Woodie King Jr. Tribute Event Set at Broadway's Barrymore

The pioneering Black theatre maker and producer died in January at the age of 88.

February 25, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block

Woodie King, Jr. (Photo courtesy of New Federal Theatre)

The life and legacy of pioneering Black theatre maker and producer Woodie King Jr. will be honored with a special tribute at Broadway's Barrymore Theatre April 27. Additional details are to be announced.

A trailblazer for Black theatre, Mr. King was the founding director of New York City's New Federal Theatre, which, since 1970, has aimed to amplify the voices of Black artists, women, and other marginalized communities. Mr. King served as the producing director until 2021, at which point he retired, but remained on the Federal Theatre's board. He was long declared by the theatre industry and community as "the Renaissance Man of Black Theatre." In 2020, the Off-Broadway Alliance named him a "legend of Off-Broadway."

Mr. King died in January at the age of 88. Read his full obituary here.