Gavin Lawrence & Melisa Pereyra — Flipping the Script: The Role We Play
In conversations about race, people of color in communities all over the country are being asked to identify, dissect, and propose solutions to the questions white communities are unable to answer. In the River Valley, Melisa Pereyra and Gavin Lawrence, Core company actors at American Players Theatre, are often called upon to do just that. At first glance, this event represents an example of that sentiment.
However, this evening we are going to flip the script. Melisa and Gavin will share their autobiographical stories and then lead a conversation where the attendees will be answering questions about the roles they may play in either perpetuating systemic racism in our community or dismantling it.
Melisa is a Core Company actor at American Players Theatre. Regionally, she has worked on productions with the Dallas Theater Center, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Sacramento Theatre Company and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. She is the voice and likeness of Artificial Intelligence, Gabriela Castaneda, in the real-world Halo experience, Halo:Outpost Discovery. Her play Lines was commissioned by Theatre LILA, where she made her directing debut. Melisa’s writing has also been featured on Huffpost and Howlround Theatre Commons. She holds a B.F.A from Utah State University, an M.F.A from Illinois State University, and trained in the UK at Shakespeare’s Globe and with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
As an actor, Gavin’s work includes roles at Steppenwolf Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, the Goodman, Arena Stage, Baltimore Centerstage, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Mixed Blood theatre, the Guthrie, Children’s Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Kansas City Rep. Film and TV work include, Joe Somebody, Justice, and Chicago PD. As a writer, his plays have been produced in Minneapolis, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Houston, San Marcos, and Chicago. His musicals for Young Audiences have been produced at high schools and universities around the country as well as in Toronto and China. As a director and composer his work has been seen and heard at the Kennedy Center, Mixed Blood Theatre, and Penumbra Theatre. Gavin is an AUDELCO award winner in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in the off-Broadway production of Carlyle Brown’s PURE CONFIDENCE. He is a recipient of the TCG/Fox Fellowship which enabled him to develop his play, Dear Son, while in residence at Baltimore Center Stage. Gavin is a member of the core acting company at American Players Theatre.