About Us
Dream 7 was initially established to provide a safe place for the at-risk community of Nashville, TN to learn and grow through theatre arts at no cost.
Since it’s inception in February of 2001, Dream 7 Theatre Productions has continued to strive to make a difference in the lives of persons of all ages by addressing historical, spiritual and societal themes within the African American narrative; thus producing theater with an edge.
Dream 7 continues to develop additional programs, novice and youth actors ages five and up, making it one of the few teaching community theatre companies in the Middle Tennessee area. Dream 7 has known for years that representation matters where performance art is concerned, and proudly owns the catalog of over twenty original plays written by the late Michael L. Walker, founding Executive Director including their signature piece, “Cultural Millennium,” which chronicles the history of African Americans experiences in this country.
Michael L. Walker
Nov. 15th 1952 - Feb. 6th 2021
Founder of Dream 7 Productions
Michael Shaw AKA Michael L to the Nashville and surrounding Middle TN Theatre community always had dreams of writing anything poetry and stories about the African American experience from his lens. He met Stella Reed, Denise Owens , LB Gaiters and Black Taffeta and Burlap in 1991 where he honed his acting craft. Stella Reed mentored him, said, "Write what you know." And so he did. His first masterpiece is what we know as "Cultural Millennium." During it's successful second run in February 20 years ago at the Darkhorse Theater Dream 7 was known as One Thug Unlimited, produced by Sistastyle Productions.
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One fateful evening in October 2002 at Sir Pizza after a rehearsal several much younger actors, artists and crew such as Lababara Jean Garrett, Shawn Whitsell, Tia Smedley, John Wiggins, Jene India, LaKissha Taylor, Vida "Vee Vee" Finley, Aaron Finley, Christan Riley, Loretta Ayotode, and Obadiah Ewing Roush all encouraged Michael L, our founding Executive Director emeritus, to come up with a better company name. He wanted the number seven involved but allowed us to discuss what the rest of the title would be and the name Dream 7 Theatre Productions was born. To hear snippets of Cultural Millennium please click on the video below and/or listen to Perspectives, Michael Walker's audio book.