What's Next:
Jack Cole Masterclass
Dougie will be teaching a Jack Cole technique and repertoire masterclass with for the Broadway Dance Semester Pro-Semester students on 10/28/24. \
Dougie studied Jack Cole intensively with Chet Walker, helping him preserve and revive the techniques and repertoire of Jack Cole. Prior to Chet's death in 2021 Dougie had been assisting him on developing choreography for "The Last Scrapbook", the biographical musical about Jack Cole's life. Dougie had also taught rep from Kismet for Chet Walker at the School at Steps on Broadway.
With Chet's support, Dougie took Jack Cole technique to Taiwan where he taught masterclasses for AMcreative. He has also taught Jack Cole technique at Nazareth University and Syracuse University as a guest lecturer as well as at SUNY Cortland as part of their BFA Faculty.
Dougie covers fundamentals of Jack Cole in his masterclasses, including the history of his career, bharatanatyam and afro cuban influences as well as exercises from Jack Cole's warm up and fundamental pieces of Jack Cole vocabulary across the floor. A short piece of rep is taught with each master class as well.
THe Maker
A new play by Dakota Silvey debuting off Broadway in January of 2025 at AMT Theater on 45th Street in New York City. Three characters, RED, BLUE, and YELLOW, are part of a medical social experiment. They live in complete isolation deep in the woods where they live in reverence of the maker. A machine that prints labels. With each new label printed, the character assumes that label as an integral aspect oftheir identity, until one of them begins to question if they should accept this power of their identities so easily. This play, read as part of the 2024 Wiliam Inge Festival, raises many questions surrouding labels and identity. What is in a lable, really? Who prescribes these labels? Where does their meaning come from? Is it possible for us to define ourselves, or are we only defined by the perceptions of others?
#hellisotherpeople
Performed Off-Broadway at the Hudson Guild in June 2024, this play by queer playwright Leah M. Bickley offers a wry, earnest and at times searing commentary on the influence of social media, cancel culture, and our complicity in these cultural systems. This absurdist piece, while not a direct adaptation, tips the hat to Sarte's "No Exit". Three influencers find themselves in a bare cell, an intelligent room that terrorizes them with the truth of their own actions. They realize they are cancelled and must come to terms with their actions. The piece uses actual instances of harm by influencers as the basis for this fictional tale.
BDC Classes
Teaching recurring Intermediate-Advanced jazz classes weekly on Wednesdays at 12pm from 5/1/24-1/29/24. Working with professionals and aspiring professinals from across the globe on improving their jazz technique and performance. Class consists of a 30 minute warm up, 30 minutes of across the floor technical work, and 30 minutes of a combination designed to challenge students abilities with intricate footwork, musicality and rhythm. Dance combinations are extensions of the class theme introduced in across the floor work. Students who are looking to be challenged in their dance skills are encouraged to attend.
Flight Risk
After winning the short play festival this summer, Dougie and Dakota Silvey present the world premiere of his full length play FLIGHT RISK. The play will be presented at the same theater the festival was produced in, the Gene Frankel Theatre. Nestled in the corner of the Village where Soho, the East Village and the Lower East Side meet, this historic off-off broadway house provides an intimate home for this story. https://www.genefrankeltheatre.com/
Andi, an Alaskan midwife, Clark, a mysterious traveller eager to get away, and Cooper a reckless rescue pilot embark on a flight into the rugged and isolated Alaskan wilderness. Alone in the forest suspended by the unsettling Alaskan twilight, where it is never fully night or day, difficult truths emerge from unexpected pasts. As they characters find themselves in a sudden race for survival, Sylvie leaves us surprised and unsettled as we question who, if any of us, is truly "good", or whether that is only a self-created perception we use to comfort ourself.
The Play Premieres March 6th-10th in New York City.
The Owl Maker
Nicholas Bomparte's short version of his full-length play "The Owl Maker" was presented as part of the Seat Of Our Pants theater company's (SOOP) short play festival. This short play, about the recognition of an absent father and the personal identity of a yound indigenous man who is unaware of his heritage, features a fully indigenous cast of Joe Cross and William Oxendine. Dougie's goal with this project was to encourage the cast to bring their native cultures and identities to the project in order to amplify their ability to represent themselves and their heritages onstage. He guided Joe and William through a short devising process which encouraged them to bring aspects of their native cultures and identities into the rehearsal room, which resulted in a native chant being incorporated into the text, resulting in a deeper and more meaningful connection to the text, and portrayal of the story.
BDC Classes
Dougie keeps the Jazz traditions of his mentor Chet Walker alive in open dance classes in NYC's Broadway Dance Center. His fall classes will feature new choreography set to music recorded by artists he has worked with- using his platform to support emerging artists.
Flight Risk: Dakota Silvey
Dougie is thrilled to be collaborating with Playwright Dakota Sylvie on the development of his new play FLIGHT RISK in the 15 minutes of Frame playwright competition at the Gene Frankel Theater in New York City. https://www.dakotasilvey.com/ Performing 8/17-8/19: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/15-minutes-of-frame-tickets-681206616327?aff=oddtdtcreator
Love Letters by A.R. Gurney
Dougie is thrilled to bring this charmingly sweet, yet heartrendingly honest story about love amidst the societal expectation of a Wasp uprbringing to life through his creative staging and interpretation. This intimate play is being produced in NYC by Theatre X Nihilo and will take this play that is traditionally performed with the actor's seated, and bring it to its' feet.
Disney's The LIttle Mermaid
Returning to a nationally registered historic landmark, Tibbits Opera House, Dougie creates a submarine world for audiences, filled with movement, dance, and the heartwarming trademark of Disney productions, with just a "splash" of magic thrown in!
Mary Poppins summer 2022
This classic family favorite, reimagined! Dougie is excited to bring his creativity to this story and use choreography to create magic at CRT's intimate space!
Goin to the ChAPEL
In an exciting, out-door production overlooking Little York Lake, Dougie directs and choreographs this comedic mishap of six teenagers and their early foray's into romance. Featuring iconic music of the era and a devilishly enchanted Love Potion No. 9, this show runs July-August 2021.
DPRdance in Minneapolis
An outdoor, adapted, presentation of Dougie's jazz dance company's signature piece, "Scat Cas", performed outdoors! Featuring music by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis armsrtong, DPRdance explores the world of jazz improvisation to create physical dialogue and story.
Dougie Directs at Tibbits opera House
Marking his sixth year at Tibbits Opera House, Dougie directs and choreographs one of his favorite shows on the Tibbits Stage- Joseph! Dougie is thrilled to bring this timeless, entertaining, high-energy and quirky show to life onstage. Having done this show multiple times as a performer, Dougie is looking forward to sharing his love for this story with his cast and audience alike.
Located in Southern Michigan, the historic Tibbits Opera House is a Landmark, and a hidden gem of the performing arts. For more information: http://tibbits.org
They're Playing Our Song Benefit Concert in NYC
Dougie is THRILLED, and humbled, to be assistant directing under director and choreographer Chet Walker, during the course of The Actor's Fund benefit Concert of THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG starring the original cast members Lucy Arnez, Robert Klein, Hal Shane, and Debbie Gravitte. Book by Neil Simon, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, and Lyrics by Carole Bayer Seger. The concert will be Monday, February 11th, 2019 at 7:30pm at the Music Box Theater.
Returning to Taiwan!
Dougie is thrilled to be returning to Taipei, Taiwan in January of 2019. He had an unbelievable experience teaching choreographing for the talented people of Taipei. This winter, he returns to direct the Winter Musical Theater Camp, where he will be helping young students experience the magic of Theater. He is also elated to continue challenging his pallet with the wide array of traditional Taiwanese Cuisine!
Dance Film Featuring: Emma Driver Thomas
Dougie is developing work on one of his favorite collaborators: Emma Driver Thomas. Dougie and Emma have worked together on two separate occasions: Addams Family, and Footloose. Emma served as dance captain for Footloose, and Dougie attributes much of the productions success to her leadership among the cast. This work marks Emma's debut with DPR Dance. Dougie's newest work with Emma will mark his premiere work in the medium of film.
The piece, still untitled, studies the inner turmoil of a girl whose attraction for an ex-lover is reawakened by a chance encounter on the street.
Photo: Footloose Tibbits Opera House 2017
pODCAST: dANCE lIKE eVERYONE'S WATCHING
Dougie recently appeared in a full length interview for the podcast "Dance Like Everyone's Watching" with Andrea Muhlbauer. He was thrilled to discuss the birth of DPR Dance and its debut performance, his creative process, his views on theater dance and some very candid advice for young artists! Click on the link below to listen: