Jamaican Actor Dianne Dixon Joins American Premiere of Goodbye, Doctor

NEW YORK – Acclaimed Jamaican actress and vocalist Dianne Dixon has become a part of the American debut of the psychological theater production Goodbye, Doctor.

The play is authored by internationally renowned playwright and psychoanalyst Betty Milan and directed  by Brazilian Debora Baladini, 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.

Joining Dixon in the cast are Barbara Riethe, Jerry Topitzer, and Ian Melamed. Riethe is a writer and film producer. Melamed is a musician and filmmaker. Both are co-producers of the play with Psykout Productions.

Psychological Tale

Set in Paris in the 1970s and based on a true story, Goodbye, Doctor is a gripping psychological tale that delves into the complexities of the mind and soul. The play follows the story of Seriema (Riethe), a Brazilian woman of Lebanese descent, who escapes to the French capital after the trauma of two miscarriages and the collapse of her marriage. In search of healing, she begins psychoanalysis with controversial psychiatrist Jacques Lacan (Topitzer), whose unorthodox  methods push her to confront deeply buried memories and emotions. As their sessions unfold, both Seriema and Lacan find themselves grappling with their own inner demons.

The play is based on the real life events surrounding playwright Milan’s sessions with the legendary Lacan, and comes to New York following successful runs in France and Latin America.

Dixon plays the role of Maria, Seriema’s spiritual mother figure, whose presence in her memory and her psyche continues to influence Seriema’s thoughts and actions throughout her life.

Dixon’s stage appearance in Goodbye, Doctor follows her most recent role as Queen Rasta in the acclaimed American premiere presentation of Alwin Bully’s McBee at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) in June of this year.

The Jamaican born Dixon immigrated to the United States as a teenager and made her New York stage debut at the Producers Club in the comedy Nine to Five Government Style.

She has since emerged as one of the most popular and respected Caribbean artists working in New York. Additional stage appearances include such diverse productions as Ain’t Misbehavin’ at the Black Spectrum Theatre, An Old Woman Remembers at the Billie Holiday Theatre, Not About Eve at The National Black Theatre Festival and the Off Broadway productions of the musicals Falling in Love With Mr. Dellamort and Flambeaux, which swept the 2015 Audelco Awards for Excellence in Black Theater, winning six awards including Best Musical.

She made her Public Theater debut in the staged reading production of Trey Anthony’s  How Black Mothers Say I Love You, under the direction of Tony Award winner Kenny Leon.

On screen, Dixon has been seen in the Emmy Award winning web series We Are New York and as a grieving mother in the award winning 9/11  cable drama Echoes of a Lost Son. Her film credits include Jamaican Mafia, Victims and most recently the short feature Caribbean Queen, which premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) as part of the NewFest Film Festival.

Among other accolades, Dixon is a two time Audelco Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress for the drama Dinner At the Manse and for the musical Jamaica. She is also the recipient of the Caribbean Life Impact Award for her contributions to the Caribbean Community in New York as well as the New York City Council Award and Proclamation for Excellence in The Arts.

Goodbye, Doctor plays Tuesdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:30pm 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.

Further information and tickets to the production are available here.