James Williams Email & Phone Number

James A. Williams is an exceptionally talented actor, who originated the role of Roosevelt Hicks on Broadway in August Wilson’s Radio Golf. He appeared Off-Broadway in Wilson’s The Piano Lesson and My Children! My Africa! A founding member of Penumbra Theatre, James has been a regular on Twin Cities stages for over four decades. He has also performed at Center Stage, Goodman Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, the Kennedy Center, Mark Taper Forum, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage and Yale Repertory Theatre. While establishing a national reputation James as still maintained his connection the MN social justice theater community. At Pillsbury House, he served as Artistic Director of The Chicago Avenue Project as well as Director of Teen Programming. He was Artistic Director of The Hennepin County Home School Theater Project, teaching incarcerated youth to use theater skills as an alternative pathway to reenter society. He has led social justice theater workshops nationally and internationally. He was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2007 by the Beverly Hills Chapter, received an Ivey Award for Performance Excellence in 2008 for his portrayal of Troy Maxson in Fences and was also named 2008 Artist of the Year by Minneapolis’ StarTribune. In 2012 he received The Distinguished Global Citizen Award from Macalester College for his work with youth. In 2014, he was given his second Ivey award for his ensemble work in Marcus or The Secret of Sweet. He is a 2015 McKnight Theater Fellow at the Playwrights’ Center and a 2016 Fox Resident Acting Fellow. He is a 2018 Lunt-Fontanne Fellow. The Black Box Theater at Macalester College was recently named in his honor and he was awarded a Doctor of Letters.

Listed skills include Performing Arts, Playwriting, Public Speaking, Entertainment, and 3 others.

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  Macalester College

  Doctor Of Letters