INSTRUCTOR BIOS RUNAKO JAHI - eta Creative Arts Foundation's Artistic Director is an award-winning director, playwright and actor who has appeared in numerous productions throughout the Midwest, in addition to the New Federal Theater in New York. He is the 1990 recipient of the President's Award from the Boulevard Arts Center; the African American Achievement Award from Columbia College; the Paul Robeson Award from the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, a Monarch Award recipient for The Arts during its Tribute To Black Men last November, and the recipient of the 2004 Merit Award (for years of contributions to Theater) from The Black Theater Alliance Awards. Mr. Jahi has written several popular plays for youth, including: "A Place To Be Me," "The Positive Evolution of Bongo Baker," "The Reading Machine On Sunnyside Lane," "Kasimu & the Coconut Palm," "Ama & The Magic Toy Box," "Song & Dance: A Celebration of Soul Music From The 60'S To Today" and "What Shall I Tell My Children? The Life of Dr. Margaret Burroughs." OKORO HAROLD JOHNSON is co-founder of eta Creative Arts Foundation. His film credits include "The Spook Who Sat By The Door", "A Raisin In The Sun", and "A Wedding." Mr. Johnson directed the classic, "Bird of the Iron Feather," an African American soap opera and has directed over thirty major adult productions. He wrote and directed a number of productions including "Strange Fruit: The Billie Holiday Story," and "The Regal Theatre." He also appeared in New York where he was cast as understudy for the role of Frank Cooper in the Broadway production of "Checkmates" which premiered at eta Creative Arts Foundation in its 1986-87 Season. Other works include "Second Coming-Last Chance" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." GERALDINE (GERI) WILLIAMS is a Dunham Technique Instructor presently employed with the Chicago Board of Education. During the time she received her academic education, she was also studying Dunham Technique under Master Instructor, Lucille Ellis. Ms. Williams has also studied with Tommy Gomez and Wilbert Bradley. She has attended an intense three-week Dunham seminar in St. Louis for a number of years. Ms. Williams' award-nominated choreography has been seen in the eta productions of "Why Black Men Play Basketball" and "Eyes" (musical adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God), as well in several youth-oriented productions. THEOPHILUS REED is a resourceful creative teacher with several years of experience. He is competent in vocal training and knowledgeable in piano/keyboard technique for beginning and intermediate students. He has served as a musical director for several eta mainstage and Showfolk productions. DARRYL GOODMAN has been with eta since 1971 and also works as Technical Director of Chicago State University. Mr. Goodman has worked on numerous seasons of productions for eta's Mainstage, Showfolk, tours and special events. His other credits include technical services for Oscar Brown, Jr., The Count Basie Orchestra, Monty Alexander, Piney Woods Gospel Choir, Avery Brooks (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Jim Moody (New York Undercover), Stanley Turrentine and Bernie Mac. Mr. Goodman is the Black Theater Alliance Awards 1995 and 1996 recipient of the Best Lighting Design award for eta's productions of Stoops and The Temple (also a double nominee for his Sound And Lighting design for Anchorman). Mr. Goodman was awarded a Certificate of Accomplishment in Media Arts for Best Documentary, My Community: Pullman District, March 2002, produced by African American TV & Filmmakers (whose Founder/President, Ms. Pattie Thomas, is a former alumnus and theater technician for eta Creative Arts Foundation). MARYLENE WHITEHEAD is a playwright, lyricist, and instructor and counselor in the Project Success Program at Northeastern Illinois University (where she recently celebrated 25 years as Founder/Advisor of the highly-acclaimed NEIU Black Heritage Gospel Choir. Honored twice with the prestigious Kizzy Award, she was the March 2000 Women History Month guest for the One Church/One School Telecast sponsored by Carter Temple CME as well as the recipient of the Roseland Community Hospital Association's distinguished Education 2000 Award. Ms. Whitehead's impressive array of honors span education, community, youth motivation and theater. First Place Literary Honors and featured productions include her plays, J-Day, A House Divided, The Forbidden Place, her one-woman dramatic narrative, Born Rich, as well as Why Don't You Tell Us Who We Are? (a youth drama honored by Harold Washington College, Better Boys Foundation, etc.) With Letters of Commendation from both the late Mayor Harold Washington and from Governor James Edgar, international honors that include a production at the International Women Playwright's Conference in Australia (where she was invited as an official U.S. delegate), she was featured in Chicago Today's Woman newspaper as one of 100 Women Shaping Chicago's Future, as well as an Achiever-Of-The-Week from the Chicago Defender. She wrote the highly entertaining musical, "This Far by Faith."