Plays written by Idris Goodwin
AND IN THIS CORNER…CASSIUS CLAY
BARS AND MEASURES
BLACKADEMICS
HOW WE GOT ON
THE REALNESS
THIS IS MODERN ART
THE WAY THE MOUNTAIN MOVED
HYPEMAN
THE BLUEPRINT
AMERICAN PROM
SCARFOOT LIVES
WHAT’S BEST FOR THE CHILDREN
Synopses:
And In This Corner…Cassius Clay- (2F 7M) There have been African American sports heroes whose celebrity helped shine light on the struggles of the communities from which they emerged, but there was no one more colorful, dynamic and larger than life than the one and only, the true greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali. Before he shook up the world he was just Cassius Clay, Jr. from Louisville, Kentucky; and the Louisville where he grew up in the 1950s was not like Louisville today…
Bars and Measures – (1F 3M) The fascinating tale of two brothers. One a classical pianist. The other a jazz bass player. One a Christian. The other a Muslim. One living in freedom. The other in jail. Separated by bars, the brothers try to reconcile their differences through the language they know best. Music. A beautiful journey through faith, family, melody and time.
Blackademics – (3F 0M) Two ravenous African-American scholars arrive for their coveted dinner reservation at a select café. But what starts as a celebration quickly takes a raucous turn. Banter turns to debate, and debate into battle as the women figuratively and literally vie for a seat at the table. In this West Coast premiere, playwright Idris Goodwin serves up a meal of searing wit, pop-culture humor, and psychological menace in an absurdist take on “post-racial America.”
How We Got On – (2F 2M) It’s 1988 in an upper-class Midwest suburb. Teens Hank and Julian live and breathe hip-hop while their peers would rather rock. Determined to create the ultimate suburban rap song, the duo forges ahead through unconvinced parents and the highs and lows of friendship. With a ‘theatre DJ’ looping, spinning and remixing the action on stage, How We Got On takes us on an uplifting lyrical journey of dreaming big and discovering your voice.
The Realness – (1F 1M) Thomas has escaped the ‘burbs and come to the city to savor authentic hip hop culture. He falls madly in love with Prima, a super-dope MC, and he is willing to lie, cheat, and scheme to win her well-guarded heart. But is he after real love or fulfilling a middle class rap fantasy? A meditation on authenticity and class collision, The REALNESS follows a young man’s journey for his heart and true identity.
This Is Modern Art – (2F 4M) Graffiti crews are willing to risk anything for their art. Called vandals, criminals, even creative terrorists, Chicago graffiti artists set out night after night to make their voices heard and alter the way people view the world. But when one crew finishes the biggest graffiti bomb of their careers, the consequences get serious and spark a public debate asking, where does art belong?
The Way The Mountain Moved – (7M 6F) In the haunting and haunted wilderness setting of the play, African-American Mormons, Department of War surveyors, pioneer women and a Mexican-American war veteran lose their way and find each other in the starkly beautiful, pre-railroad American West. They are unknowingly watched by Native Americans who argue whether to befriend, fight, or flee the newcomers. In a nation still taking shape, built mostly of dreams and ideas, which version of America will prevail? Commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festivals’s American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle.
Hypeman – (2M 1F) After a decade in the rap game, frontman Pinnacle and his crew finally have the world’s attention. But on the eve of their globetrotting tour, the shooting of an unarmed black teenager shakes the dynamic of the hip-hop trio and unearths years of suppressed resentment — lines are crossed as the group navigates issues of identity and friendship.
The Blueprint – (2M 4F) THE BLUEPRINT follows two successful and competitive African American writers as they navigate personal and professional crisis. Framed by the tracks of a contemporary playlist, this rhythmic ensemble piece, examines the heartaches, sacrifices, successes, and the sheer will it takes to pursue the dream.
Scarfoot Lives – (3M 2F) Spanning 180 years of one African American family of storytellers, Scarfoot Lives explores the cost of freedom and art.
What’s Best for the Children – Whit Forsyth has just been elected the first Black chairman of the State Schoolboard Committee, about to vote on critical measures on public education. But as he readies for his vote, several groups go to extreme measures to influence his decisions. A zany exploration of ideology and the American education system.
BIO:
Across two decades Idris Goodwin has forged an impactful career as a multiple award-winning playwright, breakbeat poet, director, educator, and culturist.
Idris is the author of over 50 original plays ranging from his Hip Hop inspired breakbeat series to historical dramas to works for young audiences. Titles such as And In This Corner Cassius Clay, How We Got On, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, This is Modern Art and the ground breaking Free Play: open source scripts for an antiracist tomorrow, are widely produced across the country by a diverse mix of professional theatres, academic environments, and non-traditional spaces alike. Goodwin’s has appeared on HBO Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, BBC Radio, and the Discovery Channel.
Several of his plays are published and/or licensed through Playscripts Inc. Other works like the poetry books Can I Kick It?, Inauguration co written with nico wilkinson, Human Highlight: Ode To Dominique Wilkins, and the play This Is Modern Art co-written with Kevin Coval are available from Haymarket Books. Together Goodwin and Coval co-host Vocalo Radio’s Same Old New School, a weekly program and podcast on hip hop music and politics.
Passionate about cultivating new audiences in the arts, Idris is the Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre. Prior to this, Idris was The Director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, the first Black man to hold the position in its 100 year history. Idris also served two seasons as Producing Artistic Director at StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky. He actively serves on both the advisory boards of Theatre for Young Audiences USA and Children’s Theatre Foundation Association.
Idris is a 2021 United States Artist Fellow, recognized as a culture bearer who celebrates community values and cultivates histories with care. Supported by prestigious institutions like The Kennedy Center, The Eugene O’Neill Conference, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, and The Playwrights’ Center, Idris uses his full creative powers to galvanize people into the community square to sculpt better tomorrows