
Members of the Opera House Stage Company
Diversity and Inclusion at the Monticello Opera House
Artistic creativity flourishes in an environment that welcomes different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds. At Monticello Opera House, the performing arts thrive in a creative community that is diverse in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, ethnicity, and perspective. We value the uniqueness of every individual and benefit from their contributions.
The leadership and management of Monticello Opera House are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive atmosphere for our actors and audiences in each of the following ways:
- Play Production
WE ARE COMMITTED to producing plays and musicals written by African-Americans and other persons of color. In recent years, the Opera House has held productions of Raisin in the Sun, Anne and Emmet, as well as the world premiere of The Long Goodbye by Anthony Lamar White, as well as several plays produced by the Tallahassee Hispanic Theater. Upcoming productions will include the musicals Underground and The Color Purple.
- Diverse Casting and Production Staff
WE ARE COMMITTED to featuring artists of color on our stage and in all of our productions. Our 2019-20 season featured persons of color in each of our main stage productions (with one exception) including our plays, dinner theater, children’s theater, and musicals.
- Leadership
WE ARE COMMITTED to representation on our Board of Directors that reflects the diversity of our community. For over 10 years, at least 20% of the Board of Directors at the Opera House has included persons of color.
- Funding
WE ARE COMMITTED to pursuing funding for diversity programming and educational initiatives at the Monticello Opera House. Through the generosity of donors, the Monticello Opera House has recently launched a Diversity Fund specifically allocated for producing work by persons of color. As part of this initiative, we are currently planning upcoming productions of the musicals Underground (about the Underground Railroad) and The Color Purple.
- Education
WE ARE COMMITTED to continuing our rich tradition of educational programming which has been a part of the Opera House history for over 30 years. Such initiatives allow us to share the arts with the students of Jefferson and Leon County. Through Partnerships with Opening Nights at FSU, the Opera House hosted multiple performances by the Egyptian musician and dancer Karim Nagi, and Nan Liu, who performed traditional Chinese art, music and calligraphy.

The cast of A Chorus Line
Monticello Opera House
A Selection of Recent Diversity Programming and Initiatives
As of August 4, 2020
2019 Err'thing Glitters Ain't Gold
In partnership with Mothers of Hope
A fundraiser for families of incarcerated people
Beehive: The 60’s Musical and Clue: The Musical
In partnership with Monticello Acting & Dance Co.
featured African-American performers in lead roles
Makana, slack key guitarist, singer, composer, and Hawaiian Island cultural activist
In partnership with Opening Nights Performing Arts
2018 Happily Ever After
By Christina Colmena
In partnership with Tallahassee Hispanic Theater
The Long Goodbye
By Anthony Lamarr White
In partnership with FAMU Essential Theater
A world premiere by an African-American playwright
2017 An Evening with Karim Nagi
Egyptian/Arab Music, Dance and Culture
funded by SouthArts and the FL Dept of Cultural Affairs
Echoes of Nature featuring Nan Liu
Traditional Chinese Art, Music and Calligraphy
In partnership with Opening Nights Performing Arts
Anna in the Tropics
by Nilo Cruz
In partnership with Tallahassee Hispanic Theater
Forever Yours, Julita
By Roberto Ramos-Perea
In partnership with Tallahassee Hispanic Theater
2014 Anne and Emmett
By Janet Langhart Cohen
In partnership with Canopy Roads Theater Company
2013 A Raisin in the Sun
By Lorraine Hansberry
In partnership with Canopy Roads Theater Company
Season 2019-2020
MOH cast persons of color in all Main Series shows for the season with one exception. All Murder Mystery Dinner Theater shows featured performers of color in the cast. All Children’s Shows featured persons of color in the cast. Our primary tech person for the season was a person of color
Season 2020-2021
Two diversity-themed programs were planned, Underground the Musical (by emerging local African-American writer and filmmaker, Akil Dupont) and The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Due to Covid-19 and artist availability, Underground is on hold and The Color Purple has been moved to 2022.
MOH Leadership
The Monticello Opera House has been honored to have African-Americans serving on the Board of Directors for over 10 years.

A rehearsal for The Long Goodbye

The Cast of Clue: The Musical

"Beehive: The 60's Musical" presented in partnership with Monticello Acting & Dance Co.

Karim Nagi

Members of the cast of Anna in the Tropics presented by the Tallahassee Hispanic Theater Company