Projects

I Dream

Written and composed by Douglas Tappin, I Dream is based on the last thirty-six hours of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life. In this new musical, Ralph Abernathy, Dr. King’s closest friend, clashes with young activist, Bria. Nearing the end of his own life, Abernathy is driven back to memories of his friend’s final days, and the premonitions and dreams that shadowed them.

In November 2023, the Musical Dramatic Arts Foundation, at the invitation of the Apollo Theater, ran a two-week I Dream development worksession with a new book by Tappin and Jonathan Payne, and additional musical numbers.

Book, music, and choreography development is planned for 2024, alongside a variety of educational initiatives, inviting young artists into the creative process alongside Tappin and Associate Producer, Quentin Darrington.

DIVA

In this comedic celebration of sisterhood, three superstar divas unite to defeat the Devil at his own game. With a book by Douglas Tappin and Allison Horsley, and music/lyrics by Douglas Tappin, DIVA is a story of liberation through selflessness.

The Broadway Dreams Foundation recently showcased DIVA at the Blumenthal PAC in Charlotte, as well as in Atlanta and Dallas as part of their 2023 intensives. Maxx Reed (known for his work with Spiderman: turn off the dark, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Mariah Carey) directed and choreographed, with Cait Martin (The Voice, 2023 season) playing a leading role. 

DIVA will be developed in Charlotte in 2025.

We, the People

Set in a STEM high school, this political satire by Douglas Tappin and Allison Horsley follows a group of Gen Z global majority hackers as they spark a revolution of equality in America—and the world.

We, the People explores essential questions about the ethical responsibilities that come with talent, and demonstrates the power of using what you have for the sake of making the world a better place, even if it comes at a cost.

MDAF will be developing We, the People in Dallas with a coalition of creative partners in 2025.

NUMB

Written by Quentin Earl Darrington and Douglas Tappin, NUMB is a single-act, one-man musical that transports its audience from a Broadway dressing room into the deep, unsettling darkness of the actor's internal struggles and fragmented memories. In a remarkable dynamic of stagecraft, physical theater, and vocal performance, the actor portrays and interacts with over twenty varied characters from his past and present.

NUMB is a visceral and emotionally resonant exploration of the transformational journey to becoming “un-numb.” Set in a frozen moment in time, the audience is invited into a spiraling crisis of emotional paralysis and internalized trauma. Through it all, light serves as a guiding force through the actor’s tumultuous subconscious, as he confronts his past and moves toward healing and liberation. Light overpowers shadow, and love triumphs to illuminate the path toward faith, forgiveness, and redemption.

MDAF will be developing NUMB In 2025.