WHO IS DR. DYKES.?

DIRECTOR             ACTRESS                PLAYWRIGHT

Dr. Dykes began her career as a performer at the age of seven, singing in church choirs. Although she loved music, it was not until age nine, after attending her uncle Rob Penny's play Good Black Don't Crack, that she discovered her passion for theater.

She continued performing throughout high school as a member of her school choir and, in 2010, was cast in her first college production, Baba Yaga. Dr. Dykes earned a Bachelor of Arts from Penn State University, followed by a Master of Fine Arts from Point Park University. She later returned to Point Park to complete her Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Administration. Her dissertation, The Effects Theater Arts Has on African American Youth in an Academic Setting: A Qualitative Ethnographic Research Study, explored the impact of theater education on youth development.

Dr. Dykes has taught theater through The Neighborhood Outreach Program, Pittsburgh Learning Commons, and online through Dee Annette Domination Theater Co.

In 2025, she published her personal memoir, I Might Cry Again. In 2026, she released Freedom and Other Works and Petals Bruise Too, collections of films and plays written throughout her journey from undergraduate studies to graduate school.