Behind the Curtain: Women Navigating Power, Creativity & Legacy in the Arts

By Dr. Aduke Aremu

Behind the Curtain: Women Navigating Power, Creativity & Legacy in the Arts is a powerful conversation centering the voices, experiences, and impact of women in the arts. Bringing together visionary artists, leaders, and creatives, this panel explores what it means to lead, create, advocate, and thrive while shaping culture and opening doors for future generations. Through candid storytelling and shared wisdom, panelists will reflect on resilience, representation, mentorship, artistic expression, and the lasting legacy women continue to build onstage, backstage, and beyond.

Moderated by Dr. Aduke Aremu and Genice Johnson, the panel features Bianca LaVerne Jones, Cedrina Shari, Dana McBroom Manno, Dr. Lynette White, Lillias White, Lorey Hayes, Nana Malaya Rucker-Oparabea, Passion Hansome, and Vanessa Henderson. Join us for an inspiring dialogue celebrating the power of women to transform the arts and one another.

July 29, 11:15am – 1:15pm
Hearn Ballroom, Winston-Salem Marriott

Moderator
Dr. Aduke Aremu
Playwright, Producer, Director
Brooklyn, New York / Atlanta, Georgia / Barbados / Jamaica

Dr. Aduke Aremu is a trailblazing playwright, producer, educator, and arts advocate whose body of work has shaped a renaissance in American theatre and cultural expression. Her plays have been produced/presented in more than 10 countries and at theatres such as The John F. Kennedy Center, The Apollo Theatre, The Negro Ensemble Company, The Billie Holiday Theatre, and more. Among her numerous honors are the Barack Obama’s Lifetime Achievement Award, congressional awards, and Playwright/Producer Award from the Nigerian Consul General of New York. Recently, she was an Honorary Co-Chair at the 41st Annual AUDELCO Awards in New York City.

Moderator
Genice Johnson
Screenwriter, Producer, Ghostwriter, Editor, Author Coach
Texas / Atlanta, Georgia

A visionary storyteller with a gift for bringing emotion, authenticity, and unforgettable characters to life, Genice Johnson is a multifaceted producer, screenwriter, ghostwriter, editor, and author coach dedicated to crafting stories that resonate deeply with audiences. With a passion for heartwarming narratives and character-driven storytelling, she specializes in transforming ideas into compelling books, scripts, and productions that inspire, uplift, and connect unforgettable stories. Genice served as producer of American Black Princess a choreopoem production at the Rialto Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. She is currently in pre-production for several projects under Aduke Aremu Entertainment.

Panelist
Lillias White
Actress, Singer
Brooklyn, New York

Lillias White is world-renowned for her glorious voice and extraordinary ability to communicate the heart of a song. Mentored by the renowned Joseph Walker, Lillias is a protége of Walker’s theatre company, “The Demi Gods.” Lillias’ performance in Cy Coleman’s Broadway musical, The Life, won her the Tony® Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She was nominated for a second Tony® for Fela!. Additionally, she has more than a dozen more Broadway credits. Lillias received the Daytime Emmy® Award for her role as Lillian Edwards as the Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series on Sesame Street in 1992.

Panelist
Dr. Lynette White
Actress, Dancer, Designer
Trinidad / Africa / Brooklyn, New York

A gifted performer and cultural ambassador, Lynette became a core member of the legendary Chuck Davis Dance Company under the mentorship of the late Dr. Charles “Chuck” Davis. She performed internationally and nationally in groundbreaking productions and historic cultural events, including FESTAC ’77 in Lagos, Nigeria alongside Stevie Wonder. Throughout her distinguished career, Lynette masterfully combined dance, theatre, and education to inspire young minds. She founded On Butterfly Wings, a mentorship program designed to support and empower high school girls of color. Through this work, she continues to nurture confidence, leadership, cultural pride, and academic excellence in young women.

Panelist
Rhonda Passion Hansome
Producer, Actress, Director, Comedian
Brooklyn, New York

Rhonda Passion Hansome, hailed as the “Nina Simone of Comedy,” is a dazzling beacon of wit, wisdom, and laughter. Rhonda’s accolades include the prestigious BackStage Bistro Award, celebrating her outstanding contributions to the world of comedy. Rhonda has a dynamic presence in the entertainment world, particularly through her notable acting roles that highlight her versatility and depth. Her directing career showcases versatility in the theater arts with impactful plays such as Sweet Songs of the Soul and Real Black Men Don’t Sit Cross-legged on the Floor, which won an AUDELCO Award, a prestigious recognition celebrating excellence in Black theater.

Panelist
Lorey Hayes
Actress, Writer, Producer

Award-winning writer/actress/producer, and former talk show host/news reporter, Lorey Hayes has starred on and off Broadway, in England, and throughout the country. Lorey recently starred as Anna in Pat Battistini’s Multi-Award-Winning Film Dignity, that has been showcased in over 52 film festivals around the globe to stellar reviews, winning numerous awards including Best Actress. Lorey has guest star television credits such as NCIS, Judging Amy, Chicago Hope, and many others. Theater buffs remember her as the youngest original cast member of Ntozake Shange’s provocative hit play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.

Panelist
Bianca LaVerne Jones
Director, Producer, Actress
New York

Bianca LaVerne Jones is an actress, director, and educator whose work spans theatre, television, and film. Trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, SUNY Purchase Acting Conservatory, Yale School of Drama (acting), she earned a MA degree in Directing from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, where she is noted as the first African American woman in the United States to receive this directing degree. As a performer, Bianca’s screen credits include Ocean’s Eight, Blindspot, and many others. As a director, her work includes Mother’s Milk and the series The Gaze: No Homo.

Panelist
Dana McBroom Manno
Actress, Writer, Producer
New York / Montserrat

Dana McBroom Manno is the Artistic Director of PAKA (Passing Ancestral Knowledge Along Theatre Dance Company) and has performed on stages in the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and New Zealand. She is a protégé of the great Katherine Dunham and Dr. Pearl Primus. Dana’s outstanding performances as a songwriter, director, and choreographer at the world renowned La Mama Theatre, led to her nominations for two ADELCO awards for the plays Daddy and Songs for My Sisters. Her film credits include choreographer and actress in Gordon Parks Sr.’s Leadbelly and actress in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz.

Panelist
Nana Malaya Rucker-Oparabea
Producer, Dancer, Actress
Maryland / Washington D.C.

Nana Malaya Rucker-Oparabea is a professor, educator, and cultural ambassador. Teaching through the arts (dance, drama, creative writing, and more) is her specialty to reach all ages, beyond educational, language, and cultural barriers. Her training as a ballerina and opera singer, gave Nana Malaya early experiences as a trailblazer, especially since there were not many melanated women in those careers. Nana Malaya’ s first major choreographic work was The Hallelujah Chorus for the prestigious Carnegie Mellon Institute when she was only 16. She has graced the stage with Malcolm Jamal Warner, Phyliss Hyman, Stevie Wonder, and many others.

Panelist
Cedrina Shari
Actress, Singer, Producer
Atlanta, Georgia / North Carolina / New York / Europe / The Caribbean and Africa

Cedrina Shari started her illustrious career at an early age. She then went on to perform in Pagliacci at the Houston Grand Opera and perfected her craft at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. Cedrina fell in love with telling stories; some of her favorites include Love Lies, Jelly’s Last Jam, and The Black Nativity. Working with multiple bands, her voice eventually led her to London, as a background vocalist for legend Boney M. When not on stage, Cedrina has worked behind the scenes on various sets including NAOMI (CW – Directed by Ava Duverney) and WOKE (Hulu).

Panelist
Vanessa Henderson
Theatre and Film Costume Designer, Radio Host, Magazine Publisher
North Carolina / Atlanta, Georgia

Starting with humble roots in Reidsville, North Carolina, Vanessa Henderson moved to Atlanta Georgia, at age 43 to pursue a degree in fashion design. After receiving her degree in 2003 from Bauder College, she was named Designer of the Year. Since then, Vanessa has continued to evolve as a member of the stage, television, and film costuming industry. She presently works as a wardrobe stylist on numerous film projects including Friend Zone on Prime Video and other notable films. With Ruth Carter as a mentor, Vanessa aspires to do more work in film and expand her brand.