ETA Founders

Bryan F. Mitchell (he/him) hails from Miami, FL, where he attended Miami Northwestern Senior High School and was a part of the world-renowned Performing and Visual Arts Center (PAVAC) Drama Department. He is a distinguished theatre artist, educator, and community leader. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance with a minor in Education from Florida A&M University, where he performed in productions like Black Nativity, Tartuffe, Dearly Departed, My Emperor's New Clothes, The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf, Ain't Misbehavin', Change it Up, The Wiz, and The Color Purple. From 2004 to 2008, Bryan was also a featured performer in the FAMU Connection and is a founder of the Essential Theatre Union (ETU), a student theatre organization. 

In Tallahassee, Bryan has built an impressive portfolio, performing in productions at Theatre Tallahassee (Once on this Island, The Producers, Guys and Dolls, City of Angels, Dueling Divas [Male Edition], Sister Act), Quincy Music Theatre (Parade, A Christmas Carol, A Chorus Line, Hairspray, Dreamgirls, Memphis), and notable productions like Annie at Center Stage, Dearly Departed at the Southside Arts Complex, Fences with Canopy Roads Theatre Company, Aida with Tallahassee Triple Threat, and Laughing Stock: A Politically Twisted Cabaret. Bryan also guest-starred in Grease with the Godby Players at Godby High School. 

Bryan's directing experience is extensive, spanning multiple venues and age groups, with credits that include The Spongebob Squarepants Musical at Theatre Tallahassee, Once on this Island at Quincy Music Theatre, and Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery at FAMU Essential Theatre, as well as Home and Purlie Victorious at Thomasville On Stage and Company. He also directed Amen Corner and Ain't Misbehavin' for the Essential Theatrical Associates (ETA) in partnership with Monticello Opera House. 

In education, Bryan has dedicated thirteen years to the Leon County School System, teaching drama and inspiring young performers. At Leon High School, he directed And Then There Were None, Harvey, Dearly Departed, Impromptu, and the world premiere of Prospect High. He also directed The Lion King Jr. at Augusta Raa Middle School. Currently, he teaches Theatre at Apalachee Tapestry Magnet School of the Arts, where he has directed productions like Aladdin Jr., The Addams Family young@part, Moana Jr., Willy Wonka Jr., The Wiz Jr., and Shrek Jr. His students regularly have the honor of performing at the State Capitol for Children’s Day, and his high school and middle school students have received Superior, Excellent, Critic’s Choice, and Best in Show at Thespians festivals.  Bryan’s extensive performance, directing, and education background exemplifies his commitment to theatre and youth arts, making him an invaluable contributor to the Tallahassee arts community.

Beyond teaching and directing, Bryan serves as the Summer Camp Director at Theatre Tallahassee and as the Assistant Director of Theatre for the 11th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. He is on the Board of Directors for Quincy Music Theatre and has served as an adjudicator for Making Light Productions, the Florida District One Thespians Festival, and Florida Junior Thespians, supporting and mentoring the next generation of performers.

Bryan is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the Florida Association of Theatre Educators, the Leon Classroom Teachers Association, and the Florida Education Association. His dedication has earned him the Glenn-Howell Distinguished Educator of the Year Award for 2023-2024 and the FAMU Essential Theatre Alumni Service Award in both 2009 and 2023. Bryan’s multifaceted contributions as an artist, educator, and leader underscore his deep commitment to theatre and his community. His dedication to theatre and education continues to shape and inspire the next generation of performers.

Dee Selmore (she/her) is a Theatre and Performance Research Ph.D. student at Florida State University School of Theatre, where her research focuses on decolonizing actor training, exploring the intersection of spirituality and creativity, and revalorizing Black women in Theatre and Performance. A proud alumna of Florida A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Performance, Dee furthered her education with a master’s degree in Theatre from Florida State University and a second master's degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Full Sail University. Recognized for her commitment to teaching, Dee currently serves as a research mentor for the FSU Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and was nominated for the FSU Center for the Advancement of Teaching 2023-2024 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (OTAA).

Dee is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Black Theatre Network (BTN), and Theatre Communications Group (TCG). Dee is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), where she serves as the co-chairperson of the BIPOC Community Group. She has contributed to the future of theatre as an adjudicator for various state colleges, a judge for both Thespians and Junior Thespians festivals, and as the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council as the Artistic subcommittee co-chair for American Stage Theatre Company.  Dee’s leadership roles extend to her current position as the chair of Tallahassee's Irish Repertory Theatre Board of Directors, her past tenure as the College/University & Conservatory Representative Chairperson for the Florida Theatre Conference (FTC) Board of Directors, and past service on the Theatre Tallahassee Board of Directors. Her entrepreneurial spirit is evident through her owning and operating Olușe Performing Arts (www.olusepa.org), co-founding Essential Theatrical Associates, and establishing ETArts (non-profit).

As a director, Dee has helmed productions such as Fences by August Wilson and Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill by Lanie Robertson for Theatre Tallahassee, The Counterfeit by Veronique George for VLG Productions, Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith as a part of the FAMU Essential Theatre’s Artists in Bloom Festival, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange for University of Florida Women’s Studies Department and a staged reading of Single Black Female by Lisa B. Thompson at FAMU Essential Theatre.

Dee began her acting career in Tallahassee, FL, where she honed her craft in educational and community theatre. Her performances include roles at Tallahassee State College (The Curious Savage, Arsenic and Old Lace, School House Rock, Live!), Florida A&M University (Black Widow, Dearly Departed, Flyin' West, Dreamgirls, The Color Purple), and Florida State University (RENT, The Violet Hour, Intimate Apparel, Chicago - 2019 production, Dragons Love Tacos). She has appeared on the stages of Palaver Tree Theatre (Hour of the Wolf), Southern Shakespeare Company (The Winter’s Tale, Zombie Shakespeare), Quincy Music Theatre (Shrek the Musical, Hairspray, Dreamgirls), Spider Webb Productions (Sibling Rivalry), and Theatre Tallahassee (Agnes of God, Clybourne Park, The Piano Lesson, A Raisin in the Sun, The Member of the Wedding, The Colored Museum, The Laramie Project, The Guys—original cast and 10th-anniversary production). Dee also served as an acting instructor for Florida A&M University Essential Theatre’s Irene C. Edmonds Youth Theatre Camp and as an adjunct professor of Theatre at Tallahassee State College.

In her professional acting career, Dee has performed in productions such as Letters to Kamala (Charlotta Bass, American Stage), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth, Digital Shakespeare Co.), Skeleton Crew (Faye, Barter Theatre)(Faye, American Stage), A Raisin in the Sun (Mrs. Johnson, American Stage), Sister Act (Deloris Van Cartier, Round Barn Theatre), The Color Purple (Sofia, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe), To Kill a Mockingbird (Calpurnia, Mill Mountain Theatre), Doubt (Mrs. Muller, Crane River Theatre), Hairspray (Motormouth Maybelle, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre), Footloose (Vi Moore, Jenny Wiley Theatre), The Drolls (Roxolana, Florida Studio Theatre), and many more. Her most recent films include Noseeums, QueerBNB, My Music, and The Adventures of Brooklyn Barnes. Dee has also performed several play readings at the International Black Theatre Festival and was honored as the 2019-2020 Theatre Tampa Bay Award winner for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play, recognizing her compelling performance of Faye in Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau at American Stage Theatre Company.

  Lililita Forbes (she/her) was born and raised on the Caribbean Island of St. Maarten, Dutch Antilles. After graduating from Florida A&M University with a BS in Music Education and a Minor in Theatre, she pursued a career both locally and internationally as a teacher, Worship & Creative Arts Director, vocal coach, and actress. Forbes served for seven years as a before and after school, elementary, middle, and high school creative arts teacher. 

On stage, Forbes has performed and music directed with The FAMU Essential Theatre, FAMU Connection, FAMU Concert Choir, Theatre with a Mission, Dupont Productions, FSU Triple Threat Theatre Troop, A&A Production, and other theatre companies. Professionally known by her stage name Lili Forbes, she has written, produced, and released music for over six albums with her twin sister Ilismo, as the world-renowned Caribbean duo Jumelle, formerly known as The Johnson Sisters. They started performing at the age of 12, and by 15, they produced their first album, topping radio charts in their region of the Caribbean. Since then, they have collectively received multiple Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards and international recognition for their accomplishments in music, culture, and education.

In her spare time, Lili is an adviser to the St. Maarten-Tallahassee Student Association, Vice President of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation, founding member of the Essential Theatrical Artist (ETA) performance and mentoring organization, member of The Soul Collective Live, and member of the alumni chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity, Incorporated. Lili is also active in producing the Annual Sankofa Concert, which highlights the music, culture, and accomplishments of Afro-Caribbean, African, and American artists, “Educating the community through entertainment.”

Lili Forbes has published her first book, entitled “For All Voices,” a singing and sight-reading manual focusing on the development of singers, musicians, praise teams, and music directors. The book was co-authored by her partner, composer/producer Jacki Barineau of Tallahassee, Florida. Lili is an accomplished, award-winning composer. Her work as composer and producer of “Maggie Never Bitter” by Taj Shotwell won her first CGM Award for vocal performance of the year for the title track “Never Bitter.” She is the lead composer of the Broadway-bound play “Underground,” a story of the enslaved told through the spirituals that guided them to freedom, based on the 2010 short film “Underground,” which won 21 awards, including two Student Emmys. In 2024, the New York Theatre Festival awarded “Underground” Best Production out of 80 plays, and Lili was nominated for Best Score! Lili’s other accolades include the 2019 Caribbean-American Heritage Award for her community service contributions in education, music, and culture, and the 2023 Florida FolkLife Artist in Residence recipient.

Her goal is to continue composing music for artists, plays, and musicals. She aspires to continue her community work with ETA and  move forward with LiliMoni Productions as “Griot Lili,” one who keeps the African Diaspora’s oral traditions alive through storytelling, education, and cultural platforms. Finally, she continues her passion as a mentor and vocal coach to up-and-coming creative artists in the fields of music and theatre.

Her first solo EP, “I Won’t Hold Me Back,” is now available. Please visit www.lyricallynn.com or any social media outlet @Lili Forbes for more information.