Charles Randolph-Wright

Charles Randolph-Wright has built a dynamic and diversified career in directing, writing, and producing for theatre, television, and film.

 

For theatre, Randolph-Wright directed the acclaimed Tony nominated Broadway premiere of Alice Childress’ Trouble In Mind at the Roundabout, the smash hit Motown The Musical (Broadway, London and the National Tours), the Broadway bound musical Born For This (which he co-wrote with gospel icon Bebe Winans), the Pulitzer prize winning play Ruined and the record breaking musical Sophisticated Ladies (starring Maurice Hines) at Arena Stage, the 75th anniversary tour of the opera Porgy and Bess, Brian Stokes Mitchell in Love/Life at Lincoln Center, Guys and Dolls (the 50th anniversary national tour), They’re Playing Our Song (in Portuguese in Brasil), Blood Knot at ACT in San Francisco (featuring music by Tracy Chapman), and Cabaret Verboten at the Mark Taper Forum (with Bebe Neuwirth and Roger Rees).

 

Charles also directed the world premieres of Senor Discretion Himself (the last musical written by Frank Loesser, based on a story by Budd Schulberg, and co-written with Culture Clash) at Arena Stage, Daniel Beaty’s Through the Night at the Geffen Theatre, Tough Titty by Oni Faida Lampley at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Akeelah and the Bee (50th anniversary CTC Minneapolis). He directed and co-wrote Me and Mrs. Jones (a musical which starred Lou Rawls and Darlene Love, and featured the classic R&B music of the Sound of Philadelphia), Homework (starring Kim Coles) in NYC, Crossroads (NJ), and LA, and The Diva Dismissed (starring Jenifer Lewis) at the NYSF Public Theater and the Hudson Theatre (LA).

 

Randolph-Wright wrote the award winning play Blue, starring Phylicia Rashad, which has had productions throughout the United States, including the Roundabout Theatre and the Pasadena Playhouse (which starred Ms. Rashad, Diahann Carroll, and Clifton Davis). He wrote Cuttin’ Up (based upon the best selling book by Craig Marberry), The Night is a Child (starring JoBeth Williams), Love in Afghanistan, and co-wrote the Tony nominated Just Between Friends starring Bea Arthur.

 

Television credits include Producing Director and Executive Producer (with Oprah Winfrey) of the OWN series Delilah, director on The Santa Clauses (starring Tim Allen), Will Trent, Greenleaf, The Big Leap, Katy Keene, Step Up: Highwater, Lincoln Heights, South Of Nowhere, and Live At Lincoln Center. He also was a writer/producer for the acclaimed series Linc’s, co-produced and directed Bebe Winans’ special America America on BET, and co-produced An Evening with Berry Gordy on PBS. Film credits include directing Preaching To The Choir (which swept the feature film prizes at the ABFF, and was featured in numerous festivals including Cannes, Pan African Film Fest, and London). Charles is an Executive Producer of the documentary Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the NY Doc Film Festival.

 

A native of York, South Carolina, Charles is an honor graduate of Duke University where he was an A.B. Duke Scholar and received the Distinguished Alumni Award. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, the Advisory Committee of the American Theatre Wing, the Board of Directors of the Roundabout Theatre, is an associate artist at The Young Vic, and a founding member of the Wright Family Foundation of South Carolina. Charles’ website is www.Randolph-Wright.com.