Kenny Leon is a director notable for his work on Broadway and in regional theater. He gained prominence in 1988, when he became one of the few African Americans to head a notable non-profit theater company as the artistic director of Atlanta's Alliance Theatre Company. In 2004, he directed a revival of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, starring Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald. He also directed the Broadway premiere of August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 2010 for Best Director for his work on August Wilson's Fences. He has also directed plays at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, the New York Shakespeare Festival, and the Goodman Theatre in Chicago among many others. In 2014, he directed the Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun for which he won the Tony Award for Best Director of a Play. In 2015, he directed the live musical The Wiz for NBC. He once again partnered with NBC for Hairspray: Live!.
Listen in to hear Kenny talk about all the things a Director needs to be in the 21st-century, as well as . . .
- What he did when a teacher told him he shouldn’t be a Director.
- How he taught homeless people how to act.
- Why all Directors should try their hand at acting.
- Telecasts . . . the beginning of a revolution and why.
- How we’re doing on diversity, and what he would tell future Directors of color.
Oh, and don’t forget to tune into Hairspray Live! this Wednesday, December 7th at 8 PM ET n NBC!
Keep up with me: @KenDavenportBway