ABOUT DESIRÉE

Desirée Roots is one of Virginia’s best known and most accomplished performing artists. She is the first of three Artistic Directors to be announced in a new leadership model that will steer all artistic aspects of Virginia Rep.

Roots began her association with Virginia Rep at age 16, when she served as a high school intern with Theatre IV, which merged with Barksdale Theatre to form Virginia Rep in 2012. Her first professional engagement was when she appeared in the cast of Theatre IV’s production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ in 1988. Since then, she has starred in numerous Theatre IV, Barksdale Theatre and Virginia Rep productions, most recently The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, Caroline or Change and Ella and Her Fella Frank.

Roots has vast experience in the Richmond area working with schools and businesses to build community awareness and appreciation for the arts. Her professional background includes working as Program Coordinator for Richmond Jazz Society and as Booking Manager for Downtown Presents (now Venture Richmond). She studied Musicology at the University of Michigan and has a B.A. in Art Education/Performance from Virginia Union University. She was honored with the 2005 Theresa Pollak Award for Outstanding Vocalist in Virginia, is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, and is a panel judge for the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Desirée has also been showcasing her triple threat talent for more than 35 years in her hometown of Richmond, VA as well as regionally. She has traveled extensively throughout the East Coast performing with a plethora of singing groups, theatrical productions and workshops. She performs regularly in theatrical productions, concerts, festivals, workshops, and studios, as well as operatic, R&B, gospel and jazz genres. Her versatility within different genres of music keeps her busy, however her favorites are classical, gospel and Jazz! Desirée grew up in a musical family and continues to carry the torch. Her long awaited CD entitled "Don't Ever Stop Dreaming" has gained airplay and accolades from the USA to Europe and Brazil. For the past few years in her hometown, she has been holding down the leading lady spots in theatre from Sofia in "The Color Purple" to Vera Charles in "Mame". in 2015, she won the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle award of "Best Actress in a Musical" for her portrayal of Caroline in the mini operetta "Caroline or Change"! And, in the summer of 2016, she wowed audiences in Virginia Repertory Theatre's box office sellout "DREAMGIRLS" as the lead character Effie White. Other favorite roles have been: Sister Hubert in "Nunsense"; "Crowns"; Narrator and Diana Ross in "Beehive - The 60's Musical"; Aldonza in "Man of LaMancha"; TiMoune in "Once On This Island"; Dorothy in "The Wiz". Desirée was also featured in a one-woman production, in which she wrote, entitled "Songs of Bessie Smith" and had the Nell Carter role in "Ain't Misbehavin" at Porthouse Theatre in Kent Ohio. Desiree has been a guest performer with the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra and, has been honored to share the stage with music giants such as Grammy Award Winning Blues Guitarist Buddy Guy, Jazz Saxophonist Gerald Albright, the late saxophonist Art Porter, and the late great Blues Giant BB King . Her vocal styling can be heard on regional and national ad campaigns as well as several episodes of "The Cosby Show" and "A Different World". Desirée has been the opening act for many renowned Jazz artists, including Kenny Garrett, Bobby Watson, and the late Phyllis Hyman and Shirley Horne. In 2004, Desiree received the Theresa Pollack Prize for Excellence in the Arts as Best Vocalist in Virginia.