PLAYWRIGHT AND FILMMAKER

DR. RODNEY L. CLARK

Dr. Rodney L. Clark is a native Tulsan and a descendant of the 1921 Race Massacre. He has a B.A. degree in Theatre from the University of Washington (Seattle), a M.F.A. degree in Film from Howard University (Washington, D.C.), and an Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Oklahoma State University (Stillwater). He has over twenty years’ experience as an Educator (Assistant Professor of Theatre-Tulsa Community College and Berea College in Berea, Kentucky and Administrator at Tulsa Public Schools). Dr. Clark is a playwright, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and rancher. He is the Founder and former Superintendent/ Principal of Langston Hughes Academy. He is currently teaching Video Production at Muskogee High School in Muskogee, OK. Clark has worked extensively with Theatre North in Tulsa, OK. and has directed several plays including the 2018 Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence's production of the year entitled Seven Guitars by August Wilson. Clark has also directed The Green Book, The Face of Emmett Till, Flyin' West, Gee's Bend, and others. Clark has written and directed several plays including Reverend I'm Available that toured the country for seven years and played to major halls in Kansas City, Washington, D.C., Denver, Nashville, Birmingham, and many more. Clark has also written and directed other original musical productions including Expressions of Black Souls, Reverend I'm Available Too and Joann's Struggling Soul. The latter two including Reverend I'm Available, Clark has produced into films. Clark's other theatrical writing achievements include Devious, All We Ever Do Is Talk About It, and Black Wall Street (The Musical). In Telling Our Stories (Based on the Events of the 1921 Race Riot) Volume I Clark’s plays include The Griffins, Greenwood, and Gurley's Glorious Greenwood...Gone. In Volume II Clark wrote The Silent Chapter, Known, But Not Discussed and Nothing…Not a Word…In Tulsa. Clark has received several awards including "Outstanding Director" at the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival in the Oklahoma Region for Tulsa Community College’s production of Getting Away With Murder. Clark’s cast also received an award for “Excellence in Ensemble Acting”. Under Clark’s direction, the show included pre-recorded and live video. Clark’s production team received Excellence Awards for “Live Video” and “Lighting Design.” Clark has served as a Respondent for the American College Theatre Festival during his tenure at Berea College. He reviewed college productions at Eastern Kentucky State University and Murray State College. Clark received several awards for his films at the Barebones International Film Festival. Reverend I’m Available and Joann’s Struggling Soul received “Best Faith Based Christian Film” and both films won the “Audience Choice Award” in 2006 and 2010 respectively. Joann’s Struggling Soul won the 2nd place prize for the “Best Christian Film” at the Capital City Black Film Festival in Austin, Texas in 2011. Clark has also received community awards from the North Tulsa Heritage Foundation's "Image Builder Award,” "Greenwood Chamber of Commerce's "Educator Award," “Community Leader Award” from the Lacy Park Foundation, and the 100 Black Men of Tulsa's "Community Service Award" to name a few.