The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has welcomed West Coast native and longtime actor Reggie D. White as the company’s new associate artistic director. White joins The Rep’s artistic team of Hana Sharif, artistic director, and Becks Redman, associate artistic director and director of new play development.
White is responsible for directing, serving with The Rep’s Learning and Community Engagement [LACE] department, and more.
He’s currently directing his first show with The Rep, “Side by Side by Sondheim”, a musical revue featuring Broadway songs and compositions by Stephen Sondheim. It opens Jan. 29, 2023 and runs through Feb. 19 at COCA’s Catherine Berges Theatre.
Last year, while in California, White worked on a production for Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.” He was backstage when he learned of Sondheim’s passing.
“His work has always been meaningful to me,” White said. “I think Sondheim as a composer and a musical dramatist was the first person, in my mind, who gave musical theater characters the permission to be real people.
“Also his music has always been so deeply moving and beautiful to me because of its complexity.”
When he accepted the position with The Rep, White said Sharif asked him how he would feel about beginning his tenure directing the Sondheim revue.
White says he couldn’t think of a better way to introduce himself to the St. Louis community than with this production.
“I feel like people will get a sense of the kind of artist that I am, what my point of view is and the way that I wanna make art in this community,” he said.
“I’m Black as hell. I’m gay as hell, and I’m talented as hell. I feel like those things will be very very clear when you see the show.”
White and Sharif met several years ago through advocacy work. They appeared on several panels together, and continued to communicate virtually. Their community discussions centered on removing barriers, and creating greater access. He said they both want to “transform stages and the audiences who watch performances.”
White accepted The Rep position “knowing I could do it really well.”
“I’m excited to see the work The Rep has already done to transform the institution from inside out to ground up,” he said.
“We have a lot of stuff cooking. It’s an exciting time for us to reintroduce ourselves to the community.”
White was born in New Orleans and following the separation of his parents, he and his mom moved to California.
His acting career began in kindergarten in a school play. His career took off with roles on “The Parenthood” and “Sister, Sister.”
He auditioned for a role in the Los Angeles production of “The Lion King,” but was not chosen. At 7-years-old, he decided he no longer wanted to act.
Law was the career he saw for himself, and he majored in sociology at California State University – East Bay.
He thought his acting dreams were dashed until he met Darryl Jones, a professor of theater arts at the school.
On the second day of class everyone was asked to sing. After class Jones approached him and asked if he was auditioning for the winter musical.
White told Jones he didn’t have the time, and Jones told him, “Participation is 98% of his grade.”
He auditioned, landed a role and received praise. It was then he knew acting was his way to go.
“My grandmother sat on the front row of the closing performance and watched my face as I took my bow,” he said. “She was like ‘he’s never gonna be a lawyer.”’
He worked in LA for a few years after college and eventually moved to New York. Most recently, he served as artistic director and faculty member at the Atlantic Acting School in New York City.
He is also a resident artist at Vineyard Theatre, a founding member of The Commissary, a multi-generational theater collective, and a founding company member with The Williams Project, a living-wage theater company.
He is a recipient of the Colman Domingo Award, The TCG Fox Fellowship, the TBA Titan Award, the RHE Artistic Fellowship and an NAACP Theatre Award nominee.
“I’m so excited to be here, this is a rich and incredible opportunity for me to learn and meet the St. Louis community,” White said.
Learn more about Reggie White at https://reggiedwhite.com.
