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Woodie King, Jr. Biography (1937-)

Born July 27, 1937, in Mobile, AL; son of Woodie and Ruby (Johnson) King; married Willie Mae Washington (a teacher); children: Michelle, Woodie Geoffrey,Michael. Addresses: OFFICES--Woodie King Associates, 417 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031; New Federal Theatre, 466 Grand Street, New York, NY 10002.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

July 27, 1937

Mobile, Alabama, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES
• STAGE DEBUT--Green Grow the Lilacs, Time Community Playhouse, Detroit, MI, 1957, for twenty five performances.
• OFF-BROADWAY DEBUT--White, A Study in Color, St. Mark's Playhouse, 1964,for sixteen performances.
• BROADWAY DEBUT--Young Negro, The Great White Hope, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1968-69.
• Sulk, The Displaced Person, American Place Theatre, St. Clement's ChurchTheatre, New York City, 1966-67.
• Ed, The Perfect Party, Tambellini's Gate Theatre, New York City, 1969.
• Also appeared in "Benito Cereno" in The Old Glory, St. Clement's Church Theatre, 1965; Day of Absence, St. Mark's Playhouse, New York City, 1966; Who's Got His Own, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1966; Lost in the Stars, Equity Library Theatre, New York City, 1967.
• Credits; STAGE WORK
• FIRST LONDON WORK--Director, I Have a Dream, University of Sussex, 1989.
• Producer, A Black Quartet, Tambellini's Gate Theatre, then Frances AdlerTheatre, both New York City, 1969.
• producer, Slave Ship, Chelsea Theatre Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music,Brooklyn, NY, 1969-70, then Washington Square Methodist Church, New York City, 1970.
• producer (with Dick Williams), In New England Winter, New Federal Theatre, Henry Street Playhouse, New York City, 1971.
• producer, Behold! Cometh the Vanderkellans, Theatre De Lys, New York City, 1971.
• producer (with Williams), Black Girl, New Federal Theatre, New York City,1972.
• producer (with Williams), A Recent Killing, New Federal Theatre, 1973.
• producer, What the Wine-Sellers Buy, New Federal Theatre, 1973, then (with Joseph Papp) New York Shakespeare Festival (NYSF), Vivian Beaumont Theatre,later (also director) NYSF, Mobile Theatre, both New York City, 1974.
• producer, The Prodigal Sister, Theatre De Lys, 1974.
• Producer, The First Breeze of Summer, Negro Ensemble Company, St.
• Mark's Playhouse, then Palace Theatre, both New York City, 1975.
• producer, The Taking of Miss Janie, St. Mark's Playhouse, then (with Papp) NYSF, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, New York City, 1975.
• producer (with Paul Berkowsky and Lucille Lortel), Medal of Honor Rag, Theatre De Lys, 1976.
• director, Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA,1976.
• producer, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the RainbowIs Enuf, New Federal Theatre, then (with Papp), NYSF, Public Theatre, New York City, 1976, then Booth Theatre, New York City, 1976-78.
• director, Cockfight, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1977.
• director, The First Breeze of Summer, Center Stage Theatre, Baltimore, MD, 1977.
• director, Siwze Banzi Is Dead, Studio Arena Theatre, Buffalo, NY, 1977.
• Daddy, New Federal Theatre, Henry Street Playhouse, 1977.
• director, Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, 1978.
• director, A Raisin in the Sun, GeVa Theatre, Rochester, NY, 1978.
• producer, Hot Dishes!, Anna Lucasta, The God of Vengeance, and Black Medea, all New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, New York City, 1978.
• producer, Take a Giant Step and In Splendid Error, both New Federal Theatre, Pilgrim Theatre, New York City, 1978.
• producer, Take It from the Top and Flamingo Flomongo, both New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1979.
• producer, Trouble in Mind and Raisin in the Sun, both New Federal Theatre, Pilgrim Theatre, 1979.
• Executive producer, Reggae, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1980.
• producer (with Steve Tennen), Branches from the Same Tree, New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1980.
• producer (with Tennen), The Trial of Dr. Beck, Louis, Boy and Tarzan Appear in a Clearing, A Day Out of Time, and Child of the Sun, all New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1981.
• producer (with Tennen), Things of the Heart: Marian Anderson's Story, TheDance and the Railroad, Widows, No, Steal Away, The Black People's Party, and Zora and When the Chickens Came Home to Roost (double-bill), all New Federal Theatre, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, New York City, 1981.
• director, Appear and Show Cause, Pittsburgh Public Theatre, 1981.
• producer (with Tennen), Dreams Deferred, Keyboard, La Chefa, Paper Angels, Love, and Jazz Set, all New Federal Theatre, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, 1982.
• producer (with Tennen), Who Loves the Dancer, The World of Ben Caldwell,and Portrait of Jennie, all New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1982.
• producer, The Upper Depths, Wonderhorse Theatre, New York City, 1982.
• producer (with Tennen), Adam, Champeeen!, Trio, and Basin Street, all NewFederal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1983.
• producer, Shades of Brown and The Trial of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., bothNew Federal Theatre, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, 1983.
• director, Appear and Show Cause, Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland, OH, 1983.
• producer (with others) and director, Dinah! Queen of the Blues, WestsideArts Center, Cheryl Crawford Theatre, New York City, 1983- 84.
• producer, Oh! Oh! Obesity, New Federal Theatre, 1984. Producer, Long TimeSince Yesterday, New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1985.
• producer, Nonsectarian Conversations with the Dead, New Federal Theatre,Experimental Theatre, New York City, 1985.
• producer and director, Appear and Show Cause, New Federal Theatre, Theatre Guinevere, New York City, 1985.
• producer, In the House of Blues, New Federal Theatre, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, 1985.
• director, Love to All, American Place Theatre, 1985.
• director, Boesman and Lena, Northlight Theatre, Evanston, IL, 1985.
• producer and director, I Have a Dream, New Federal Theatre, Louis AbronsArts for Living Center, 1985-86.
• producer, December Seventh, New Federal Theatre, Theatre Guinevere, 1986.
• producer, Williams and Walker, New Federal Theatre, 1986.
• producer, Stories About the Old Days, The Sovereign State of Boogedy Boogedy, and Time Out of Time, all New Federal Theatre, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, 1986.
• producer, Lillian Wald: At Home on Henry Street, New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1986.
• director, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Alliance Theatre Company,Atlanta, GA, 1986.
• producer, Brother Malcolm, New Heritage Repertory Theatre, New York City,1986.
• producer, Hats and Boogie Woogie and Booker, both New Federal Theatre, Louis Abrons Arts for Living Center, 1987.
• producer, The Meeting, From the Mississippi Delta, and Trinity, all New Federal Theatre, Harry DeJur Playhouse, 1987.
• director, 'night Mother, Virginia Museum Theatre, Richmond, VA, 1987.
• director, Checkmates, 46th Street Theatre, New York City, 1988.
• artistic consultant, Don't Get God Started, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1987-88.
• producer, After Crystal Night and Mr. Universe, both New Federal Theatre,1988.
• director, Splendid Mummer, American Place Theatre, 1988.
• director, God's Trombones, Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1988, thenFord's Theatre, Washington, DC, 1989, later Theatre of the Riverside Church,New York City, 1989.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Producer (with Joseph Papp), What the Wine-Sellers Buy, U.S. cities, 1975.
• producer (with Papp), For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide Whenthe Rainbow Is Enuf, U.S. cities, 1978.
• director, Love to All, U.S. cities, 1981.
• director, Home, U.S. cities, 1981-86.
• director, Appear and Show Cause, U.S. cities, 1985-86.
• director, I Have a Dream, U.S. cities, 1986.
• director, Checkmates, U.S. cities, 1987-88.
• Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
• Jerry, Together for Days (also known as Black Cream), Olas, 1972.
• Larry, Serpico, Paramount, 1973.
• Credits; FILM WORK
• Producer (with Herbert Danska) Right On! (documentary), Leacock- Pennebaker, 1970.
• producer (with St. Claire Burne) and director, The Long Night, Howard Mahler, 1976.
• producer and director, The Black Theatre Movement: "A Raisin in the Sun"to the Present (documentary), National Black Theatre Touring Circuit, 1978.
• director, The Torture of Mothers (documentary), Woodie King Associates, 1980.
• director, Death of a Prophet, National Black Theatre Touring Circuit, 1982.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; EPISODIC
• NYPD, ABC.
• As the World Turns, CBS.
• Credits; TELEVISION WORK; SPECIALS
• Producer and director, Women of the Regent Hotel, CBS, 1988.
• Credits; ALBUMS
• Producer, New Black Poets in America, Motown, 1972.
• producer, Nation Time, Motown, 1972.
• Writings;STAGE
• The Weary Blues, Lincoln Center Library, New York City, 1966.
• Simple's Blues, Clark Center of Performing Arts, New York City, 1967.
• Writings;FILM
• Right On!, Leacock-Pennebaker, 1970.
• (with Julian Mayfield) The Long Night, Howard Mahler, 1976.
• The Black Theatre Movement: "A Raisin in the Sun" to the Present (documentary), National Black Theatre Touring Circuit, 1978.
• The Torture of Mothers (documentary), Woodie King Associates, 1980.
• Death of a Prophet (documentary), National Black Theatre Touring Circuit,1982 Also The Beast of Harlem, Jet!, Black Dreams, Sunday February 21: The Day Malcolm X Died, and (with others) Harlem Transfer.
• Writings;TELEVISION; EPISODIC
• Sanford and Son, NBC, 1974.
• Hot l Baltimore, ABC, 1975.
• Writings;OTHER
• Editor, A Black Quartet, New American Library, 1970.
• editor (with Ron Milner), Black Drama Anthology, Columbia University Press, 1972, then New American Library, 1986.
• editor (with Earl Anthony), Black Poets and Prophets: The Theory, Practice, and Esthetics of the Pan-Africanist Revolution, New American Library, 1972.
• editor, Black Short Story Anthology, Columbia University Press, 1972.
• editor, Black Spirits: A Festival of New Black Poets in America, Random House, 1972.
• editor, The Forerunners: Black Poets in America, Howard University Press,1975.
• Black Theatre: Present Condition (essays), Publishing Center for CulturalResources, 1981.
• also editor, The Pan African Movement, 1974.
• editor, New Plays for the Black Theatre, Third World, 1988.
• Also editor, Short Stories By Black Writers, New American Library.
• Short stories have appeared in The Best Short Stories By Negro Writers, Little, Brown, 1967; Black Short Story Anthology, Columbia University Press, 1972; We Be Word Sorcerers, Bantam, 1973; also City Streets, Bantam.
• Has also written for such periodicals as Negro Digest, Black Creation, Black Scholar, Rockefeller Foundation Quarterly, Black American Literature Forum, Variety, Liberator, Black World, Drama Review, Black Theatre Magazine, NewYork Times, and Association for Study on Negro Life and History.