Damertia "Dee" Selmore

Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida, USA

Fall 2021 – present

PhD in Theatre and Performance Research

Leslie N. Wilson-Delores Auzenne Assistantship for Minorities

 

Educational/Professional Background

Dee received her bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University in Theatre Performance. She received a master’s degree from Florida State University in Theatre (with a focus on Education) and a masters in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Full Sail University. Dee is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Black Theatre Network, Theatre Communications Group, Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), Mid-American Theatre Conference, and the Florida Association of Theatre Educators. Dee is also a member of the Actor’s Equity Association (AEA) and volunteers with their Open Access Campaign, an initiative designed to create increase minority access to the actor’s union. Dee has served as an adjudicator for Florida community colleges and the Florida District 1 Thespians Society Festival. She is a co-founder of the Essential Theatrical Associates (ETA) performance group and the owner of Oluse (O-lou-shay) Performing Arts. Dee serves on the board of the Irish Repertory Theatre, and on the American Stage Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council as the Artistic subcommittee co-chair. Dee’s greatest treasure is her young son, whom she learns from every day. Dee has appeared in numerous film and television productions, including projects by FSU Film School students and her latest project, QueerBNB, which will be released in late 2021. A few of the stage productions that Dee has performed in include Letters to Kamala (Charlotta Bass, American Stage), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth, Digital Shakespeare Co.), Skeleton Crew (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), and Footloose (Vi Moore, Jenny Wiley Theatre). Dee has also performed several readings at the National Black Theatre Festival. Dee is the 2020 Theatre Tampa Bay Award winner for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play for her role in Skeleton Crew by Domonique Morrisseau. Dee is in her first year as a PhD student in Theatre and Performance Studies with the Florida State University School of Theatre School of Theatre.

Research and Teaching Interests, or Professional Field

I am basically trying to find alternative ways to train and support black actors/student actors. I am also exploring the presence of African Americans in theatre and performance and the sociocultural effects of that presence on viewers.