Award-winning Jamaican actor and singer Dianne Dixon has joined the cast of the American premiere of the psychological stage drama Goodbye, Doctor. The play, authored by renowned playwright and psychoanalyst Betty Milan, will be directed by Brazilian Debora Baladini, the Executive Director of the New York City-based Brazilian theatre company Group Dot BR.
Goodbye, Doctor will have a limited run at The Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres from Thursday, October 24, through Sunday, November 3. Dixon will perform alongside a talented cast that includes Barbara Riethe, Jerry Topitzer, and Ian Melamed. Riethe and Melamed are also co-producers of the play through Psykout Productions.
Set in 1970s Paris and based on a true story, Goodbye, Doctor is a gripping psychological drama that explores the complexities of the mind and soul. The narrative follows Seriema (played by Riethe), a Brazilian woman of Lebanese descent, who seeks refuge in the French capital after enduring the trauma of two miscarriages and a marriage breakdown. In her quest for healing, she begins psychoanalysis with the controversial psychiatrist Jacques Lacan (Topitzer), whose unorthodox methods compel her to confront deeply buried memories and emotions. As their sessions progress, both Seriema and Lacan wrestle with their inner demons.
The play is inspired by the real-life experiences of Milan during her sessions with the legendary Lacan and comes to New York after successful runs in France and Latin America. Dixon takes on the role of Maria, Seriema’s spiritual mother figure, whose influence lingers in Seriema’s thoughts and actions throughout her life.
Dixon’s appearance in Goodbye, Doctor follows her recent portrayal of Queen Rasta in the acclaimed American premiere of Alwin Bully’s McBee at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) in June. Originally from Jamaica, Dixon immigrated to the United States as a teenager and made her New York stage debut in the comedy Nine to Five Government Style at the Producers Club.
Since then, she has established herself as one of the most respected Caribbean artists in New York, with stage credits that include Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Black Spectrum Theatre, An Old Woman Remembers at the Billie Holiday Theatre, and Not About Eve at The National Black Theatre Festival. She also featured in the Off-Broadway productions of Falling in Love With Mr. Dellamort and Flambeaux, which garnered six Audelco Awards for Excellence in Black Theater, including Best Musical.
Dixon made her Public Theater debut in the staged reading of Trey Anthony’s How Black Mothers Say I Love You, directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon. Her on-screen credits include the Emmy Award-winning web series We Are New York and the cable drama Echoes of a Lost Son. Her film work includes Jamaican Mafia, Victims, and the short feature Caribbean Queen, which premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) as part of the NewFest Film Festival.
Among her many accolades, Dixon is a two-time Audelco Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress for her performances in Dinner At the Manse and Jamaica. She has also received the Caribbean Life Impact Award for her contributions to the Caribbean community in New York, as well as a New York City Council Award and Proclamation for Excellence in The Arts.
Goodbye, Doctor will be performed Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM from October 24 through November 3. The Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre is located at A.R.T./New York Theatres, 502 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019.
