Dot’s Home Live!: Nashville

Select Company Bios

Sherrine Azab (she/her) - Co-Director/AHOP Co-Founder

Sherrine Azab is the Co-Director of Detroit-based theater ensemble A Host of People. She is a director, producer, and educator that has worked nationally and internationally in cities such as Detroit, Seattle, New York, Berlin, and more. Sherrine holds a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and a postgraduate certificate from the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance at Wesleyan University. She was a member of the 2008 Lincoln Center Director’s Lab,  a 2017-18 UMS Artist in Residence, and a 2018 Kresge Arts in Detroit Fellow. In addition to numerous directing credits with A Host of People and other theaters, she has also worked with the Arab American National Museum, The Foundry Theatre (NYC), the Network of Ensemble Theaters, Wayne State University, Ping Chong + Co (NYC), as well as Target Margin Theater (NYC)  of which she is a proud Associate Artist. Woven into her artistic/theater life is ongoing training in subjects intersecting and supporting art for social change, such as Emergent Strategy Immersion Training and Restorative Practice.

Toni Cunningham (she/her) - Co-Director

Toni is an independent filmmaker, a 2018 Kresge Arts in Detroit fellow, and the founder of Splash of Tonic Media LLC. Her first film Good Grief premiered in the Detroit Voices competition of Cinetopia Film Festival in 2019. Since then Toni has written, produced and directed films in multiple formats and is currently developing a pilot and feature film. She recently produced the short film T-Minus which held its premiere at the Oscar Qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival. She is also a Redford Center Environmental Documentary Grantee for her work on the feature length documentary Sacrifice Zones: the 48217 as well as a Black Public Media grantee for her work as writer/co-director/producer of the short narrative film Well. Follow her on twitter @turtle7313 or visit her website www.splashoftoni.com.

Madison Jones- Technical Director

Madison (she/her)  is a scenic designer and artist who has a passion for community-based theatre. Although involved in the scenic arts, she mostly enjoys experiencing what makes theatre the best career: people. She is currently pursuing her MFA in scenic design at Wayne State University and relies on her project-based experience in both theatre and film.

Vanessa Mukes - Stage & Ensemble Manager (she/her) 

Born from parents who excelled in Wayne State University’s Theater program, Vanessa was enthralled with the finesse of stage production from a young age. She started working in stage production at her local church theater, gaining hands-on experience during a production of A Christmas Carol designing and building sets. She also headed the design and building of unique sets for sermon series at her church’s behest. Recently, she has started the exciting journey of becoming the new Stage and Ensemble Manager at A Host of People, touring with them for their production of Cleopatra Boy. Vanessa really enjoys being part of a team and a creative process that entertains people and is passionate about supporting work onstage from behind the scenes.

Chantel Gaidica (she/her) - Co-Set/Lighting Designer

Chantel is proud to be a part of AHOP's Core Ensemble, she serves as both the company's producer and lighting designer. She is a graduate of New York University, Tisch School of the Arts and feels incredibly lucky to be working in with incredible artists in Detroit, New York, and elsewhere whenever possible. Selected lighting credits include Cleopatra Boy (AHOP), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Detroit Public Theater), The Moors (Aquinas College), Fred (On The Rocks/Dixon Place), Neither There, Nor Here (AHOP), and Re-Release Party: The Golden Record (AHOP). She is honored to work alongside the artists of AHOP. Her work is dedicated to her amazing partner Charlie, and their incredibly funny and boisterous kiddos Lucelenia & Claudia.www.chantelgaidica.com

Dorothy Melander-Dayton (she/her) -  Co-Set/Costume Designer  

Dorothy Melander-Dayton is a theater maker and artist. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Visual Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 and her Master’s in Performance Design and Practice from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London in 2014. Dorothy has been working as a designer and core ensemble member with A Host of People since 2015. In addition to working with AHOP, Dorothy is a freelance film and theater designer and artist, maintaining a practice that encompasses live and mediated performance, video, and installation. She has worked internationally in Greece, the UK, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Italy, and Mexico. Website: surrenderdorothy.org Instagram: dorothy505

Jake Hooker (he/they) - Projection Designer/AHOP Co-Director and Co-Founder

Jake Hooker is a writer, director, projection designer, scholar, and educator. With A Host of People, his work ranges from generating text, including many poems, designing and creating video, projections and technology, dramaturgy, co-directing, and even occasionally performing. With the company, his work has been seen at ArtlabJ, Detroit Contemporary, Play House, the Jam Handy, Light Box, Sidewalk Detroit, N'Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, and Andy, as well as elsewhere in the US and abroad. He is a 2018 Kresge Artist Fellow and an Associate Artist with Target Margin Theatre in NYC. Prior to co-founding A Host of People, his work had been seen in Seattle, New York, Berlin, and the UK at venues such as HERE, Dixon Place, The Chocolate Factory, La Mama, The Bushwick Starr, The Ohio Theater, Ida Nowhere and many others. He was the Company Manager and Assistant Director for Big Dance Theatre (NYC), as the recipient of a 2005-2007 TCG New Generations Grant. He holds a BFA in Original Works from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, an MA in Performance Studies from the University of Wales, and a PhD from the City University of New York Graduate Center. He teaches in the Theatre & Drama department at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Chris Jakob (they/them) - 4D

Chris Jakob is a queer, nonbinary, interdisciplinary performance artist born, raised and based in Detroit, MI. Holding a BA in Theatre from University of Detroit Mercy, they are an actor, singer, dancer, poet, playwright and teaching artist focused on the creation of fresh, thought-provoking, experimental work. They have performed at Detroit Repertory Theatre, Ringwald Theatre, Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Planet Ant, Shakespeare in Detroit, and Matrix Theatre. Chris is a 2020 Kresge Artist Fellow and recent work includes the world premiere of Cleopatra Boy with AHOP in Detroit; previews of LOGOS, their new solo-performance-choreopoem, at Sidewalk Festival 2019; and the tour of their play, I, Too, Sing America, produced by the Detroit Opera Theatre. IG: @chris.o.jakob //www.chrisjakob.com

Jala Jackson - Dot

Jala Jackson is a Detroit native and  has been here her whole life. After graduating with her degree in theater from Michigan State University, she went on to work as the theater director for the Detroit Youth Choir Performing Arts Company. She has always had a passion for the arts and the stage and she’s had her hands full with a few projects since. Jala has been seen in “The Gun Show” a one-woman show that toured across Michigan in early 2020 that explored the topic of gun violence in a non-partisan way. Early this year, she wrote and directed her first stage play, “E-Race-Sure” a youth play that explored the topics of Black history in the past, present, and future and how our youth are todays future. Jala also just recently co-directed the Detroit Youth Choir’s production of “Once On This Island” and attended the Tribeca Film Festival for Detroit Youth Choir’s upcoming Disney+ docu-series “CHOIR”. This is Jala’s second production with A Host of People, as she also played Dot in the staged reading back in March. 

Website: jalajackson.com, Instagram: @jelly_jala

Tish Delano - Alma

Tish DeLano is an actor of both stage and film, an edu-tainer, and a videographer. She has been performing for over 25 years and has done everything from improv to shadowcasting to burlesque. Her recent acting credits include films such as Feaster Sunday (Rock Bottom Video) and Sugar Plum (Troma) and stage productions such as Armchair Dating (Planet Ant) and Taking Out The F-Ing Trash (Planet Ant). She can be seen regularly performing in schools, at birthday parties, and at family-friendly festivals throughout the Metro Detroit area as Tyrannosaurus Tish for Mad Science of Detroit. www.tishdelano.com

Jackson Maede (he/him) - Mr. Murphy
Jackson is a graduate of Wayne State with a BA in Theatre, as well as Film. He has performed in many shows with the program's Underground Theatre, including Spring Awakening, 12 Angry Jurors, and This is Our Youth (which he co-directed alongside Tyler Black.) This is Jackson's first production working with A Host of People, and he is excited to work with a dedicated and talented cast to bring such an important story about Detroit to the stage.

Danté Jones (he/they) - Karl & Amos
Danté is a multifaceted artist who’s native to Detroit. He  is newly Associate Producer, Ensemble Member, and Social Media Manager for A Host of People; but most importantly, he’s immensely grateful to get another opportunity to help tell this prevalent story and collaborate with some amazingly talented artists! Danté earned his BFA in Theatre from Wayne State University where he also earned his Certificate in Advanced Theatre Training from The Moscow Art Theatre School in Moscow, Russia. You may see more of Danté’s work in MERLOT, a short film by FilmToy Studios and in his return to the Obsidian Theatre Festival this year. After approximately twenty years of working in theatre and performing arts in Metro Detroit, Danté is proud to help spread the act of Sankofa: looking back to better understand how to navigate forward. Thank you to PowerSwitch Action, Detroit Action and AHOP for this opportunity to be a part of something revolutionary!

Maegan Murphy (she/her) - Evelyn Hawkins & Georgia Hawkins
Maegan Murphy is excited to be working on Dot’s Home Live! Within the last few years she has performed in productions of Romeo & Juliet, Twelfth Night, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure For Measure, The 39 Steps, The Hairy Ape, Blithe Spirit, Fahrenheit 451 and The Odd Couple through Shakespeare in the Arb, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre and the Brass Tacks Ensemble in Ann Arbor. Maegan has also performed in several original productions from Neighborhood Theatre Group in Ypsilanti. In her spare time she loves to travel and see as many plays and musicals as she can. She would like to thank her family, friends and fellow theatre artists for their love and support.

nick Easterling (he/him) - Hank
nick Easterling is an actor, writer and weirdo based out of Detroit. Having grown up around the country, he has an appreciation for people from all walks of life and the nuances every individual's experienced bring to their person. With immense love for the city he studied acting in, nick is so excited to bring this show about Detroit to the stage in Chicago. nick thanks his family, his friends and his gorgeous partner for their continued support. He hopes everyone leaves this show thinking about what it means to truly be a member of your community and how to create a better one.