at regional theatres such as La Jolla Playhouse, Cleveland Play House, The Old Globe, Mark Taper Forum, Bay Street Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, and more. Select TV credits include Godfather of Harlem (Epix), Run the World (Starz) and The Good Wife (CBS). Ro is a proud alum of University of North Carolina  School of the Arts '09. On social media

Anji White (Silver)'s theatre credits include Fat Ham at Goodman Theatre (co-production with Definition Theatre), East Texas Hot Links and for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf at Court Theatre, Sunset Baby at TimeLine Theatre Company, Skeleton Crew at Northlight Theatre, and The Project(s) at American Theater Company. Anji's television credits include Fargo (FX), Chicago Med (NBC), 61st Street (AMC), The Chi (Showtime) and more. Anji will appear in Marvel's Ironheart premiering in June 2025. Anji has received a Jeff Award for Best Ensemble and a Black Theatre Alliance Award for Best Actress. She is represented by Paonessa Talent.

About the Playwright

Dominique Morisseau is the author of The Detroit Project: Three Plays, including: Skeleton Crew (Tony Award nomination for Best Play), Paradise Blue, and Detroit '67. Additional plays include Confederates, Pipeline, Sunset Baby, Blood at the Root, and Follow Me to Nellie's. She is the Tony Award-nominated bookwriter on the Broadway musical Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations and is currently working on her latest, Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical. Television/film credits include Shameless (co-producer and writer), the film adaptation of the documentary STEP (co-producer), and consultant on the Netflix animated feature, Tunga. Awards include Playwrights of New York (PoNY) Fellowship, TEER Trailblazer Award, Steinberg Playwright Award, AUDELCO Awards, NBFT August Wilson Playwriting Award, Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, two OBIE Awards, Ford Foundation Art of Change Fellowship, and a MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow. In 2022, Dominique was awarded the key to the city by the Mayor of Detroit.

About the Director