the cast...

Featuring Gospel Singing Sensation, Grammy Nominated, Stella Award Recipient, Ms. Kim Burrell

An M3 student at Dellwood Middle School.  Raanan is a member of the Bermuda Island’s Association for the Deaf.  He participated in the School for the Performing Arts Drama Camp 2006 and Spring into the Arts 2007.  

As "Bell" 1

As Ethaniel

Andre’ (DORIEL) DEMPS is a celebrated vocalist, songwriter, actor and producer hailing from Minneapolis, MN now residing in Kansas City, MO.   Mr. Demps is a master musician who specializes in organ, piano, bass and voice. 

His career encompasses a wide range of experience in recording, live performance and theater.  For one season, Doriel was a principal and keyboardist in The Mixed Blood Theater production of Daughters of Africa in his home city of Minneapolis, MN.  For 4 years he was the lead vocalist and a writer/arranger for the group Nubian Men.  He has also served as musical director for Music Theater Group’s Movin’ On and History Theater’s Inner City Opera.  Doriel is a former member of the Grammy Award winning group The Sounds of Blackness in which he contributed as a vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter.  His appearances with the Sounds of Blackness included the Jenny Jones Show, A Tribute to Stevie Wonder,  The NAACP Image Awards and a principal acting spot in their production called The Night Before Christmas – A Musical Fantasy.   Doriel’s most recent work includes musical performances at the renowned Blue Room in Kansas City’s historical 18^th & Vine Jazz District and he is toured with an acclaimed production called “Unforgettable” The Nat King Cole Story.    

Doriel currently serves as the Minister of Music for a congregation of more than 2,500 members located in Kansas City, MO. 

As Anjelis

Timothy Foster grew up in a farm town in South Dakota with a population of only 500 people.  

Having begun his professional performance career 17 years ago as a magician at Walt Disney World, his experience in the entertainment industry now includes playing the lead in Beetlejuice at Universal Studios, touring the U.S. as a Michael Jackson impersonator, performing on stilts 30 feet above ground in Las Vegas, and appearing in productions on Norwegian Cruise Lines in the Bahamas. A consummate performance artist, Timothy has entertained audiences in every imaginable setting.

His new one man performance “Evolution …the light within” transforms the audience by showing how we are all connected thought through true life experiences, touching on subject matters that evoke emotions though his master storytelling.

Recent credits of Assistant Producer and Performing Artist include; Lionel Richie, Chicago, Cirque de Soleil, Art Basel, IBM featuring Michael Flatley and Ben Vereen, N.A.A.C.P with Shaquille O’Neal, along with other events that featured Tony Bennett and Kool and the Gang. www.4Evolution.com

As Herod

Born and raised on the island of Bermuda, Daren Herbert is a performer on stage and screen. He has trained and worked on stages from Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles and Orange County to Minneapolis, South Korea, Bermuda, Vancouver and Osaka,Japan. He has worked on screen opposite the likes of Kimberly Elise, Beyonce Knowles and Eddie Murphy, to name a few. Some of his credits include, Dreamgirls, Close to Home(CBS), Kyle XY(ABC Family), Smallville(CW), Cole(2008) and Roland Emmerich's 2012/Farewell Atlantis(2009). Daren has also earned an LA Drama Critics Circle Award and an NAACP Theatre Award Nomination for his appearance in the Los Angeles Premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's The Wild Party. He has spent time as a teacher, healthcare technician and a reservist in the Bermuda Regiment and earned his BFA in Theatre and MFA in Drama from The University of the Arts, Philadelphia and the University of California, Irvine respectively.
Daren would like to thank everyone involved with this production as well as the Bermuda Arts Council, The Department of Education, The Bermuda Dance Company/UDP, JaKoMa Entertainment and all those who's love, support, encouragement and prayers continue to inspire him.

As Ms. Johnson

Kimberly graduated "Thank Ya' Laud" from The Eastman School and The Juilliard School where she received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees respectively.  As a professional she has performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway and National Tours of:  Smokey Joe's Café,Andrew Lloyd Webber's Music of the Night, King David, Running Man, The In-Gathering, Dreamgirls, Ragtime, and Marie Christine, as well as Encores! Productions of One Touch of Venus and The Broadway Bash, celebrating City Center's 60th Anniversary. Her film/television credits include Law and Order, Preaching to the Choir, The Life, Broadway Damage and Private Parts. She can be heard on the original cast albums of King David , and Marie Christine as well as Redeemer Hymns, Hope for New York, New York Hymns and the recently released CD Great Joy with  Broadway Inspirational Voices.

Director, songwriter, soloist, musician, and preacher. Encouraging words from the Bishop to anyone desiring to get into the music ministry is to be humble and God will exalt you in His time.

Bishop says if you don't spend time with God on your own personal time, don't expect to move God's people when you do what you do.

As "Bell" 3

No stranger to the stage, Tauria performs at many local events. Most notably, opening for Patti LaBelle, India.Arie, Anthony Hamilton, Genuine and Chuck Jackson. 

On her everlasting journey to fame, she entered the Bermuda Idol competition twice was a finalist both times. Supporting local talent and education, Tauria provided background vocals for the Success Series Competition.

In addition to her singing repertoire, she has been in productions such as, The Story, Pandora’s Drawers, Karaoke Killers, Tony and Tina’s Wedding, and Dreamgirls. Attempting to gain triple threat status, Tauria is a current member of Sabor Dance School and is working on mastering the art of Latin dance. 

As Mother Earth

Tracey, at age 15 dedicated her talents of song, speech and drama to God. She’s shared her spiritual gifts at numerous gospel events, participated for concert openings for Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin, and sang with Josh Groban, and recently in December 2007 with Donald Lawrence.  May 2004, she performed in a Pilot Series Solo Showcase “Presenting Tracey” at the Ruth Seaton James Performing Arts Centre.  Tracey’s ultimate goal is to be saved in God’s kingdom, and for those who do not know Jesus Christ to accept Him to be their personal Savior and friend through her ministry.

Toni Marie Robinson is an anointed vocalist who has been singing since the age of 13. She has been called ‘Bermuda’s First Lady of Gospel’ and is called on frequently to share her gift at many functions on her Island home of Bermuda. She will be releasing her first solo project, as yet untitled, in the summer of 2009. The CD will feature the hymns that are frequently requested by her audiences, keeping the classical element she loves and also incorporating a jazz feel to the Negro Spirituals to be included.

She had the privilege of the being one of the features soloists in the first concert directed by Dr. Gary Burgess, then Conductor of the Bermuda Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and was presented with the Queen’s Certificate and Badge of Honour for her contribution to Gospel Music in Bermuda, she was one of the cast members in the production, ‘Mama I want to sing’, as ‘Miss Sarah Vaughan”.

This March of this year, she opened for Yolanda Adams at a Gospel Brunch at the Fairmont Southampton Princess and went on tour with the Mount Zion A.M.E. Male Voice Choir to New Jersey and New York, ministering at the East Orange City Hall, Heard A.M.E., and St. Mark A.M.E. Churches.

Toni participated at Bermuda’s First National Heroes Day honouring the Late Dame Lois Browne-Evans and is grateful for the gift that has opened so many doors for her, having sung for the Governor, Premier, Members of Parliament, and Clergy in Bermuda.  She is blessed to serve her Church Family at Evening Light Pentecostal Church, led by Pastor Harold Lambe and Rev. Marilyn Lambe.

“The Saints have been so encouraging to me, showing such love and keeping me in their prayers. God has a work for me to do and as long as I stay faithful to my purpose, He will see me through. To God be the Glory!

As Mother Melody

Featuring the vocals of Cherisse Scott from the National Tour of MAHALIA.

As "Bell" 4

Cindy grew up around both gospel & secular music. She fondly remembers listening to the parties thrown by her parents & hearing Gladys Night & the Pipps, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder etc. She attended St. Phillips A.M.E. Church where she sang in the Sunbeam choir, the youth choir, and the women’s day choirs. While in high school Cindy also sang in the Berkeley Institute Gospel Choir. In 1998 Cindy became a member of the New Testament Church of God Healing Centre, and became a member of the Praise Team. To date, she sings with the New Testament Church of God Island Praise Team, New Season, Dainavon Tuzo & the Purpose Project and L.A. Crew. In October 2007, Cindy played the role of a lifetime as Effie White in the Gilbert & Sullivan stage play Dreamgirls.

The Three Wiseman

Dr. Durham-Thompson has written and directed many plays in Bermuda.  She is the author of Battle for Freedom, a collection of drama and poetry and The Dawn of a New Day, a poem requested by Bermuda’s premier.  Other artistic work is featured in many publications, including Bermuda’s first anthology of poetry. An educator of over 32 years, she taught in the public school system and at the Bermuda College.  Shangri-La spent eight years at the Department of Education as the island’s arts officer and initiated “Spring into the Arts”, an annual five day arts festival which highlights the arts in Bermuda’s schools. She is currently the principal of Prospect Primary.

One of the finest and most expressive guitarists on the UK scene today Edison started his varied career by performing in small gospel groups and choirs. Out of the blue "George Benson in Flight", the album, so impressed young Eddie he was inspired to focus his talents on the guitar, this enriched and expanded his ever growing talents to include R&B, Pop and Jazz. He then moved on to the Yorkshire College of Music where he studied classical piano, Eddie so impressed them, that he was awarded a scholarship to complete his Graduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Here he played with The Guildhall Big Band, performing live with Randy Brecker at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. Eddie moved on to write the arrangements for West End musical Unforgettable, also playing Motown Music in the "The Grapevine". He varied his experiences by also composing music for the BBC Radio 4 drama Spell Number Seven. Moving into the field of TV played on top shows such as Top of The Pops, Carlton TV, Snakehips Johnson and Black Britain. Eddie is an international musician who has toured England, Ireland, Spain, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and the USA. "More Beautiful Each Day" Eddie’s album his most recent venture is soulful, filled with emotion and laidback grooves.