I’ll Tell You At Sunrise

Franky D. Gonzalez, Writer

Franky D. Gonzalez is a playwright of Colombian descent living in Dallas, TX originally from Queens, NY. He holds a BA in Theatre from the University of North Texas and has had productions and readings with several theatre companies and colleges in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex since 2011. He is also the Dramatists Guild Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Representative and has been a proud member of the Guild since 2016. 

Nationally his work has been featured with The Great Plains Theatre Conference, Repertorio Español, The Mid-America Theatre Conference, The Midwest Dramatists Conference, Focal Theatre Lab/reACT Gallery, A Light in Dark Places, Jenny Magazine, PEN America's Inaugural Writer's Resist, and the One-Minute Play Festival. His play Even Flowers Bloom in Hell, Sometimes was a winning script selected for reading as part of the Nuestras Voces National Playwriting Competition, for development in the PlayLab Series of the Great Plains Theatre Conference, a finalist for San Diego REP Latinx New Play Festival, and a semi-finalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference.

Chris Millar, Director

Chris studied acting under Rick Podell, Chick Vennera, and Milton Katselas at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and improv at Improv Olympic West (IO West) in Hollywood. He has acted, directed, or produced a variety of theater in Los Angeles and is a long-time member of Sacred Fools Theater Co. In addition to stage work, Chris also has written and directed short films, one of which progressed to final jury in USA Film Festival’s National Short Film competition.

Meet the Cast

Ryan Maffei, Man

Ryan Maffei is a local actor, critic, musician and model. In the mid-2000s he performed at Collin College in such productions as The Exonerated, The Rocky Horror Puppet Show and Columbinus. Since returning to Collin to play Eddie in A View from the Bridge in 2014, he has featured on Dallas stages occasionally – in Hearts Like Fists (as Peter) for Outcry, The Submission (as Danny) for Proper Hijinx, Picasso at the Lapin Agile (as Schmendimann) for L.I.P. Service, and The Dining Room (as nine people) for Resolute. He also writes sporadically for the Column. He is grateful to Chris, Isabelle, Franky and Kelly for their amazing work, and for the opportunity to help A Light in Dark Places spread its noble and necessary message.

Isabelle Culpepper, Vagabond

ISABELLE CULPEPPER (VAGABOND/ I’ll Tell You at Sunrise) is super excited to be part of this project. Just like so many others, she has been close to people affected by this disease, and hopes that projects like these can help educate those who don’t know much about it, and hopefully help those suffering or, at least help them feel heard. Isabelle enjoys being on stage as much as she can, previous roles include Gabriella/BOEING BOEING! and Anabelle Fuller/GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE (MainStage Irving Las Colinas), Madge/THE GAMES AFOOT (Richardson Theatre Center), Jayne Mansfield/DEAD WAIT (Churchmouse Productions), Deb/SECRETS OF MY PRISON HOUSE (Theatre on the Edge), and Harley/ACCOMPLICE (Plano Community Theatre). Offstage she is art director & graphic designer at JPT Graphics, a mother, Zumba instructor, and Yoga & Pilates enthusiast. She would like to thank her family for their neverending support, especially her super talented husband, her loving daughter, and her super caring mother & grandma.