Kwame Kwei-Armah

Kwame Kwei-Armah became Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre in 2018. He was Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage (2011-18) and Artistic Director of the Festival of Black Arts and Culture, Senegal (2010), where he wrote and directed the opening ceremony at Senghor Stadium.

As a playwright, Kwei-Armah was the first African Caribbean to have a play produced in London’s West End (Elmina’s Kitchen). His triptych of plays was produced at the National Theatre, where he later created the online resource The Black Play Archive. Kwei-Armah was Chancellor of the University of the Arts, London (2010-2015), and is Patron of Ballet Black and The Black Cultural Archives, Chair of Warwick Arts Centre Advisory Board, and Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. Kwei- Armah was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama in 2011, and in 2020 listed as one of 100 Great Black Britons.

Whilst Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage, Kwei-Armah directed: Jazz, Marley, One Night in Miami, Amadeus, Dance of the Holy Ghosts, The Mountaintop, An Enemy of the People, The Whipping Man, Things of Dry Hours. Other directing includes: Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, Detroit ‘67 (The Public Theater); The Liquid Plain (Signature Theatre/Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Porgy and Bess (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra); the Olivier-nominated One Night in Miami (Donmar Warehouse); One Love (Birmingham Repertory Theatre). His playwriting credits include Tree (MIF, Young Vic); One Love (Birmingham Repertory Theatre); Beneatha’s Place (Baltimore Center Stage), Elmina’s Kitchen, Fix Up, Statement of Regret (National Theatre); and Let There Be Love, Seize the Day (Tricycle).