The Collective

DARIUS COLQUITT is an Award-Winning Entertainer, Educator, Writer & Entrepreneur originally from Chicago's Southside. He’s no stranger to the Midwest Arts Scene, having premiered in over 100 productions with numerous entities. Colquitt has had the esteemed honor of sharing spaces with some amazingly talented celebrities & personalities including the late Maya Angelou, Keith David, Taraji P. Henson, Darius de Haas and Country Icons, The Judds to name a few. Colquitt has served on the board of several Midwest Arts organizations. Colquitt has also served as the lead vocalist for the Chicago-based band, "Wilson Wilson", Educational Director of Ebony Road Players and serves as the Producing Artistic Director of BAM (Black Art Matters) Talent.

Michael has performed in various theatres in Chicago, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Muskegon.

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A Michigan native and graduate of Western Michigan’s theatre department, Micah is based out of Chicago these days, but will always consider Grand Rapids his theatrical hometown.

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Brandon M. Weber is a theatre and film artist who is dedicated to making works that break down the stereotypes within the ethnic diaspora. Being a New Orleans native inspired him to be multifaceted in the arts and helped him obtain a BFA in Musical Theatre at The University of the Arts. In the past, he’s worked with MTV VMA's, Telsey & Co, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Actor’s Company Theatre in New York City, and Vital Theatre Company Off-Broadway in various roles (Actor, Stage Manager, Dramaturg, Producer, Social Media Coordinator, Casting Director, Assistant Director, etc.). Currently, Brandon is the CEO of his own company called Under8ted Movement, which is focused on rebuilding the community through art.

Cuu JoSama is one of the next breakout artists in the music industry!

Fatima Bawah  is a graduate from Aquinas College with a degree in Theatre Performance, Psychology, and music. Fatima has A passion for working with underrepresented youth and advocating for our POC community. They have had many experiences working in a theatrical educational background, and even had the opportunity to learn and experience theater in London. Some of Fatima’s previous credits include Joanne Jefferson in Rent, Chiffon in Little Shop of Horrors, Somebody is Everybody, Kacey in One of Our Own, and Ensemble in BAM’s Music of Motown & Songs in the Key of Stevie Tribute Concerts.

Multi award-winning, Grammy-Nominated New Orleans rapper/singer Alfred Banks has garnered acclaim from some of hip-hop’s most esteemed publications.

Khalilah Miles is a spoken word artist, writer, photographer, and entertainer from Grand
Rapids, Michigan southeast side. Miles begin singing at age 10 performing in talent
shows, various theatrical plays such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and her most
recent shadow cast lead role as Deena Jones from the musical Dreamgirls.
Khalilah was a feature artist in City Hall, Art Prize 8 a worldwide Art Competition. She
submitted a photography series bringing awareness to victims of SA and trauma. Her
poetry has been featured in local magazines, she performs at various spoken word
events bringing awareness to change the narrative of promiscuous black girls who are
misguided and labeled through her storytelling.
Khalilah thrives on performance art and is thrilled to grow as a artist and be part of the
BAMily. She is currently a college student pursuing a degree in Psychology and serves
as a labor and birth doula. She sits on multiple boards advocating for education justice,
disability and victims of trauma.

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Marcus Jordan is a director/actor based in Grand Rapids, MI. Through his passion for building community and storytelling, Marcus has been fortunate to artistically collaborate on stage and behind the table. As an actor, Marcus has recently appeared in Rent (Benny), Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr.), Our Town (Howie Newsome), and Parade (Newt Lee). His directorial credits include Rent and Little Shop of Horrors (Circle Theatre Grand Rapids), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Southwestern Michigan College).

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Babatunde Akinboboye is a Nigerian American Operatic Baritone whose mellifluous voice weaves enchanting tales, leaving audiences spellbound.

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2024 ArtPrize Award Winner, Teyland discovered his creative side through the influence of his great-grandfather—a self-taught, multi-instrumentalist whose deep emotional and spiritual connection to music left a lasting impact. Inspired by this legacy, Teyland began teaching himself how to make music, sparking a relentless hunger to grow as an artist.
Fueled by that drive, he founded 616 Records to unify his community and empower fellow creatives. Today, 616 Records stands as a major force in the Grand Rapids hip-hop scene—educating artists on the business of music and building bridges from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, Chicago, and Detroit.

Teyland Avery, B.Sc.(http://B.Sc)

Lyrically describing himself as a "Busy Bunny Bussin Out the mean streets of Harlem", D. Bunny is one of the originators of hip-hop, championing the concepts of self love, self respect, self advocacy and honesty in the face of deception.

D. Bunny appears courtesy of BAM Talent. Learn more at: www.bamtalent.org.

"Short Bio: Janelle Smith is a Chicago-based costume designer, wardrobist, and stylist who has worked at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater, Marriott Theatre, Oil Lamp Theater, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Tuacahn Center for the Arts, University of Chicago, Remy Bumppo Theatre Company, and The Gateway Playhouse doing wardrobe, hair, makeup, and costume design. After finishing their BFA in Theatrical Production and Design at Western Michigan followed by an MFA in Theatrical Design from Illinois State University.

Artist Statement: As a Black, queer individual I am dedicated to building a collaborative environment that harnesses creative energy to explore various identities and cultures. Each artistic endeavor I embark on, I want it to be impactful and aiming at making a difference in society while bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront. It is my firm belief that art, in all forms, is made to tell a story and evoke emotional responses to help people understand different perspectives. A character's clothing is often the first thing an audience member encounters and so much can be understood simply by what a person is wearing. It allows the audience to make connections to those characters as they blend into world created on stage. As a designer, I believe it is my responsibility to tell stories through those connections that garner empathy, inspire and challenge audiences to confront their internal bias."

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