DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS: A REQUIEM FOR BLACK AND BROWN MEN Cast

JASON HALL, often referred to as PHENIX, his stage name, is a theater alumni from Southern Connecticut State University. Past credits include: Collective Consciousness Theater's Jesus Hopped the A Train; Skeleton Crew; Stop Kiss; and Polaroid Stories. Jason is the co-writer of Rebirth’s Arts Collective play, Letters from the Sky. He is also the founder of Bridgeport’s first improv troupe Never Say No.

SHARMONT (INFLUENCE) LITTLE is a Poet, Writer, Actor, and Workshop Coordinator from New Haven, CT. Truly passionate about acting and spoken word, Influence has performed at venues such as NYC’s Nuyorican Poetry Café and the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA. including Yale, Virginia State University, Boston University, and numerous public schools. Influence grew his legacy, winning poetry slams nationwide. He is a five-time member of the CT Slam Team Verbal Slap, a coach of the 2017 team, and Grand Slam Champion. Influence is also the founder of Influence a Life, LLC—a business that focuses on teaching coping skills, social skills, and conflict resolution via the art of spoken word.

STEPHEN KING is a 29-year-old professional music composer, producer and actor from New Haven, CT. He has performed his musical talents, whether it be sax or piano, across stages such as cafe 9, the Shubert Theatre, the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, Brooklyn Bowl, the Rockwood Music Hall, and many more in-between. As an actor, Stephen has performed with Collective Consciousness Theatre, The Whitney Players, the Round Table Players and individual works by Playwrights. Motivated by his drive to become great in the arts, his love for theater and music keeps him humble. Always a student, Stephen is always learning and staying true to the arts and the power it has on the people who receive it.

RODNEY T. MOORE is a seasoned actor and independent filmmaker originally from New Haven, CT. Mr. Moore has performed theatrically on stages in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and in Connecticut at venues such as: Long Wharf Theater, Cabaret Theater, Palace Theater Stamford, the Seven Angels Theater, Fairfield Theater Club, and The Klein Memorial Theater. Besides being a talented actor, Rodney is also a dedicated husband, father and grandfather. His other passion is working with non-custodial fathers and men returning home from incarceration as the Fatherhood Coordinator for New Haven Healthy Start at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

Steve Driffin is an award-winning screenwriter and playwright who produced many independent stage-plays at sold-out venues in Connecticut, including Long Wharf Theater in 2022. He has also written several screenplays that received accolades in different competitions and his screenplay animation, “Butterflies”, won the 2021 Big Apple Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition. Steve launched into playwriting by speaking to the ills in his community by using guerrilla theater and performing on some of the most notorious streets in New Haven. His most recent stage-play “Death by a Thousand Cuts: A Requiem for Black and Brown Men” was performed in five venues in 2022 in which three were sold-out performances including his off-Broadway debut at the Marjorie S. Deane Lityle Theater Theater in New York City. “The Requiem” has caught the attention of a few venues across the country and has incredible promise for 2023.

Mercedes Sherman is an expert at communication and excels at engaging others. For more than twenty years, she has perfected her communication skills within the non-profit sector as a Director of Human Resources and Operations Management. As a senior leader, she has provided oversight to residential and community-based programs and facilitated trainings on Urban Trauma, Vicarious Trauma, Cultural Humility, and Ethics & Boundaries. Ms. Sherman is a member of the Mad Content Production Team and operates as Script Supervisor and Panel Facilitator. In addition to her passion for the performing arts, she also has a love for education and currently has Master’s degrees in Social Work, Business Administration and Management from Fordham University and Albertus Magnus and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Black Studies from Wellesley College.

Tony Watts is a Speaker, Youth Minister, Poet, Actor and a Master Certified Life and Relationship Coach. He has performed at the National Black Theater in the poetic plays "From Page to Stage" and "Misconceptions," featured poet at The Bronx Museum, and at several open mics events in Tri-State area as well as curated and hosted his well-known Sneakers and Ale open mic series. In recent years, Tony had the opportunity to return to the stage to embody Detective Kane's complex character in the hit Stage Play "Losing My Religion," and appeared in the series "For My Man" and "Fatal Attraction" as a journalist. Tony is also a Co-chair of Legacy Men's Empowerment Group, creator of the Triumphant TV series where he hosts discussions on current social issues. Tony was the Co-host of the Real Shop Talk Series and Monday Wakeup! Each series are on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Tony is a firm believer in the village and believes it is his life’s calling to bring unity back to our communities. He is a father of four outstanding young men who he raises to impart the importance of knowing God.