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S4 01 From Stage to Page: Levy Lee Simon's Artistic Odyssey
12/05/2023
S4 01 From Stage to Page: Levy Lee Simon's Artistic Odyssey
"From Stage to Page: Levvy Lee Simon's Artistic Odyssey" Angela Matemotja holds an in-depth interview with multiple award-winning playwright, actor, and director, Levy Lee Simon. Lee discusses his journey of becoming a playwright, starting off as an actor, and eventually finding himself in the unique position of storytelling. He shares the genesis of his NAACP Theater Award nominee for Best Playwright and Ovation Award nominee for Best New Play series, 'For The Love of Freedom', and its anticipated grand launch in New York City. Lee also is planning to launch his memoir in December, based on his unique life experiences. Odyssey Towards the Light. The book launch and signing will take place on, Friday, December 8th, 2023 7 PM at Greenway Court Theatre in Hollywood. 544 N. Fairfax Avenue. 7-10 PM Admission Free. Levy Lee Simon’s memoir takes us on an odyssey from a man child, growing up in Harlem, to HBCUs, NYC Theatre, The Roaring 80s, Sex, drugs, theatre, the fall and rise of an artist, Iowa, and more. And this is just Part One. Artist Biography Multiple Award Winning playwright, actor and director, Levy Lee Simon is originally from Harlem USA and a graduate of the University of Iowa Playwright’s Workshop, MFA. He is presently a member of the Actor’s Studio PDU (Playwright/Director’s Unit) and The Tent Playwrights Collective. Levy Lee is recognized as one of the most prolific playwrights of our time, haven written over twenty plays with 50 productions produced in New York, Los Angeles, theatres across the country, and the Caribbean. His most noted works include: God the Crackhouse and the Devil, The Bow Wow Club, Same Train, The Stuttering Preacher, For the Love of Freedom trilogy: (Part I - Toussaint, Part II - Dessalines and Part III - Christophe,) Caseload, The Guest at Central Park West, The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel, A Heated Discussion and A Heated Discussion Revisited (commissioned by the Robey Theatre) New Plays include: Gentrified – Metaphor of the Drums and Fractured developed in the Actors Studio PDU, which received a Workshop Production July of 2022 by New Circle Theatre Company. Critical Awards and Recognition: Playwright of the Year Award, San Diego Writers Festival – 2022. New Voices Playwriting Award – Sacramento Theatre (Smell the Power) - Audelco Award, ‘Best Playwright’ and ‘Dramatic Production of the Year.’ (The Guest at Central Park West.) - OOBR Award (Same Train) - Lorraine Hansberry/Kennedy Center Award for, Best Full Length (The Bow Wow Club) - Best Plays of 2006 (The Stuttering Preacher.) Nominations include: Beverly Hills NAACP Theatre Awards/Best Playwright - Toussaint and Christophe. Ovation Award nomination - Best New Play – Dessalines. Critics Pics LA Times and Weekly: The Bow Wow Club, The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel, A Heated Discussion and A Heated Discussion Revisited. Levy Lee had the honor of being the first artist in the history of the National Black Theatre Festival to be invited as; a playwright, actor, director and producer in the same year. Film and Television projects include: The Last Revolutionary feature film premiered at the Pan African Film Festival 2017. (Amazonprime.com.) Options: The Guest – MoJo Films, The Bow Wow Club – FOX Searchlight and Vendetta Films, and The Stuttering Preacher, Javon Johnson Productions, slated for production, fall 2023.. As an actor, Levy Lee has performed On Broadway, Off Broadway, Regional Theatres, and the Caribbean. In June of 2023, he performed his first solo performance, Odyssey Race and Racism, in the Hollywood Fringe Festival to rave reviews. In 2022, he appeared in the world premiere of, In the Upper Room by Beaufield Berry, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and received a “Best Supporting Actor,” nomination by the Colorado Theatre Guild. He was a cast member of the Pulitzer Prize Winning-Tony Nominated – The Kentucky Cycle and the England production of Ms. Ever’s Boys at the Barbican and Bristol Old Vic. His directing credits include: With a Little Help – It’s John Belushi by Jack Zullo at Theatre 80 NYC , (Nominated for Best Off Broadway Play, by Broadway World) The Bow Wow Club, Marietta Theatre, Atlanta, Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, Javon Johnson’s Breathe, at Greenway Arts Alliance and NBTF and, Leftovers by Josh Wilder at the Great Plains Theatre Conference. Levy Lee, as he prefers to be called, is an artist/activist always seeking to create work that entertains while inspiring and motivating change.
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