Biography
Idris Goodwin is a creative voice for change impassioned by the power of art for social good. He uses story to inspire and incite new audiences across culture and generation. His critically acclaimed plays And In This Corner Cassius Clay, How We Got On, and Hype Man: a break beat play are widely produced across the country at professional theatres, college campuses, and non-traditional spaces alike. He’s been honored to receive commissions and developmental support from institutions like the Kennedy Center, the Eugene O’Neill Conference, Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions Series, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor Residency. He’s currently writing Scarfoot Lives, a new play co-commissioned by Arena Stage’s Power Play Program and the Playwright Center’s McKnight Fellowship. In addition to the recently released poetry collection Can I Kick It?, he’s had several publications with Haymarket Books including Inauguration, Human Highlight: Ode To Dominique Wilkins, and the controversial play This Is Modern Art cowritten with Kevin Coval. His words, voice, and sometimes entire body have shown up on HBO Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, BBC radio, and the Discovery Channel. A frequent public speaker at conferences and educational spaces, Idris is one of the leading voices in his field committed to using art to cultivate more diverse and equitable spaces. Visit Idris on the web and social media.
