John Franklin
John attended the BATC summer theater camp for three years. He also performed in Shakespeare’s As You Like It through the BATC’s TNT apprenticeship program. The BATC Programs gave him the tools to earn Best Actor Award (DISD Middle School Theatre Arts Festival), get accepted to/graduate from BTWHSPVA, and sign with Agencies (Tomas Agency, Linicomn Agency, Dragonfly Agency, Don Buchwald & Associates of LA/NY). Some of John’s career highlights include A Christmas Carol and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Dallas Theater Center); My Tidy List of Terrors (South Dallas Cultural Center); and Sherlock Holmes in the Crucifer of Blood (Theatre 3). He is now a solo artist, releasing music at JohnAqua.com and plans to tour nationally.
Bianca McClure
Bianca was born and raised in Dallas, TX, and has always had a great passion for music. As a child, she loved to sing and began developing her skills as a violinist at the age of seven through the Dallas Symphony’s Young Strings Program. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and received her Bachelor’s degree from California Institute of the Arts in Violin Performance. Over the course of her musical career, she has had the opportunity to perform with many artists such as Natalie Cole at The Hollywood Bowl, R. Kelly, Ciara at the 2014 GRAMMY After-Party, Rihanna, Charlie Wilson, Florence and the Machine (at the 2015 Coachella Music Festival), Nikki Williams, and more. Bianca has a penchant for live performances and possesses a knack for connecting with the audience. Bianca has created a buzz on television too. Most recently she portrayed a 16-year-old student on the sitcom “Mr. Robinson” that ran during August and September. Her other television appearances include a three-year stint on the musical drama “Glee,” where she had the opportunity to work with comedic giant Carol Burnett. She also had a violinist role in “Raising Hope.” Bianca has been featured on the American Music Awards, Jimmy Kimmel, American Idol playing with Mali Music, and the Queen Latifah show. She’s also starred as Joanne in the theatrical production of Rent Unplugged.
Eden Phillips
Eden is a sophomore at Smith College majoring in Government and minoring in Public Policy. Besides being on the board of four college organizations, she spends a lot of her free time working with her professor and two other students writing a book on independent research focusing on mixed ethnic identities. She interned the summer of 2016 in Portland, Oregon at the Ovarian Cancer Alliance. Eden hopes to pursue a career in nonprofits after graduation because BATC has inspired me to dedicate my life to building communities and helping people. “I couldn’t have gotten where I am today without the experience that Bishop Arts Theatre Center gave me!”
Mark Cavillo
Mark is a graduate of North Mesquite High School, where he was a member of the marching band, concert band, and jazz band. He studied at the BATC’s summer theater camp and T-n-T Apprenticeship Program in 2008 – 2012. Select acting credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It and Twelfth Night. Mark received an athletic scholarship for soccer at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, where he is majored in Biology and Pre-Med. He currently works for and is thriving at American Airlines.
Gabriella Reyes-Cruz
Gabriella is a senior at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas. She was offered an annuity scholarship for Waldorf University in Iowa to major in Theater Education and minor in Shakespearean studies. Her first experience with Shakespeare began on the Bishop Arts Theatre Center stage. Other acting credits include Crossover Theater Arts and Shakespeare in the Park where she performed in Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Junior Players. In 2016, she participated in an unforgettable production of Beauty and the Beast in the role of Madame de la Grande Bouche at the Firehouse Theater in Richardson, TX. Gabriella’s love for theater was sparked by her mother who is the Theater Arts director for her school. She is thankful for all those who have believed in her talent and hopes to spread her love for the Theater Arts as it was shared with her.
Korey Parker
Korey grew up in Texas and participated in afterschool acting classes, school plays, and dance classes. She performed with Bishop Arts Theatre for several years, toured in the school production of Succeeding Beyond The Limits. Through this process, she gained a valuable learning experience about professional theater. Kory attended Booker T. Washington HSPVA where she honed her skills and talent and moved to New York City after graduating. Before leaving to NYC, Kory participated in the Young Adult Playwrights Competition at BATC where she directed, acted and wrote her own play. Kory focused on production and design and worked in the Light Department as an electrician for Tisch productions. Kory has worked as the Technical Director for Playwrights Horizons Theater School after having been promoted to Production Manager/Technical Supervisor. She graduated from NYU with a BFA in Theater Arts (Acting/Directing and Production & Design) and has also studied Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Madeline Jones
Madeline first entered Bishop Arts Theatre’s doors in 2009. She participated in the summer theatre camp for several years and worked as an intern her senior year at Townview. While at the BATC, select acting credits include Black Nativity by Langston Hughes and As You Like It by William Shakespeare. Madeline is a recent graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, IA where she was on a half scholarship studying Acting and Cultural Society with a Musical Theatre minor. It was at the Bishop Arts Theatre where she truly fell in love with theatre and saw how the performing arts can affect people’s lives. After graduating, she plans on attending the Tisch School in New York City to receive her Masters in Fine Arts. In the future, her dream is to follow the footsteps of her mentor, Mrs. Teresa Coleman Wash, and become an artistic director and bring performing arts back into inner city communities. She would like to thank the Bishop Arts Theatre and Mrs. Wash for the countless support throughout the years.
Julian K. Dixon
Julian participated in Bishop Arts Theatre Center’s summer camp in 2013. Although he enjoyed the Music, African Drum, and Art classes, the highlight of his summer was the production at the end of the program. He had several opportunities to showcase his acting skills, ultimately leading to him to be signed by the Campbell Talent Agency. It was an excellent experience that boosted his confidence and paved the way for many great things to come. Since that time, he has performed in productions at Concord Church and The Dallas Children’s Theater. One of his proudest moments was having landed the lead character in the winter and UIL plays at his school for three consecutive years where he led his team to 1st Place in several categories. In his Middle School Theater UIL competition, he was chosen to be the Assistant Director. Julian attends Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and upon graduation, he plans to graduate from a Performing Arts College and move straight into Broadway and/or “The Big Screen.”
Albert Wash II
Albert is a former summer theatre camp attendee, TNT (Teenagers and Theatre) apprenticeship student, and BATC summer camp intern. He is a graduate of Point Park University Conservatory for the Performing Arts program where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts Performance and Practice with a minor in Musical Theatre. Last year, he was nominated for an Irma P. Hall Award for Best Director of a Musical for Black Nativity at Bishop Arts Theatre. Select acting credits include Ghost Gun by Olivia Ridley, The Bomb by Lisa Lanford, Gloria by Branden Jacob Jenkins, Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin, The History Boys by Alan Bennett, and The Face of Emmett Till by Mamie Till-Mobley and David Barr III. In 2021, Albert joined the Bishop Arts Theatre Center team as the Associate Artistic Producer.
Troy Danielle Prevost
Troy Danielle is a multi-genre vocalist/songwriter and student at the University of North Texas. At nine, she was a member of the Bishop Arts Theatre’s Summer Enrichment Camp and an intern in 2011. Trained with classical, popular, and jazz genres, Troy began her music training at three playing the piano. By eight, she began vocal training in jazz, later switching to classical and gospel. She continues to pursue music by participating in UNT’s Women’s Chorus and UNT’s MusiComedies. Troy is currently an undergraduate student with plans of pursuing a doctorates degree in order to one day be a professor.