Ron Pitts is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ujima Theatre which produced and did a presentation of The Meeting to some of the Columbus Public Schools this past season. His acting career began somewhat unexpectedly when he stepped in to read for a part in
August Wilson's Fences, directed by Wilson, Originally
from Pittsburgh, Ron made his Columbus acting
debut as Martin in Pittsburgh's Kuntu Repertoire
Theatre's 1989 production of The Meeting. His
other stage credits include The River Niger, Loraine
Hansberry's To Be Young Gifted and Black,
August Wilson's Jitney, and the original Black
Nativity by Langston Hughes, and Columbus's
own annual version of Black Nativity. Ron also
has several screen credits, including Dawn of the
Dead, Emergency, and television commercials.
He is a playwright, having co-authored God What Color is
Trouble, which he also directed. Ron has been a school teacher
VICTOR ROSS
Music Department Manager / Percussionist
Victor is an accomplished musician who has taken the words of David to heart - he praises God through his gift as a percussionist. Victor began playing the drums in 1968 under the direction of Keith Ransom of Elyria, Ohio. Since that time, his talents have taken him to Broadway and all around the country. He has performed in a number of musicals, including: Sing Hallelujah, Dust Yourself Off and Try Again and Preacherman, which was performed in Indianapolis, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina and Cincinnati, Ohio.
MEET THE UJIMA THEATRE STAFF
Ron Pitts - CEO, Director
ELIZABETH BLAND
Props Manager/Assistant Set Designer/Model/Actress
Elizabeth Bland is a Columbus, Ohio resident that is versatile with excellent acting skills who portrays a professional, competent, and poised image. Her skills range from modeling, acting, television, photography and pageant judging. A few of her television credits include: (Pilot) Barefoot In Paradise - Ft. Desoto, FL., Disney Institute of Modeling - Orlando, FL (Product demonstration/infomercial) Second Noah - Tampa, FL, SeaQuest - Ft. Desoto Park, St. Petersburg, FL, Disney Commercial with Disney characters - Orlando, FL, Swamp Thing - Universal Studios, Orlando, FL, Armed Forces Commercials - Universal Studios, Orlando, FL, Medical Industrial Commercial- St. Joseph's Hospital, Tampa, FL, amongst several others.
DEREK PAYNE
Media Consultant / Website Manager
Derek is a resident of Columbus by way of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Derek's professional background began at the age of 8 assisting with designing newspaper layouts for his father's weekly publication and led to him becoming an architectural and engineering designer. Website design is one of his current passions and he is now owner of a Columbus based website design company, DPI Graphic Design.
Derek is also a returning performer in Love and Street Corner Harmony and is excited about the new heights and endeavors that Ujima is experiencing. "The sky is the limit!"
SHELBY HOLDEN Costumes
and retains an interest in the education and personal development of young people. Since bringing Ujima to Columbus, Pitts has directed Black Nativity, Coming Home, A Long Time Since Yesterday, Good Black Don't Crack, August Wilson's Jitney, and in collaboration with Raymond Wise, directed God What Color is Trouble. He is currently working on creating a Ujima-based summer theatre day camp for youths in 2004. Since its origins, Ujima has been dedicated to the principles embodied by its name and each of its founders pledged to keep those ideas and the name of their theatre company alive.
Ron Pitts
Click photo for resume
Victor has also been a percussionist for such noted gospel as Dr. Marvin Sapp, Donald Lawrence, Timothy Wright and Rodney Posey, to name a few. Currently, Victor is a staff musician at Triedstone Baptist Church under the leadership of Bishop Jerome H. Ross, Sr. located in Columbus, Ohio. He is always ready and willing to use his gift to enhance any worship experience and to uplift and magnify the name of the Lord.
"Praise him upon the loud cymbals; Praise him upon the high sounding cymbals." Psalms 150:5
DWIGHT CARTIER
Bass Guitar
Dwight started playing the Saxophone all through school and has played Bass for over twenty years. He recorded with Bill Moss's Capsoul Studios and other Jazz, R & B and Gospel artists. He has played behind Keith Staten, Israel Houghton, Marvin Sapp, Ben Tankard, Marshall Jones and many others.
He presently plays with the jazz group, Aftermath, T.P. Project, and All Nations Church.
CHARLES LEON DAVIS
Assistant Props Manager/Set Designer
Chuck Davis is a native of Columbus, Ohio. Chuck was introduced to the Ujima Theatre by Ron Pitts who was directing a play for a local Christian Coalition Ministry where Chuck played the lead role in Dinner at Tiffany's, Who Stole The Bling Bling. Chuck is an active member of the Refuge Temple Church of Christ and a strong supporter of the Performing Arts.
Shelby V. Holden is a former native of Palmetto, Louisiana. Her career in theatre spans the course of over 15 years. Her experience in theatre also includes set construction for the University of Louisiana and was a cast member of Ujima's Love and Street Corner Harmony 2006.
BRIAN JONES Costumes
Brian has been a background
singer for local recording artists,
and has acted in numerous
productions. Along with acting
and singing, he is a writer/poet
who aspires to combine
elements of theater with poetry
from Paul Laurence Dunbar,
Langston Hughes, Countee
Cullen, and others. Brian also
performed in Ujima's Love and
Street Corner Harmony.
This site designed by DPI Graphic Design
NADINE L. LEWIS
Media Team
Nadine L. Lewis has written and produced such plays as Yo, Listen Up; The African Woman; Walkin Round Heaven (Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman meet in Heaven); I ‘Didn’t Know That; Great and Mighty Is Our God, and The Prodigal Daughter. She also directed Roots 2007 and has worked on other productions including, African Footprints; Chocolate Nutcracker; The Adventures of Pan; and The Wiz; Nadine wrote and produced the African American history game show Mariffa, which aired on WOSU television. Also a local Community Television Producer, she produced and directed several award-winning shows including Taking It To The Streets and Black Nativity. Her future projects include producing and directing Roots 2008. Nadine is also looking forward to joining the OSU Theater Department’s Stage Management Team for the 2009 Central Ohio School Tour which will visit elementary schools in the Central Ohio area, bringing the lively art of theatre combined with a contemporary message.
