By Kevin R. Free

An artist struggles with his present as he dreams of his future. This dream is the first scene of Kevin R. Freeís full-length play, The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual.

Christopher Burris (Director) New York directing credits include Kevin R. Free's A RAISIN IN THE SALAD: BLACK PLAYS FOR WHITE PEOPLE, which was a FringeNYC 2010 hit. He also directed Dennis A. Allen IIIís THE MUD IS THICKER IN MISSISSIPPI, a winner in the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. He has directed several short plays for Sticky at the Bowery Poetry Club, including FALLING OUT WITH GREGARIAN TUNKS, A SHADOW WITH NO FORM, LIFEíS TERMS, ...IN WHICH BISHOP EDDIE LONG LOSES HIS BATTLE WITH THE DEMONS, and GAGA OF THE DEAD. In addition to a series of staged readings for Freedom Train Productions, (including Derek McPhatter's BRING THE BEAT BACK) he has directed numerous projects for Phare Play, Unconscious Collective, and The Fire This Time Festival (EXODUS, BY THE BANKS OF THE NILE). He holds a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MFA from UC San Diego.

Twitter: @christopherbnyc

Darius De Haas* (Darius) Broadway credits include Kiss Of The Spiderwoman, Carousel, Rent, The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm, Marie Christine, and the Actors' Fund concert stagings of Hair and Dreamgirls. Other notable theater credits are the premiere productions of Children of Eden (Papermill Playhouse), the title role in Running Man (Obie Award), The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Playwrights Horizons), Saturn Returns (Public Theater), Jesus Christ Superstar Gospel (Alliance Theater), and Twelfth Night (Westport Country Playhouse). He is featured on numerous recordings including his most recent release, "Quiet Please" with pianist Steven Blier. Recent concert performances include the Lincoln Center American Songbook, "Too Hot To Handel" at Carnegie Hall with Marin Alsop, Duke Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music at Disney Concert Hall with The Los Angeles Master Chorale, plus numerous symphonies, music festivals and clubs around the world.

www.dariusdehaas.com

Christopher Borg* (Borg) Performance artist and member of three NY theatre companies including Emerging Artists & TOSOS with whom he received 2 OOBR Awards, and nominations for a GLAAD Media Award and an HX Award for directing the celebrated Bernadette & The Butcher of Broadway at the Duplex. Borg is a 5-year ensemble member of the NY Neo-Futurists who perform "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind" every Fri & Sat night. He was a co-creator of the autobiographical (NOT) Just A Day Like Any Other (with Kevin R. Free), which received the 2009 New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Ensemble as well as the critically acclaimed experimental docutheatre piece Locker #4173b which received the 2011 IT Award for "Outstanding Performance Art Production." Off-Broadway he has originated roles in 2 critical and audience successes: Penny Pennyworth and The Play About the Naked Guy (both produced by EAT) which garnered praise in the NY Times, Variety, NY Post and NY Magazine. Regional Credits include Shakespeareís R&J (The Folger Shakespearean Theatre), Gross Indecency (Studio Theatre), Raised in Captivity (Woolly Mammoth Theatre), and 2 seasons at The Shakespeare Theatre.

*These actors are appearing courtesy of Actorsí Equity Association An Equity-Approved Showcase