Wikipedia:Desirée Roots

Desirée Roots is an American artistic director, actor, singer, and dancer who has performed for over 35 years. As a vocalist, she has been the opening act for B.B. King, Shirley Horne and other jazz artists. She’s the author of the multi-media production, Ella at 100, and the recipient of the Theresa Pollack Prize for Excellence in the Arts. In 2021 she joined Virginia Repertory Theatre as their Artistic Director of Community.

Early Life
She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education/Business and Performance from Virginia Union University.

Career
Roots’ first production at Theatre IV was Ain’t Misbehavin’ in 1988 in Richmond, Virginia. She was Aldonza in Man of La Mancha at Kent State / Porthouse Theatre in 1998. Other highlights include numerous Theatre IV, Barksdale Theatre and Virginia Repertory productions, including The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, Caroline or Change and Ella and Her Fella Frank.

Her first album, Don't Ever Stop Dreaming, was released in 2014. She has been the opening act for B. B. King, Kenny Garrett, Bobby Watson, Art Porter, Gerald Albright, Walter Beasley, Les McCann, Shirley Horne, Leslie Uggams and Bill Cosby. She was a featured singer with the Glen Miller Orchestra.

Roots has worked as Program Coordinator for Richmond Jazz Society and as Booking Manager for Downtown Presents (now Venture Richmond). As Artistic Director of Community at Virginia Repertory Theatre, Roots is the senior artistic leader of one of the company's three focus areas: Community Health and Leadership. Her responsibilities include ensuring that Virginia Rep’s commitment to social justice and racial equity remains at the center of each aspect of the company’s operation, staffing the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Committee of the Board of Directors, leading the artistic team that supervises music operations, conducting and recording the company's racial equity audit, directing Community Health + Wellness programs including TALL (Theatre Arts Learning League, a mentoring program for rising 4th through 6th grade youth from low-socioeconomic status households), and stewarding partnerships with Richmond Public Schools and Virginia Union University.

Awards
She received the Theresa Pollack Prize for Excellence in the Arts as Best Vocalist in Virginia in 2004. In 2012 she received the Pride of Richmond Public Schools Living Legacy Award, and in 2021, she was named one of Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ RVA Community Makers.