Biography
David Barr III is also the author of several published works for the stage including Death Of The Black Jesus, Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit, The Face Of Emmett Till (Dramatic Publishing), and Black Caesar (PerformInk). His stage works around Chicagoland have been produced at Goodman Theatre, Pegasus Players, Chicago Theatre Company, Black Ensemble Theatre. Nationally, his plays have been produced at a myriad of theaters including Unity Theatre of Los Angeles and St. Louis, Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis, Paul Robeson Theatre of Buffalo, University of Louisville, Coppin State University, and Dillard University in New Orleans.
Mr. Barr has been a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists since 1993, a playwright-in-residence at Chicago Theatre Company, and an artistic associate at Pegasus Players. In 2005 David received Chicago's Joseph Jefferson Citation for Best New Work for his play The Upper Room. He is also a three time recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship for Playwriting, a two time winner of the National Play Award sponsored by Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City (1995 and 2000), recipient of the 2000 Festival Of Emerging American Theatre (FEAT) National Playwriting Award, winner of the 1998 Theodore Ward Playwriting Award, the 2000 recipient of the Donahue-Tremaine Trust Award for excellence in playwriting, co-winner of the first annual David Ofner Prize (2000) -- sponsored by Goodman Theatre, the 1998 Edgar Award for Best Play from Mystery Writers Of America, and the winner of the 1993 Mixed Blood Versus America National Playwriting Contest.
His Civil Rights docudrama My Soul IS A Witness -- produced by The Jena Company, New York City received national tours in 2005 and 2006 and was a Pegasus Players production of the work was included in the Hindu MetroPlus Theatre Arts Festival in Chennai, India during the Summer of 2007. My Soul IS A Witness subsequently embarked on a three city Indian tour that included the cities of Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai. His second engagement with The Jena Company was the biopic Jackie, Vi, and Lena which toured nationally during the Winter of 2007.
His first film was a screenplay adaptation of the Zora Neale Hurston classic short story The Gilded Six Bits -- produced by West Side Theatre Guild -- was aired on the Chicago and Gary, Indiana PBS affiliates -- WTTW and WYIN. The movie received critical acclaim at several 2006 and 2007 film festivals across the United States including being named Best Picture at the 2006 Twin Cities Film Festival. It was screened at the annual "Zora Fest" in Hurston's native Eatonville, Florida earlier that same year. The Gilded Six Bits was included in the 2008 International Black Harvest Film Festival held at Chicago's historic Gene Siskel Film Center. It was added to the permanent African American literature collection at the Yale University library.
Lastly, his screenplay Death Of Innocence -- co-written with acclaimed author Christopher Benson and Oscar winning director James Moll, adapted from a memoir co-written by Benson and the late, Civil Rights activist Mamie Till-Mobley, was optioned for development by HBO Films in 2007.
For more information about the works of David Barr III please visit: www.playwrightbarr1.com
