Jan 18, 2021
Rodney Hicks is a New York actor/playwright, originally from Philly, who makes his home in Denver, CO with his husband and two dogs. He is currently working on a new project with some really special people.
Hicks is an Award-winning Black Gay Male Artist. His play FLAME BROILED. or the ugly play had its World Premiere at Local Theater Company in Boulder, CO in the Fall of 2019. The play was awarded the 2019 Eulipions Fund on behalf of The Denver Foundation. His other plays, JUST PRESS SAVE and MS. PEARL'S CABARET was a 2018 and 2019 Semi-Finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Conference.
JUST PRESS SAVE had a successful workshop presentation via Zoom in a private industry reading as part of the PRIDE Plays Festival of New Plays on June 20, 2020. It was directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT). The cast included: Tony Award Nominee Hailey Kilgore as Jocelyn Baxter, Taylor Trensch as Curtis Miller, Kenny Tran as Bolin Hsu, Wyatt Gray as Damon Webster, Rafael Molina as Carter Alvarez, and Rocky Vega as Monica Alvarez. What an AWESOME time we all had.
Rodney has co-starred on Broadway as part of the Original Cast of the now International Hit Musical, COME FROM AWAY, by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. Rodney Originated the role of Bob & Others. Directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley with Musical Staging by Olivier Award winner Kelly Devine. (Rodney was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical -Ford’s Theater & a Gypsy Rose Lee nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical -Seattle Rep); Rodney Originated the role of Clarence Norris in John Kander & Fred Ebb's The Scottsboro Boys. Directed and Choreographed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman; Rodney Revived the role of Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar (2000 Revival). Directed by Gayle Edwards with Choreography by Anthony Van Laast; Rodney Originated the role of Paul, a Cop and Others in the multiple Tony Award/Pulitzer Prize honored Landmark Musical RENT. Directed by Tony Award nominee Michael Greif with Choreography by Tony Award nominee Marlies Yearby. Rodney had a once in a lifetime opportunity to come full circle with RENT, coming back to the show in its final year on Broadway as Benjamin Coffin III. He plays Benny on the RENT: Live on Broadway DVD/ also available on streaming services.
Some of his Off-Broadway credits include Originating the role of Philly in Lee Summers, Ty Stephens, and Herbert Rawlings, Jr’s R&B Musical, FROM MY HOMETOWN. Directed by Kevin Ramsey with Choreography by Leslie Dockery. (Audelco Award Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical nomination); He Originated the role of Rodney in the 2006 revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Directed by Gordon Greenberg with choreography by Mark Dendy.
Rodney has a host of National/International tours and Prominent Regional theatre credits to his name. Rodney has the distinction of being the first African-American to portray the role of Curly in the first professional all-Black production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Portland Center Stage. Directed by his now-husband, Chris Coleman. Choreographed by Joel Ferrell. Rodney was awarded the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical for his turn as Haywood Patterson in the first post- Broadway Regional Premiere of The Scottsboro Boys at The Philadelphia Theatre Company. Susan Stroman’s Tony-nominated Direction and Choreography were reproduced by Jeff Whiting, Associate Director of the Broadway company. The Choreography was reproduced by Eric Santagata, Associate Choreographer of the Broadway company.
Rodney and Chris are now based in Denver, CO where Chris is the Artistic Director of The Denver Center for the Performing Arts. They have two dogs, Trevor and Logan. Rodney enjoys traveling with work when not spending quality time at home with his husband, keeping himself busy writing, hiking, and meditating.
Original Cast Recordings: COME FROM AWAY, The Scottsboro Boys, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, The New Picasso (concept recording), and RENT.
Directing credits include Flame Broiled. or the ugly play (World Premiere); Runaways: In concert (reworked book by Rodney Hicks) at Joe's Pub/Public Theatre 2007 to benefit Joey Dipaolo AIDS Foundation. Jamie McGonnigal, producer -featuring Tony Award nominee Alex Brightman, Ezra Miller, Max Jenkins, Karla Mosley, Idara Victor, Eric Anthony, Shaun Taylor Corbett, Karen DiConcetto, Garrett Zercher, among others; Guess Who's Coming for Chitlins' at The Triad in NYC 1997. Book, Music & Lyrics by Jerry Dixon. The cast included Kevin R. Free, Kathy Deitch, J. Cameron Barnett, Welly Yang, JoLyn Burks, and Danielle Lee Greaves. Nancy Gilsenan’s Ordinary People at St. Thomas Aquinas Players.