Rainbow To Your Door — By Kenneth Brown

Set in 1939, Rainbow To Your Door imagines an intimate encounter between Zora Neale Hurston and Jules André Smith, exploring ambition, sacrifice, disappointment, humor, uncertainty, and dreams.

October 10 & 11, 2026

Orlando white house, Orlando, FL

Oct 10 7PM Oct 11 2PM Oct 11 6PM

Presented by

The Story

Two Voices, One Afternoon

1939 · Garden Courtyard, Research Studio, Maitland, Florida

Rainbow To Your Door imagines an intimate encounter between acclaimed author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston and artist and architect Jules André Smith. Inspired by their lives, artistic contributions, and friendship, the play explores what can happen when two remarkable creative spirits speak candidly about ambition, sacrifice, disappointment, humor, uncertainty, and dreams.

A Program Note

Rather than simply recounting history, the production invites the audience to consider the people behind the accomplishments — their humanity, creative drive, and the questions that remain when public achievement meets private reflection.

Premiere Dedication

This premiere performance is dedicated to Peter Banca.

On Screen

Watch Rainbow To Your Door

A closer look at the production.

Watch on YouTube ↗

Meet the Actors

The Principal Cast

Daniel Cooksley and Patrece Bloomfield bring two remarkable creative spirits to life.

Daniel Cooksley

as Jules André Smith

Daniel Cooksley spent much of his childhood in California before beginning a 16-year career in sport fishing at age 15, eventually earning his captain's license and running private yachts throughout the Caribbean. In 2001, an impulsive audition for Noel Coward's Present Laughter led to his first role, Hugo Lyppiatt. After moving to Orlando, he returned to acting as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and has since appeared in more than 50 Central Florida productions. Favorite credits include Killer Joe, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Bent, The Flick, and Clybourne Park. He is SAG-AFTRA Eligible, works as a scenic carpenter, designer, and photographer, and lives by the mantra: Live. Love. Create.

Daniel’s photography ↗

Patrece Bloomfield

as Zora Neale Hurston

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Patrece Bloomfield has been a full-time performer since 2015, appearing at Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, theaters and playhouses, and in television, film, short films, and commercials. Her stage credits include Sister Act, Ain't Misbehavin, Fat Ham, For Colored Girls, and Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill. In 2024, she relaunched her performance-coaching business, VocalElevation, helping vocalists and performers strengthen healthy technique, confidence, stage presence, and authentic storytelling. Based in Central Florida, Patrece continues to perform full-time while coaching aspiring and professional artists.

Meet Patrece ↗ · @divinesongstress ↗

Creative Leadership

The Company Behind the Story

Executive producers Kenneth Brown, Bob Poe, and Ned McLeod bring this Central Florida story to the stage.

Kenneth Brown

Playwright · Director · Executive Producer

Creating Rainbow to Your Door has been a blessing and a journey of discovery.
In learning more about Jules André Smith and Zora Neale Hurston, I began to hear not only their words, but their courage, humor, convictions, and deep belief in artistic freedom. The more I came to know their voices, the more their journeys began to speak to my own.
It has been a privilege to imagine them together, to walk beside them for a little while, and to bring their voices to the stage.
— Kenneth Brown
Playwright/Director

Bob Poe

Producer · Executive Producer

Bob Poe's career has spanned broadcasting, business, professional sports, politics and the arts. He was part of the management team that launched the Orlando Magic and has been a longtime supporter of Central Florida's arts and civic community. Bob is especially proud to produce Rainbow To Your Door, written by his husband, Kenneth Brown, and to help bring this uniquely Central Florida story to the stage.

Ned McLeod

Executive Producer · Legal Counsel

Ned is proud to be legal counsel and an executive producer in the development of Ken Brown’s “Rainbow To Your Door,” having experience both as a producer in film, television and regional theater, and also as an entertainment lawyer. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. McLeod produced or otherwise supervised projects for 15 years in California, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. Ned was the lead executive producer of the limited run workshop production of “The Nutty Professor Musical” by Jerry Lewis, Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes, starring Michael Andrew, which played at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville (now in further development in London). He represents the Orlando Ballet company, and their new production of the classic holiday ballet “The Nutcracker.” In television and film, Mr. McLeod has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work in pictures such as “Absence of Malice,” “Nashville,” and “The Blair Witch Project” – and with such talents as Sydney Pollack, Robert Altman, Brian De Palma, Cliff Robertson, Paul Newman, Burt Reynolds, John Avildsen, Joseph Adler, Sally Fields, the Cousteau family, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Randy Fenoli and others. International licensing work includes the recent “Top Gun/Top Gun: Maverick” ride and resort project, “CSI,” Graceland, Bob Ross, and other branding ventures, along with music licensing ranging from The Beach Boys to Irving Berlin. His theatrical experience also includes Off-Broadway and regional shows “Legends” by Ken Brown, “Menopause The Musical”®© by Jeanie Linders, “Wasps in Bed” by Richard Willis, Jr., “Toxic Audio's: Loudmouth,” “Dusa, Fish Stas and Vi” by Pam Gems, “The Shadow Box” by Michael Cristopher, “The Duck Variations” by David Mamet, and others.

Stage Management

Joyce A. Jones

Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, Joyce has worked in community theater for more than 45 years as a stage manager and actor. Her stage-management credits include The Wiz, Dreamgirls, Once on This Island, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, A Raisin in the Sun, Ragtime, In the Heights, Fences, Amazing Grace, and Christmas Is Coming Uptown.

Her acting credits include The Odd Couple: Female Version, The Piano Lesson, Ragtime, The Crucible, You Can’t Take It With You, and The Revolutionists. For the past 12 years, she has served as one of three Resident Stage Managers for Opera Western Reserve.