Bios
Robbie McCauley|1942-2021
1992 bio
Robbie is a veteran of New York theater, having appeared in the original Broadway cast of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf as well as a number of award-winning Off-Broadway productions. A writer and director as well as an actor, she began in the mid-1980s-to create a series of autobiographical performance works based on historical events. For one of these, Sally's Rape, she received a 1992 OBIE Award for Best New Play and a 1990 New York Dance and Performance ("Bessie") Award. Mississippi Freedom is the first of three performance theater projects based on race relations in the US in the 1960s and 1970s to be done by McCauley and produced by The Arts Company in three different parts of the country.
Robbie McCauley died of congestive heart failure on May 20, 2021. For more information about her life and work, visit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_McCauley and
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/25/obituaries/robbie-mccauley-dead.html
A book of Robbie's scripts, essays, and other writings is scheduled to be published in May 2024. For a more detailed description of the book, visit:
https://www.amazon.com/Struggle-Continues-McCauley-Scripts-Reflections/dp/1559369744
Ona Banks|1992 bio
Born in Raymond, MS, the oldest of four daughters of Rayfield and Ellen E Peace McCray, Ona has lived in Jackson and Chicago most of her lif6. She has extensive professional experience in social service, health education and human development counseling, and currently works at the Jackson Urban League. She has a daughter and two granddaughters.
Veronica Cooper|1992 bio
Veronica is an actress and comedian from Jackson. Her local stage credits include C.K. Chiplin’s “Anna's Song” and Potpourri Artistic Repertory Theater’s "Ceremonies in Dark Old Men." She had her debut as a stand-up comic at Sameerah’s Restaurant in 1986, and her one-woman comedy show, "Live in Concert," was seen at the Jackson Municipal Auditorium in 1997. In 1988, she appeared as a catfish worker in the movie, "The Miss Firecracker Contest," filmed in Yazoo City.
James Green|1992 bio
James is a native Mississippian. He attended Mississippi Va11ey State University, where he was artistic director of Echoes Contemporary Drama Troupe. He later attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where-he was part of several student and community theater groups. Since returning to Mississippi, he has performed in several plays locally -- "Ceremonies in Dark Old Men" and '"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" with Potpourri and "I'm Not Rappaport” with Brick Street Playhouse in Clinton. James' love of theater came from growing up in a large family. When not performing, he works as an investigator for a Jackson Iaw firm specializing in defense.
For more recent information, visit
https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-green-71172431/
[We are fairly sure this is the same James Green.]
Willie Horton|1992 bio
An actor from Jackson, Horton’s local stage credits include ”God’s Trombones" at Jackson State University, "Touch Me in the Morning” at Hal and Mal’s and "Twelve Angry Men" at the University Center and Jackson Mall Cinema Theater. He has portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a one-person show for the past six years and participates annually in the King celebration at Jackson’s Municipal Auditorium. He also was a regular character in the weekly series "Voice of Goodwill” on WLBT-TV, Jackson.
Deborah LDY Imboden, 1956-2016
1992 bio
Deborah is a singer, actor, poet and visual artist. As a singer, she performs with the Mississippi Camarata, the Cathedral Choir of St. Andrew and Millsaps Singers. As an actor, she has had roles with Shakespeare in the Park and Riverchase Theater, among others. She has also worked extensively on the backstage aspects of local theater and opera, is an announcer for Public Radio in Mississippi and a Millsaps College student.
For further information about Deborah Imboden, go to
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162765368/deborah-louise-imboden
Dick Johnson, 1933-2022
1992 bio
Johnson has performed with the Alkebulan Players and The Tougaloo Acting Club in "No Time for Kids” (an original Tougaloo opera); "The Genius of Langston Hughes” and “Purlie." He is associate professor of philosophy and humanities at Tougaloo College and chair of the school’s interdisciplinary humanities major. When not teaching, Dick can be found riding his motorcycle or running.
For more information about Dick Johnson, visit
https://www.clarionledger.com/obituaries/jcl139566
https://crdl.usg.edu/people/johnson_richard
Kent Lambert|1992 bio
Mississippi redneck. General contractor: “No job too big, no job too small.”
Sadat Muhammad|1992 bio
Sadat (Roderick Byrd) has been a member of Potpourri Artistic Repertory Theater since le was 13, and he is a lover of the arts. Sadat currently works at TFC Operator Services, Inc., as a customer service representative. He is a graduate of Tougaloo College and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Sameerah Muhammad|1992 bio
Muhammad is founder and director of Potpourri Artistic Repertory Theater, which has presented African-American classics as well as new and experimental works, readings, music and comedy to diverse audiences in greater Jackson. Sameerah also is responsible for establishing Potpourri Educational Theater, for young people ages 3-18, and is a former member of Jackson's Daughters of Margaret performance group. When not engaged in theatrical pursuits, she can be found directing operations at Sameerah's Pita on Wheels, One Jackson Place, and the Caribbean Deli (opening next week) at Mart 51 shopping center.
For more recent information about Sameerah, visit
https://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2015/sep/09/sameerah-muhammad/
Tom Rankin|1992 bio
Rankin is a photographer, filmmaker and folklorist who has been documenting and interpreting the folk culture of the South for more than 10 years. As a photographer, he has published his work in numerous magazines, journals and books, and he has exhibited in cities throughout the country, including Atlanta, San Francisco and New York. He is currently working on a book about sacred space and sacred life in the African-American communities of the Mississippi Delta. Formerly chairman and assistant professor of art and photography at Delta State University, Tom recently accepted positions at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture and the art department at the University of Mississippi, Oxford.
For more recent information about Tom, visit
https://scholars.duke.edu/person/tsr2
https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Tom-Rankin/D23F75C79A4CBDDF/Biography
https://southboundproject.org/photographer/tom-rankin/
Sheila Richardson|1968-2009
1992 bio
A native of Waukegan, IL, Sheila is thoroughly excited about this project. A Jackson State University graduate, she recently completed an internship with New Stage theater, where she loved traversing the beautiful state of Mississippi with “Shakescenes on Tour." This past summer, she directed “Fences” by August Wilson at Smith Robertson Museum. She wants to travel the world, and has begun work on a master’s degree in performance studies at Northwestern University in Chicago.
For more about Sheila Richardson, go to
https://www.bradshaw-range.com/obituary/924496
Kay King Valentine|1944-2019
1992 bio
Kay grew up in Jackson and co-chairs the Drama Ministries Committee of Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church, where she has directed, written and sung/acted in numerous productions. She also has acted in several New Stage shows. Currently, she is director of EcuDrama Ministries, a networking and resource agency for people involved in drama ministry.
For Kay's 2019 obituary, go to
https://www.clarionledger.com/obituaries/jcl107066