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Keith Josef Adkins

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Keith Josef Adkins BIO

Keith Josef Adkins is a playwright, screenwriter and artistic director.

His Great Migration play, The West End, had its world premiere in October at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and was a finalist for the 2022 Steinberg-ATCA New Play Award. Keith's other plays include The People Before the Park, Safe House, Pitbulls, the Last Saint on Sugar Hill, among others.

His plays have been produced Off-Broadway and regionally. Keith's the recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, Samuel French's Award for Impact and Activism in the Theater Community as well as National Black Theater's Teer Spirit Award.

He is also the artistic director of The New Black Fest, a 12-year-old theater organization committed to fostering insurgent voices from the African Diaspora. The New Black Fest was in residence at the Lark Play Development Center for six years and has commissioned three social justice anthologies, including Facing Our Truth and Hands Up -- both published by Samuel French/Concord Theatrical and produced all over the country. Hands Up was also presented as a radio play for the BBC in London. A recent Black Seed grant recipient, Keith was commissioned by the Apollo Theater to help program their inaugural season at their new Victoria Theater.

Keith’s TV writing credits include P-Valley on Starz, Netflix's Outer Banks, ABC's For The People, The Good Fight on CBS. He's currently writing on a new series about pre-colonial Africa for Lionsgate and developing TV projects with JJ Abrams' Bad Robot, and with Don Cheadle/Steven Soderbergh for HBO Max. Keith’s feature film with Gamechanger Films/Blumhouse will drop on Halloween by Amazon.

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Keith Josef Adkins News


FRIGID New York Reveals Full Schedule For 2024 The Fire This Time Festival


FRIGID New York announces the full schedule for the 2024 The Fire This Time Festival.

Martin E. Segal Theatre Center Will Present Its 2023 FRANKIE Awards, October 14


The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center will present its 2023 FRANKIE Awards on October 14 at The Tank, honoring leaders in theater and performance in New York City.

Premiere Stages At Kean University Seeks Submissions To Annual Play Festival


Premiere Stages, the professional theatre company in residence at Kean University, is accepting submissions for the 19th annual Premiere Play Festival beginning Friday, September 1.

BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY by Pearl Cleage Announced At McCarter's Berlind Theatre, May 6- 28


McCarter Theater will welcome audiences to Pearl Cleage's love letter to friendship and the Harlem Renaissance, BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY, on stage in the Berlind Theatre May 6th through the 28th. The play marks the McCarter directorial debut of Associate Artistic Director Nicole A. Watson. 

MOJADA: A MEDEA IN LOS ANGELES to be Presented at Yale Repertory Theatre in March


Yale Repertory Theatre will start the second half of its 2022–23 season with Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles by Luis Alfaro, directed by Laurie Woolery, March 10–April 1 at the University Theatre.

Premiere Stages at Kean University Seeks Submissions to Annual Play Festival


Premiere Stages, the professional theatre company in residence at Kean University, is accepting submissions for the 18th annual Premiere Play Festival beginning Thursday, September 1. 

Revised Schedule Of BOYS GO TO JUPITER Now Released


Word for Word and Z Space, in collaboration with Black Artists Contemporary Cultural Experience present a performance of the story Boys Go to Jupiter by Danielle Evans. Directed by Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe

Cast Announced for A MEDUSA THREAD Presented by NY Classical Theatre and the West Harlem Art Fund


The cast has been announced for A Medusa Thread. A partnership with NY Classical Theatre and the West Harlem Art Fund on Governors Island in Nolan Park (Building 10B) for FREE -- Saturday, June 25th at noon.

B-BOY BLUES THE PLAY to be Presented at Theatre Row


Downtown Urban Arts Festival will celebrate its 20th Anniversary with James Earl Hardy's B-BOY BLUES THE PLAY. Directed by Broadway World Award nominee Christopher Burris, performances will run June 3 - 25 at Theatre Row as the centerpiece of the 2022 Festival.

Play-by-Play New Play Reading Titles Announced for June 2022


PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY (PTC), Salt Lake City's fully professional regional theatre, has announced the four titles and authors to be included in this season's PLAY-BY-PLAY new play reading series to be held June 9 through June 18, 2022, in the Babcock Theatre level of the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre.

New Black Fest at the Apollo to Launch This Week


 This month marks the launch of New Black Fest at the Apollo, a festival celebrating contemporary Black playwrights from across the nation. On April 22, 23, and 25 at 7pm, audiences will have the opportunity to see original works by 18 playwrights, each commissioned by the Apollo and New Black Fest co-founder Keith Josef Adkins. 

Finalists Named for Steinberg-ATCA New Play Award


The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) has selected five finalists for the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, recognizing playwrights of the best scripts that premiered professionally outside of New York City in 2021.

The Apollo Unveils 2022 Winter/Spring Season


The Apollo announced today details of its Winter/Spring 2022 season, with an array of free and ticketed programming in-person at the Apollo's historic theater and online on the Apollo's Digital Stage.

The Apollo Announces Fall 2021 Programming


The Apollo today announced details of its fall 2021 season, taking place in-person at the Apollo and online on the Apollo's Digital Stage. The season features a broad range of free and ticketed events and programs, paying tribute to the Apollo's legendary community of artists and highlighting new works and commissions.

Live Theatre to Return to Cincinnati Playhouse With the World Premiere of THE WEST END


Beginning Oct. 9, THE WEST END, a world-premiere drama from Keith Josef Adkins, will transport audiences to a transformative chapter in the city’s history, thanks to support from the Rosenthal Family Foundation. The show runs through Nov. 7. Opening night is Oct. 14.

HANDS UP: 7 PLAYWRIGHTS, 7 TESTAMENTS Radio Play to be Presented by National Black Theatre


This August, the historic National Black Theatre will premiere a powerful production that was first introduced in 2015 following a series of state violence that plagued America, as a radio play. HANDS UP: 7 PLAYWRIGHTS, 7 TESTAMENTS  will have its radio play American premiere directed by Jonathan McCrory, NBT’s Executive Artistic Director.

Fountain Theatre Honors Juneteenth With Free Celebration And Other Events


The Fountain Theatre commemorates the emancipation of enslaved women and men in Texas on June 19, 1865 — the last state to abolish slavery in the U.S. following the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 — with a special event at the Fountain's new Covid-safe outdoor venue in East Hollywood. The Fountain's Juneteenth Celebration will take place on Saturday, June 19 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park Announces Plan For The 2021-22 Season


Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park today announced the restart of its mainstage season for October 2021. The 2021-22 season will be comprised of eight shows and features world premieres by Keith Josef Adkins, Deborah Zoe Laufer and KJ Sanchez, who brings a spin-off story from her hit Cincinnati King to the Rosenthal Shelterhouse.

VIDEO: Center Theatre Group Gathers Artists to Recite Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' Speech


In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, twenty one artists and arts leaders recite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legendary I Have A Dream speech.

First Episode Of NOT A MOMENT, BUT A MOVEMENT Features Angelica Cheri's Play CROWNDATION; I WILL NOT LIE TO DAVID


Center Theatre Group launches Not a Moment, But a Movement, a series of events that amplify and center Black artists.

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