Interview: Theatre Life with Ro Boddie

Today’s subject Ro Boddie is currently living his theatre life onstage playing the role of Toledo in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Round House Theatre. The show plays through October 18th and is the opener to the company’s 50th season.

Ro has performed many times at Round House Theatre over the years. Past credits include Sally & Tom, Topdog/Underdog, The Mountaintop, Radio Golf, The Tempest, A Boy and His Soul, and Master Harold…and the Boys.

Ro has also performed locally in productions at Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company, Mosaic Theater Company, Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Studio Theatre, and Shakespeare Theatre Company.

His off-Broadway credits include Socrates at The Public Theatre and Seize The King at Classical Theatre of Harlem.

You might have also seen Ro on episodes of The Good Wife, Run The World, and Godfather of Harlem.

He is the co-founder of Imminent Theatre Company.

Ro Boddie is one of the finest performers the area has to offer. His dynamic stage presence and memorable performances always make for a total theatre experience.

Grab yourself some tickets to Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom at Round House Theatre and see for yourself. “One, two, y’all know what to do.”

Ro Boddie is truly living his theatre life to the fullest.

How did you first get interested in performing? 

It’s hard to say when I first got interested in performing. I’ve been performing since I was little boy, in my backyard in Whitakers, NC pretending I was Lancelot saving Guinevere or, performing Michael Jackson dance routines in my grandparents living room on Friday nights. My first audience was my family and I’m grateful that they gave me space for self-expression. But I didn’t get interested in theater until Junior year of high school. I neglected to fill out my electives, and my guidance counselor did it for me, putting me into a drama class. I’d never even heard of theater at that point. However, I did know that drama implied acting and so I figured we’d be making movies in the class. I quickly learned on day one when I didn’t see any cameras and after a few rounds of Zip, Zap, Zop and Mirror Exercises…that I was in for a unique experience. I embraced the many waves of discomfort and put myself out there. But it was after I performed my first monologue in class that I was bit by the acting bug.  

Where did you receive your training? 

I’m a proud graduate of the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Go Pickles!  

What was your first professional job as a performer? 

I owe the start of my career to Jeremy Skidmore, former Artistic Director of Theater Alliance in Washington, DC. He cast me in Angels in America: Part 1 and Part 2 at Forum Theatre. I portrayed the role of Belize. Even though I was a NYC actor, that began my relationship with the DC theater community and local DC artists.  

How do you best describe your character in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom?

I’d describe Toledo as the piano player in the band, but he’s also the philosopher and the intellectual of the group. For 1927, he has some pretty radical ideas. He’s self-taught, the only one in the band who can read, and that access to knowledge gives him a different kind of “sight” than the other men. He’s a man of dignity and moral integrity, and he’s deeply concerned about the larger social and political realities facing Black people. He believes in Black consciousness, African heritage, and, most importantly, Black unity. He believes that’s the path toward improving the standing of Black people in America.

And, of course, he’s a lover of the Blues, which is really at the heart of all of these men.

Is this your first time performing in an August Wilson play? 

I’m happy to say this is my fifth August Wilson play. Gem of the Ocean, Radio Golf, King Hedley II, Seven Guitars (2x), and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2x).

Why do you think the works of August Wilson still resonate with the audience and if he were still with us, what do you think his next plays would have dealt with?

I think August Wilson’s work still resonates because, unfortunately, the struggle he wrote about is still with us. As long as there is systemic racism, racial oppression, white supremacy, and economic exploitation, his plays are going to have something to say to us. And as long as we’re unwilling to really face the truth of our nation’s history, and continue to repeat patterns of inequality and inequity, August’s work will remain relevant.

As long as there are people who feel like second-class citizens, his plays will resonate.

But I also think his work resonates on a very human level. His characters are dealing with things that all of us understand love, betrayal, ambition, disappointment, identity, and the search for belonging. Those things don’t have a shelf life. They’re part of the human experience.

August used to always say, “The struggle continues.” And I think that’s probably the best way to describe why his work remains so relevant. Now, whether August would have started a 21st Century Cycle, I can’t say. I wouldn’t want to put words in his mouth. But I do think he would have continued to write about what we, as a nation, still haven’t fully dealt with.

W.E.B. Du Bois talked about “the color line” and “double consciousness” which is that internal conflict of being Black in a society that has historically defined Blackness through a white-dominated lens. That struggle is still very real.

You’ve performed at Round House Theatre in a number of productions. As a performer, what is the best thing for you about working there?

Round House has been my artistic home and always will be, because it’s a theater that truly practices what it preaches. When they say they’re a “theatre for everyone,” they mean it. You see that reflected in their programming, their Board, and their staff. But the best thing for me is the care they show their artists. As performers, we’re often asked to tackle difficult subject matter and take emotional risks that people don’t necessarily face in their everyday lives. That’s part of the job, and it’s necessary if you want to make art with real integrity.

What I appreciate about Round House is that when you’re asked to take those risks, they make sure you’re not taking them alone. There are resources and people there to support your well-being. That level of care tells an artist, “We see you, and your wellbeing matters.” And that means a lot to me.

After Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom finishes its run, what does the rest of 2026 and into 2027 have in store for you workwise? 

After this, I’ll be doing Cold War Choir Practice by Ro Reddick at Theatre Alliance. And in the spring, I’ll be doing Comedy of Errors at Folger Theatre. I’m also an Adjunct Professor at American University, so I’ll be teaching acting classes there as well. 

Special Thanks to Round House Theatre's royal Public Relations & Partnerships Manager Amy "Queenie" Killion for her assistance in coordinating this interview.