US EditionWoodie King Jr., founder of powerhouse off-Broadway New Federal Theatre, dies at 88
Founder Woodie King Jr. created the New Federal Theatre in 1970, launching careers of many Black artists and producing award-winning plays, industry leaders said.
- Tuesday brought news that Woodie King Jr., founder of the New Federal Theatre, died at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, aged 88.
- Founding the New Federal Theatre in 1970, Woodie King Jr. created the company to support Black playwrights, actors, and young artists after five years at Mobilization for Youth.
- The New Federal premiered plays that later reached Lincoln Center and Broadway, including `Black Girl`, `The Taking of Miss Janie`, and `For Colored Girls Who Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf`.
- He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Van Dyke, three children Geoffrey King, Michael King and Michelle King Huger, and five grandchildren, while colleagues praised his mentorship and called him a giant.
- His career earned Hall of Fame induction in 2012 and Tony Honors in 2020, helping launch many notable actors' careers.
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20 Articles
Associated Press News
Woodie King Jr., founder of powerhouse off-Broadway New Federal Theatre, dies at 88
Woodie King Jr., an influential figure in American theater, has died at 88. He founded the New Federal Theatre to support Black playwrights, actors and directors.
Woodie King Jr., Impresario of Black Theater, Dies at 88
Woodie King Jr., a talent-spotting impresario and proponent of Black drama whose New Federal Theater in New York lent a stage to a profusion of future stars, including Denzel Washington, Phylicia Rashad and Chadwick Boseman, and who put Ntozake Shange's…
Woodie King Jr., Champion of Black Theatre, Dies at 88 - The Caribbean Camera
Wooodie King, Jr. Photo courtesy New Federal Theatre. Woodie King Jr., a towering figure in American theatre and a tireless advocate for Black artists, died on January 29 at Weill Cornell Medical Center following complications from emergency heart surgery. He was 88. For more than five decades, King stood at the centre of Black theatre in the United States, shaping generations of artists as a producer, director, mentor and institution builder. I…
New Heritage Theatre Mourns the Passing of Woodie King Jr., Visionary of Black American Theatre
New Heritage Theatre Group is mourning the passing of its beloved brother, collaborator, and cultural giant, Woodie King Jr., who died on January 29, 2026, at the age of 88. Born July 27, 1937, King was a towering force in American theatre whose life’s work reshaped the landscape for Black playwrights, artists of color, and women, leaving an indelible mark on generations of artists and audiences alike. A visionary producer, director, author, and…
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