About Dennis
Born in California and raised in San Antonio, Dennis Whitehead Darling was an award-winning international opera, theatre, and film/video stage director based in Philadelphia.
Recent credits include the acclaimed production of Anonymous Lover at Opera Philadelphia. His world premieres include Marian’s Song (Houston Grand Opera), Sanctuary Road (North Carolina Opera), Why I Live at the P.O. (UrbanArias), Buried Deep (Endstation Theatre Company), The Secret River (Opera Orlando), and The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the ’61 Freedom Riders (acappella version).
Artistic Career
Dennis’s directing career spanned opera, theatre, and film, marked by bold storytelling and visual imagination. His directing highlights include The Cunning Little Vixen (Manhattan School of Music), Maria de Buenos Aires (Opera Columbus), The Falling and the Rising (Arizona Opera), Lost in the Stars (Annapolis Opera), and La Bohème (Opera Columbus).
He also directed Jelly’s Last Jam (concert performance, Long Wharf Theatre), Hansel and Gretel (film, Playground Opera), Giulio Cesare in Egitto (film, Carnegie Mellon University), The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Red Mountain Theatre), Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill (Hattiloo Theatre / Spazio Teatro No’hma, Milan), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Spazio Teatro No’hma, Milan), Intimate Apparel (University of Memphis), Movin’ Up in the World (Opera Memphis), Jelly’s Last Jam (Hattiloo Theatre), Sunset Baby (Hattiloo Theatre), Blue Viola (Opera Memphis), and Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet (Hattiloo Theatre).
His collaborations with Patricia McGregor included The Mountaintop, Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole, and Skeleton Crew (Geffen Playhouse), as well as The Last of the Love Letters (Atlantic Theater Company) and Planet Funk.
In addition to his work in the performing arts, Dennis served as Director of Music at First Congregational Church (First Congo) in Memphis.
“To tell emotionally engaging and provocative stories that challenge the viewer to see the world from a different perspective.”
— Dennis Whitehead Darling
Through every project—opera house, black box, or film set—Dennis pursued that vision. His work blended technical precision with empathy, inviting audiences to see the familiar through new eyes.
Awards & Recognition
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Recipient of three B. Iden Payne Awards for Outstanding Direction
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Four-time Ostrander Award Winner
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Inaugural McCleave Fellow in Directing at Opera Memphis (2018) — a program fostering the careers of Stage and Music Directors of color
Personal Life & Legacy
The Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of marriage equality came just three weeks before Dennis’s wedding to his husband, Bryan Whitehead Darling. Their celebration was among the first same-sex weddings featured in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine.
Dennis earned his Master of Fine Arts in Directing for Theatre from the University of Memphis, and both a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts from Texas State University.
WORKING WITH DENNIS WHITEHEAD DARLING
"Dennis Whitehead Darling is a major asset to any room. His precision with composition and staging, expertise in music, and dynamic dialog with actors and other creatives in the process make him a great director and collaborator. His work sings a rich tune full of joy and truth telling."
Patricia McGregor
"Dennis Whitehead Darling's production of our opera Blue Viola at Opera Memphis was a revelation. It's a difficult piece to get just right, with some problematic staging elements, and Dennis found incredible solutions to these moments that in at least two cases had Matt Boresi and I staring at each other in wonder and disbelief. He took our breath away. It was the third production of the piece we had seen, but his direction made it feel in many ways like a brand new and more impactful piece, without altering the text of the work in any way. Dennis is a great musician, and his deep understanding of how our piece functioned musically, combined with an insightful eye for visual storytelling and pacing, combined to make the Memphis production one we will cherish in our memory forever."
Peter Hilliard
"Generous, thoughtful, detailed and highly collaborative, Dennis is a gift to any room that requires theatrical exploration and interrogation."
Colman Domingo
"Dennis Whitehead Darling is a phenomenal talent. The insight he brings to a piece is a welcomed addition to any creative endeavor. For me personally, his help in the character development of Nat King Cole in “Lights Out: Nat King Cole” was invaluable. I look forward to the next opportunity we have to collaborate together! Dennis Darling...an amazing artist and a wonderful gift."
Dulé Hill