Idris Goodwin

Author's Bio

IDRIS GOODWIN is a playwright, rapper and essayist. His plays include HOW WE GOT ON, REMIX 38 (Actors Theater of Louisville); AND IN THIS CORNER: CASSIUS CLAY(StageOne Family Theater), THIS IS MODERN ART co written with Kevin Coval (Steppenwolf Theatre), BLACK FLAG (Summer Shorts/ 59E59Theatre), BLACKADEMICS (MPAACT, Crowded Fire), BARS AND MEASURES ( B Street Theatre, NNPN RWP), THE RAID (Jackalope Theatre) and The REALNESS: a break beat play (Merrimack Repertory Theatre). Goodwin is one of the six playwrights featured in HANDS UP an anthology commissioned by The New Black Fest. HANDS UP is being presented in theatres and universities across the country. He is the recipient of Oregon Shakespeare’s American History Cycle Commission, InterAct Theater’s 20/20 Award and a finalist for the Lanford Wilson Award. Goodwin has been a writer in residence at The Eugene O'Neil Playwrights Center, Berkeley Rep's Ground Floor Program, The Lark Playwriting Center and New Harmony Project. An accomplished spoken word performer and break beat poet, his albums include BREAK BEAT POEMS and RHYMING WHILE BLACK. Goodwin was featured on HBO, Sesame Street and Discovery Channel. He is the author of the pushcart nominated essay collection THESE ARE THE BREAKS (Write Bloody, 2011) and his work is anthologized widely. Idris is the co host and contributor to CRITICAL KARAOKE, a radio show and podcast about music and culture. Idris teaches performance writing and Hip Hop aesthetics at Colorado College.

Publications and Prizes

Prizes Won: 
Future Aesthetics Artist Re-grant, Ford Foundation/Hip Hop Theater Fest, 2008 Wallace W. Douglas Distinguished Service Award for excellence in teaching, 2008 Orgie Theatre Award For Innovative Chicago Theater, 2008 Illinois Arts Council Ethnic Folk Arts Award, 2007 National Showcase of New Plays (“Braising”), Stanford University, 2005 National Endowment for the Arts/TCG Playwriting Residency Grant, 2004-2005

More Information

Listed as: 
Creative Nonfiction Writer, Poet, Spoken Word Artist
Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
African American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Detroit
Raised in: 
Chicago, IL
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last updated: Jun 30, 2016